Sengoku 4 Event Breakdown

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Keeping Tradition Alive: Sengoku 4
By Scott Davis

Just weeks following DREAM’s highly successful, albeit, surprising lightweight grand prix finale, World Victory Road’s Sengoku is set to begin their own lightweight grand prix on August 24th. Following one of Japan’s primary MMA traditions, Sengoku, much like MMA mainstays Pancrase, DEEP and now DREAM, will be reverting back to a tried and true method of holding a grand prix to determine the organization’s champion at a given weight division. Sengoku has amassed eight solid fighters to compete in the tournament, with the winner having the dubious pleasure of fighting Japan's lightweight torch bearer, Takanori Gomi.

In the tournaments first match, Wajyutsu Keisyukai product Eiji Mitsuoka will take on the highly talented Brazilian Rodrigo Damm in what should have most grappling enthusiast salivating. Winner of 6 of his last 7 fights, which includes a hotly contested win over highly regarded lightweight, Joachim Hansen, Mitsuoka will be looking to continue his winning ways against tournament favourite, Rodrigo Damm. The well rounded Brazilian is coming of the biggest win of his career by defeating street brawler turned MMA practitioner, Jorge Masvidal at the last Sengoku event. Not only will a win over Mistuoka move him one step closer to fighting for the title, it will also solidify his position as a top lightweight.

Redemption will be on the mind of Kazunori Yokota as he prepares to face off against Slovenian Bojan ‘Zelva’ Kosednar. There’s no doubt that Yokota will be eager to redeem himself coming off a vicious KO loss to fellow Sengoku 4 participant, Sung Hwan Pang, in a lightweight title match at DEEP 35. Kosednar started 2008 in a promising way by besting the very game Fabricio Nascimento on home soil in Italy. Two months later, Kosednar stepped up in a big way by taking on the talented British standout, Paul Daley. Much like Yokota, Bojan was also knocked out late in the first round.  

With Former IFL fighters like Rory Markham, Brad Blackburn and Reese Andy finding new homes with the UFC, many wondered where Ryan Schultz would end up. The former IFL lightweight champion and Team Quest fighter has found himself back in the land of the rising sun. After back to back losses to end 2006, Schultz is riding an impressive 6 fight winning streak, which includes the complete domination over IFL poster boy, Chris Horodecki. Though Schultz has all the tools to win the tournament, he is in tough against Mizuto Hirota.  After losses to the current Shooto lightweight champion, Takashi Nakakura, and Ganjo Tentsuku, Hirota opted to ply his trade in Greatest Common Multiple’s Cage Force. The change of scenery has worked well for Hirota as he has found his stride again by knocking out his last three opponents with relative ease.

In the final fight of the opening round, Clay French will take on the highly regarded Satoru Kitaoka. After coming in as a late replacement for the injured Gilbert Melendez at PRIDE’s Bushido 13, French found himself at the mercy of Shinya Aoki’s grappling arsenal, eventually being submitted via triangle choke. The loss, however, must have inspired French, as he has won 8 straight fights since, which includes a victory over UFC standout, Mac Danzig. Fashionable fighting attire is not the only thing Kitaoka has in common with training partner, and friend Shinya Aoki. Kitaoka’s submission game is something to be admired. After submitting grappling ace Fabricio Monteiro, Kitaoka had punched his ticket to compete in PRIDE. That chance, however, never came to fruition as Japan’s premiere MMA organization was bought out by Zuffa.  Just over a year later, Kitaoka made his debut on the big stage, by choking out heavy hitting Australian Ian Schaffa at Sengoku 2.


Rounding out the card are some fairly intriguing match ups. Journeyman Valentijn Overeeem will take on the ageless Kazuo ‘Yoshiki’ Takahashi in a heavyweight bout. French fighter Moise Rimbon will do battle with K-1 vet turned MMA convert Peter Graham. Two of Sengoku’s Olympic Judo gold medalists will be on display as well. Poland’s gold medal winner from the 1996 Olympic games, Pawel Nastula will take on Yang Dong Yi and Gold Medalist Makoto Takimoto will take on PRIDE and UFC vet Frank Trigg. And in the main event of the evening, the aforementioned Takanori Gomi will take on the heavy handed Korean Sung Hwan Pang in what should be an all out striking war.  



Fight Card

Tournament Matches:

- Eiji Mitsuoka vs Rodrigo Damm
- Kazunori Yokota vs Bojan Kosednar
- Ryan Schultz vs Mizuto Hirota
- Clay French vs Satoru Kitaoka

Non-tournament Matches:

- Takanori Gomi vs Sung Hwan Pang
- Frank Trigg vs Makoto Takimoto
- Pawel Nastula vs Yang Dong Yi
- Moise Rimbon vs Peter Graham
- Valentijn Overeem vs Kazuo “Yoshiki” Takahashi

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