Former UFC star and current Elite XC lightweight, Nick Diaz (15-7), will travel overseas to take on Inoue Katsuya (16-5-3) during the DREAM 3 event at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, on May 11.
This latest announcement gives the fighters just about 10 days to prepare for the showdown; however there's no telling how long both of them have known about the fight. In fact, Diaz was in talks to take on Brazilian jiu-jitsu stud Marcelo Garcia on this same card prior to this most recent news.
Diaz will look to rebound from his loss to KJ Noons for the vacant EliteXC lightweight title back in November 2007. It's been a long strange trip back to action for him ever since -- he had surgery on the scar tissue around his eyes to prevent cuts (he's a bleeder) and the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) yanked him off a recent card at the last minute under very bizarre circumstances (centering mostly around his medical marijuana card).
He is slated to take on Muhsin Corbbrey during the EliteXC show in Honolulu, Hawaii, on June 14.
Inoue is a Japanese fighter who has spent most of his time competing in the Pancrase organization. In more than 20 professional bouts he has never submitted an opponent or been submitted himself. That could all change; however, if Diaz decides to leverage his strengths.
Sometimes he just doesn't do that.
DREAM 3 will feature the second round of the 2008 Lightweight Grand Prix tournament, as well as the return of Jason "Mayhem" Miller. Should be a nice card. DREAM 3 will air LIVE on the HDNet network at 3 a.m. ET on Sunday, May 11.
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