DREAM 11: Bob Sapp vs Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou for 'Super Hulk Tournament' with Gegard Mousasi hurt

by Jesse Holland on Sep 10, 2009 12:25 AM EDT

sapp Japanese MMA and K-1 attraction Bob Sapp has been called up to replace the injured Gegard Mousasi for the "Super Hulk Tournament" featured at DREAM 11 opposite Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou on October 6, according to MMAWeeekly.

"The Dreamcatcher" was forced to withdraw from his semifinal bout against "The African Assassin" after suffering a shoulder injury during training, paving the way for "The Beast" to return from a first round exit at the hands of Ikuhisa Minowa to get another shot at super-hulkdom.

Prior to getting tapped out by "The Punk" at DREAM 9 back in May, Sapp was pounded into submission by former WWE star Bobby Lashley in their "Ultimate Chaos" main event on June 27.

The former NFL offensive lineman is a bonafide star in "The Land of the Rising Sun," however, that popularity has not carried over to the United States. In fact, the 6’5" 350-pound Sapp dropped his United States debut against 6′11" 330-pound South African, Jan "The Giant" Nortje (2-5), via embarrassing first round technical knockout under the Strikeforce banner last year.

Sapp's only win in his last four attempts was against a character from a Japanese anime show, "Kinniku Mantaro," at Fields Dynamite!! in Japan on New Year’s Eve 2008.

A win over the hard-hitting Sokoudjou could go a long way in keeping him employed.

In addition to the bout between Sokoudjou and Sapp, "Super Hulk" will also pit Hong-Man Choi and Ikuhisa Minowa in the other semifinal match. DREAM 11 will also feature the semifinal and final rounds of the featherweight tourney.

For more on DREAM 11 and the "Super Hulk Tournament" click here.

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Comments

I am so shocked and surprised! Anyways who do you guys have taking the tourney? I’ve been on the Bibiano’s bandwagon since before the tournament was announced.

by NameNotRequired on Sep 10, 2009 12:27 AM EDT reply actions

I wonder if Sapp could beat that fat Russian Fedrov?

by JeremyJackscan on Sep 10, 2009 2:01 AM EDT up reply actions

I predict bob sapp taps ounce he starts crying from a broken nose

by JG on Sep 10, 2009 2:53 AM EDT up reply actions

as bad as Sapp is, I really think he can take this one.
To those of you who give a shit, a nice article was written about my younger brother yesterday. Read it if you want!
.
http://www.telegram.com/article/20090909/HOMETEAM/909090589/-1/HOMETEAM_MAGAZINE&TEMPLATE=HOMETEAM&WT_HOMETEAM=HOMETEAM_MAGAZINE&WT_CAME_FROM=HOMETEAM_MAIN

by kevin on Sep 10, 2009 3:15 AM EDT up reply actions

This is crap. Why does a guy who was eliminated in the first round get a chance to come back and win the whole thing?! If this were a true tournament then Soku would win by default and move on to the next round. Fill the empty slot on the card with a whole new fight. At the least if you’re going to find a replacement get the most recently eliminated competitor. At least they got someone that was actually in the tournament. But, imagine if on TUF semis they called in Junie Browning’s little brother to fight for a chance at the finale. Crap.

by wAyNe on Sep 10, 2009 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Sapp is a megastar over there, that’s the reason! Search me why he’s so popular, it aint his MMA skills that’s for sure.

by attakdog on Sep 10, 2009 9:33 AM EDT up reply actions

Wayne-

I have read some posters mention that in Japan the fans love the larger than life characters.

Almost like a fusion of WWE type personalities and MMA.

I have read that Sapp is very charismatic to the Japanese fans.

by OJR on Sep 10, 2009 9:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Believe me when I tell you that Sapp is a GOD in Japan!

by john G on Sep 10, 2009 1:01 PM EDT up reply actions

bob sapp já ganhou vai ser muito facil para ele essa luta

by Carlão on Oct 3, 2009 8:31 PM EDT up reply actions

When is Sapp going to retire already? He should fight Tank Abbott and the loser should never fight again!

by ducknow on Sep 10, 2009 12:28 AM EDT reply actions

with Mousasi out, it looks like Sokodjou is gonna win it. would love to see Sapp vs Choi just for fun.

by real mma on Sep 10, 2009 12:34 AM EDT reply actions

Soku sucks man, I hope ur wrong. gegard was definitely the favorite though!

by kevin on Sep 10, 2009 3:16 AM EDT up reply actions

Sokodjou sucks? In comparaison to Sapp, he is a God!!!

by neeko on Sep 10, 2009 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions

I think HMCs size is gonna cause problems to any of the other 3 to be honest. Gegard was my favourite but with him out I really dunno. Soku is good but wildly inconsistent, and lacks gas.

by Neil on Sep 10, 2009 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions

Sapp is going to get murdered.

by RyanHobbs on Sep 10, 2009 3:56 AM EDT up reply actions

CHOI & SAPP FOUGHT IN K1 . U SHUD CHECK IT OUT ITS FUNNY AS S#IT!

by d*locc on Sep 10, 2009 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions

this is just ridiculous…i know its short notice and what not, but this is turning into a joke. Going from Mousasi to Sapp is like Anderson Silva to Drew Mcfederies. Possibly even worse, maybe like Anderson to Scott Smith!!

by Blunt N' Beer on Sep 10, 2009 1:21 AM EDT reply actions

I think Sapp already fought Choi. It was like Godzirra vs King Kong. I know Sapp is not that great of a fighter, but he will always have a job because just being in the same room with him makes people lose their bladder control. He’s a huge scary dude, big enough to make Lesnar look like a bald ewok, and people will always pay to see him fight.

Did you guys ever see that fight (was it Hendo or CroCop) where Sapp got hit in the chest and just crumbled on the floor and started crying? What was up with that?!? It was the weirdest “KO” I’ve ever seen.

by shonuff on Sep 10, 2009 1:41 AM EDT reply actions

Yeah it was Crocop, broke his orbital bone.

by nick on Sep 10, 2009 2:13 AM EDT up reply actions

I remember that didnt know he broke his orbital bone though no wonder thatsgotta be some unreal pain

by Nor Cal Mexican (formely Philicutioner) on Sep 10, 2009 2:40 AM EDT up reply actions

broke his nose at the same time 2,,,,,thats why that make fun of him in the longest yard about his nose being broke and he cried

by JG on Sep 10, 2009 2:55 AM EDT up reply actions

Bobby will have to do a lot of Super-Hulking to get the job done on Soko. He’s too fast for him…

by The Negation on Sep 10, 2009 1:45 AM EDT reply actions

Huge news, ahem, for ufc 105, Attakdog, I’m thinking of you here pal.
Apparently Nick Osipczak has been lined up to appear on the card. Joy. Is this annother we can add to Dana’s UK UFC squad rotation system?

Additionally, Paul Taylor is going to facing Jon Hathaway. To be fair, what it lacks in technical skill, it should make up for in entertainment!
I’ll go Hathaway for the win. I actually think Hathaway could be alright, plus I played rugby against him a few years back, so got to give him my support! Tenuous link I know!

by nick on Sep 10, 2009 2:58 AM EDT reply actions

LMAO just hilarious. WTF is Taylor doing in the ufc??? He’s been with the company 2 and a half years and has advanced nowhere, he’s not even gatekeeper quality. Hopefully Hathaway kicks his @ss and he gets fired. Only seen Hathaway once in Ireland, impossible to say how good he is as he was beating up on some overmatched paddy, I dont hold out much hope. Total joke of a card.

by attakdog on Sep 10, 2009 4:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Lol @ " Dana’s UK UFC squad rotation system?" – Class. I swear to god these cans draw straws to see who fights who on our cards, it’s embarassing.

Who the f@ck is Nick Osipczak? Not another TUF cast off surely? If he’s British then yup you can add him to the merry go round at every British show for the next three years, oh joy!!!

by attakdog on Sep 10, 2009 4:26 AM EDT reply actions

why?oh why?…..i suppossed to watch dream 11,if my friend GEGHARD MOUSASI gonna fight….too bad because he can’t make it….well,,,,GEGHARD, hope you can recover soon from your so called “INJURY”….“YOPI” gonna have smile on his face if he saw you on the ring fighting because he believes in you so much,…take care guys,..goodluck…

by MARIX on Sep 26, 2009 9:43 AM EDT reply actions