And like the Pride Fighting Championships before it, it looks like DREAM and K-1 will now become a victim due to their hierarchy’s lack of success.

So now, both the most visible kickboxing promotion in all of the world, and Japan’s leading mixed martial arts organization will now cease to exist, and all of this is according to their leading man, President Sadaharu Tanikawa.

MiddleEasy.com recently picked up the beat of the story and revealed some startling things about the fledgling Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG) company, who’s subsidiaries include the aforementioned K-1 and DREAM promotion’s under their umbrella.

While FEG has struggled to secure higher ratings on their TBS television programming provider in Japan, they have also not been able to secure lucrative sponsors that will hope to keep the order of operations going behind the scenes, and as such, it looks like we might have another PRIDE fiasco on our hands all over again–maybe not “Yakuza” bad, but bad nonetheless.

“The current course is that FEG will die”, said President Sadaharu Tanikawa bluntly while speaking with Sports Graphic Novel for an interview in Japan.

“There are probably staff members that will leave as well. The event name will be left but the promotion will change. If the current structure remains as it is it will be impossible to continue. If many investments from companies overseas do not come in we can’t survive.”

While the Japanese mixed martial arts scene has struggled to survive since PRIDE had been eliminated altogether in 2006, following the collapse due to financial ruin and mired in controversy with allegations of “Yakuza” being involved, it looks like any hope for a resurrection will now die. Along with DREAM, K-1 too will now be a victim, despite reaching it’s height in popularity in recent years with stars such Badr Hari, Alistair Overeem, and Semmy Schilt coming into prominence.

We very well could see the UFC step in once again and purchase the companies assets, though talking about that would be too premature and nothing is certain, though all signs point to FEG falling altogether.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the news? Straight from the horses mouth, if the companies President doesn’t feel that FEG along with DREAM and K-1 can survive should it continue to run the course it’s been for the last couple of years, then there’s no hope yet. Sound off in the comment section below.

Next for Josh Thomson: Thomson had a very up-and-down 2010, so look for him to try to kick off 2011 with authority and really make an effort to become a championship contender once again. Thomson went 2-1 in 2010, albeit one of those wins was over Gesias Cavalcante in a highly controversial bout that went to the judges. But if we’re playing that game, it can also be said that Thomson took his “DYNAMITE!!” fight on short notice. I think Thomson is going to have a great 2011, and it’ll begin with a rematch with Cavalcante.

Next for Gegard Mousasi: Mousasi shined in his K-1 bout at “DYNAMITE”, and he’s on a two-fight win-streak since famously losing his Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship to Muhammed Lawal. I think the time is right for Mousasi to jump right back into the shark tank in Strikeforce. Mousasi’s potential is still sky-high, and if he pursues another shot at a title with the same fervor he’s been winning fights since losing the title, Mousasi may end up becoming the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion once again in 2011.

Next for Marius Zaromskis: The DREAM Welterweight Champion needs to stay in Japan for as long as he can, even for the entirety of 2011, in order to wipe away the disastrous run he had in American MMA. Now that Zaromskis is back in the winner’s circle and competing in the promotion that made him famous, he should stay in Japan and rebuild his credibility the same way he emerged as a champion in the first place: by taking on good competition and knocking them senseless. If Zaromskis gives me one year in Japan defending his belt, I think 2012 would be a banner year for him.

Next for Shinya Aoki: It’s going to be a rough 2011 for Shinya Aoki. He went 3-1 in MMA in 2010, but his one loss more than overshadowed his three wins. Plus, Aoki lost by KO at “DYNAMITE!!” in a strange kickboxing/MMA hybrid bout. So Aoki has been KO’d once again, and once again questions have surfaced regarding Aoki’s relevancy in the increasingly-crowded Lightweight rankings. Putting it plainly: as gifted as Aoki is on the ground, he’s still got a suspect chin and utterly atrocious stand-up. In the near future, he’ll plant his flag firmly in DREAM and go into 2011 trying to regain his credibility by quickly submitting opponents.

Next for Alistair Overeem: The sky is the limit for Alistair Overeem. Overeem’s stellar 2010 run was one of the best in the entirety of MMA or K-1, since he added an MMA championship, a K-1 championship, and defended his Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship all in one year. People are finally getting clued in on what “The Reem” is all about, and I can’t wait for Overeem to come back to Strikeforce and dominate. As hard as it is to believe, Overeem says his 2011 will be an even bigger year than his 2010, and you know what? I think he’s right. Overeem will defend his championship against Strikeforce’s best in 2011, and in the process, we MMA fans will be treated to some of the best non-UFC fights that have ever happened since the fall of the legendary PRIDE FC promotion.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think the future holds for the big winners and losers of “DYNAMITE!! 2010”?

Alistair Overeem defeats Todd Duffee via KO in Round 1 to become the DREAM Interim Heavyweight Champion. Marius Zaromskis defeats Kazushi Sakuraba via TKO in Round 1 to retain the DREAM Welterweight Championship. Tatsuya Kawajiri defeats Josh Thomson via Unanimous Decision. Kazuyuki Miyata defeats Caol Uno via Unanimous Decision. Hiroyuki Takaya defeats Bibiano Fernandes via Unanimous Decision to become the DREAM Featherweight Champion. Jason High defeats Hayato Sakurai via Split Decision. Hiroshi Izumi defeats Ikuhisa Minowa via TKO in Round 3. Sergei Kharitonov defeats Tatsuya Mizuno via KO in Round 1. Satoshi Ishii defeats Jerome Le Banner via Unanimous Decision. Andy Ologun defeats Katsuaki Furuki via Unanimous Decision. Hideo Tokoro defeats Kazuhisa Watanabe via Submission (Armbar) in Round 3. Gegard Mousasi defeats Kyotaro via Unanimous Decision. Akiyo Nishiura and Tetsuya Yamato ends in a Majority Draw. Yuichiro Nagashima defeats Shinya Aoki via KO in Round 2.

Part of me wishes that I was still as dedicated of an insomniac as I was a few months ago, because this sounded like a fantastic night (or if you’re an American MMA fan, a fantastic early morning) of live action. According to reports, it took all of nineteen seconds for “The Reem” to dispatch of Todd Duffee, the man who set the record for the fastest KO in the UFC in his first UFC fight and then got KO’d himself in almost-as-dramatic fashion in his second UFC fight. Overeem promised that 2011 would be even bigger of a year for him than 2010 was, and when you consider that Overeem’s 2010 saw him successfully defend his Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship while adding a DREAM Interim Heavyweight Championship and the K-1 World Grand Prix Championship to his trophy case… that’s just downright scary.

Also according to reports, former top-ranked Lightweight Shinya Aoki put on quite the bizarre show in his “mixed rules” bout, the first round of which was kickboxing-only. Aoki reportedly clinched like his life depended on it and even resorted to outlandish moves like dropkicks in order to run out the clock and get to the second round, which was an MMA round. Of course, Aoki would get blasted full-force when shooting in for a takedown and get knocked out cold. With another KO loss on his record and the memory of his crushing defeat at the hands of Gilbert Melendez still fresh in the minds of many, it’s become apparent that Aoki is going to struggle to secure his spot near the top of the Lightweight rankings for the foreseeable future.

All in all, this looked to be a great event featuring several notable bouts, so I look forward to tracking down a copy or a replay of it and giving it a watch. But what about you, fans and friends? If you stayed up for the broadcast, do you think the show justified missing a night’s rest? And if you didn’t, what did you think of the show in general?

After weeks of rumor and speculation, MMA Junkie reports that DREAM officials have announced that Alistair Overeem will indeed be taking on former UFC fighter Todd Duffee at “DYNAMITE!! 2010”. Contrary to previous reports, the officials did not announce that the fight would be for a proposed DREAM Heavyweight Championship. Todd Duffee, who went 1-1 in the UFC and put himself in the history books both times, will face by far the biggest threat of his career when he tangles with “The Reem”.

What an interesting journey it’s been for Todd Duffee. Duffee debuted at UFC 102 against Tim Hague… and then proceeded to knock him out in seven seconds. With that KO, Duffee officially holds the record for the fastest KO in UFC history, and loudly proclaimed that he was looking for top competition after KO’ing Hague. What followed was a prolonged period of contract negotiations that ultimately resulted in a match-up with Mike Russow almost a year later. Russow would go on to KO Duffee in one of the most dramatic comebacks ever witnessed in an MMA fight. Shortly after losing to Russow, Duffee was releasd from his UFC contract.

In regards to this particular fight, my feet are so firmly planted in Alistair’s camp for this bout that I’m basically digging myself into the ground. I absolutely do not believe that Todd Duffee has any chance of beating Overeem. If it happens, it’d have to be by some kind of miracle flurry that lands square on Overeem’s chin. That’s the only hope I think Duffee has, and it’s a remote one at best.

I really can’t give enough praise to Alistair Overeem, even though I think he needs to get his muscular behemoth self back into Strikeforce and fighting the best competition the non-UFC world has to offer. I don’t see anyone outside of Strikeforce’s best being able to break the incredible hotstreak Overeem has been on for years. He threw the gargantuan Brett Rogers around like a child, he most recently beat three men in one night, he’s a champion in MMA and a champion in kickboxing. Todd Duffee looks to be little more than a small roadblock that’s going to get run over and completely obliterated.

Now that this fight has been confirmed, I suppose I’ll have to live with it. As I said in the past: when it comes to Alistair Overeem, it’s “Strikeforce or bust” for me. I don’t think Overeem gains anything by taking or even winning this fight, and no matter how slim of a chance Duffee has, I can only imagine what kind of damage it would do to Overeem’s career and standing in the Heavyweight rankings if Duffee ended up beating him. I’m supremely confident in Overeem, though, and I’ll watch this fight simply because I like watching Overeem fight no matter who he’s fighting. Just don’t blink when you watch this one, fans and friends, because Overeem is most likely going to eat Duffee alive.

But of course, that’s my opinion. What about you? What are your thoughts on Duffee/Overeem now that it’s been confirmed?

Jerome Le Banner vs. Satoshi Ishii: If you’re a fan of “striker vs. grappler” match-ups, you really can’t ask for more, since this fight pits a famous K-1 fighter against an Olympic gold medalist in judo. Both men are on a three-fight win-streak, but it’s been four long years since Le Banner has competed in an MMA setting. The amount of ring rust he’ll have going into this bout is all I need to know to predict that Ishii will win by submission in Round 1.

Sergei Kharitonov vs. Tatsuya Mizuno: Mizuno’s 8-6 record speaks for itself. While Kharitonov never fully emerged into the world-beater than many fans expected he would one day become, the fact remains that he’s faced a lot of high-level competition and even beaten a few of them. Even with a year-long layoff working against him, I think Kharitonov will win by TKO in Round 2.

Josh Thomson vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri: It’s going to end quickly, it’s going to end violently, and it’s going to be an absolute blast to watch. Kawajiri is going to come out headhunting and won’t stop until he gets the KO, that’s who he is and why he’s so entertaining. But Thomson is an expert on the ground and his striking game is downright under-rated. If Thomson can avoid any Hail Mary flurries as he shoots in or works his game, this should be a one-sided match. Thomson wins by submission in Round 1.

Bibiano Fernandes vs. Hiroyuki Takaya: My opinion on this fight closely mirrors my opinion on the Thomson vs. Kawajiri encounter. I think the pivoting point of this match will be whether or not Fernandes can once again avoid Takaya’s punching power while getting him to the ground. Fernandes has an excellent submission game and enough top control to grind out a decision if he’s not able to secure anything. While their first fight ended in a close Split Decision, I think Fernandes is going to take this one with a first-round submission.

Marius Zaromskis vs. Kazushi Sakuraba: It’s going to be an electric fight, that’s for sure. Marius Zaromskis desperately needs to get back in the win column, he basically shot himself in the foot with his US excursion. Considering how he went 0-2-1 with both losses being by TKO, that shot might as well have been from a shotgun. Sakuraba, meanwhile, is staring down retirement and this will probably be the last time he’ll ever fight for a championship. I hate to say it, but I think a deadly animal is always deadliest when cornered, and Zaromskis has a long, long time to land his patented head kick. Marius Zaromskis wins by brutal head kick KO in Round 1.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What kind of outcome do you think we’ll see when it comes to the big matches of “DYNAMITE!! 2010”?

The Event: DREAM/K-1 “DYNAMITE!! 2010”, scheduled for December 31 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The entire event will be broadcast live in its entirety on HDNet starting at 4 AM ET/1 AM PT.

Why You Should Care: It’s MMA, it’s kickboxing, it’s Japan. The year-end “DYNAMITE” events are always when Japanese MMA pulls out the big guns and brings together the biggest stars possible. If you’re an international MMA fan, you’ve got fifteen full fights of action. If you’re not, there’s still plenty of stars to watch that you are probably familiar with.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: It’s difficult to say which fight will end up being the main or co-main event, since the card is being marketed as a whole. It may even be one of the K-1 fights. So for this edition of “Crash Course”, I’ll be focusing on the two MMA championships up for grabs at the event, the first being Marius Zaromskis vs. Kazushi Sakuraba for the DREAM Welterweight Championship. This fight should be a treat for any old-school MMA fans, because Kazushi Sakuraba is still entertaining to watch after all these years. Marius Zaromskis, meanwhile, needs a win badly and made his mark in DREAM by viciously KO’ing people, so this fight will most likely end in dramatically. Based on what both men have at stake (Zaromskis his relevancy and Sakuraba his waning career), look for this to be a great emotionally-charged encounter.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: The other title fight of the night sees DREAM Featherweight Champion Bibiano Fernandes take on Hiroyuki Takaya. Look for this to be a classic “striker vs. grappler” encounter. Fernandes has a very long win-streak as well as his championship at stake when he enters the DREAM ring, and Takaya is coming off two very impressive back-to-back KO’s to claim his shot at the gold. Better yet, this will be a revenge match, as Fernandes beat Takaya to claim the vacant championship in the inaugural DREAM Featherweight Grand Prix.

Why You Should Watch This Card: Two main reasons immediately spring to mind, and they’re by far the best reasons to watch this show: length and talent. We’re talking fifteen live, unabridged fights here. If you’re an insomniac with some time to kill, “DYNAMITE” will kill that time in style. Not only is this a massive card, it also features top MMA talent like Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Josh Thomson, and Shinya Aoki. If you make an effort to watch this show, I doubt you’ll be disappointed.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: There’s only one good reason to miss this card, but let’s be honest, it’s a pretty good reason: this thing takes place way, way early in the morning. If you’re a night-owl or an insomniac you should be set, but folks with normal sleeping patterns will probably find it difficult to muster up the strength to get out of bed so early in the morning just so they can watch Japanese MMA. If you think you’re one of those people, you should probably pass up the live edition and catch an inevitable replay.

Closing Thoughts: I really do like this card, and I really do wish it didn’t have to take place so early in the morning. But nevertheless, I think “DYNAMITE” is going to be a very entertaining show. Several of the fights sound brilliant on paper, and Japanese MMA is always entertaining to watch purely as a spectacle, given their penchant for grandiose pre-fight theatrics. While I can’t guarantee that I’ll be staying up late to watch this one, I’ll definitely catch a replay sooner rather than later.

And what about you, fans and friends? What are your thoughts on DREAM/K-1’s “DYNAMITE” event?

5. Year in and year out, “DYNAMITE” is an amazing spectacle. Fans of DREAM know this, and fans of the legendary PRIDE FC promotion know it all too well: Japanese MMA prides itself on its pageantry, its pomp and circumstance, it’s… awesomeness. This is the home of massive entrance screens, elaborate entrances, blazing pyrotechnics, and much more. And “DYNAMITE” is the biggest and most important card of the year, so I can’t wait to see what kind of visual (and probably literal) fireworks FEG pulls out to delight and astonish fans.

4. It’s a long show, so if you’ve got the time, you’re in for hours of constant MMA/K-1 action. The last DREAM show, “DREAM.16”, was broadcast live on HDNet from start to finish and ran for at least four hours. That show had ten fights… “DYNAMITE” 2010 has fifteen. Fifteen full, complete, unabridged bouts spanning two sports, MMA and K-1 kickboxing. If you’re an MMA fan and have some time to kill, can you really think of a better way to do it than watching this show?

3. Two championships will be on the line. DREAM will have two of its titles up for grabs at “DYNAMITE”: Marius Zaromskis defends his Welterweight Championship against living legend Kazushi Sakuraba, while Bibiano Fernandes defends his Featherweight Championship against Hiroyuki Takaya. Title fights always seem to bring out the best in the competitors going for the gold, as do major events that are heavily promoted. And this show features both.

2. Several major-name MMA stars are expected to compete. Alongside the aforementioned Sakuraba, several high-value MMA stars, both from Japan and around the world, will compete at “DYNAMITE”. The top-ranked Shinya Aoki will compete, former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Gegard Mousasi will compete, Josh Thomson will throw down, and even K-1 World Grand Prix Champion and Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem is set to compete at the event. So not only will “DYNAMITE” be a long night of fights, it’ll be an event that features a large assortment of well-known, highly-ranked fighters.

And my top reason to watch “DYNAMITE” is…

1. Because we may not get another one.

Nothing is for certain at this point, but every rumor has a kernel of truth somewhere, and some fighters have indeed gone on record and stated that DREAM hasn’t paid them for their past performances. When you add in rumors of FEG’s Japanese TV deals falling apart, it doesn’t look too good for the company as its two promotions head into 2011. While FEG may not go bankrupt in 2011, there’s a very real possibility that next year’s “DYNAMITE” won’t be nearly as grandiose or feature as many top-level talents as this year’s. 2010’s “DYNAMITE” may be one of the final bright lights before FEG goes dark, so we as MMA fans need to watch it while we can.

So there you have it, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think of the DREAM/K-1 “DYNAMITE” card?

We head to Sherdog for some insight into a possible match-up that would see Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem take on Todd Duffee, the man who rolled into the UFC and into the public consciousness with the fastest official KO in UFC history, only to take his sweet time finding his next opponent and ultimately lose out to the seemingly-overmatched Mike Russow. According to the report, Overeem vs. Duffee has a “fifty-fifty” chance of actually happening. However, it was confirmed that Overeem would be competing at the event no matter who his opponent ends up being.

I hate to sound like a broken record here, fans and friends, but once more I feel I have to echo these sentiments: this is a rumor I honestly hope doesn’t happen, because I think this opponent hasn’t done anything to earn a shot at Overeem and has virtually no hope against the man. Todd Duffee is one of the clearest examples in recent MMA history of a fighter being all hype and little-to-no substance. There’s a lot of raw potential in all that Herculean muscle, but it’s clearly going to take a lot of time and effort spent honing it before it ever really pays dividends.

Overeem, however, is one of the rarest specimens in MMA: he’s a hulking behemoth with as many skills as he has muscles. The man just beat three guys in one night in the most competitive, prestigious kickboxing organization in the world. He hasn’t lost in his last nine MMA fights. I’m not just sitting in Overeem’s bandwagon, I’m blowing the horn and leading the charge. And I honestly have every reason to: Overeem is an absolute monster both in the ring and the cage, both in K-1 and MMA, so I don’t see any reason not to become a super-fan of the man.

So, I know the next logical question is: if not Duffee, if not Lashley… then who? In all honesty, fans and friends… I really don’t think I’d be satisfied with anyone DREAM throws at Overeem, because I know that they’d basically all be cannon fodder. Call me crazy, call me greedy, but I want to see Overeem tackle some of the best Heavyweights in the world, because I know he can beat them, rather than just make a quick appearance in DREAM for an easy fight and a fast paycheck. I’ve been a fan of Overeem for a while, but now that he’s fulfilled his dream and is a K-1 champion, it’s “Strikeforce or bust” from here on out.

And what about you, fans and friends? Would you be interested in Alistair Overeem vs. Todd Duffee?

According to MMA Mania, Fighting and Entertainment Group, the company that controls both K-1 and DREAM, recently announced that former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion and current DREAM Light Heavyweight Champion Gegard Mousasi would face Kyotaro in a special K-1 bout. For the MMA portion of the card, it’s also been announced that DREAM’s “Super Hulk” tournament champion, Ikuhisa Minowa, will face Hiroshi Izumi, an Olympic medalist in judo. And to top it all off, it was announced that the one and only Hayato Sakurai is scheduled to take on Jason High.

According to the report, the official “DYNAMITE” card now stands as follows. The MMA Portion of the card will consist of Marius Zaromskis vs. Kazushi Sakuraba, Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Josh Thomson, Kazuyuki Miyata vs. Caol Uno, Bibiano Fernandes vs. Hiroyuki Takaya, Hayato Sakurai vs. Jason High, and Hiroshi Izumi vs. Ikuhisa Minowa. The K-1 portion of the card will consist of Gegard Mousasi vs. Kyotaro and Akiyo Nishiura vs. Tetsuya Yamato. And finally, Shinya Aoki will face Yuichiro Nagashima in a bout that is being marketed as a “MMA/K-1 Mixed Rules” fight.

All in all, I’m looking forward to “DYNAMITE”. Despite all the financial troubles they seem to be having, time and time again I’ve been entertained by the DREAM promotion. I won’t give them a free pass on not paying their fights, but I’m not going to call a good event bad because of it. DREAM itself may have lost a bit of my respect lately, but I still immensely respect the men who make DREAM’s cards so memorable. I just hope for their sakes that they get paid for their efforts.

In particular, I’m really looking forward to Marius Zaromskis vs. Kazushi Sakuraba. I think Zaromskis really needs a win, his excursion to the USA badly hurt his marketability and status as a champion. If Sakuraba does manage to beat him, I think we’ll unfortunately have to close the book on Marius Zaromskis. And coming from a guy that considers him a “dark horse favorite”, that’s very sad news indeed. I’ll certainly be pulling for “The Whitemare”.

I’ll also be looking forward to seeing Gegard Mousasi and Josh Thomson compete. Mousasi always brings his best when he goes to Japan, and I think he’ll have a pretty entertaining K-1 bout. And though I’ve taken issue with a few things he’s said in the past, I’ve never seen a Josh Thomson fight I wasn’t entertained by. I’ll even tune in to see “Minowaman” because I respect the man’s drive and heart.

It remains to be seen what 2011 holds for FEG and the two promotions it has under its belt, but if you believe the rumors, the future definitely looks bleak. However, that doesn’t mean that they can’t end the year with a colossal bang. This mega-show has all the makings of a great event, so I’ll probably tune in to see it before the night is through. And what about you, fans and friends? Is “DYNAMITE” shaping up to be a good enough card to pry you away from your New Year’s Eve festivities?

A cultural icon in the action movie circuit, Jean-Claude Van Damme looks to make a comeback in his career when he faces Olympic boxer Somluck Kamsing in a K-1 styled match up.

Before the glitz and glam of the Hollywood world got Van Damme, which ultimately led to a successful and controversial career that was mired in substance abuse and several nasty divorces, Jean-Claude was an accomplished martial artist on the professional circuit, and he will hope to regain some of his lost allure.

Van Damme, who can be remembered by some of his most famous roles in the films Bloodsport, Lion Heart, Street Fighter, and Timecop, came from a legitimate background in Shotokan Karate, earning a black belt which later translated into a successful kickboxing career. The 50-year-old garnered a 20-2 record in his heyday, with all of his victories coming by some form of knockout.

His record is impressive, but it’s been almost 30 years since he’s competed professionally, and he won’t be looking for any favors when he steps into the ring against the boxing Olympic gold medalist, in Somluck.

JCVD will hold some advantage, since the bout will be contested under K-1 rules, which means he will be allowed to use kicks, which have become a popular trademark of his. However, the Belgium will be 13 years his elder with decades removed from a sport that Van Damme had never reached world class success.

If you think this all sounds like a neat elaborate hoax, then check out this little diddy online, which was made available thanks to the MiddleEasy.com crew. The video shows an emotional Jean-Claude discussing his long and arduous road through life, the ups and downs, and his desire to rise back to the top as a “thank you” to his fans that have believed in him over the years.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the news? Shocking? Of course. Exciting? Even more so. In a lot of ways, it’s a freak show. But, who are we to judge whether or not the man is still viable. Only his performance will tell. Sound off in the comment section below.

Probably not. But, if you stay tuned to Strikeforce in the early goings of 2011, you’ll become a quick fan.

One of the most explosive fighters in the K-1 circuit, the talented striker is currently in the final 8 of the K-1 World Grand Prix, which culminates on December 10th.

Saki punched his ticket to the final 8 when he defeated three-time French kickboxing champion Freddy Kemayo. “Crazy Horse” was knocked down early by the eccentric Turk, and after another quick barrage of punches was finished at a little over 2 minutes in the opening round.

Training with some of the best strikers and mixed martial arts stars out of the Golden Glory gym in Holland, Saki would like to make an immediate splash in the heavyweight picture.

MiddleEasy.com picked up the story and state specifically that “After the K-1 World GP, Golden Glory is pushing for Gokhan Saki to join Strikeforce and make his debut sometime in March.”

Assuming the news is correct, his debut with the organization will also likely depend on the outcome of his performances here on out through the Grand Prix. Gohkan is one of the front runners in the tournament, however favorites Alistair Overeem and Semmy Schilt both lead the pack. Ironically enough, all three fighters train under the same roof together out of Golden Glory, however have no qualms with fighting one another.

Saki would also like to follow in his previously mentioned teammates foot steps when he makes his return to MMA. Schilt and Overeem remain the two mixed martial arts fighters who have developed an adept game in the sport, while also competing at the highest level in the kickboxing circuit, which is an amazing feat in of itself.

Gokhan has competed in one mixed martial arts bout in his career, but lost to Englishman James Zikic by TKO in 2004.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the news? Do you think Saki could transition well into the MMA scene, given his team and training partners? Who would you like to see him in their with, in the Strikeforce heavyweight stable? Sound off in the comment section below.

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.

MiddleEasy.com has reported that Josh Barnett, the besmirched black sheep in the heavyweight division will be vying for the promotion’s first heavyweight title.

Although it has not been officially announced by the organization, rumor has it that “The Baby Face Assassin” will be competing on the infamous New Year’s show, Dynamite!! for the 2010 edition.

Barnett, who once claimed UFC heavyweight gold was ultimately stripped of the title after testing positive for steroids. Perhaps not the greatest stigma to add, but Josh is the only person in MMA history to have tested for said performance enhancing substances not once, not twice, but on three separate occasions. The last of which was the most documented. After a super fight was established by the now defunct “Afflicition” promotion, which has reverted back to it’s clothing company identity, between Barnett and the former PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko.

The bout was put to a halt ten days before the event by the California State Athletic Commission when Barnett had reportedly tested positive for P.E.D’s again, and eventually the whole card altogether was canceled, and the promotion eventually folded.

Josh recently signed a multi-fight deal with Strikeforce, however has some leniency in being able to compete in outside organization’s, under their approval.

According to the report by MiddleEasy, depending on the outcome of the K-1 Grand Prix which will feature the final 8 men in action on December 11th, Overeem may be available to reappear on the Dynamite!! year end show.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the news? Should Barnett be battling for the promotion’s vacant heavyweight title? Would a winner and loser in a bout between Barnett and Overeem effect the heavyweight picture in Strikeforce in a negative or a positive way? Sound off in the comment section below.

Arlovski recently posted the following message on his official Twitter account: “I would like to confirm that I am not participating in the K-1 on October 2^nd”. No explanation was given by the heavy-handed striker, but a report by Head Kick Legend gave us the scoop. Here’s what they had to say: “The word has been spreading around that Arlovski has possibly suffered an injury in training, which could account for the last minute change in the card. The injury being talked about is a broken nose, and while broken noses in fighting are not uncommon at all, one before a fight could be detrimental for Arlovski, as a broken nose can lead to swelling of the nose as well as the eye, making it difficult to see. A simple tap on the nose could cause swelling and ruin his vision.”

As a fan of Arlovski I’m gutted that he won’t be competing in K-1. Maybe I was fooling myself, but I honestly thought that Arlovski could have done pretty well against the right opponents in that organization. If his last few fights are any indication, Arlovski has virtually abandoned everything but his striking game, which is looking more and more like a traditional boxer’s, so he could have been at least marginally successful in K-1. I know it’d be a glorified publicity stunt, but facing the losing streak he’s on right now, anything helps. I’ll take an Arlovski win any way I can get it.

But now that it’s been confirmed that he won’t be competing, I have to honestly ask himself: would he really have been able to go far in the K-1 World Grand Prix? I have to at least grudgingly admit that no, he likely wouldn’t go very far at all. Even as a big Arlovski fan, and despite how hard it is to come to terms with this, I also have to admit that the man has had a glass jaw for a long while now. It’s true that his big KO losses have all come against heavy-handed strikers, but still, with the right power level in your hands or legs you can reduce Arlovski’s chin to dust. And this is K-1 we’re talking about, home to the most-feared strikers in the world. More than likely Arlovski would have been crushed if he came anywhere within shouting distance of actually winning the tournament.

Yet at the end of the day, I at least would have liked to see him try. With this K-1 deal now off the table, I don’t know what’s next for Arlovski. He certainly needs to drastically change whatever he’s doing, because it’s not working. I’ll follow him no matter what path his career takes, but Arlovski is walking down a dark road and I don’t see any easy way off of it. I’ll certainly be pulling for him, though.

And what about you, fans and friends? How do you feel about Arlovski pulling out of K-1? And what’s next for the former champion as he struggles to get back into the win column in MMA?

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.

“The Pitbull”, who at one point in time was considered to be the top dog in the heavyweight division after claiming and defending the UFC’s heavyweight title in devastating fashion, has since fallen on hard times. The Belorussian has lost his last three bouts, two of which came by way of definitive knockouts at the hands of Fedor Emelianenko and the aforementioned Brett Rogers, respectively.

Since contract negotiations fell through for both Overeem and Andrei in preparation for the proposed bout, for undisclosed reasons, FEG, the parent company which runs both DREAM and K-1, will now gear towards another go around with both competitors. While Alistair has already been confirmed for the K-1 World Grand Prix this year, Arlovski has since been rumored for the 16-man field as well.

However, for either competitor to face one another in the Grand Prix, both must win their opening bouts–this, according to MiddleEasy.com.

“The Demolition Man” is scheduled to face Ben Edwards, the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 in Canberra Champion, on the October 2 event, which Arlovksi is rumored to be facing fellow Wild Card fighter Raul Cătinaş, of Romania.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of this potential match up? Should Arlovski and Alistair get past their own respective opponents, who do you think will take this match? Sound off in the comments section below.

A stoic figure sitting on top of the MMA world–the former Pride Heavyweight champion had just began earning his due respect here in the United States, after making a campaign with the now defunct Affliction organization where he dispatched of two former UFC heavyweight champions.

Emelianenko signed with Strikeforce in 2009 after his stint with the “T-Shirt” company, he performed in true Fedor fashion when the Russian rallied back in the second round after a rough going in the first with heavyweight standout Brett Rogers last November, marking his debut with the San Jose based organization after knocking out the big man.

Now removed after his first legitimate loss in nearly ten years to submission specialist Fabricio Werdum last April, Fedor has turned from King to contender, and thus is now campaigning for his own fights, to make his way back to the top.

While Werdum would have been the most logical choice for the aforementioned Overeem to face for the heavyweight title in Strikeforce, the Brazilian will be sidelined for the rest of 2010 after having had successful surgery on his elbow, post-Fedor.

It wasn’t all that long ago when the famed Dutch striker was campaigning a fight of his own against the Russian, but now it looks like the tables have turned. After a press release was made stating Fedor and management team M-1 Global were publicly vouching for said fight, the team Golden Glory product simply declined. And here’s why:

“They already declined to fight me”, said Overeem while speaking with MMAJunkie.com following the press release.

“They know I’m not going to accept (a fight with Emelianenko). (They said), ‘Maybe Alistair needs extra drug testing.’ ‘Maybe Alistair needs to fight other opponents first, and maybe, he deserves to fight Fedor.’ So these guys, they declined to fight me”.

For what it’s worth, Overeem has never been positive for any performance enhancers throughout his career, though his weight he’s put on his both noticeable and astounding. It was just three years ago that the Dutchman fought as a light heavyweight against studs like Ricardo Arona, Mauricio Rua and Chuck Liddell among others. But now, just a few years later, and we have seen the culmination of 6’5 and 250-plus-pounds of pure machine since Overeem has made the inception back into the heavyweight division.

Most have questioned his surprising growth, panning it as growth hormones or obvious steroid usage, including M-1 Global. And while the former Pride star had been asking for the proposed fight, he is disgusted at the sudden come around in attitude, now that he is the man to beat.

“Now, all of a sudden, they’ve dropped their terms”, said Alistair. “Now, they do want to fight me. It’s all tricks, and I don’t feel pressured by it at all. Never in my life have I encountered a managing agency capable of such manipulation (and) tricks. And in the end, it doesn’t work. You can see Fedor’s image has been tarnished. It’s not working. It’s bad karma.”

Talks of the proposed match up were said to have began once again as early as yesterday, but again were declined by Golden Glory’s Bas Boon, according to sources. Now that the adept striker is set to enter the K-1 Grand Prix tournament, which continues through years end, it looks like the fight will be off the table for a while.

So, is anyone else surprised at M-1 Global’s attitude, now that the tables have turned? Is Overeem justified in his beliefs, or are they delusions of grandeur? You be the judge.

Sources close to the Dutch kickboxer also revealed exclusively to Fighters.com that Overeem is considering a kickboxing matchup versus “Dutch Lumberjack” Peter Aerts (1-1) at FieLDS K-1 World GP Final 16 in Seoul 26 September. Since Fighters.com’s original post, K-1 has confirmed the Overeem versus Aerts matchup.

Overeem was thought to be nursing an persistently infected hand resulting from a bar brawl in Amsterdam last May that kept him from defending his Strikeforce title from “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (12-4-1) in San Jose 15 August. The injury was described by Overeem’s manager, Bas Boon, as nearly costing Overeem his hand.

Overeem hasn’t defended his belt since winning it with a submission due to knees of “Headhunter” Paul Buentello (27-9) at Strikeforce in San Jose in 2007, leaving the impression that he is avoiding fighting in the United States.

Evidently Overeem is aware of his Stateside reputation, but follows the maxim that all publicity is good publicty. When Fighters.com confronted our source, the person close to Overeem said, “Alistair says, ‘Let them talk. At least they’re talking about me and it will make my return to the U.S. even bigger.’”

One big talker has been Fighters.com’s fourth-ranked heavyweight “Grim” Brett Rogers (8-0), who called out Overeem to defend his title after Rogers knocked out tenth-ranked “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (14-7) in 22 seconds at Strikeforce in St. Lous 6 June.

When Overeem bailed on his title defense versus Werdum, Rogers’s manager, Mike Reilly, told Fighters.com, “Overeem who? Is that a guy who used to fight and ducks a lot of fights now. Does he still fight? I never took that fight seriously. I never thought it was going to happen.”

And, upon hearing about Overeem’s upcoming fight schedule, Reilly told Fighters.com, “Overeem will be hard to hit. The guy really knows how to duck.”

Overeem’s fight at Glory 11 in October rests speculation that Overeem could defend his title versus Werdum on the same card Rogers and Fighters.com Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (29-1) will fight in November.

Fighters.com’s source close to Overeem said that Strikeforce didn’t want to incur the expense of putting two big heavyweight fights on the same fight card; and, Fighters.com’s Glory 11 source confirmed that Strikeforce is cooperating to find Overeem an opponent in Amsterdam.

Though contacted by Fighters.com, neither Overeem, nor Strikeforce decided to comment.

Mousasi will face four-time K-1 Japan GP champion Musashi, while Kawajiri will face former K-1 World MAX Japan finalist Kozo Takeda.

Mousasi won DREAM’s Middleweight GP in September, knocking out eighth-ranked middleweight “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (8-2) with an upkick at 2:15 of round one of the final.

Kawajiri last fought Fighters.com’s third-ranked lightweight Eddie Alvarez (13-1) at DREAM.5 in July, losing via first-round TKO.

As Fighters.com reported 21 October, Filipovic expects the rematch on New Year’s Eve, but has yet to receive confirmation from FEG, the company who promotes the Dynamite!! event.

The MMA media has been referencing an interview “Cro Cop” gave to Croatian website Dnevnik, but has evidently mistranslated the article from Croatian.

The 28 October article clearly states “no potvrde za to još nema”, which translates from Croatian to English as Filipovic “doesn’t yet have confirmation.”

FEG is probably awaiting Overeem’s match-up versus “Big Daddy” Gary Goodridge (23-18-1) at Glory 10 in Arnhem, east of Amsterdam, 9 November to make the rematch versus “Cro Cop” official or not for New Year’s Eve.

Fighters.com will cover the Overeem v Goodridge fight live.

Sudo is a veteran of K-1, UFC, and Pancrase with notable victories over UFC middleweight title contender Nathan Marquardt (27-8-2), WEC featherweight title challenger Mike Thomas Brown (19-4), and 400-pound “Butterbean” Eric Esch (10-6-1).

Sudo surprised MMA by announcing his retirement after defeating “Angel of Death” Damacio Page (10-4) at Dynamite!! in Osaka on New Year’s Eve 2006.

Among the reasons Sudo gave were lingering injuries and a sign in front of a urinal that read “one step forward”.

The report in Kamipro is credited to an anonymous source; and, other rumors suggest Sudo could be returning to Dynamite!! only as a commentator.

“We will fight, we will have a rematch for New Year,” “Cro Cop” said, then added, “We have already agreed in principle about it, but it has not been confirmed 100 percent.”

Overeem too has publicly expressed interest in a New Year’s Eve rematch, saying, “I want to finish ‘Cro Cop’ and put his name on my list, especially now because he has been arrogant and big-mouthed.”

The MMA stars in Japan fought to a No Contest at DREAM 6 in Saitama 23 September.

The fight was stopped after Overeem slammed three separate knee strikes into “Cro Cop’s” groin.

Filipovic confided, “The third hit was very hard and it has given me small complications.  I had to undergo a small operation later, but it is that kind of a job.  I urinated a little blood, but that is all a part of the sport.”

Overeem was in control of the one-time top heavyweight until the knee strikes.

But, “Cro Cop” argued, “Overeem started well, but his condition is his disadvantage.  I will not say too much, we will repeat the match.”

Overeem will fight “Big Daddy” Gary Goodridge (23-18-1) at Glory 10 in Arnhem, east of Amsterdam, 9 November.  Fighters.com will cover the fight live.

FEG President Sadaharu Tanikawa and DREAM president Keiiti Sasahara made the official announcement Saturday.

No matches were announced, but the Dynamite!! card will feature ten to fifteen fights, most of which will be DREAM MMA matches with the remainder being K-1 matches.

At the press conference but not confirmed to fight were Fighters.com’s fourth-ranked lightweight and DREAM Champion “Hellboy” Joachim Hansen (19-7-1), ninth-ranked lightweight “Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (17-3), and “Gracie Hunter” Kazushi Sakuraba (24-11-1).

The 7’2″ fighter is best known as a K-1 kickboxing champion, but challenged Fighters.com’s fifth-ranked heavyweight “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) on New Year’s Eve in Tokyo under MMA rules.  Choi was submitted in an armbar at 1:54 of round one.

Private Choi embarks on four weeks of boot camp before being assigned to non-combat duty due to his “grade-4″ physical status.

Ironically, the world-class athlete isn’t up to military standards.  Though many South Korean celebrities are granted a “grade-4″ to avoid combat duty, Choi was denied a license to fight Brock Lesnar (1-1) in California in 2007 on medical grounds.  Rumors of a benign tumor of the “Goliath’s” pituitary gland have followed him when he’s sought to fight State-side.

Choi won’t enter the ring during the term of his service, but The Korea Times reports his contract with FEG Korea, which owns K-1, “will automatically extend for the amount of time he misses action in K-1 events,” according to FEG Korea head Jeong Yeon-soo.

The article reports that Hunt will return to K-1 kickboxing versus “Hightower” Semmy Schilt at K-1′s Europe Grand Prix Final in Amsterdam 26 April; however, K-1′s website posts the bout as the main event at the World Grand Prix 2008 in Yokohama 13 April.

“It was part of the contract I was offered,” Hunt said of the Schilt fight.  “I did not want to fight K-1 since I have won the title already, but always up for a challenge; and, when the window of opportunity opens for me, I try to always take it ’cause it does not always open, you know?”

It’ll be Hunt’s last kickboxing bout.

“Well, it is only one K-1 fight to start with; the rest of my contract is all MMA,” Hunt promised.

The hard-headed Hunt fought MMA exclusively in PRIDE, until that promotion’s demise.  He scored back-to-back split decision victories over “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (31-8-1) and “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (22-6-2), followed by consecutive Kimura submission losses to “The Babyface Assasin” Josh Barnett (21-5) and Fedor Emelianenko (27-1).

“K-1 and DREAM are partners so the rest of my MMA fights are with DREAM,” Hunt explained, and designated 8 May for his return to mixed martial arts.

“[A rematch with Emelianenko] is another fight that will happen in the near future,” Hunt said.  ”I can’t say anymore!”

MMA math is trash, but MMA geometry?

Hunt’s MMA contract is in DREAM.  Emelianenko is reportedly divorcing M-1 Global to seek fights in other promotions.  Hunt promises a second dance with Emelianenko.

Assuming Hunt’s promise isn’t just a DREAM on his part….  Well, you see the same dots I do.  See if you can’t connect them.