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.

Maximo, born in Falcon, Venezuela, first began his foray into mixed martial arts after a successful high school background in freestyle wrestling, which eventually carried him to a bronze medal in the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. After his prosperous high school achievements, Blanco was eventually awarded a scholarship to Japanese University, Fukuoka, which resides in Kyushu, Japan.

Eventually, Blanco found himself in the Yoshida Dojo in Saitama, Japan where PRIDE veteran and Olympic Judoka Hidehiko Yoshida heads the famed academy.

Maximo would eventually make his mixed martial arts debut in August of 2008 under the Pancrase banner. Just one year later, Blanco became the organization’s lightweight champion when he TKO’d then titleholder Katsuya Inoue on second-round strikes.

Blanco would also regularly compete for Sengoku, one of Japan’s strongest and largest mixed martial arts promotions, where he racked up a 6-1 record overall, with his lone loss coming by way of controversial disqualification after Maximo performed an illegal soccer kick to a downed opponent–though the organization allows stomps to the face..weird.

Among his eight career wins, seven of which have come by form of knockout–all in exciting fashion.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the new signing of Blanco? Among his career wins, Maximo also holds a win over Strikeforce veteran Rodrigo Damm, by second-round TKO. Sound off in the comment section below.

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.

Welterweight “Handler” Dan Hornbuckle (15-2) has hit Japanese shores like a typhoon, first knocking out Akikhiro Gono (30-14-7) at Ninth Battle in Tokyo August 2 and following-up Tuesday with a TKO of former BodogFight champ “Goat” Nick Thompson (38-12-1).  The end came at 1:30 of round two due to a Hornbuckle barrage of punches that split open Thompson.

In the main event, Kiwi kickboxer “Notorious” Antz Nansen (1-0) ruined Olympic judo silver medalist Hiroshi Izumi’s (0-1) MMA debut TKOing Izumi at 2:56 of round one.

Lightweight Kazunori Yokota (9-2-2) knocked out “Lion” Ryan Schultz (20-12-1) at 2:31 of round one.

Former UFC and WEC middleweight “El Dirte” Joe Doerksen (43-12) TKO’d Takenori Sato (2-6-2) at 4:27 of round two.

Lightweight king of Pancrase “Makishi” Maximo Blanco (4-0) TKO’d Tetsuya Yamada (1-2) at 1:12 of round two.

Chute Boxe middleweight Fabio Silva (9-4) TKO’d Ryo Kawamura (9-4-2) at 2:28 of round one when Kawamura’s corner threw in the towel.

Makoto Takimoto (4-5) won a unanimous decision over Jae Sun Lee (2-4).

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.