Former training partner of Fedor Emelianenko, Sergei Kharitonov has not thrown in the towel on his mixed martial arts career just yet. Once coveted as one of the best heavyweight fighters in the world, the deadly Russian striker now finds himself on the cusp of making a comeback in a big way when he returns to Japan once again to take on Tatsuya Mizuno at the year-end extravaganza, DREAM's: Dynamite!! 2010. The former PRIDE star will have chance to take on the finalist of DREAM's inaugural light heavyweight Grand Prix in Tatsuya Mizuno, who earned his spot in the finals defeating the Dutch striking sensation in Melvin Manhoef via TKO in the first round. However, Mizuno later fell to former DREAM middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi in the finals, succumbing to a rear-naked choke inside of the first round. ...

If there’s one thing Japanese MMA promotions know how to do throughout the numerous ups and downs the sport has been faced with lately… it’s how to end the year with a bang. The annual “DYNAMITE” event brings together both K-1 and the Japanese-based MMA promotion DREAM for a mixed-card extravaganza that takes place on New Year’s Eve. Despite the recent rumors of financial woe plaguing both DREAM and K-1, new bouts continue to emerge for the event, some of them being pretty high-profile. Here are all the latest details. ...

Current DREAM welterweight champion Marius Zaromskis will return to Japan for the first time in a long time when he takes on mixed martial arts pioneer Kazushi Sakuraba in arguably the biggest fight of his career. Zaromskis claimed the promotions welterweight title in 2009 after dispatching of Seichi Ikemoto, Hayato Sakurai and Jason High. Wins over UFC veterans High and Sakurai came via headkick knockout, which have become a trademark for the Lithuanian striker. Marius transitioned to the United States after reeling off four wins in a row under the DREAM banner, only to run on an 0-2-1 slide in Strikeforce. ...

Gary Goodridge, a veteran who's clocked in over 14 years of professional mixed martial arts experience, has not been getting the respect that he deserves. A veteran of the earliest days of the sport, the inception of the now defunct PRIDE organization which began in 1997 where he knocked out veteran Oleg Taktarov inside of the first round of their heavyweight match up. Prior to his stint in Japan, he was a veteran of the UFC circuit, debuting within the organization as early as UFC 8, where he scored back-to-back knockout victories to earn his way to the tournaments finals losing to the brash Don Frye. After his storied career has seemingly come to a head at the age of 44, Gary's quality of life has suffered with some of his most recent losses in his career as a professional martial artist, and now on top of that, he can't even be paid for his fights from the people he respected the most. ...

If you thought DREAM has seen the last of their woes, think again. After many reports surfaced concerning several fighters not being compensated for their performances under the Japanese banner, either in an untimely manner or in some cases not at all (Ronaldo Souza), it looks like now the organization has a new obstacle to overcome yet again. DREAM's TV deal with TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting Systems) Sports in Japan looks shaky, to say the least. Currently, the Television company has listed just one bout--Bibiano Fernandes defending his featherweight title against Hiroyuki Takaya--to be aired for the December 31st event, which according to some, should raise many questions. And accordingly, it looks like the year-end event is in danger of not being televised altogether. ...

The famed New Year's Eve “DYNAMITE” show in Japan has traditionally been one of the most star-studded events of the year, combining both K-1 and MMA fights into one super-show that usually sells out arenas with ease. But this December, Japanese fight fans won’t be able to look forward to seeing one of their biggest stars get a shot at both revenge and redemption. According to a new report, Gilbert Melendez vs. Shinya Aoki 2 has now been officially scrapped from the upcoming “DYNAMITE 2010” card. Here are all the details. ...

Jose Aldo may be recognized as the best featherweight in the world, but do you know who's nipping at his heels? It's not Mike Brown, Manny Gamuryan, or even Josh Grispi. It's a man named Marlon Sandro, someone who most hardcore fans are well aware of, but the casual mixed martial arts fan who is still wearing those Afflicition t-shirts and don a Ed Hardy water in hand will likely have no idea who he is. A few quick facts: He's a teammate of Aldo's, both originating from the famed Nova Uniao camp in Brazil. And coupled with a true Black Belt level ground game, he has knockout power that would scare most heavyweights. ...

Current DREAM light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi has a lot on his plate of late. A previously announced strikeforce return next February will come after another stint back in Japan when the Armenian born fighter takes on another daunting task. Stepping up once again to the heavyweight division, which Mousasi has done twice before in matches with former PRIDE stars Mark Hunt and Gary Goodridge, Gegard is expected to meet K-1 legend Jerome Le Banner at DREAM's year end event, Dynamite!! 2010. ...

DREAM featherweight champion Bibiano Fernandes appears to have made amends with the Japanese promotion. Earlier this year, Fernandes criticized the organization of lude conduct when they failed to compensate the Brazilian when he successfully defended his title against former DREAM lightweight champion Joachim Hansen last March. However, the two sides have since made nice when the promotion paid their champion a little over a month ago and he will now return and attempt to defend his title for a second time against a familiar foe in Hiroyuki Takaya, which will all culminate at the end of this year. ...

Former strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi has some duties to attend to back in the San Jose based promotion. Losing his title earlier this year to then champion "King Mo", the Armenian fighter returned to the DREAM promotion in Japan where he initially attained his middleweight title, bounced back with two back-to-back first-round submission victories over UFC veteran Jake O'Brien and Tatsuya Mizuno, en route to the light heavyweight title. Now with new rumored bouts on the horizon, Mousasi sets the record straight as to where his future lies in the world of mixed martial arts. ...

Speculation has run rampant as far as what Michihiro Omigawa's next move will be. Having traveled all around the world, including a two-fight stint in the UFC as a lightweight fighter, the Japanese Judoka reinvented himself as a featherweight, and since making the drop to the new weight class, has looked nearly unstoppable. After an adventure with both Sengoku and DREAM, where Omigawa has become a title contender in both organizations, it looks like he may give up infamy in his native country for a second shot here in the states, and what better organization to do that with then with the largest one in the sport. ...

With the limited number of quality opponent's to adhere to Melendez' request, Scott Coker finds himself in a bind. The Strikeforce CEO has put "El Nino" through the ringer, and he has delivered each and every time. Having defeated the likes of Tatsuya Kawajiri, Rodrigo Damm, Mitsuhiro Ishida, Josh Thomson and now Shinya Aoki last April, Melendez is looking for new and exciting quality opponents. While a third match with Thomson, who has recently bounced back from the loss to his fellow Californian native last December with two consecutive wins over Pat Healy and "JZ" Cavalcante, would be appealing to fans, it's something that Melendez has openly criticized, wanting to face new competition. With a potential fight with Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez dangling in the wind after Bjorn, the organization's CEO, and Coker have had it out in the media, the back and forth has nearly solidified the fact that the two parties may never come to an agreement. ...

Although Bellator FC Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez stands out as the fighter most talked about in regards to next opponents, when it comes to strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez nothing is certain. It had been rumored that Melendez would rematch DREAM Lightweight Champion Shinya Aoki at the annual end-of-year Japanese super-show “DYNAMITE”. Aoki famously lost to Melendez stateside at Strikeforce: "Nashville" earlier this year. But according to Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, there’s a large possibility that Melendez/Aoki 2 won’t be happening now that rumors of fiscal irresponsibility have begun to plague DREAM. ...

Earlier this year, it was reported that Alistair Overeem would be scheduled to compete in DREAM once again, possibly before his new run through the K-1 Grand Prix circuit. Overeem, the Strikeforce heavyweight champion, expressed his desire to battle for the Japanese promotions' first-ever heavyweight title. There had been rumors that former UFC belt holder, Andrei Arlovski, was thought to be his opponent in order to vie for the promotion's unheralded title. However, negotiation's fell through and the bout was ultimately scrapped. Now, it looks like one man's loss is another man's gain, and Josh Barnett is reaping the rewards. ...

Arguably one of the best strikers in mixed martial arts today, Melvin Manhoef will be returning to action on new years day for the DREAM promotion in Japan. The famed Dutch striker whom has part timed with Mike's Gym in Holland and American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, will be returning to Japan for the first time since a disappointing loss to the previously unheralded, Tatsuya Mizuno, who eventually made his way to the finals of the light heavyweight DREAM grand prix, where he lost to current champion Gegard Mousasi. Manhoef has no fared so well as of late and is looking revitalize his career in his next performance. ...

A staple in Japan's growing featherweight division, it looks like the former UFC veteran could be making his mark once again in the U.S. After losing back-to-back fights in the UFC's lightweight division against standouts Matt Wiman and Thiago Tavares (respectively), Omigawa then decided to try his hand in the 145-pound weight class. Though his debut was spoiled by none other than "The Korean Zombie" in a DEEP event in 2008, the talented Judoka practitioner has since rattled off an impressive 8-1-1 record, with his only loss coming to the hands to former Sengoku featherweight champion, Masanori Kanehara in 2009, in an attempt to vie for the then vacant title. ...

While competing exclusively in the lightweight division for the majority of his career to mixed results, Michihiro Omigawa has always had a "never say die" attitude, which embodies most Japanese fighters today, in what may possibly the most flattering stereotype I can think of. However, since dropping down to the featherweight division, Omigawa has accomplished more than any other 145-pound in his weight class has. Recording victories over current Sengoku and Pancrase featherweight champion Marlon Sandro, Hatsu Hioki, Hiroyuki Takaya and former WEC champion Cole Escovdeo in his most recent outing, it's hard to argue with the results of the famed Judoka, who holds a pedestrian and deceiving 12-8-1 record. ...

The former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, Gegard Mousasi, has always been the kind of person that is quiet and reserved. He keeps to himself, and doesn't allow too many people in his bubble. It's part of his charm really... almost reminiscent of his friend, Fedor Emelianenko. Before losing his Strikeforce title to the former champion Muhammed Lawal, or "King Mo" depending on who you ask, Mousasi was thought to be one of the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet. Holding notable victories in the middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight divisions, Gegard is a true force to be reckoned with in the mixed martial arts world. Though, an uninspired loss to the aforementioned Lawal, derailed much of the movement of the Armenian, he has since bounced back with two back-to-back victories over the likes of former UFC fighter Jake O'Brien, and Japanese star, Tatsuya Mizuno, whom the Holland native submitted inside of the first round at DREAM 16 for the promotion's light heavyweight title. ...

Last night was a great night of fights, which has become a trend for the famed strikeforce brand, especially when welterweight champion Nick Diaz delivers and you throw in "The Punk" on the card, in front of fan friendly, San Jose crowd. Josh Thomson, the former Strikeforce lightweight champion whom lost his title in a title unification bout (and rematch) with Gilbert Melendez, was hoping to garner his second consecutive victory when he met with the world-ranked "JZ" Cavalcante in the co-main event of last night's great night of fights. Proving to be a formidable force in the ring, the American Top Team product in "JZ" displayed his strength, proficient grappling skills, and his heavy handed ground-and-pound. However, it wasn't enough to earn him the judges nod, and Thomson took the fight all across the board. Thomson may have walked out the "winner", but it looks like Josh and only three other people (the judges) think he actually won the fight. ...

Shinya Aoki is probably one of the most reserved fighters in the sport. Although his in-ring antics against Mizuto Hirota at "Dynamite!! 2009" would inidicate otherwise, the grappling ace usually keeps to himself and refrains from doing a lot of outlandish things. Maybe that's why the Japanese have embraced him as their leading man in the world of mixed martial arts. However, most recently, the famed Judoka has stepped out of his shell and lit the MMA world abuzz once again, with his almost brutal honesty, on how he views the Western MMA scene (um...us) and how they can benefit by tuning into DREAM, once in a while. ...

Bellator lightweight champion is a force to reckoned with in his weight class. After an illuminated run in Japan, where Alvarez has picked up some of the biggest wins of his career, which includes victories over the likes of former DREAM lightweight champion Joachim Hansen, former Shooto champion Tatsuya Kawajiri and current DEEP lightweight champion Katsunori Kikuno. Not impressed? En route to Bellator gold, he was able to submit all three of his opponents, including the heralded Toby Imada, a Jiu-Jitsu whiz who became an internet sensation with his inverted triangle choke over lightweight notable Jorge Masvidal, which garnered Imada the "Submission of the Year" on several publications, including a trophy award at the 2009 World MMA Awards, hosted by Fighters Only. So when Alvarez, 26, heard word that Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez has called him out on numerous occasions, the Philly fighter didn't take too kindly to it. ...

DREAM, in a lot of peoples opinion, is the worlds greatest Japanese organization. With a depth of talent in several weight classes, and some of the best production in the business, there should be no reason explaining why the promotion has struggled--but struggled, they have. After rating dips, fall out from sponsors, and constant financial woes, it appears that paying fighters in an effective and timely matter is their next area of least-expertise. The most notable case, current DREAM featherweight champion Bibiano Fernandes has only just been paid for his last outing, a successful title defense against former DREAM lightweight champion Joachim Hansen. The bout took place in March of this year--almost 7 months ago. The norm, as far as compensation goes which is detailed in their contracts, is for said fighter to be paid within 30 days post-fight. ...

Surrounded by rumors of financial insecurity and even impending bankruptcy, Fighting and Entertainment Group’s “DREAM.16” event was seen by many as a make-or-break show. In fact, I myself posted an article entitled “If DREAM Falls, is Japanese MMA Doomed?” in the days leading up to the event. And now the ratings for in for the event which saw Gegard Mousasi become the DREAM Light Heavyweight Champion, Jason Miller beat his idol and Japanese MMA legend Kazushi Sakuraba, and top-ranked Lightweight Japanese star Shinya Aoki score his twenty-fifth win. So what does the future hold for Japanese MMA? ...

As the year is coming closer to an end, the now annual World MMA Awards, which is hosted by Fighters Only Magazine, has recently announced their finalists for the December 1st event, which will take place once again in Las Vegas, Nev., which has become a hot bed for all things fighting related. The 2009 event opened up to a large audience, and has become a propellant in the mixed martial arts world, opening up the eyes to a mainstream audience, by the community taking leaps and bounds in order to legitimize itself as not only a legitimate sport, but one that deserves that same sort of recognition that most others receive, here in these United States. ...

After years in the fight game, becoming one of the corner stones for Japanese MMA, mixed martial arts promotion Deep will hold its 50th event on October 24, celebrating it's 10 year anniversary at the Tokyo JCB Hall, in Tokyo, Japan. A bevy of some of the most notable fighters will grace the card, including DREAM lightweight champion Shinya Aoki, who will be returning to Deep after a 6 year absence from the promotion that gave him his start as a professional mixed martial artist. ...

With the rumor a buzz once again, one bout that was said to be taken place at one point in time in DREAM, looks like it can now come to fruition, however, with a few conditions. Current Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem, who recently defended his title for the first time against knockout artist Brett Rogers last May, was said to be in talks with the Japanese organization in order to vie for the promotion's first ever heavyweight title against none other than Andre Arlovski. ...

In the face of unsettling financial troubles, the Japanese-based DREAM recently held their sixteenth event. “DREAM.16” featured notable Japanese stars like Kazushi Sakuraba and Shinya Aoki, as well as a host of other talented performers that included the ever-controversial but always-popular Jason Miller and the dynamic, talented Gegard Mousasi. In the main event, Mousasi would make quick work of his opponent in order to become the DREAM Light Heavyweight Champion. Mousasi has now become the first man to hold two championships in two different weight classes in DREAM. Here are the full results as well as my opinion on the card. ...

It appears that DREAM isn’t going down without a fight. I’ve already written about the problems the Japanese-based MMA company has had with their upcoming “DREAM.16” event, with several fights getting cancelled, several fighters pulling out, and rumors of financial instability running rampant. But the promotion itself seems undeterred, or at the very least, they’re trying to go out with a bang. In a recent press conference in Tokyo, DREAM officials revealed three new fights that are now officially part of the DREAM 16 card. Here’s how it all breaks down. ...

Very similar in its nature to the much-maligned Shine Fights Lightweight Grand Prix, the upcoming “DREAM.16” card from the Japanese-based DREAM promotion seems to be dead or near death before it even gets a chance to air. It’s highly rumored that DREAM’s parent company, Fighting and Entertainment Group, is in a state of financial distress. If DREAM does fall, where will this leave Japanese MMA? The future doesn’t seem terribly optimistic. Here are my thoughts. ...

A match up that has been talked about for years is finally being put to work. Former Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson, who has been on the mend since a loss to current champion and friend Gilbert Melendez, returned in top form against Pat Healy in Strikeforce: Fedor vs Werdum, last June. After the competitors exchanged rounds one and two, Thomson was able to put away the tough-as-nails Healy with a third round rear naked choke, marking his first win since the loss to Melendez. Thomson is expected to face one of the very best fighter's that Japan has to offer--and he's Brazilian. ...