UFC announces signing of top-ten middleweight contender Yoshihiro Akiyama

[Palma]

UFC announces signing of top-ten middleweight contender Yoshihiro Akiyama


Chris Insinna

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.”

[jakkups]

Man the UFC is killing it with signings. I'm still waiting on Kid Yamamoto though.

[Kakutogi-Gumi]

GSP has competition.

[jakkups]

GSP has competition.

Akiyama outgays him by a mile.

[StillUnknown]

he finishes fights

great pick up for the UFC. hopefully he fares better than the last few japanese fighters in the UFC (with the exception of Okami)

[Juggernaut]

he finishes fights

great pick up for the UFC. hopefully he fares better than the last few japanese fighters in the UFC (with the exception of Okami)

Gono surprised me in his debut at least, lol.

[Drunken Cat]

GSP has competition.

They can have the battle of greased lightning.

[Drunken Cat]

Here's something about Akiyama I didn't know, just read it for the first time on wikipedia:

2003 World Judo Championships Controversy

Akiyama defeated three opponents from France, Mongolia, and Turkey to reach the semi-finals of the 81 kg Light Middleweight division. However, all three opponents claimed that Akiyama had a slippery judogi. Wearing a reserve jacket, Akiyama lost two games in a row (semifinal and 3rd-place match) and missed the medal.[3][4]

International Judo Federation referee director Juan Carlos Barcos said an examination of the gi found that the slippery texture was due to high humidity which prevailed in Osaka and a detergent used to wash the uniform. "At any moment, we did not have any doubt about fair play in the case. We are absolutely sure that Mr. Akiyama is correct," since he changed the jacket at the request of the jury, Barcos said.

Akiyama was also accused of wearing slippery gear by former world and Olympic champion Kenzo Nakamura when they fought at the world championship trials in 2002.[5]

[jakkups]

He also admitted using "lotion" for his "dry skin" against Sakuraba as well.

[Drunken Cat]

He also admitted using "lotion" for his "dry skin" against Sakuraba as well.

Yeah, that's what my original comment was about. I was browsing his wikipedia site and I came across the judo controversy as well, just more feul for the fire.