With Sengoku GP Win, Mitsuoka Expects Fight Versus Gomi, Marriage

Fighters.com’s sixth-ranked lightweight Eiji Mitsuoka (12-5-2) skyrocketed into the top ten last August, largely on the pale, rippling back of “Hellboy” Joachim Hansen‘s (18-7) upset of former Lightweight Champion, now ninth-ranked “Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (15-3) in the finals of DREAM’s Lightweight Grand Prix in Osaka 21 July.

Mitsuoka had ground out a majority decision over Hansen in Shooto last November; and, Hansen ascended up the ranks towing Mitusoka with him.

Now, Mitsuoka is a favorite to take Sengoku’s Lightweight Grand Prix after tapping SpiritMC Champion ”Crazy Lee” Kwang Hee Lee (2-1) in Tokyo 18 May and submission wiz Rodrigo Damm (5-1) in the tournament’s first round in Saitama, north of Tokyo, 24 August.

Fighters.com spoke with Mitsuoka and asked him about his victory over Hansen and 2007 loss to eighth-ranked Kotetsu Boku (12-5-1), who Hansen beat in a UD in the opening round of DREAM’s GP in Saitama 14 March.

The focused Japanese fighter out of Wajyutsu Keisyukai RJW told Fighters.com that Hansens GP championship and victory over Boku didn’t interest him and demanded, “Please, look forward.”

Wajyutsu Keisyukai RJW is a network of mixed martial arts gyms in Japan that have produced sixth-ranked middleweight “Thunder” Yushin Okami (22-4), “Toshihiko” Caol Uno (25-10-4), and Katsuya Inoue (15-5-2).

Mitsuoka trains especially with Okami, about whom Mitsuoka said, “He and I think about the strategy of the fight together.”

Looking forward, the fight is versus brash wrestler Satoru Kitaoka (20-9-7) in Saitama 1 November in Sengoku’s GP semi-finals.

“[Kitaoka] is not my friend,” said the humble Mitsuoka.  “I am looking forward to [the fight],” Mitsuoka added, but revealed little about his strategy.  “You’ll understand after the fight.”

Mitsuoka rose to popularity in Japan after winning a TUF-like PRIDE reality show.

“I got a lot of chances from Pre-PRIDE,” Mitsuoka said.  “I think that the event in Japan and the UFC are really wonderful.  And, I think that a lot of fighters are aiming at those rings.”  Then, Mistuoka added, “Now, I want to think about the thing that wins the fight in November.”

If Mitsuoka conquers Kitaoka, as his stablemate, Inoue, has done before, he’ll fight the winner of Grabaka’s Kazunori Yokota (6-1-2) versus Mizuto Hirota (8-2) the same night.  The tournament champion will then get a crack at second-ranked “Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (27-4).

Recently, Mitsuoka angered Gomi when he questioned why Gomi was exempt from the tournament.  Gomi promised to let Mitsuoka know why he was exempt when they meet in the ring.

If he wins the tournament, Mitsuoka also plans to talk to his girlfriend’s parents about marrying their daughter.  The mysterious girl’s parents are unaware that their daughter is even dating a fighter; and, Mitsuoka wants to approach them on the heels of the prestigious tournament victory.

“I have not talked with her parents yet.  I am still on the way of the tournament.  After it ends, I’ll speak with her parents.”