Cuban Olympic medalist Alexis Vila (6-0) has withdrawn from a planned Tachi Palace Fights 9 matchup with fellow flyweight John Dodson (11-5), MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned.However, the promotion won't miss a beat, it seems, as former Shooto champ and current King of the Cage title holder Mamoru Yamaguchi (25-5-3) has been tapped to fill the role.
Tachi Palace Fights exec Jeremy Luchau today confirmed the switch with MMAjunkie.com.
"This is a huge pickup for us to add to our already stacked flyweight class," Luchau said. "We continue to add depth and international talent to one of the most exciting weightclasses in the world."
While the promotion has yet to officially announce the event, Tachi Palace Fights 9 is expected to take place May 5 at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, Calif.
Yamaguchi began his professional career in 1999 and has since competed almost exclusively in Japan. Currently 7-1 in his past eight overall fights, the 33-year-old Yamaguchi claimed King of the Cage's junior flyweight title in January 2010 and defended it at an August 2010 event held in California.
While an unknown commodity to many American fans, Yamaguchi is instantly recognizable to fans of the Japanese fight scene by his trademark afro.
Meanwhile, Dodson makes his Tachi debut in the midst of a 4-1 run that included a decision victory over then-undefeated John Moraga at December's disastrous Nemesis Fighting event in the Dominican Republic. The Ultimate Warrior Challenge veteran's only losses in his past eight fights have come via split decisions to Pat Runez (4-0) and Mike Easton (10-1).
"Yamaguchi and Dodson should be one of the more highly anticipated flyweight fights ever, and I believe it could be one of the most exciting, too," Luchau said. "Both have an aggressive striking style and are solid on the mat."
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