» Fighter: Katsunori Kikuno

Fighters.com and UFC Lightweight Champion “Prodigy” BJ Penn (14-5-1) will defend his titles from unranked, but popular The Ultimate Fighter 1 champion “Nightmare” Diego Sanchez (21-2) at UFC 107 at the FedExForum in Memphis December 12, the UFC officially announced Tuesday.

Read More About Fighters.com’s October Lightweight Rankings…

As rumored, Bellator lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez (16-2) and DEEP champ Katsunori Kikuno (5-0) will fight at DREAm.12 in Osaka October 25, DREAM officially confirmed Tuesday.

Read More About DREAM.12 To Include Champs Eddie Alvarez, Katsunori Kikuno, & Kuniyoshi Hironaka…

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.

Former WEC middleweight champion “Ely” Paulo Filho (16-1) tapped “Marvelous” Melvin Manhoef (22-6-1) in an armbar at 2:36 of round one and lightweight “Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (18-4) won a unanimous decision over “Shaolin” vitor Ribeiro (20-2) at DREAM.10 in Saitama, north of Tokyo, Monday.

Lithuanian “Whitemare” Marius Zaromskis (12-2) upset “Mach” Hayato Sakurai (32-9-3) and Jason High (7-2) both with fight-ending head kicks to win the Welterweight Grand Prix.

Returning to Japan after an odd stint in the WEC and returning to MMA after nine months off, Filho was rusty and lucky to exploit the chink that has resulted in three of Manhoef’s six losses: the armbar.

Read More About Filho Returns To Tap Manhoef, Aoki By UD, And Zaromskis Upsets The Welterweights at DREAM.10…