Kazunori Yokota

Fighters.com’s second-ranked lightweight and DREAM champion “Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (14-3) has been matched up versus Sengoku champ Mizuto Hirota (9-3) at Fields Dynamite!! 2009 in Tokyo on New Year’s Eve, the promotion announced Tuesday.

Read More About DREAM v Sengoku: Shinya Aoki v Mizuto Hirota, Tatsuya Kawajiri v Kazunori Yokota…

Former EliteXC heavyweight champ “Junior” Antonio Silva (13-1) won his sixth straight when he tapped out “Big” Jim York (9-2) at 3:51 of round one at Sengoku Tenth Battle in Tokyo Tuesday night.

It was Silva’s second first-round stoppage in two tries at Sengoku; and, there are whispers Silva and eighth-ranked “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (20-5) are on a collision course.

Read More About Antonio Silva, Dan Hornbuckle Victorious at Sengoku Tenth Battle…

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.

Read More About “Junior” Antonio Silva, Ryan Schultz To Return to Sengoku…

World Victory Road has officially added their Middleweight Grand Prix to Sengoku 6, taking place 1 November in Saitama, Japan.

The winner of the tournament will face Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked middleweight “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (20-8-2) for the first-ever middleweight belt 4 January in Saitama at Sengoku 7.

Kazuhiro Nakamura (12-8) will face Yuki Sasaki (22-14-1), and Jorge Santiago (18-7) will face “Afghan Killa” Siyar Bahadurzada (14-3-1).

The event already features a lightweight tournament to determine an opponent for Fighters.com’s second-ranked lightweight “Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (29-3) at Sengoku 7 for the title.

The bouts remaining in the lightweight tournament are Satoru Kitaoka (21-8-9) versus sixth-ranked Eiji Mitsuoka (14-5-2), and Kazunori Yokota (7-1-3) versus Mizuto Hirota (10-2).

WVR also announced that Fighters.com’s Fighter of the Month “King Mo” Muhammed Lawal (1-0) will fight, although an opponent has not yet been determined.

“GameBred” Jorge Masvidal (14-3) versus Seung Hwan Bang (5-2) is also official.

Joe Doerksen (40-12) revealed through MySpace Tuesday that he has agreed to fight Izuru Takeuchi (25-9-6).

Read More About Sengoku 6 to Include MW Grand Prix; Lawal, Masvidal, and Doerkson Also on Card…

Fighters.com’s Sixth-ranked lightweight Eiji Mitsuoka (13-5-2) popped Rodrigo Damm (8-2) with an overhand right in the first round Sunday night in Saitama, north of Tokyo, then slid a rear naked choke around the BJJ player’s throat for the tap at 3:13 of the round.

Mitsuoka advanced to the second round of the Sengoku lightweight tournament, the winner of which will fight second-ranked “Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (29-3).

Gomi headlined Sengoku’s fourth battle with a narrow decision over DEEP Lightweight Champion Seung Hwan Bang (5-2).

It was Bang who provided the bang in his stand-up exchanges with the notorious big-puncher Gomi.

But, Gomi edged Bang with stinging leg kicks and championship conditioning for the decision.

Read More About Mitsuoka Plugs Damm, Gomi, Trigg Win Decisions…