"Junior" Antonio Silva, Ryan Schultz To Return to Sengoku

Sengoku announced “Junior” Antonio Silva (12-1), “Lion” Ryan Schultz (20-11-1), “El Dirte” Joe Doerksen (42-12), Kazunori Yokota (8-2-2), Makoto Takimoto (4-5), and Hiroshi Izumi (0-0) will all make appearances at 10th Battle in Tokyo 23 September.

Heavyweight Silva has refuged in Japan as an outlaw since testing positive for banned substances after TKOing Justin Eilers (19-7-1) for the EliteXC strap in Stockton in July 2008 resulting in a suspension from the California State Athletic Commission. Silva denies the charges.

He took a TKO due to injury over “Kiss” Yoshihiro Nakao (8-2) at Sengoku in Tokyo last January.

Former IFL lightweight champ Schultz got laid out by “Gamebred” Jorge Masvidal (17-4) at Sengoku in Tokyo last September.

UFC and WEC vet middleweight Doerksen tapped “Blade” Gregory Babene (5-4) at CFC 2 in Winnipeg 22 May.

Grabaka welterweight Yokota won a split decision over Leonardo Santos (2-2) at Sengoku in Tokyo 2 May.

Middleweight Takimoto tapped “Big Boss” Michael Costa (9-4) at the same show.

Judoka Izumi will debut in MMA after winning a silver medal at the Athens Olympics in 2004.