The Ultimate Fighting Championship today announced that it has signed top-ten middleweight contender Yoshihiro Akiyama to an exclusive promotional contract that will see him step into the UFC Octagon for the first time this summer.

"I’m excited to bring Akiyama into the UFC and I can see him making an immediate impact in the middleweight division," said UFC President Dana White. "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."

...

Over the next three years, the 5 foot 10 Akiyama built a stellar reputation as one of the best fighters in the world, submitting highly-touted knockout artist Melvin Manhoef, knocking out UFC middleweight Denis Kang, and engaging in battles with the likes of Kazushi Sakuraba and Kazuo Misaki. In 2008, the 33-year old continued his run of excellence, submitting Katsuyori Shibata and Masanori Tonooka to up his stellar MMA record to 12-1 with two no-contests, with none of his bouts going the distance.

via: bloodyelbow

Comments (2)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Sweet
written by Gray , February 25, 2009

Gonna be fun to see what he can do in the Ufc.
Hope he performes, he's an great fighter

• 
• +0
• 
• 

uuummmm
written by Love Korea, February 26, 2009

Sounds like he is a Japanese great fighter...
But he is a Korean great cheater in fact. He was suspended for using skin lotion to avoid Sakuraba's submission. Depends on condition, He tries not to fight against fighters who has the possibility to beat him.
Judo record also, He was always tricking his judo wear slippy and short then opponent couldn't grab and grapple.

Great genuine American fighters in UFC should break and finish his fake career up well.
His real name is Song fun Chu... whatever like that, name already fake.

• 
• +2
• 
• 

Name

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Add Comment