The last-minute shuffling of fight card continues with Vale Tudo Japan 2009, scheduled to take place in a week on Oct. 30 at JCB Hall in Tokyo.
Joe Warren, previously announced as the opponent for Rumina Sato, has been scratched from the line-up due to injury.
According to sources close to Warren, the former Greco-Roman world champion tore a ligament in his left knee while practicing submission defense with his teammates at Team Quest. The injury likely will take a month to fully heal, thus rendering Warren unable to fight on the VTJ '09 card.
For the last-minute replacement, Warren's current teammate and fellow former UMich wrestler, Cory Grant, has stepped in to face Sato, the Shooto legend and former Pacific Rim 143-pound champion. During his decorated collegiate wrestling career, Grant has earned numerous accolades such as the All-American. Along with Warren, he joined the Team Quest in 2007 to commence his MMA career.
Nicknamed the "Savage," Grant made his professional debut in 2008 and has since compiled a 3-0 record in Ultimate Cage Wars and King of the Cage. Warren, who will now relegate himself to the cornering role come Oct. 30, speaks very highly of Grant and believes a possible upset is in store -- similar to his upset-of-the-year victory over Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto earlier this year.
The following is the updated line-up for Vale Tudo Japan ‘09:
Kenichiro Togashi vs. Willamy Freire
Takanori Gomi vs. Tony Hervey
Takeshi Inoue vs. Alexandre Franca Nogueira
Mamoru Yamaguchi vs. Jesse Taitano
Tito Jones vs. Tenkei Fujimiya
Rumina Sato vs. Cory Grant
Yoichiro Sato vs. Jung Min Kang
Kosuke Eda vs. Makoto Sannai
For more on Vale Tudo Japan 2009 click here.
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