While Japan has seen better days, with the country having recently been ravaged by tsunamis and earthquakes galore, one thing remains strong, and that is the mixed martial arts community. We've seen that first with the recent Strikeforce event, where three of Japan's best participated on the card, with DREAM's featherweight champion Hiroyuki Takaya, lightweight champion Shinya Aoki, and perennial contender Tatsuya Kawajiri all in action. Though the participants left the the event with mixed results, with Shinya Aoki the only one emerging victorious with a first-round submission win over lightweight prospect Lyle Beerbohm, DREAM hopes to give an extra push towards Japan's relief efforts by holding their May event side by side with various charities. And said event will also feature the organization's inaugural bantamweight grand-prix, which will feature many notable fighters. ...

After dropping a two-round decision to "Flash" Bibiano Fernandes (5-1) in the DREAM Featherweight Grand Prix last March, Takafumi Otsuka (5-3) didn't let another 145-pound title slip through his fingers Sunday at DEEP 43 Impact in Tokyo. Otsuka won a three-round decision over former UFC lightweight Dokonjonosuke Mishima (18-7-2) to snag Mishima's DEEP featherweight belt. In a battle between former UFC welterweights and all-time DEEP legends, “Piranha” Ryo Chonan (16-10) won a three-round decision over Jutaro Nakao (22-13-4). Chonan broke the two-fight losing streak ending his 1-3 run in the Octagon last April DEEP bantamweight champ “Ashikan Judan” Masakazu Imanari (16-7-1) defended his title from Tomohiko Hori (6-5-2) in another three-round decision. ...

Last Saturday I quizzed "The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock (26-13-2) about when it's time to hang-up his four ounce gloves. "When I can't beat mid-level guys.  I'm not going to let myself get beat by mediocre fighters," Shamrock confided. Saturday at CageRage 25 in London, "Buzz" Robert Berry (12-7) knocked out Shamrock at 3:26 of round one. "He comes to fight," Shamrock had described Berry; and, it's likely this loss won't convince the king of the Lion's Den to retire. Shamrock is 3-8 since his Y2K return to MMA.  He's lost five consecutive fights by first round stoppage since TKOing Kimo Leopoldo at UFC 48 in 2004. Ken won't retire because he's a fighter with fight left in him.  He won't retire because, even after four consecutive losses, he still headlines a card; and, after five straight losses, his next fight will be a main event too.  He won't retire because we still pay to watch him fight, because our memory of Shamrock at his best continues to eclipse Shamrock at this, his worst. The "Ashikan Judan" Masakazu Imanari (14-5-1) earned his stage name by twisting "White Bear" Jean Silva's (15-8-3) foot in a heel hook at 2:30 of round one for the CageRage World Featherweight Championship. British heavyweight Rob Broughton (7-3-1) dealt undefeated Neil Grove (5-1) his first "L" in a majority decision. Middleweight "Kong" Tom Watson beat Pierre Guillet to a TKO at 2:05 of round one. Heavyweight Mustapha al Turk (5-3) submitted kickboxer Gary Turner (4-1) on strikes at 3:19 of round one. Heavyweight Ivan Serati (8-2) stopped Roman Webber (4-4) at :48 of round one. Brazilian "Lagartixa" Henrique Santana (5-3) won a unanimous decision over England's Michael Johnson (5-5). Giorgio Andrews (3-0) made it a tough night for the Shamrocks by winning a TKO over Ken's son Ryan Shamrock (1-1) after Ryan broke his hand in the first round. Undefeated John Hathaway remained so with a TKO of Marvin Arnold Bleau at 1:32 of round one. Finally, John Phillips (7-1) opened the night with a TKO of Jake Bostwick at 4:10 of round one. ...