After causing some delay for Dream, Yoshihiro Akiyama has found himself an opponent for the Sept. 23 Dream middleweight grand prix finale at Saitama Super Arena.

Dream producer Keiichi Sasahara, who announced Hayato Sakurai-Kuniyoshi Hironaka, Masakatsu Funaki-Ikuhisa Minowa and Keita Nakamura-Adriano Martins bouts for the event Thursday, told the media that Yoshihiro Akiyama would fight on the card, but had not yet responded to a list of three potential opponents that Dream parent company Fighting and Entertainment Group had offered him. On Friday, FEG announced that Akiyama would take on karate convert Masanori Tonooka.

Returning from knee and nasal injuries sustained earlier this year, Akiyama saw his first action of 2008 on Dream's lightweight tournament final in July, where he took a tougher-than-expected submission over part-time pro-wrestler Katsuyori Shibata.

Tonooka carries a scant 1-1 mark in MMA. The Seido Kaikan karate product got his first MMA win in July, knocking out Hidehira Yabu in Deep.