» Fighter: Yoshihiro Akiyama

“Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1) and The Ultimate Fighter 3 champion “Count” Michael Bisping (17-2) will matchup at middleweight at UFC 110 in Sydney February 21, according to a Fighters Only report.

Read More About UFC 110: Wanderlei Silva Versus Michael Bisping Reported…

The forthcoming UFC title fight between Fighters.com and UFC Welterweight Champion “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (19-2) and tenth-ranked “Outlaw” Dan Hardy (23-6) might land in Sydney at UFC 110 February 21, UFC President Dana White hinted to MMA Junkie Radio Friday night.

Read More About UFC 110: Georges St. Pierre Versus Dan Hardy Probable, Silva vs. Akiyama Uncertain, Lytle v Kim Reported…

Fighters.com’s second-ranked middleweight Jake Shields (23-4-1) cemented his status as top contender to Fighters.com and UFC Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva’s (25-4) titles and picked up the Strikeforce strap himself in a five-round unanimous decision over former top ten and nails-tough “Mayhem” Jason Miller (22-7) at Strikeforce in Chicago November 7.

Read More About Fighters.com’s November Middleweight Rankings – Is Jake Shields the Antidote to Anderson Silva’s Dominance?…

As controversial as the UFC 104 judges’ unanimous decision in favor of Fighters.com and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (16-0) over seemingly obvious victor, now-third-ranked “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4), was among North American MMA fans, nothing compares to the heat over the fight among Brazilian MMA fans.

Read More About Fighters.com’s November Light Heavyweight Rankings – Machida Versus Rua Rematch, Do It In Brazil!…

Fighters.com and UFC Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4) will defend his titles from unranked “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (18-8) at UFC 108 in Las Vegas January 2.

Read More About Fighters.com October Middleweight Rankings…

“I heard my abductor snap,” said UFC welterweight champion “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (19-2) after defending his title from “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (16-4) in a five-round unanimous decision at UFC 100 in Las Vegas Saturday night, then the Québécois superstar limped from the Octagon to receive immediate treatment for the groin injury suffered when Alves put him on his back in the third round.

Tuesday in Montréal St. Pierre will have an MRI to determine the extent of the injury that will keep him from fighting again until 8 January unless cleared by doctor, according to a suspension by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Regardless, the NSAC has instructed St. Pierre not to engage in full-contact training until 2 August.

Middleweight “Sexyama” Yoshihiro Akiyama (14-2) came away from his Octagon debut versus “The Talent” Alen Belcher (14-6) with a split decision victory and fractured orbital bone that will keep him from returning also until 8 January unless cleared by an ophthalmologist.

Read More About St. Pierre Requires MRI, Akiyama Fractured Orbital at UFC 100…

The FEG officially added two more DREAM-rules bouts Wednesday to their New Year’s Eve Dynamite!! card.

Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked lightweight “Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (15-3) will face third-ranked Eddie Alvarez (13-1), and heavyweight Mark Hunt (5-2) will face Jerome LeBanner (4-1-1).

A fight with Aoki had been offered to fifth-ranked middleweight Yoshihiro Akiyama (12-2), but he decided not to fight at all NYE.

“I’m tired of negotiating with [Akiyama],” said FEG executive Sadaharu Tanikawa.

“He doesn’t understand what fans expect from him and his position.  I don’t know the reason why he turned down the offer.  I’m very disappointed in him.”

Read More About Aoki v Alvarez not Akiyama, Hunt v LeBanner At Dynamite!! …

Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked lightweight “Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (15-3) has once again called out fifth-ranked middleweight Yoshihiro Akiyama (12-2).

Aoki told Fighting Talk of the Treasure House radio show Sunday that he wants to fight only Akiyama at Dynamite!! 31 December in Saitama.

“It seems to me that Mikey (Akiyama) is making fun of our event,” Aoki said.

“His demand [to fight WVR’s Hidehiko Yoshida (8-6-1)] is nothing but self-centered.  I won’t fight anybody except Mikey on New Year’s Eve.  I’ll defeat him without gaining any weight.”

Aoki added, “If he doesn’t take this offer, I will consider that he is afraid of fighting me, and runs away.”  (Translation by Suki from MMA Fighting.)

DREAM producer Keiichi Sasahara is working to make the fight happen.  He said, “We were thinking about Badr Hari (1-0) and [“Techno Goliath”] Hong Man Choi (0-2) as Aoki’s opponent, but now we are only negotiating with Akiyama.”

Fighters.com’s fifth-ranked middleweight Yoshihiro Akiyama (12-1) is a popular target in DREAM.

Fighters.com reported 2 October that ninth-ranked lightweight “Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (18-3) had called out Akiyama; but, Akiyama had declined the fight.

In an interview with Kamipro (translated by Suki at MMA Fighting), Sadaharu Tanikawa, President of DREAM’s parent company, FEG, said, “I’m interested in what Aoki said.  He fully understands what kind of fights DREAM wants to present.  I want to watch Aoki v Akiyama.”

But, another DREAM star, Middleweight GP champion Gegard Mousasi (24-2-1), wants a piece of Akiyama too.

On DREAM’s website, Mousasi said, “I have defeated three top Judo specialists before and I won them all.  I say I have an 85% chance to win [versus Olympic judoka Akiyama].”

Read More About Akiyama Targeted by DREAM’s Top Fighters…

A feud between Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked lightweight “Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (18-3) and fifth-ranked middleweight Yoshihiro Akiyama (12-1) has flared since DREAM.6 in Saitama, north of Tokyo, 23 September.

At the event’s post-fight press conference, Aoki commented, “I wouldn’t mind fighting [Akiyama].  I’m always here to fight anybody.”

Akiyama responded, “I appreciated [Aoki's] statement.  I’m very happy to be respected by Aoki; however, I’m not interested in fighting him at all.”

Aoki interjected, “Wait!?  Wow, he is such a positive thinker!  I didn’t mean that [I respect him].  I wonder who he thinks he is.”  Aoki even joked, “I actually got nervous when he sat next me…  He was sweating a lot and I thought he had hyperhidrosis.”

Then, in Aoki’s 29 September blog entry for Kamipro, he wrote, “In the last event, a fighter said he wanted to fight someone who belonged to the other event.  He added that he wouldn’t mind fighting in the other event.  I wonder why he could say that in front of DREAM fans who love this event and want to watch exciting events in DREAM.  He always only care about his own convenience.”  (Translation by Suki MMA.)

Although Aoki did not name Akiyama, he was obviously referring to Akiyama, who called out rival promotion World Victory Road’s Hidehiko Yoshida (8-6-1).

“I’m very mad,” Aoki continued.  “I’m proud to fight in DREAM.  I believe in DREAM, both staff members and fighters work together to create the best MMA event.”