Fields Dynamite!! confirms Sakuraba vs Tamura; adds Kawajiri vs Takeda

Fighting & Entertainment Group (FEG) has confirmed the participation of Japanese MMA pioneer Kazushi Sakuraba as he takes on fellow aging veteran Kiyoshi Tamura for the promotion's New Year’s Eve supershow featuring combatants from DREAM, K-1, K-1 MAX and K-1 Koshien.

The ‘Gracie Hunter’ (24-11-1) is looking to rebound from his loss at Dream 4 back in June where he was nearly beheaded by the now un-retired Hollander Melvin Manhoef. Sakuraba will finally get the chance to throwdown with Tamura (32-13-2) after publicly calling him out for a fight several years back at PRIDE Shockwave 2005, also scheduled on New Year’s Eve.

Tamura is coming off an impressive first round TKO over Masakatsu Funaki at Dream 2 last April.

Joining them will be Shooto and PRIDE veteran Tatsuya "Crisher" Kawajiri (22-5-2) as he faces K-1 World MAX finalist and Shin Nihon Kickboxing Association welterweight champion Kozo Takeda (43-18-7).

Kawajiri is a powerful striker with 10 (T)KO victories but in a K-1 rules match I have to see him as the underdog against Takeda, who not only has the K-1 experience but also a scary Muay Thai arsenal.

Also signed is the K-1 bout featuring DREAM’s 2008 Middleweight World Grand Prix champion Gegard Mousasi (24-2-1) slugging it out with four-time K-1 Japan Grand Prix Champion and former WAKO Heavyweight Muay Thai Champion Musashi (49-28-5-1).

Expect fireworks in that one.

And for those of you who enjoy watching young children kick each other in the face, K-1 Koshien will be holding the finals and semifinals of its ‘King of Under 18′ tournament.

FieLDS Dynamite!! ‘Power of Courage’ will take place on December 31, 2008 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, and could feature as many as 20 fights.

Here is the official card thus far:

MMA RULES :
Middleweight: Kazushi Sakuraba (24-11-1) vs. Kiyoshi Tamura (32-13-2)
Lightweight: Joachim Hansen (19-7-1) vs. Gesias Cavalcante (14-2-1)

K-1 RULES :
Middleweight: Gegard Mousasi (24-2-1) vs. Musashi (49-28-5-1)
Lightweight: Tatsuya Kawajiri (22-5-2) vs. Kozo Takeda (43-18-7)

K-1 KOSHIEN RULES :
U-18 Tournament Semifinals: HIROYA (9-1) vs. Shota Shimada (3-0)
U-18 Tournament Semifinals: Ryuya Kusakabe (2-0) vs. Koya Urabe (2-0)
U-18 Tournament Finals: Winner of HIROYA/Shimada vs. Winner of Kusakabe/Urabe

Stay tuned as this massive event continues to take shape.