UFC makes a good signing

[AE14]

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) signs middleweight superstar Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC blog for UFC news, results, videos, rumors, fights, pics and tickets — MMAmania.com

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has confirmed today that middleweight superstar Yoshihiro Akiyama has signed an exclusive contract with the promotion and will debut inside the Octagon at some point this summer.

A fourth-generation Japanese-born Korean, Akiyama (12-1) has long been one of Japan’s biggest heels. Akiyama went Exxon Valdez on Japanese hero Kazushi Sakuraba at K-1 Premium Dynamite!! in 2006. His TKO victory over the legend was changed to a No Contest after some questions were raised about his pre-fight ritual of getting freaky with a jar of Olay and a Japanese “grease-gate” was born.

After cleaning the clock of now-UFC middleweight Denis Kang at Hero’s 2007, Akiyama made waves at Yarennoka 2007 when Kazuo Misaki turned his face inside-out with a brutal soccer kick.

While originally ruled a knockout, an Akiyama complaint forced officials to review the tape and reverse the match to a No Contest as it was decided prior to the event that kicks to a downed opponent would be considered a foul.

Fans were not pleased.

Still, Akiyama is a talented fighter capable of winning anywhere at anytime — none of his twelve wins have gone the distance. In addition, he can finish in style with either a spinning back kick (Nagata) or an Ezekiel choke (Shibata, Ishizawa).

It was enough to convince UFC President Dana White that he’s got the goods:

“I’m excited to bring Akiyama into the UFC and I can see him making an immediate impact in the middleweight division. Besides his great judo and submission game, he’s a finisher, and UFC fans are going to love watching him because he always shows up to fight.”

The decorated judoka has now given the land of the rising sun yet one more reason to loathe him by signing with Zuffa, especially those still bitter by the dissolution of PRIDE.

Unfortunately one man’s loss is another man’s gain, and this is one MMA fan that is looking forward to yet another stellar addition to the UFC middleweight division.

 

[swan1209]

Reaper 329, whats your opinion, can this guy challenge Anderson Silva?

 

[AE14]

i think he has as a good a shot as any with Anderson, although I dont think there is anyone at 185 who will beat him. I honestly thought Hendo was the guy tailor made for it, and we saw how that turned out. I mean look at the list of upcoming challengers

Leites (come on)
Henderson II
Bisping
Marquardt II (yikes)
Maia (on his feet he is dead)
Akiyama (possibility, slight)

 

[aquanutz]

If anyone has a chance, it's Akiyama.

 

[VolcomX311]

If anyone has a chance, it's Akiyama.

You just made Jas' buddy list.

 

[jas123]

You just made Jas' buddy list.

Haha, no doubt. Akiyama is the man.

Honestly, I think that he might be a little small for 185 in the UFC. He walks around at 190-192 (maybe with roids too) I believe, but he also trains with Okami so he should be used to bigger guys. I hope they build him up slowly because he's got potential to be the gateway into South Korea. Maybe a first fight with someone like Herman or a newcomer?

 

[Jessep76]

I think people are counting out Yushin Okami because he was beat by R Franklin, but this guy has beat Anderson Silva before(says illegal kick). Granted Anderson's probably a different fighter from 3 years ago but this guy's still ranked #2.

 

[Bendiesel]

i def see silva and akiyama going at it. itd be a damn good fight. love to see how akiyama fairs in the octagon though. we all know what happens to ring fighters sometimes when they make the transition. crocop?

 

[TheNinja]

This signing actually made my day when it happened. Akiyama rocks. Granted he beat a couple of cans in his last couple of fights. But he literally toyed with them and could have finished any time he wanted. Plus he's pretty arrogant, but in a likeable way. He also got screwed against Misaki, in my opinion he was winning that fight until he took that illegal kick to the face.

Can't wait to see him fight.