TOKYO, Japan (Dec. 30, 2012) – Shinya Aoki (31-6) and Antonio McKee (28-4-2) both made weight on the first attempt at today’s official weigh-ins at the Sunroute Plaza Hotel in Tokyo, Japan for the DREAM 18 portion of the New Year’s Eve historic double-header mega-fight card at Saitama Super Arena, live on GloryWorldSeries.com (tape delayed broadcast on CBS Sports Network in The U.S.).
Aoki was exactly on the 154 pound/70 kilogram weight limit for his fight with UFC veteran McKee, who then hit the scales at 153 pounds/69.5 kilograms. Their fight, which headlines the New Year’s Eve event, has been nearly two years in the making.
Of the other 14 fighters on the DREAM 18 card, all except Denis Kang (35-15-2, 2 NC) and Will Brooks (7-0) made weight on the first attempt.
Kang was 1.32 pounds/600 grams overweight when he first stood on the scales. He hit the sauna for an hour and made weight on his second attempt, touching down at 185 pounds/84 kilograms for his middleweight fight with Melvin Manhoef (26-9-1, 1 NC).
Brooks was 1.2 kilos overweight for his 154/pound/70 kilogram meeting with Japan’s Satoru Kitoaka (30-11-9). He was given two hours to lose the excess, but returned to the scales after one hour to make a second attempt. He was still .5 overweight and was given another hour to hit 70 kilograms, which he managed on the third and final try.
Complete DREAM 18 Weigh-In Results:
ROBIN VAN ROOSMALEN VS. YUICHIRO NAGASHIMA
JEROME LE BANNER VS. KOICHI PETTAS
TOKYO, Japan (Dec. 13, 2012) – World No. 2 ranked lightweight (154 pounds/70 kilograms) Robin van Roosmalen (37-14-3, 12 KO’s) has been confirmed for a Superfight with colorful Japanese fighter Yuichiro Nagashima (17-5, 12 KO’s) at the GLORY 4 TOKYO – Heavyweight Grand Slam event at Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo, Japan on New Year’s Eve.
Also confirmed is a heavyweight showdown between the legendary ‘Battle Cyborg’ Jerome Le Banner (72-21-2, 58 KO’s) and Japanese Kyokushin Karate stylist Koichi Pettas (26-7-1, 15 KO’s). The three-round battle pits the heavy hands and raw power of Le Banner against the hard-kicking technicality of Pettas and should provide for an exhilarating match.
Nagashima and Pettas
“GLORY is home to the world’s top stand-up fighters and these two fights showcase that perfectly. In the first we have the world’s No. 2 lightweight fighter, who smashed his way through our ‘Final 8’ tournament earlier this year and fought the world’s No. 1 ranked lightweight Giorgio Petroysan in a thrilling final,” says Glory Sports International CEO Marcus Luer.
“Nagashima is known the world over for his
TOKYO, Japan (Dec. 13, 2012) – Two of Japan’s top featherweights (145 pounds/66 kilograms) have been added to the DREAM 18 portion of the stacked, doubleheader fight card that Glory Sports International will present at Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo, Japan on New Year’s Eve, immediately prior to the GLORY 4 Tokyo – Heavyweight Grand Slam, one-night, 16-man tournament.
Tatsuya ‘Crusher’ Kawajiri (31-7-2) formerly the world’s No. 1 lightweight, is will enter the ring riding a four-fight win streak and face Judo specialist Michihiro Omigawa (13-12-1), who recently departed the UFC to return to fighting in his native Japan.
Kawajiri faces Omigawa at DREAM 18 NYE in Saitama Super Arena
“Kawajiri has been one of the fighting world’s top
DREAM 18
NEW YEAR’S EVE MMA MATCHUPS ANNOUNCED
SHINYA AOKI FACES ANTONIO MCKEE
BIBIANO FERNANDES BATTLES YOSHIRO MAEDA
MELVIN MANHOEF SQUARES OFF WITH DENIS KANG
TOKYO, Japan (Dec. 7, 2012) - DREAM Lightweight (155 pounds/70 kilograms) Champion Shinya Aoki (31-6) will face battle-tested wrestling specialist Antonio McKee (28-4-2) at the DREAM Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event at Saitama Super Arena on New Year’s Eve.
The matchup was announced today by officials from DREAM and Glory Sports International, which is presenting the year-end show along with the GLORY 4 Tokyo – Heavyweight Grand Slam event.
Also announced was a middleweight (185 pounds/84 kilograms) fight between Melvin Manhoef (26-9-1, 1 NC) and Denis Kang (35-15-2, 2 NC) and a 139-pound catchweight meeting between former DREAM bantamweight (135 pounds/61 kilograms) champion Bibiano Fernandes (12-3) and Yoshiro Maeda (30-11-2) of Japan.
“Shinya Aoki is already
TOKYO, Japan – Following Glory Sports International’s (GSI) recent announcement that it would be producing the annual DREAM MMA event at Saitama Super Arena on New Year’s Eve, the company has announced today that it will merge its GLORY 4 Tokyo Heavyweight Grand Slam championship kickboxing event with DREAM 18 to create one mega-night of world-class professional martial arts fighting on Dec 31, 2012.
The GLORY 4 Tokyo Heavyweight Grand Slam event
With a new set of financial backing, DREAM is back this December 30 with ten MMA and three kickboxing match ups at the famous Saitama Super Arena.
Hiroyuki Takaya, Tatsuya Kawajiri, and Satoru Kitaoka were the only three fighters present at the press conference earlier this week but we can expect other great fighters in the final line up.
As 2011 wraps up we are getting ready for the New Year’s Eve Genki Desuka? from Field’s.
The Takaya vs Miyata fight will be a war. They are both in incredibly good shape right now. Takaya has strong determination and it’s clear that Miyata has evolved as an MMA fighter.
Keeping tradition with the Judo-ka turned MMA fighters (excluding Ishii), Izumi has been given a very tough opponent who on paper is not likely to beat.
Dream Dynamite!! 2010 Fight Card – Dec. 31st, 2010 – Saitama Super Arena – Japan
