DREAM 11: Tatsuya Kawajiri vs Melchor Manibusan set for Oct. 6

Fighting and Entertainment Group has confirmed the participation of Tatsuya Kawajiri (24-5-2) in the upcoming DREAM 11 event on Oct. 6 in Yokohama, Japan.

The "Crusher" has been prominently featured on the event poster and now throws his hat in the ring alongside the semifinalists in the Featherweight and Super Hulk Tourneys. He is scheduled to face Melchor Manibusan (2-3).

The bout against "Barracuda" will be Kawajiri's fourth in 2009: Kawajiri has recently undergone a rapid-fire series of fights against Gesias Cavalcante, at DREAM 9, and then a K-1 bout in July against the Japanese K-1 icon, Masato. He earned a unanimous decision victory over the highly touted Cavalcante, but found himself outclassed at the hands of Masato, incurring a TKO loss and evening his K-1 record to 1-1.

He will find a respite from the top level competition at DREAM 11 before a tentative showdown on New Year's Eve.

"Barracuda" Manibusan, a native of Guam, has had a spotty and erratic MMA career thus far, making his debut in 2001 and then taking a five-year hiatus before competing four times in 2006. His inexperience and lackluster record belie his grappling credential: A world class amateur wrestler and fourth place-finisher in the 1999 ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship. His vaunted grappling prowess has impressed BJ Penn, who has welcomed him on board to his camp as a sparring partner on a number of occasions.

In his return to MMA at DREAM 11, Manibusan will find himself as the prey, contrary to his "Barracuda" moniker, against Kawajiri in a mismatch of absurd proportion. Once Kawajiri devours the "Barracuda," he will persist with his plea to face the winner of the Lightweight title match between Joachim Hansen and Shinya Aoki on New Year's Eve.

Elsewhere, Bob Sapp has been reinstated in the Super Hulk Tournament after his submission loss to Ikuhisa Minowa, and will square off with Sokoudjou. Also, as previously reported, Gesias Cavalcante has withdrawn from his bout with Daisuke Nakamura with injuries; at the moment, Nakamura is left hanging without a new opponent.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more news on the upcoming DREAM 11 fight card.