A matchup between Bellator lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez (16-2) and rising Japanese talent Katsunori Kikuno (5-0) is on the table for DREAM 12 in Osaka 25 October, MMA Weekly reported Thursday. Fighters.com has not confirmed the story and MMA Weekly reported that Bellator matchmaker Matt Stansell said he'd only heard a rumor about the matchup, but had received nothing official from DREAM. MMA Weekly's source is anonymous. According to the report, Alvarez would be "traded" to DREAM for the matchup versus Kikuno in exchange for a fighter contracted to DREAM fighting on a Bellator card. ...

The FEG officially added two more DREAM-rules bouts Wednesday to their New Year’s Eve Dynamite!! card. Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked lightweight “Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (15-3) will face third-ranked Eddie Alvarez (13-1), and heavyweight Mark Hunt (5-2) will face Jerome LeBanner (4-1-1). A fight with Aoki had been offered to fifth-ranked middleweight Yoshihiro Akiyama (12-2), but he decided not to fight at all NYE. "I'm tired of negotiating with [Akiyama]," said FEG executive Sadaharu Tanikawa. "He doesn't understand what fans expect from him and his position.  I don't know the reason why he turned down the offer.  I'm very disappointed in him." ...

Fighters.com’s third-ranked lightweight and DREAM fighter Eddie Alvarez (13-1) will fight 23 January in Atlantic City at Monte Cox’s Extreme Challenge, he confirmed to iguillotine this week. Alvarez said, "The only thing I know 100 percent sure right now is January 23 I'll be fighting here in Atlantic City at the Tropicana.  You know, bring it back home.  I've been fighting overseas a lot lately, and the jet lag and everything else, it's good to just drive 40 minutes from home, get a fight and then go home and rest." The Philadelphia native does not have an opponent yet. Alvarez last fought in the DREAM Lightweight Grand Prix in July.  He TKO’d "Crusher" Tatsuya Kawajiri (23-5-2) at 7:35 of round one to advance to the final, but was unable to compete due to a cut over his eye. ...

ProElite, Inc. has cancelled it's 8 November EliteXC MMA event, ceased operations, and filed for bankruptcy, according to numerous reports. ProElite, Inc. is the parent company of the EliteXC promotion that is nationally broadcast in the States on CBS, as well as owner of the MMA brands King of the Cage, CageRage, ICON, and Spirit MC. ProElite's website is functioning and has no mention of the company's bankruptcy. However, Gracie Fighter, the website of EliteXC fighter Nick Diaz's  (18-7) manager, Cesar Gracie, posted Monday evening, "We are confirming that EliteXC has folded." The cancelled event was to have taken place in Reno and aired on Showtime featuring title fights in two weight divisions. ...

Fighters.com’s third-ranked lightweight Eddie Alvarez (15-1) expects to face Nick Diaz (18-7) for EliteXC’s vacant 160-pound title 8 November, reported MMA Weekly Thursday. “I’ll be fighting Nick Diaz, we’re about 90-something percent positive I’ll be fighting Nick Diaz for the EliteXC title at 160 (pounds),” Alvarez said. “Nick’s a great opponent, he poses a lot of threats. Very good striking, as well as good jiu-jitsu, so he’s been in the game a while, he’s a pure fighter and I like that.” Alvarez added, “[Diaz] gets a lot of bad rap from a lot of people with his attitude, but deep down he likes to fight, he enjoys to fight and I consider myself the same kind of person. I enjoy to fight, my heart’s in this.” The title is currently vacant after the belt was stripped recently from “King Karl” Karl James Noons (7-2). Alvarez most recently participated in DREAM’s Lightweight Grand Prix in July, winning a spot in the final with a first-round TKO of “Crusher” Tatsuya Kawajiri (22-5-2), only to withdraw due to injury. Diaz is coming off three TKO wins, most recently over “Wildman” Thomas Denny (26-17) in the second round in July. ...

Fighters.com's Lightweight Champion "Prodigy" B.J. Penn's (13-4-1) three-fight run at lightweight will end in Las Vegas 31 January when Penn returns to welterweight to fight Fighters.com’s Welterweight Champion “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (17-2) for the UFC welterweight title. Why? (Well, besides the obvious jack the UFC stands to profit on the main event.) But, UFC President Dana White himself has claimed Penn's best weight class is 155 pounds; and, Penn made much ballyhoo about getting serious and slimming down to 155 pounds, his natural fighting weight. Penn has never fought above 155 with a physique that could be described as anything but "pudgy". Penn is also 0-2 in his last two 170-pound fights in the Octagon, which must make UFC welterweight contenders wonder if they can get some Vaseline. In Saitama, north of Tokyo, 24 August, top lightweight contender "Fireball Kid" Takanori Gomi (29-3) won a unanimous decision versus tough, but relatively unknown Korean champ Seung Hwan Bang (5-2). ...

August brought the crowning of Fighters.com's new Lightweight Champion "Prodigy" B.J. Penn (13-4-1) and the top ten debuts of fourth-ranked "Hellboy" Joachim Hansen (19-7-1), sixth-ranked Eiji Mitsuoka (13-5-2), and eighth-ranked Kotetsu Boku (13-5-1). "Hellboy" shocked Osaka 21 July by TKOing former Fighters.com Lightweight Champion "Tobikan Judan" Shinya Aoki (17-3) in the first round of the DREAM Lightweight Grand Prix final. Aoki spirals down eight wrungs to ninth on the loss, taking vanquished rival tenth-ranked "JZ" Gesias Calvancante (14-2-1) with him. Penn takes the Championship from the second rank, but is torn between moving to welterweight to fight Fighters.com Welterweight Champion "Rush" Georges St. Pierre (17-2) or defending his Fighters.com and UFC titles from seventh-ranked, top UFC contender "KenFlo" Kenny Florian (10-3). In Minneapolis 9 August, Florian cleared-up the UFC's lightweight picture with a dominant UD over "El Matador" Roger Huerta (20-2-1). ...

In a stunning cyclone of events, DREAM Lightweight Tournament reserve fighter “Hellboy” Joachim Hansen (19-7-1) captured the DREAM Lightweight Championship in Osaka Sunday night. Hansen was originally eliminated from the tournament at DREAM.3 11 May after dropping a decision to Eddie Alvarez (15-1), but was drafted into the final after slapping an armbar on “Black Mamba” Kultar Gill (10-8) at 2:33 of round one in the tournament's reserve fight Sunday. Ironically, Hansen replaced Alvarez after Alvarez knocked out “Crusher” Tatsuya Kawajiri (22-5-2) at 7:35 of round one in a thrilling slugfest.  A right hook, right uppercut combo floored "Crusher" and Alvarez pounded the Japanese fighter out, but sustained a cut over his right eye in the action that would prevent him from fighting for the title. Tournament favorite “Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (17-3) contorted himself into the final versus Hansen in a unanimous decision over “Uno Shoten” Caol Uno (25-11-4), throwing everything in the "Judan" book at Uno: armbar, triangle choke, heel hook, rear naked choke, gogoplata, etc.  Though Aoki wasn't able to stop Uno, he dominated for the decision. The final was set: Aoki v Hansen; and, in most people's minds, already settled in favor of the Japanese favorite. ...

So thorough was second-ranked UFC Lightweight Champion "Prodigy" B.J. Penn's (13-4-1) domination of fifth-ranked "Muscle Shark" Sean Sherk (31-3-1) 24 May in Las Vegas that Penn leaps two spots in Fighters.com's June Lightweight Rankings to place as the top contender to Fighters.com's Lightweight Champion "Tobikan Judan" Shinya Aoki (15-2). Fighters.com never questioned Penn's talent, just his recent body of work at 155-pounds. Though Penn fought unquestionably tougher competition last month, "Tobikan Judan" stole the show in the division by pulling a gogoplata from the mount out of his hat to tap Katsuhiko Nagata (4-3) 15 June in Tokyo. It seems impossible for DREAM's magician from Tokyo and the UFC's warrior from Hilo to settle the cross-Pacific lightweight question; but, UFC President Dana White is desperate to keep Penn's eyes from wandering out of the young UFC 155-pound division. Penn told the post-UFC 84 press conference that, after out-boxing Sherk, it's hard for him to get motivated to fight the winner of seventh-ranked "KenFlo" Kenny Florian (9-3) versus "El Matador" Roger Huerta (20-1-1) to be fought in Minneapolis 9 August. ...

The worldwide lightweight division got all shook up the passed several weeks. After two false starts, "Tobikan Judan" Shinya Aoki (15-2) and "JZ" Gesias Calvancante (14-2-1) finally fought for the Fighters.com top ranking in Tokyo at the end of April. Aoki came out on top with a unanimous decision and now tops Fighters.com lightweight rankings, but suffered injuries that have postponed his DREAM Lightweight Grand Prix quarter final match-up versus Katsuhiko Nagata (4-2) until DREAM.4. Calvancante fell to number three, allowing "Fireball Kid" Takanori Gomi (28-3) to claim the second ranking. Gomi is rumoured to be joining the 8 June Sengoku III card in Tokyo, but no opponent has been leaked. Fourth-ranked "Prodigy" B.J. Penn (12-4-1) and fifth-ranked "Muscle Shark" Sean Sherk (31-2-1) will tussle for the UFC lightweight title 24 May in Las Vegas. Eddie Alvarez (14-1) debuts in the lightweight top ten at number six after dominating "Hellboy" Joachim Hansen (17-7-1) in the quarter final of DREAM's Lightweight GP.  He'll fight in the semi-finals (and perhaps the finals) at DREAM.5 21 July. Seventh-ranked "KenFlo" Kenny Florian (9-3) and eighth-ranked Hermes Franca (18-6) both hop two spots after "Endless Fighter" Mitsuhiro Ishida (16-4-1) got tapped in a rear naked choke in "Uno Shoten" Caol Uno's (25-10-4) DREAM Lightweight GP quarterfinal debut. Florian is scheduled to fight "El Matador" Roger Huerta (20-1-1) 9 August in Minneapolis for the UFC's top contender spot, while Franca lingers in suspension after testing positive for banned substances last July. Uno advances to the DREAM Lightweight GP semis (and maybe finals) with Alvarez, but against an unknown opponent. "Dida" Andre Amade (6-3-1) also debuts in the lightweight rankings at number nine, mostly on the strength of his unanimous decision victory over Uno last September.  Recently, though, Dida has been dominated by Calvancante and Alvarez. May Lightweight Rankings 1. "Tobikan Judan" Shinya Aoki (14-2) Aoki has ten straight wins, including MMA's first gogoplata stoppage over Joachim Hansen.  A UD over Calvancante in April cemented him atop Fighters.com's rankings. 2. "The Fireball Kid" Takanori Gomi (28-3) Gomi avenged a 2006 blip to Marcus Aurelio with a stoppage on NYE the same year followed by a stoppage of Mitsuhiro Ishida.  A year-long layoff keeps Gomi from ichi-ban, but he returned last month with a stoppage of Duane Ludwig. 3. "JZ" Gesias Calvancanti (14-1-1) "JZ" has brushed Amade, Vitor Ribeiro, and Nam Phan off his shoulders with stoppages since a MD over Caol Uno in '06, part of 13 straight without a loss until losing a UD to Aoki in April. 4. "The Prodigy" B.J. Penn (12-4-1) "The Prodigy's" return to lightweight quickly resulted in UFC gold with two second-round stoppages over Joe Stevenson and Jens Pulver.  He defends his title from Sherk at the end of May. 5. "The Muscle Shark" Sean Sherk (31-2-1) "The Muscle Shark" has been on the shelf for nearly a year since decisions over Franca and Florian.   He was the UFC's first lightweight titlist since the division was reinstated and challenges Penn for title he was stripped of. 6. Eddie Alvarez (14-1) Since dropping from welterweight for the DREAM Lightweight GP, Alvarez has been relentless in a stoppage of Amade and a UD over Joachim Hansen. 7. "KenFlo" Kenny Florian (9-3) Florian is a finisher since losing a UFC title challenge to Sherk by UD.  "KenFlo" is ready for a second run at the title, but will first face Roger Huerta for the UFC top contendership. 8. Hermes Franca (18-6) Despite a year suspension, Franca has been busy the last two years with stoppages of Spencer Fisher, Nathan Diaz, and new WEC champ Jamie Varner.  He's only dropped a UD to Sherk. 9. "Dida" Andre Amade (6-3-1) Since a UD over Uno, Amade has been stopped consecutively by top tenners Alvarez and Calvancante.  In the last two years, "Dida" has also stopped Artur Oumakhanov and Hiroyuki Takaya. 10. "Uno Shoten" Caol Uno (25-10-4) Uno splashed into the top ten with a submission of former PRIDE title contender Mitsuhiro Ishida.   The former UFC and K-1 star now begins a run in DREAM. ...

Sunday at DREAM.3 in Tokyo, Eddie Alvarez (14-1), "Crusher" Tatsuya Kawajiri (22-4-2), and "Uno Shoten" Caol Uno (25-10-4) advanced to the DREAM.5 semi-finals of the Lightweight Grand Prix. Fighters.com's tenth-ranked middleweight "Mayhem" Jason Miller (21-5) and Nick Diaz (16-7) also picked up wins. "Mayhem" easily pounded out Masakatsu Funaki-trained Katsuyori Shibata (2-4) in 6:57 to add himself and a bit of respectability to the Middleweight Grand Prix to be continued at DREAM.4. In the Lightweight GP's biggest upset, Uno was too slick for Fighters.com's fifth-ranked lightweight "Endless Fighter" Mitsuhiro Ishida (16-4-1) on his feet, then, surprisingly, on the mat. "Uno Shoten" wrapped Ishida up in a rear naked choke during a scramble on the ground, ending the "Endless Fighter" at 1:39 of the second round. Alvarez won an exciting unanimous decision over "Hellboy" Joachim Hansen in an upset predicted by Fighters.com. Kawajiri advanced to DREAM.5 in the expected "W" over "Buscape" Luiz Firmino (12-4), but wasn't able to stop the tough Brazilian. Some fighters get rusty after a prolonged absence.  "Mean for no reason" (as labeled by "Punk" Josh Thomson (14-2)) Diaz was pissed after six months of inactivity.  He unloaded on welterweight King of Pancrase Katsuya Inoue (16-6-3) for nearly seven minutes, causing Inoue's corner to throw in the towel. Diaz earned a DREAM welterweight title shot with the dominating "W". Welterweight Daisuke Nakamura (14-9) served Korean judoka Bu Kyung Jung (0-3) his first stoppage loss with a knockout at 1:05 of round two. "Marvelous" Melvin Manhoef (21-4-1) TKO'd another Korean judoka, Dae Won Kim (4-4), at 4:08 of round one. Lightweight Takeshi Yamazaki (14-7-2) won a unanimous decision over Shoji Maruyama (6-3-1). ...

"Tobikan Judan" Shinya Aoki (15-2), clad in spandex armor, is expected to surf atop the DREAM Lightweight Grand Prix, and, when his last opponent taps, take home the big prize. That's what most believe, but, not so long ago, most believed the world was flat, or, at best, the rounded shell of a very large turtle.  Since "time and chance happeneth to all", let's take a quick peek at what could happen. On 11 May, we'll see if one the following warriors has the equipment to give Aoki his first loss since 2005.  Since several of these fighters (complete with difficult-to-pronounce names) aren't quickly recognized among the North American MMA mainstream, where Affliction brands and "GSP" references are as common as stop signs, all the more reason to break'em down. Which lightweight might stop the flexible "Tobikan Judan"? From least likely to most: Katsuhiko Nagata (4-2)    Aoki, after suffering injuries in his decision win over "JZ" Gesias Calvancante (14-2) at DREAM.2, will face Nagata at DREAM.5.    Nagata is one busy fighter as long as he's on top. A silver-medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 2000 Olympics, Nagata can clinch well and might toss Aoki to the mat.  But, what happens when Aoki's on his back?  Brer Rabbit and the brier patch come to mind. Aoki should hand Nagata his first submission loss. Eddie Alvarez (13-1) v "Hellboy" Joachim Hansen (17-6) Alvarez is fireworks, blood, and guts.  He's always been dangerous, but after losing to Fighters.com's ninth-ranked welterweight "The Goat" Nick Thompson (35-9) in Bodog and his subsequent weight drop, he's unpredictable as well. Before Thompson pounded him out, Alvarez had one gear and one direction: forward with fists flying.  He's a smarter fighter now with improved takedowns, though his lust for hitting hard is still on board. Hansen had the skills to give third-ranked lightweight "The Fireball Kid" Takanori Gomi (28-3) his first-ever lost.  Those skills have only gotten better. "Hellboy" has brutal leg kicks, which is what toppled Alvarez in Bodog.  But, Hansen isn't nearly as lanky as Thompson; and, Alvarez will get the better of the Norwegian if Hansen employs his kicks.  If Alvarez manages a single-leg, don't expect him to play in Hansen's ever-dangerous guard.    Alvarez should likely pound this one out, but, if he ends up with Aoki under him, his ground game won't be enough to keep himself clean of armlocks and triangles galore. "Endless Fighter" Mitsuhiro Ishida (16-3-1) v "Uno Shoten" Caol Uno (24-10-4) There's not much Uno can't do well.  He is exciting and capable of showing up on someone's back when neither the opponent, nor the crowd expects it. He's slick and fun and will keep this fight interesting with bursts of opposition.    Fifth-ranked lightweight Ishida is a great wrestler and doesn't get punched much while waiting for a shot.  He moves very well.  His footwork will keep him out of trouble when the fight is standing; and, he'll power through the submission attempts.  And, although he's not super exciting (or, maybe because he's not), Ishida will likely stay on top, throwing just enough leather to keep the ref from forcing the duo to their feet. Should Ishida wrestle out a 'W', he might face off with Aoki; but, it's not enough to just put Shinya on his back. "Crusher" Tatsuya Kawajiri (21-4-2) v "Buscape" Luiz Firmino (12-3) Firmino moves well enough off his back and has good cardio.  And, his back is exactly where Kawajiri could put him quickly as Firmino seems to have problem giving up takedowns. Once down, though, Firmino must work for submissions, and; Kawajiri will make it everything but easy.  Firmino will take a lot of damage, with only brief respites thanks to the occasional submission attempt that will never be sunk.    Kawajiri is a thick beast of a wrestler and tough to submit.  Gomi got him with a rear naked choke, but only after he was hurt with body shots, left hands to the face, and knees that drove him down and ripened him for a tap-out. Kawajiri still punches like a wrestler when standing, but is a dangerous contender for this Grand Prix.    If Kawajiri takes Firmino by TKO or late decision, he could prove more than a handful on the ground for Aoki...should they meet. "Crusher" postures well and hits hard, but with control.  If he doesn't expose his legs when he's on top, Kawajiri will be the fighter to push Aoki the hardest.    Unlike the myth of a flat Earth, Kawajiri is one fighter who's for real and his name, tricky as it seems now, could become a household moniker if he's the one to topple "Tobikan Judan". ...

"JZ" Gesias Calvancanti (14-1-1) and "Tobikan Judan" Shinya Aoki (14-2) will try to avoid a third malfunction when they rematch 29 April at DREAM.2 the promotion announced at its website today. Their first scheduled matchup was to be last New Year's Eve at Yarenokka, but "JZ" bailed with a bum knee. In the Lightweight Grand Prix at DREAM.1, the two division standouts only tussled for about four minutes before an errant Calvancanti elbow dug into the back of Aoki's head.  The fight was stopped and declared a No Contest when Aoki couldn't continue. And, if my kanji literacy isn't too far off, DREAM also announced the Lightweight Grand Prix's next round of bouts. At DREAM.3 11 May, the winner between Calvancanti and Aoki will fight Katsuhiko Nagata (4-2) who surprised Artur Oumakhanov (7-3) in the first round. Eddie Alvarez (13-1) and "Hellboy" Joachim Hansen (17-6-1) will matchup in another Grand Prix bout. Another matchup features a rematch between "Buscape" Luiz Firmino (12-3) and "Crusher" Tatsuya Kawajiri (21-4-2). Kawajiri won a 2005 unanimous decision over Firmino in PRIDE. Finally, "Uno Shoten" Caol Uno (24-10-4) got a bye into a second-round fight with "Endless Warrior" Mitsuhiro Ishida (16-3-1). ...

Saturday's DREAM.1 at Saitama Super Arena was the whole Japanese MMA shabang from tip to toe. The K-1/former-PRIDE collaboration featured mismatches of size and skill, world-class MMA, late stoppages, carnival theatrics, a tournament format, and the banshee herself, Lenne Hardt, introducing it all. The card featured the opening round of DREAM's lightweight grand prix in which Eddie Alvarez (13-1), "Buscape" Luiz Firmino (12-3), "Hellboy" Joachim Hansen (17-6-1), "Endless Fighter" Mitsuhiro Ishida (16-3-1), "Crusher" Tatsuya Kawajiri (21-4-2), and Katsuhiko Nagata (4-2) all advanced to the next round. The tournaments seventh and most anticipated match-up betwen "Tobikan Judan" Shinya Aoki (14-2) and "JZ" Gesias Calvancante (14-1-1) ended in a No Contest. In non-tournament bouts, "Mach" Hayato Sakurai (32-7-2) and "Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic both won first round TKOs and "The Punk" Ikuhisa Minowa won a first round submission. Ishida and Korean judoka Bu Kyung Jung (0-2) fought the most competitive bout with Ishida squeezing a unanimous decision over the MMA rookie. The Japanese wrestler, Ishida, whirled around Jung for the first two minutes, peppering leg kicks into the Korean's thighs.  On Jung's lunging clinch attempt, Ishida slammed him to the mat. On the mat, inside Jung's tightly closed guard, Ishida heaved him into the air and slammed him again before raising back to his feet. Jung followed and lunged to clinch again, but Ishida ducked.  Jung slammed face first into the corner, Ishida pouncing atop him. From a full guard body lock, Jung transitioned into an armbar as the Japanese fighter tried to yank free.  It was close, and Jung took the opportunity to kick the struggling wrestler in the face before Ishida broke free.  Another powerful Ishida slam countered Jung's near miss. As the ground game went on, Ishida's spurts of G'n'P became more effective as the Korean filed through submissions, but the ref stood them anyway. Backed into a corner, Ishida threw a clumsy left roundhouse kick Jung blocked as Ishida slipped.  This time it was Jung who pounced, locking Ishida's head beneath his armpit for another tight neck crank submission attempt. Again, Ishida popped free, both fighters slick with sweat by that point, and worked an effective ground'n'pound until the ref stood the fighters. This time it was Ishida who lunged for a single leg takedown and Jung pulled guard, then slipped a slick armbar on the wrestler.  Again, the "Endless Fighter" slipped free and hammered on the judoka to the first round bell. The second round began as the first, with Ishida avoiding a head-on collision by circling.  Ishida shot for the same single leg takedown that got him in trouble near the end of round one and Jung again pulled guard and sucked up arms at angles looking for submissions.  Ishida countered by grinding fists into Jung's face until the ref stood them up. Ishida made it a trilogy with a third identical takedown and Jung responded as he had to the first two.  Both fighters exchanged leather while Jung worked his high guard into a weak triangle choke, but wasn't able to lock his leg beneath his knee. The bout ended with both exhausted fighters pitty-patting each other on the mat. An argument could be made to give the judoka the win, but the judges saw Ishida's aggressive ground'n'pound as the deal breaker and awarded him a unanimous decision. In another exciting tournament fight, at the bell Alvarez and "Dida" Andre Amade (6-3-1) stormed to the center of the ring throwing leather.  The American shot a single leg and stood-up with the ankle he had snatched.  He swept Dida's other foot from beneath him and dumped the BJJ black belt on his back. The ref stood Dida and he immediately resumed throwing haymakers, catching Alvarez square on the chin with two big left hooks, then dropping him with a third as the American retreated. But on the mat Alvarez's superior wrestling positioned him for a two-minute vicious ground'n'pound onslaught that lead to the TKO stoppage at 6:47 of round one.  Dida was simply overpowered and out-positioned. Tattooed Norwegian Hansen resembled a snow leopard feasting on Kotetsu Boku (13-5-1) of Krazy Bee.  Since becoming the first MMA fighter to tap in a gogoplata in 2006, the former kickboxer Hansen has been all out on the mat.  He took Boku to the ground and paired an octopus-like submission game with brutal ground'n'pound for the entire 15 minutes.  The decision was unanimous for Hansen. "Buscape" of Brazilian Top Team found a rear naked choke on undersized Kazuyuki Miyata (5-7) at 7:37 of round one. In a mild upset, Nagata took a unanimous decision over the Russian Artur Oumakhanov (7-3). Kawajiri earned the sixth spot in round two of DREAM's lightweight grand prix with a unanimous decision over surprisingly durable "Black Mamba" Kultar Gill (9-7) of Canada. The tournament's most hyped match-up fizzled when Aoki took an errant elbow to the back of the head from Calvancanti after much ado about nothing.  There's been no clarification about a rematch or whether either fighter will advance in the tournament. Hidetaka Monma (14-8-3) was never in his fight with Sakurai, but evidently the ref was unaware of the mismatch.  From the top position, Sakurai pounded Monma in the head 20-seconds longer than necessary before the referee called a stoppage at 4:12 of round one. I'm hereby dividing the MMA universe into two halves.  Those, like me, who're disgusted to witness "Cro Cop" as a characterture of himself matched up against veritable heads-on-a-tee like Tatsuya Mizuno (3-3) and those who lust to see the former PRIDE OWGP champ served-up such heads for entertainment, not sport.  "Cro Cop", in an awkward performance, TKO'd Mizuno at :56 of round one. And in the last of the three rings that made-up non tournament action at DREAM.1, Minowaman swung from half mount into a kneebar to submit overweight Korean Bum Chang Kang (1-2) at 1:25 of round one. DREAM.2 follows on 29 April with the first round a a middleweight grand prix. ...