Dream: Japan GP Final
Encyclopedia
Dream: Japan GP Final, also known as Dream Japan GP – 2011 Bantamweight Japan Tournament Final, was a mixed martial arts
event held by Fighting and Entertainment Group
's mixed martial arts promotion Dream
. The event took place on July 16, 2011 at the Ariake Coliseum
in Tokyo
, Japan.
-Keisuke Fujiwara
fight will join the Japan Bantamweight Grand Prix 2011 finalists, Masakazu Imanari
and Hideo Tokoro
, in a worldwide Dream bantamweight grand prix expected to kick off later this year.
Willamy Freire
has suffered a hand injury during training that forced him out of his bout with Kawajiri. He was replaced with Drew Fickett
.
Todd Duffee
was scheduled to face Nick Gaston
at this event, but was forced out of the bout due to an undisclosed injury.
Hayato Sakurai
was scheduled to fight Marius Žaromskis
at this event, however an unspecified leg injury forced him out of the bout. Žaromskis instead faced Eiji Ishikawa at a catchweight of 79 kg (175 lbs).
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
event held by Fighting and Entertainment Group
Fighting and Entertainment Group
Fighting and Entertainment Group is the leading Japanese combat sport promoter. Its current president is Sadaharu Tanikawa and it is the parent company behind the mixed martial arts series Dream and formerly, the largest kickboxing promotion in the world, K-1.On December 31, 2010 after the Dream...
's mixed martial arts promotion Dream
DREAM (mixed martial arts)
Dream is a mixed martial arts organization promoted by former PRIDE FC executives and K-1 promoter Fighting and Entertainment Group. DREAM replaced FEG's previous-run mixed martial arts fight series, Hero's. The series retains many of the stylistic flourishes and personnel from Pride FC...
. The event took place on July 16, 2011 at the Ariake Coliseum
Ariake Coliseum
is an indoor sporting arena in located in Ariake, Kōtō, Tokyo, Japan. It has a capacity of 10,000. The arena is used as the center court for the Japan Open Tennis Championships and the Toray Pan Pacific Open held in Ariake Tennis Forest Park....
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan.
Background
The winner of the Kenji OsawaKenji Osawa
Kenji Osawa is a Japanese mixed martial artist from Tokyo, currently fighting in the WEC. He started MMA approximately six years ago, and trains and fights out of Wajitsu Keishukai A3, and teaches there once a week, he also teaches at his own school called "Osawa juku" every Sunday.-MMA career:His...
-Keisuke Fujiwara
Keisuke Fujiwara
Keisuke Fujiwara is a Japanese mixed martial artist with a background in kickboxing.-Kickboxing:...
fight will join the Japan Bantamweight Grand Prix 2011 finalists, Masakazu Imanari
Masakazu Imanari
is a Japanese mixed martial artist best known for his leglocks. He fights out of Team Roken in Kanagawa, Japan. He currently has a professional MMA record of 24–9–2 with notable victories over Danny Batten, Jorge Gurgel, Mike Brown, Robbie Olivier, Jean Silva and Yoshiro Maeda. He is a veteran...
and Hideo Tokoro
Hideo Tokoro
Hideo Tokoro is a Japanese mixed martial artist currently competing in Dream in the bantamweight division. He competed in many mixed martial arts fights in other various promotions such as TFC, ZST, Shooto, Rings and K-1 Hero's.-DREAM:...
, in a worldwide Dream bantamweight grand prix expected to kick off later this year.
Willamy Freire
Willamy Freire
Willamy Friere is an Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who has fought for Shooto and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Freire was also the Shooto Welterweight Champion.-Early career:...
has suffered a hand injury during training that forced him out of his bout with Kawajiri. He was replaced with Drew Fickett
Drew Fickett
Drew Fickett is an American mixed martial artist. He competes in the Lightweight division. He holds notable victories over Josh Koscheck, Dennis Hallman, Kenny Florian, Kurt Pellegrino, Josh Neer, Matt Veach, and Dennis Bermudez....
.
Todd Duffee
Todd Duffee
Todd Duffee is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the heavyweight division. Duffee fought for the Ultimate Fighting Championship until his surprise release in September 2010, which came as a result of an apparent dispute with UFC President Dana White.-Background:Duffee was born in...
was scheduled to face Nick Gaston
Nick Gaston
Nick "Afrozilla" Gaston is an American mixed martial artist who has fought exclusively for King of the Cage and is currently signed to Japanese promotion DREAM...
at this event, but was forced out of the bout due to an undisclosed injury.
Hayato Sakurai
Hayato Sakurai
is a Japanese mixed martial artist. He was born in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. He has a professional MMA record of 35-11-2 as of April 5, 2009. Sakurai has been fighting in mixed martial arts since October 1996 and was at one time considered pound for pound one of the greatest fighters...
was scheduled to fight Marius Žaromskis
Marius Žaromskis
Marius Žaromskis is a Lithuanian welterweight mixed martial artist. After fighting the majority of his career for British promotion Cage Rage, he signed with DREAM in 2009 and then, later that year, with Strikeforce. With DREAM, Žaromskis won their 2009 Welterweight Grand Prix and became their...
at this event, however an unspecified leg injury forced him out of the bout. Žaromskis instead faced Eiji Ishikawa at a catchweight of 79 kg (175 lbs).
Results
- Lightweight bout:
Eiji MitsuokaEiji MitsuokaEiji Mitsuoka is a Japanese professional mixed martial artist and Cage Force veteran who has fought for DREAM, World Victory Road, PRIDE, Shooto, DEEP, and King of the Cage promotions. Eiji holds notable wins over Rodrigo Damm, Joachim Hansen, and Brian Cobb...
vs.
Bruno Carvalho
- Mitsuoka defeated Carvalho via unanimous decision.
- Catchweight (175 lbs) bout: Eiji Ishikawa vs.
Marius ŽaromskisMarius ŽaromskisMarius Žaromskis is a Lithuanian welterweight mixed martial artist. After fighting the majority of his career for British promotion Cage Rage, he signed with DREAM in 2009 and then, later that year, with Strikeforce. With DREAM, Žaromskis won their 2009 Welterweight Grand Prix and became their...
- Catchweight (175 lbs) bout:
- Žaromskis defeated Ishikawa via unanimous decision.
- Light Heavyweight bout: Tatsuya MizunoTatsuya Mizunois a Japanese light heavyweight mixed martial artist. He has fought at events of Dream, Pancrase and M-1 Global.-Biography and career:Mizuno started competing in judo in high school, and holds a 3rd dan black belt in the discipline...
vs.
Trevor PrangleyTrevor PrangleyTrevor Prangley is a South African mixed martial artist who currently fights for Strikeforce. He has previously fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and competes in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions...
- Light Heavyweight bout:
- Mizuno defeated Prangley via TKO (knee and punches) at 4:41 of round 1.
- Bantamweight bout: Keisuke FujiwaraKeisuke FujiwaraKeisuke Fujiwara is a Japanese mixed martial artist with a background in kickboxing.-Kickboxing:...
vs. Kenji OsawaKenji OsawaKenji Osawa is a Japanese mixed martial artist from Tokyo, currently fighting in the WEC. He started MMA approximately six years ago, and trains and fights out of Wajitsu Keishukai A3, and teaches there once a week, he also teaches at his own school called "Osawa juku" every Sunday.-MMA career:His...
- Bantamweight bout:
- Osawa defeated Fujiwara via unanimous decision.
- Lightweight bout: Tatsuya KawajiriTatsuya KawajiriTatsuya Kawajiri is a Japanese mixed martial artist and a former Shooto welterweight champion, currently competing in Dream's lightweight division...
vs.
Drew FickettDrew FickettDrew Fickett is an American mixed martial artist. He competes in the Lightweight division. He holds notable victories over Josh Koscheck, Dennis Hallman, Kenny Florian, Kurt Pellegrino, Josh Neer, Matt Veach, and Dennis Bermudez....
- Lightweight bout:
- Kawajiri defeated Fickett via TKO (punches) at 4:41 of round 1.
- Light Heavyweight Championship bout:
Gegard MousasiGegard MousasiGegard Mousasi, born Geghard Movsesian is an Armenian-Dutch mixed martial artist and kickboxer. He is fighting out of Team Jurojin in Leiden, Netherlands and is a member of Russian Red Devil Sport Club and Netherlands' Golden Glory...
(c) vs. Hiroshi IzumiHiroshi IzumiHiroshi Izumi is a Japanese judoka and mixed martial artist.He won the Men's -90kg category silver medal at the Athens Olympics in 2004 and the gold medal at the World judo championship games in Cairo, Egypt on 2005....
- Light Heavyweight Championship bout:
- Mousasi defeated Izumi via TKO (punches) at 3:28 of round 1.
- Bantamweight Tournament Final: Masakazu ImanariMasakazu Imanariis a Japanese mixed martial artist best known for his leglocks. He fights out of Team Roken in Kanagawa, Japan. He currently has a professional MMA record of 24–9–2 with notable victories over Danny Batten, Jorge Gurgel, Mike Brown, Robbie Olivier, Jean Silva and Yoshiro Maeda. He is a veteran...
vs. Hideo TokoroHideo TokoroHideo Tokoro is a Japanese mixed martial artist currently competing in Dream in the bantamweight division. He competed in many mixed martial arts fights in other various promotions such as TFC, ZST, Shooto, Rings and K-1 Hero's.-DREAM:...
- Bantamweight Tournament Final:
- Tokoro defeated Imanari via unanimous decision.
- Featherweight Championship bout: Hiroyuki TakayaHiroyuki Takaya|-| Win|align=center| 16–9–1| Kazuyuki Miyata| Decision | Dream: Japan GP Final| |align=center| 3|align=center| 5:00|Tokyo, Japan, Japan| Defended DREAM Featherweight Championship|-| Loss|align=center| 15–9–1| Robbie Peralta| Decision...
(c) vs. Kazuyuki MiyataKazuyuki MiyataKazuyuki Miyata is a Japanese freestyle wrestler and mixed martial artist who currently fights for the MMA promotion Dream in the featherweight division.-Freestyle Wrestling:...
- Featherweight Championship bout:
- Takaya defeated Miyata via split decision.