Sengoku veteran and lightweight prospect Maximo Blanco may very soon make his highly anticipated U.S. debut. The dynamic striker whom hails out of Yoshida Dojo in Japan, has recently been acquired by Strikeforce, now the sister promotion of the UFC whom are both under the Zuffa umbrella. While lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez has long asked for a credible opponent to fight next after dispatching all of the big named talent of the Strikeforce roster, Maximo could very well work his way to a title shot sooner rather than later thanks in large due to his exciting fighting style that has carried him now to the United States. ...

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. ...

The lightweight king of Pancrase crown barely fitted to his head, “Makishi” Maximo Blanco (3-0) has inked his kanji to fight Tetsuya Yamada (1-1) at Sengoku's Tenth Battle in Tokyo 23 September. Blanco TKO’d Katsuya Inoue (15-6-2) with punches at 4:38 of round two to ascend to Pancrase's lightweight throne at Changing Tour 4 in Tokyo Saturday. Yamada lost a UD to Britt featherweight Ronnie Mann (15-1-1) in his Sengoku debut at Seventh Battle in Tokyo 20 March and will be packing on 10 pounds to match Blanco. ...