The Sengoku: "Eleventh Battle" fight card scheduled at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo for Nov. 7, nears completion with the addition of two high-profile fights.
At the press conference held on Oct. 9, World Victory Road (WVR) announced a Lightweight showdown between top contenders, Eiji Mitsuoka (16-6-2) and Kazunori Yokota (10-2-3) as well as a heavyweight bout between "Big" Jim York (11-3) and Dave "Pee Wee" Herman (15-1).
Mitsuoka and Yokota have emerged as front runners in the Lightweight title contention, and will vie in hope of fighting in a title match against the champion, Mizuto Hirota, that is expected to take place on New Year's Eve at the inaugural SRC: "Sengoku Raiden Championship."
Mitsuoka has been on a tear since making his Sengoku debut at Sengoku - "Second Battle" in May 2008. Sans his submission loss to the former Lightweight champion, Satoru Kitaoka, he has been victorious in his four other Sengoku appearances, stopping all four opponents in the first round. His most recent victory came over Clay French at Sengoku: "Ninth Battle."
Yokota solidified his contender status with his recent knock-out victory over Ryan Schultz at Sengoku: "Tenth Battle." Prior to the Schultz bout, he has defeated the Nova Uniao Brazilian Jiu Jitsu phenom, Leonardo Santos, and the current Lightweight champion, Mizuto Hirota.
Like Mitsuoka, he boasts 4-1 record in Sengoku with the loss suffered at the hand of Satoru Kitaoka; however, unlike his opponent at Sengoku: "Eleventh Battle," Yokota has only one stoppage victory thus far in his Sengoku run (three in his fifteen-fight career).
WVR PR director, Takahiro Kokuho emphasized the potential Mitsuoka and Yokota possess to become the Lightweight champion. He also billed the fight as a compelling collision of "Yokota's speed and Mitsuoka's power." Furthermore, Kokuho announced that he will put together one more Lightweight bout for Sengoku: "Eleventh Battle" and "choose from the winners of the two fights the one who wins in a more convincing manner (as the title challenger)."
As we previously reported, Satoru Kitaoka vs. Jorge Masvidal has been rumored for the event and may be the bout Kokuho alluded to; however, we cannot jump to a conclusion without awaiting confirmation. In any case, Mitsuoka and Yokota are under pressure not only to win but to do so in an emphatic fashion.
In the heavyweight tilt, "Big" Jim York returns to action after his recent submission loss to Antonio Silva at Sengoku: "Tenth Battle." An aggressive fighter who has never gone the distance in his fourteen-fight career, York will face the equally decision-proof Dave "Pee-Wee" Herman. Herman made his Sengoku debut at the New Year show and incurred his first and only loss of his career to Korean Greco-Roman Olympic medalist, Mu Bae Choi.
The Elite XC veteran has since returned to his winning way with a TKO win over Josh Barnes at Bellator Fighting Championship and most recently, a 60-second TKO win over MMA legend, Don Frye, at Shark Fight 6.
For more on Sengoku 11 click here.
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