Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) recently announced that former Sengoku and Shooto featherweight superstar Hatsu Hioki will make his Octagon debut against George Roop at UFC 137 on Oct. 29 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
This fight is bigger than Hioki ... and it's certainly bigger than Roop.
When the cage door slams shut and the gloves are touched, Hioki will be fighting for more than just a UFC victory. He will be fighting for the reputation of Japanese Mixed Martial Arts (JMMA) and for a country that is still reeling in the wake of a terrible tragedy.
For those of you who may have missed it, Chael Sonnen recently made his triumphant return to the sport of trash-talking during an appearance on Ariel Helwani's "Backstage."
Sonnen called into question the validity of the Japanese circuit, as well as the fighters themselves who had "made their bones" while fighting in Japan.
I'm not going to pretend to believe that all of what Sonnen says is serious. I don't even think of most of what he says is serious.
But whether he meant it or not, did he have a valid point?
In the interview, Sonnen cited the recent shortcomings of Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto, who, after being touted as one of the better featherweights (though he now fights at bantamweight) in the world, lost his UFC debut in dominating fashion to American fighter Demetrious Johnson.
Forget about Sonnen. We've had this conversation. You hate him. You don't trust him. You believe he's a cheater. You don't wanna talk about him. Fair enough.
Let's look at some other examples of JMMA fighters who have been less than impressive during their stateside stints.
Takanori "The Fireball Kid" Gomi:
The Backstory: When Gomi joined the UFC, he was 31-5 (plus one 'No Contest' due to Nick Diaz toking up and failing a drug test). His career in the Pride and Shooto organizations was legendary. Fans expected him to live up to his nickname and set the UFC ablaze.
The Results: He currently has a 1-2 record, and will most likely be fighting for his UFC life when he faces Nate Diaz at UFC 135 on Sep. 24. Although his one win was a knockout, it was against Tyson Griffin, who was on his way out of the lightweight division, and not in a good place career-wise. Gomi has been submitted twice (once by Florian and once by Guida), and truthfully has been pretty mediocre. The jury is still out, but he's failed to impress thus far.
Michihiro Omigawa:
The Backstory - I remember hearing about the UFC signing Omigawa and saying to myself: "Sweet! That's the guy who subbed out Cole Escovedo with a nasty straight armbar!" He's also the guy that beat Hioki, Marlon Sandro, and Nam Phan in a one year span (during 2009).
The Results: Like Gomi, Omigawa's debut was met with disappointment as wrestler Chad Mendes completely dominated him en route to a decision win. It's worth noting that many (including myself) believe that he won his second fight against Darren Elkins, but was jobbed by some poor judging. UFC President Dana White even gave him a win bonus, because he believed that Omigawa should have earned the nod from the judges. Also like Gomi, Omigawa still should be given a chance for redemption. It will be up to him to prove that his reputation as an exciting fight finisher is deserved.
Yoshihiro "Sexyama" Akiyama:
The Backstory: At the time of Akiyama's UFC signing, he had not lost in almost four years. In Japan, he was about as famous for his male modeling and the chicks he dated (he got hitched to Japanese model Shiho Yano in 2009) as he was for his fighting. He was renowned for his judo prowess, as well as an in-your-face brawling style that was somewhat unusual for JMMA. Akiyama's signing was well-documented and given much fanfare.
The Results: Though Akiyama did win his debut at UFC 100 by way of a split decision over Alan Belcher, it was somewhat controversial. Following the win, Akiyama dropped his next two consecutive fights to Chris Leben (by arm triangle choke) and to Michael Bisping (somewhat lop-sided unanimous decision). It should be noted that Akiyama wasn't fighting chumps. He had to face top contenders right away. It should also be noted that Akiyama won the "Fight of the Night" bonus in all of his first three fights. Akiyama will face fellow aging star Vitor Belfort at UFC 133 on Aug. 6. A loss would likely find him looking for work elsewhere.
(Note: If you're wondering, Shinya Aoki was not mentioned as he has not really made the move to full-time American-based MMA. He has two Strikeforce fights under his belt, but for now, he is still based mainly out of Japan)
Hatsu Hioki is the most highly touted of all of the preceding names. Jon Anik of ESPN's MMA Live has been preaching his gospel for years now. He is expected to come and not merely compete. He is expected to give current UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo Jr. all he can handle and maybe even dethrone him in the process.
All of the hype and hopes are worthless if Hioki cannot take care of business on Oct. 29 against George Roop. He needs a win and a decisive one at that.
by Kevin Haggerty
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