GCM Confirms Dates for Tournaments
Stephen Martinez May 9, 2007
In a press conference held in Ginza, Tokyo's famed cosmopolitan
district, Japanese promoter Greatest Common Multiple, in
partnership with the World Wide Cage Network, made official more
details regarding their upcoming lightweight and welterweight
tournaments, which are scheduled to continue at Differ Ariake, on
the artificial island of Odaiba in Tokyo, with two 170-pound
tournament bouts on May 27, and four 155-pound tournament bouts in
June 9.
Present at the press conference were former Shooto Pacific-Rim 154-pound champion Koutetsu Boku (Pictures), Eiji Mitsuoka (Pictures), Wataru Miki (Pictures) and current welterweight King of Pancrase Daizo Ishige (Pictures).
As per usual, all fighters attending the press conference were
granted a few minutes in front of the Japanese press to express
their opinions regarding their announced matches, starting with
Killer Bee bad boy Boku, who is fresh off of a destructive victory
over Finnish fighter Jarkko
Latomaki (Pictures) in the first round of the
lightweight tournament.
When asked about his opponent, Team Quest's David Gardner (Pictures), Boku told the press that the only thing he knew about his opponent is what his face looks like, thanks to a picture provided by GCM. Boku later told the press that it doesn't matter what Gardner brings into the cage, as the result will be the same.
When asked about his chances against the fearsome Russian, who has dominated all four of his fights in Japan, Miki was brief with his comments. While he recognized how popular the Russian fighter has become lately in the Japanese MMA scene, Miki guaranteed that he's prepared to face such a tough opponent, even going as far as declare that his aim is to stop Oumakhanov by KO.
Current welterweight King of Pancrase Daigo Ishige told the press that he is in good condition for his upcoming bout against the UK's Dan Hardy (Pictures), a star of English WWCN affiliate Cage Warriors.
"I'm been improving a lot, because now it's possible to concentrate full time in MMA," he said. "Before, I was available to train only two or three days a week due to my job, but now I have become a full time MMA fighter."
When asked about the use of elbows allowed by the WWCN, which subscribes to the unified rules of MMA, Ishige said, "I think it is an interesting technique. I have been training with my teammates at SK Absolute using elbows, and Artur Oumakhanov (Pictures) showed me some new tricks."
About Hardy, Ishige said, "I have seen some footage in Youtube. I think he's always looking for the quick KO but I will try to impose my style. I'm looking forward to face [Hidetaka] Monma in September."
Eiji Mitsuoka (Pictures), who submitted American Brian Cobb (Pictures) in March to advance in the 155-pound tournament, closed the fighters' comment session.
Mitsuoka told the press that he's looking forward to facing journeyman warhorse Takumi Nakayama (Pictures) and that he will try to be aggressive from the very beginning. Mitsuoka later added that June 9 will be "The Day of the Lock," perhaps hitting at a possible submission victory over the durable veteran.
While neither were present at the press conference, GCM also confirmed that the fourth quarterfinal in the 155-pound tournament for June 9 would see Tomonari Kanomata (Pictures), who steamrolled Australian Jacob Sidic (Pictures) to advance, facing off against Wataru Takahashi (Pictures), who advanced by stopping South Korea's In Seok Kim (Pictures). A former fighter from Takada Dojo, who left the gym with Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures), Takahashi is currently in Brazil training at Chute Boxe Academy with the Japanese legend, in preparation for his upcoming match.
Also announced, former Shooto world champion Akira Kikuchi (Pictures) has volunteered his services to fight on the June 9 card. Kikuchi advanced in the 170-pound tournament in March by defeating American Jared Rollins (Pictures), and is taking the June bout simply in the interest of activity. Kikuchi does not have a tournament bout scheduled until September, where he will meet the winner of May 27's clash between Yoshiyuki Yoshida (Pictures) and Matt Cain, a representative of Australian WWCN affiliate Warriors Realm, who is replacing the original representative Justin Turtle, who sustained an ankle injury in training.
"CAGE FORCE 03" GCM communications
Tokyo, June 9, 2007 at Differ Ariake
CAGE FORCE 155 tournament quarterfinals
Kotetsu Boku vs. David Gardner (Pictures)
Eiji Mitsuoka (Pictures) vs. Takumi Nakayama (Pictures)
Wataru Miki (Pictures) vs. Arthur Oumakhanov
Satoru Kanomata vs. Takahashi Wataru
"CAGE FORCE-EX EASTERN BOUND" GCM communications
Tokyo, May 27, 2007 at Differ Ariake
CAGE FORCE 170 tournament quarterfinals
Daigo Ishige vs. Dan Hardy (Pictures)
Yoshiyuki Yoshida (Pictures) vs. Matt Cain (Yoshida's original opponent, Justin Turtle, injured his ankle in training and was replaced with Matt Cain)
Also expected to participate is Akira Kikuchi (Pictures), who gets the winner of Yoshiyuiki Yoshida against Matt Cain in September. And Hidetaka Monnma is slated to get the winner of Ishige-Hardy in September.
Other fights:
Taiyo Nakahara (Pictures) vs. In Seok Kim (Pictures)
Koji Yoshida (Pictures) vs. Nishino Satoshi
Yoshinori Ikeda (Pictures) vs. ISE
Tetsuo Seto vs. Hideki Miyatani
Hirokazu Nishimura vs. Hayato Shimizu
Also expected to participate, Yukiya Naito (Pictures) from Wajyutsu Keisyukai A3.
Present at the press conference were former Shooto Pacific-Rim 154-pound champion Koutetsu Boku (Pictures), Eiji Mitsuoka (Pictures), Wataru Miki (Pictures) and current welterweight King of Pancrase Daizo Ishige (Pictures).
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When asked about his opponent, Team Quest's David Gardner (Pictures), Boku told the press that the only thing he knew about his opponent is what his face looks like, thanks to a picture provided by GCM. Boku later told the press that it doesn't matter what Gardner brings into the cage, as the result will be the same.
Wajyutsu Keisyukai standout Wataru Miki (Pictures), who defeated Yasunori Kanehara
in February to advance in the 155-pound tournament, is now
scheduled to face new Russian lightweight sensation and former
Spetnaz officer, Artur
Oumakhanov (Pictures).
When asked about his chances against the fearsome Russian, who has dominated all four of his fights in Japan, Miki was brief with his comments. While he recognized how popular the Russian fighter has become lately in the Japanese MMA scene, Miki guaranteed that he's prepared to face such a tough opponent, even going as far as declare that his aim is to stop Oumakhanov by KO.
Current welterweight King of Pancrase Daigo Ishige told the press that he is in good condition for his upcoming bout against the UK's Dan Hardy (Pictures), a star of English WWCN affiliate Cage Warriors.
"I'm been improving a lot, because now it's possible to concentrate full time in MMA," he said. "Before, I was available to train only two or three days a week due to my job, but now I have become a full time MMA fighter."
When asked about the use of elbows allowed by the WWCN, which subscribes to the unified rules of MMA, Ishige said, "I think it is an interesting technique. I have been training with my teammates at SK Absolute using elbows, and Artur Oumakhanov (Pictures) showed me some new tricks."
About Hardy, Ishige said, "I have seen some footage in Youtube. I think he's always looking for the quick KO but I will try to impose my style. I'm looking forward to face [Hidetaka] Monma in September."
Eiji Mitsuoka (Pictures), who submitted American Brian Cobb (Pictures) in March to advance in the 155-pound tournament, closed the fighters' comment session.
Mitsuoka told the press that he's looking forward to facing journeyman warhorse Takumi Nakayama (Pictures) and that he will try to be aggressive from the very beginning. Mitsuoka later added that June 9 will be "The Day of the Lock," perhaps hitting at a possible submission victory over the durable veteran.
While neither were present at the press conference, GCM also confirmed that the fourth quarterfinal in the 155-pound tournament for June 9 would see Tomonari Kanomata (Pictures), who steamrolled Australian Jacob Sidic (Pictures) to advance, facing off against Wataru Takahashi (Pictures), who advanced by stopping South Korea's In Seok Kim (Pictures). A former fighter from Takada Dojo, who left the gym with Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures), Takahashi is currently in Brazil training at Chute Boxe Academy with the Japanese legend, in preparation for his upcoming match.
Also announced, former Shooto world champion Akira Kikuchi (Pictures) has volunteered his services to fight on the June 9 card. Kikuchi advanced in the 170-pound tournament in March by defeating American Jared Rollins (Pictures), and is taking the June bout simply in the interest of activity. Kikuchi does not have a tournament bout scheduled until September, where he will meet the winner of May 27's clash between Yoshiyuki Yoshida (Pictures) and Matt Cain, a representative of Australian WWCN affiliate Warriors Realm, who is replacing the original representative Justin Turtle, who sustained an ankle injury in training.
"CAGE FORCE 03" GCM communications
Tokyo, June 9, 2007 at Differ Ariake
CAGE FORCE 155 tournament quarterfinals
Kotetsu Boku vs. David Gardner (Pictures)
Eiji Mitsuoka (Pictures) vs. Takumi Nakayama (Pictures)
Wataru Miki (Pictures) vs. Arthur Oumakhanov
Satoru Kanomata vs. Takahashi Wataru
"CAGE FORCE-EX EASTERN BOUND" GCM communications
Tokyo, May 27, 2007 at Differ Ariake
CAGE FORCE 170 tournament quarterfinals
Daigo Ishige vs. Dan Hardy (Pictures)
Yoshiyuki Yoshida (Pictures) vs. Matt Cain (Yoshida's original opponent, Justin Turtle, injured his ankle in training and was replaced with Matt Cain)
Also expected to participate is Akira Kikuchi (Pictures), who gets the winner of Yoshiyuiki Yoshida against Matt Cain in September. And Hidetaka Monnma is slated to get the winner of Ishige-Hardy in September.
Other fights:
Taiyo Nakahara (Pictures) vs. In Seok Kim (Pictures)
Koji Yoshida (Pictures) vs. Nishino Satoshi
Yoshinori Ikeda (Pictures) vs. ISE
Tetsuo Seto vs. Hideki Miyatani
Hirokazu Nishimura vs. Hayato Shimizu
Also expected to participate, Yukiya Naito (Pictures) from Wajyutsu Keisyukai A3.
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