Japanese superstar Yoshihiro Akiyama recently made the decision to drop down to the welterweight division after plenty of poking and prodding from his employers and repeated pleas from pundits and fans alike.
Well, his first test run to 170-pounds was a resounding success, as you can see in the picture above (via Ameblo.jp). "Sexyama" managed to cut around 33 pounds in just four weeks.
Difficult as that may have been, it proves he's finally ready to make the switch.
Akiyama doesn't have a fight scheduled at this time but it's expected he will be a part of the upcoming event planned for Feb. 26 in Japan. He's lost his last three fights and is just 1-3 inside the Octagon. All four of those bouts came at middleweight, though, and he's ready for a fresh start.
Any Maniacs got a good opponent in mind for his 170-pound debut?