Sengoku lightweight champion Satoru Kitaoka (24-9-7) and challenger Mizuto Hirota (9-3) both made weight for their main event at Ninth Battle in Tokyo Sunday. Kitaoka weighed 69.9 kg while Hirota tipped the scales at 70 kg. The card also features the semi-finals and finals of Sengoku's featherweight grand prix and all competing fighters also made weight. ...

Ninth-ranked heavyweight “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (20-5) will soldier on after testing positive for 2a-methyl-5a-androstan-3a-ol-17-one, an anabolic steroid, causing the cancellation of Affliction M-1 Global’s Trilogy, possibly returning to his home in The Land of the Rising Sun at Sengoku, Sengoku Director Takahiro Kokuho told Sherdog. Barnett denies using steroids. The California State Athletic Commission claims two separate samples tested positive. Kokuho said, "As for Josh Barnett, we still have to continue negotiations with him, but we are planning to have him on our November 7 card. We didn’t have [Barnett] in contract, but we had a conversation with him about his return in November. He will be in Japan next week, so we’ll be speaking with him just before his Inoki Genome Federation appearance." ...

Fighters.com’s sixth-ranked lightweight Eiji Mitsuoka (13-6-2) will face Sergey Golyaev (9-5) at Sengoku Seventh Battle 4 January in Saitama, Japan, World Victory Road announced this week.

Mitsuoka is coming off a submission loss to Satoru Kitaoka (23-9-7) at Sengoku Sixth Battle in November. Mitsuoka was caught with a heel hook at 1:16 of round one.

Golyaev is coming off an upset win via split decision over second-ranked “Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (28-5), also at Sengoku Sixth Battle.

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Brazilian website TATAME reported yesterday that "Pequeno" Alexandre Nogueira (13-5-2) was in negotiations with his management for a return to fight in Japan at World Victory Road's Sengoku. In the article Nogueira stated, "I’m negotiating with my manager [Alex Davis] We’re focusing Sengoku, to come back to fight in Japan." A return to fight in Japan on the part of Nogueira would be a direct violation of the one year suspension handed down by the California State Athletic Commission back in June. Nogueira debuted for Zuffa's World Extreme Cagefighting 1 June in Sacramento when he faced rising featherweight  Jose Aldo (11-1). To the surprise of many analysts, the veteran Nogueira lost via TKO in the second round of the bout. Nogueira's WEC loss proved to be a prelude to an even bigger surprise for the talented Brazilian fighter. Following the fight, the California State Athletic Commission announced that Nogueira was being fined $2,500 and suspended until May 2009 as a result of a positive test for performance enhancing drugs. In response, WEC dropped Nogueira soon after the suspension.  In the TATAME article Nogueira explained, “The [WEC] contract was finished because of the [CSAS] suspension." Fighters.com talked to Nogueira's manager Alexander Davis In light of the recent report by TATAME. Davis respectfully silenced rumors of Nogueira's potential return to fight in Japan before the CSAC suspension is fulfilled.  "I have advised Nogueira not to violate his suspension," explained Davis. "He did not appeal the commission's ruling in the first place. And to violate [the suspension] would not be a smart thing for him to do. Davis continued, "We will be looking to take Nogueira back to Japan after May 2009 when his suspension is up." ...

Despite being suspended by the California State Athletic Commission, “Big Foot” Antonio Silva (11-1) will fight at Sengoku 7 in Saitama 4 January versus “Kiss” Yoshihiro Nakao (8-1), World Victory Road announced Friday. Silva was issued a one-year suspension for testing positive for the anabolic steroid Boldenone after his TKO win over Justin Eilers (19-7-1) 26 July at EliteXC. By competing in Japan, Silva is apparently ignoring both the suspension and a warning from the CSAC against fighting overseas. Silva’s management argued that other fighters had done it without penalty. Silva’s opponent, Nakao, last fought at Sengoku Second Battle in May, knocking out “Big” Jim York (9-2) in round two. Nakao is infamous for winning a fight versus “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-14) before it even began.  Herring was disqualified for dropping Nakao with a punch when Nakao kissed him during the staredown. ...

ElixteXC Heavyweight Champion "Big Foot" Antonio Silva's (11-1) manager, Alexander Davis, responded to the California State Athletic Commission's warning against Silva fighting in Japan while under suspension in California exclusively at Fighters.com Davis said, "I would like to remind Mr. [Bill] Douglas and the CSAC that this has happened before.  Other fighters have fought overseas under suspension and come back to fight under the same commission without a problem." In fact, "Phenom" Vitor Belfort (16-8) was suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for nine months following a positive test for anabolic steroids after losing to Fighters.com's fifth-ranked light heavyweight "Hollywood" Dan Henderson (23-7) at Pride 32 in Las Vegas in October 2006. ...

EliteXC Heavyweight Champion "Bigfoot" Antonio Silva (11-1) is considering fighting for World Victory Road's Sengoku promotion in Japan, according to Silva's manager, Alexander Davis. "There has been interest by World Victory Road, but nothing has been decided yet," Davis told Fighters.com.  "Antonio is a professional fighter and must fight, that’s how he pays his bills.  If he can’t fight in the United States due to the suspension from CSAC, he must consider other alternatives." ...

Fighters.com spoke with "Snowman" Jeff Monson (24-8) as he prepares for a week of fights in December when he will have the opportunity to redeem his 2002 loss to "Suave" Ricco Rodriguez (30-8) and then venture to Switzerland just days later to compete in the World Grappling Championship.  Fighters.com: Jeff, the last time we spoke was just before your win over "Smashing Machine" Mark Kerr (14-9) at Vengeance Fighting Championship in Concord, north of Charlotte, 27 September.  You have a fight coming up at Mixed Fight Alliance  in Miami 13 December against Ricco Rodriguez.  It's a rematch of a fight you originally lost at UFC 35 in 2002.  What are your thoughts on facing Rodriguez again? Jeff Monson: Well, I like Ricco.  He's a good fighter and a big name; but, I'd like to get back at him for losing to him the first time.  [laughing]  Hopefully it'll be a different result this time around.  But I don't really have revenge in mind or anything.  It's been seven years or whatever.  But, I think I definitely put a lot more into my fighting than I think he does, so, you know, I should to go out and get the win. Fighters.com:  You're on a two-fight win streak in recent months with the Kerr victory and a win over "Titan" Jimmy Ambriz (12-8) at Beatdown in New Town, northwest of Bismark, 11 October.  Where do you think a victory over Rodriguez will put your career? Jeff Monson: Well, I need to win a few more in a row.  So, I want to take them, you know, like the old cliché, "one fight at a time."  I'm taking this particular fight very seriously.  Ricco's a big name.  And he kicked my ass before.  It was probably one of the worse beatdowns I ever experienced in a fight from start to finish.  [laughing]  So, I know he's capable of doing well. Ricco has fought a lot of big names.  He's beat about everybody and, even the fights he's lost were to top fighters, you know, so Ricco's tough.   I just think I need to win every fight right now.  My career cannot take another loss at this point.  Saying that, I am taking this fight very serious.  I know I need to win a few in a row to get a shot at a title somewhere or get back to the top again.  Fighters.com: Will a win in December take you back to Sengoku in Japan?  The last loss on your record was to Fighters.com's seventh-ranked heavyweight "Babyface Assassin" Josh Barnett (19-5) at Sengoku in Tokyo 18 May. ...

While it had been previously announced that Sengoku 7 would feature “Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (28-4) versus the Lightweight Grand Prix winner, and “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (21-8-2) versus the Middleweight GP winner, World Victory Road made it official Friday. Fighters.com’s second-ranked lightweight Gomi will face Satoru Kitaoka (21-9-7), and ninth-ranked middleweight Misaki will face Jorge Santiago (18-7).  The first-ever WVR titles in both weight classes will be on the line. Heavyweight Hidehiko Yoshida (8-6-1) is also on the card. Gomi will fight for the belt despite losing his last fight versus Red Devil Sports Club’s Sergey Golyaev (8-5) 1 November at Sengoku 6 via split decision. Kitaoka won the lightweight tournament at the same event by submitting sixth-ranked Eiji Mitsuoka (13-5-2) with a first-round heel hook, then defeating Kazunori Yokota (7-1-2) via unanimous decision. Misaki last fought in September at Strikeforce versus “Diesel” Joe Riggs (28-10).  Riggs was felled via TKO in round two. Santiago submitted Siyar Bahadurzada (9-3-1) via first-round heel hook and TKO’d  Kazuhiro Nakamura (12-8) in round three to win the middleweight tournament at Sengoku 6. Yoshida submitted “Mo” Maurice Smith (13-13) by neck crank at Sengoku 3 in June. ...

Despite suffering an upset loss at Sengoku 6 last weekend, Fighters.com’s second-ranked lightweight “Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (27-5) will still face Lightweight GP winner Satoru Kitaoka (21-9-7) 4 January at Sengoku 7 in Saitama. Gomi wrote in his blog Sunday that he was caught off-guard and lost due to carelessness but learned a lot from the bout.  Having suffered no injury he will prepare to fight for the belt in January. Gomi lost to Russian fighter Sergey Golyaev (9-5) via split decision. Kitaoka submitted sixth-ranked Eiji Mitsuoka (12-6-2) with a first-round heel hook, and earned the unanimous decision victory over Kazunori Yokota (6-2-2) to win the lightweight tournament. ...

Fighters.com's sixth-ranked lightweight Eiji Mitsuoka (12-5-2) skyrocketed into the top ten last August, largely on the pale, rippling back of "Hellboy" Joachim Hansen's (18-7) upset of former Lightweight Champion, now ninth-ranked "Tobikan Judan" Shinya Aoki (15-3) in the finals of DREAM's Lightweight Grand Prix in Osaka 21 July. Mitsuoka had ground out a majority decision over Hansen in Shooto last November; and, Hansen ascended up the ranks towing Mitusoka with him. Now, Mitsuoka is a favorite to take Sengoku's Lightweight Grand Prix after tapping SpiritMC Champion "Crazy Lee" Kwang Hee Lee (2-1) in Tokyo 18 May and submission wiz Rodrigo Damm (5-1) in the tournament's first round in Saitama, north of Tokyo, 24 August. Fighters.com spoke with Mitsuoka and asked him about his victory over Hansen and 2007 loss to eighth-ranked Kotetsu Boku (12-5-1), who Hansen beat in a UD in the opening round of DREAM's GP in Saitama 14 March. The focused Japanese fighter out of Wajyutsu Keisyukai RJW told Fighters.com that Hansens GP championship and victory over Boku didn't interest him and demanded, "Please, look forward." ...

“Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (14-3) will face off against Moise Rimbon (13-7-3) in a light heavyweight match at Sengoku 6 in Saitama, north of Tokyo, 1 November, World Victory Road announced Monday. Nogueira, a PRIDE veteran, last fought at Affliction: Banned in July, handing “Babyface” Edwin Dewees (35-13) a first-round TKO loss. Nogueira was previously scheduled to fight “Janitor” Vladimir Matyushenko (21-3) at Affliction’s second show in October before it was postponed. Rimbon, of France, submitted Peter Graham (0-2) with a rear naked choke in round two at Sengoku 4 in August. ...

Fighters.com’s second-ranked lightweight “Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (29-3) will face Red Devil Sports Club’s Sergey Golyaev (10-6) at Sengoku 6 in Saitama, 1 November, World Victory Road announced Wednesday. WVR also announced that Fighter of the Month “King Mo” Muhammed Lawal (1-0) will face Chute Boxe’s Fabio Silva (11-4). Gomi’s last fight, in August, went the distance but he won the decision over Seung Hwan Bang (5-2).  His next fight was to have been 4 January at Sengoku 7. Golyaev last fought in December 2006, winning via decision over Vladimir Soroka (3-1). Lawal won his MMA debut in September with a first round TKO of “Diesel” Travis Wiuff (53-12). Silva most recently KO’d Yoshiki Takahashi (28-24-3) in the second round at Sengoku 3 in June. ...

"Afghan Killa" Siyar Bahadurzada (14-3-1) spoke exclusively with Fighters.com after his controversial victory over "Cyborg" Evangelista Santos (16-12) by TKO due to injury in the first round of Sengoku's Middleweight Grand Prix.

As a child, Bahadurzada immigrated to the Netherlands from war-torn Afghanistan, but became stuck there without a passport as his fight career took off.  In July 2007, he was finally allowed to travel to Japan to fight (and beat) Shiko Yamashita (10-4-3) for the Shooto title. Fighters.com: Can you describe the difference between your feelings when you first arrived in Holland after leaving Afghanistan, then when you first arrived in Japan to fight after being stuck in Holland?  Holland must've been both a place of refuge from war-torn Afghanistan, but then like a cage keeping you from furthering your fight career? Siyar Bahadurzada: When I first came to Holland I felt like I was given a second chance.  I just went for it and kept trying to make something out of my life.  I learned to speak Dutch in almost six months.  I was [studying] very hard and, besides, not to forget, I'm pretty gifted in learning languages. I can speak several languages very well. But, when I went to Japan, I felt different.  Coming to Holland was different because I was saved from the war; but, when I came to Japan, I felt like, "Now it is my time to shine.  My 15 minutes of fame is on!"  I feel invincible when I'm in Japan.  Somehow, the environment in Japan drives me to my limits, motivates me to take one step more and go for my dreams! ...

World Victory Road has officially added their Middleweight Grand Prix to Sengoku 6, taking place 1 November in Saitama, Japan. The winner of the tournament will face Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked middleweight “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (20-8-2) for the first-ever middleweight belt 4 January in Saitama at Sengoku 7. Kazuhiro Nakamura (12-8) will face Yuki Sasaki (22-14-1), and Jorge Santiago (18-7) will face “Afghan Killa” Siyar Bahadurzada (14-3-1). The event already features a lightweight tournament to determine an opponent for Fighters.com’s second-ranked lightweight “Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (29-3) at Sengoku 7 for the title. The bouts remaining in the lightweight tournament are Satoru Kitaoka (21-8-9) versus sixth-ranked Eiji Mitsuoka (14-5-2), and Kazunori Yokota (7-1-3) versus Mizuto Hirota (10-2). WVR also announced that Fighters.com’s Fighter of the Month “King Mo” Muhammed Lawal (1-0) will fight, although an opponent has not yet been determined. “GameBred” Jorge Masvidal (14-3) versus Seung Hwan Bang (5-2) is also official. Joe Doerksen (40-12) revealed through MySpace Tuesday that he has agreed to fight Izuru Takeuchi (25-9-6). ...

"I am a wrestler by trade, but I'm now a fighter." Meet Team Quest's "King Mo" Muhammad Lawal (1-0), Fighters.com's Fighter of the Month.  Lawal made his much-anticipated MMA debut in Tokyo 28 September with a first-round TKO over heavyweight veteran "Diesel" Travis Wiuff (53-12). Lawal first spoke to Fighters.com after joining Team Quest in April when, despite his success in amateur wrestling, I advised him to pursue a measured path through the sport. He wisely ignored me.  Despite Wiuff's ten-fight win streak and having knocked out "Ironhead" Kazuyuki Fujita (15-7) for the first time ever in his previous fight, Lawal jumped right in to MMA. Lawal told Fighters.com last weekend, "The only hesitation and discussion [about fighting Wiuff] came from the haters, naysayers, and the people that picked me to lose.  I was confident and felt good.  It was a dream come true for me to fight and even better to make my debut in Japan." ...

Fighters.com’s second-ranked lightweight “Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (29-3) and ninth-ranked middleweight “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (21-8-2) will battle to hold the first-ever Sengoku titles in their respective weight classes 4 January in Saitama, Japan. World Victory Road made the official announcement after last weekend’s event. Gomi’s opponent will be determined 1 November when Satoru Kitaoka (21-8-9) and sixth-ranked Eiji Mitsuoka (14-5-2), and Kazunori Yokota (7-1-3) and Mizuto Hirota (10-2) face each other in the Lightweight Grand Prix in Saitama. Misaki’s opponent will be the winner of the Middleweight Grand Prix.  Four fighters remain in that tournament: “Afghan Killa” Siyar Bahadurzada (14-3-1), Jorge Santiago (18-7), Kazuhiro Nakamura (12-8), and Yuki Sasaki (22-14-1). WVR also announced that they would include Beijing Olympic medalists on the card, as well as fighters from Sengoku 5. Gomi most recently defeated Seung Hwan Bang (5-2) by unanimous decision in August. Misaki fought “Diesel” Joe Riggs (28-11) earlier in September, finishing him with a second-round TKO. ...

Fighters.com checked-in with "GameBred" Jorge Masvidal (14-3) after he quickly dispatched former IFL Lightweight Champion "Lion" Ryan Schultz (20-11-1) in Tokyo Sunday. Fighters.com: You took care of Schultz in under two minutes.  How much of that was blowing off steam from the loss to Rodrigo Damm (8-2) in Saitama, north of Tokyo, 8 June? Jorge Masvidal: First of all, I never lost to Rodrigo Damm.  Anyone who looks at the fight will agree with me.  The only steam I was blowing off was towards the referee who called my last fight!

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