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Hello, Japan: Randleman-Nedkov, Kitaoka-Masvidal Set for Sengoku 11

After an uninspired performance against Mike Whitehead in Strikeforce and just a 3-7 record in his last 10 bouts, can Kevin Randleman reverse his fortunes against Bulgarian upstart Stanislav Nedkov?

After an uninspired performance against Mike Whitehead in Strikeforce and just a 3-7 record in his last 10 bouts, can Kevin Randleman reverse his fortunes against Bulgarian upstart Stanislav Nedkov?

UPDATED at 5:09 PM ET - Tapology is reporting that Sengoku 11 will also feature a lightweight tilt between former champion Satoru Kitaoka (25-9-9) and American Top Team's Jorge Masvidal (18-4).

* * * * *

Following a lackluster June decision loss to Mike Whitehead in Strikeforce, Kevin Randleman (17-13) is headed back to Japan, where he'll take on undefeated Bulgarian wrestler Stanislav Nedkov (7-0) on November 7th under the Sengoku banner. While the bout has yet to be officially announced by parent company World Victory Road, MMA Weekly reports that both parties have verbally agreed to the light heavyweight scrap. Though it was reported last month that Randleman could clash with hot prospect "King" Mo Lawal, it's now rumored that Lawal passed on the fight in favor of a Strikeforce date with Gegard Mousasi.

Randleman -- who's fought just twice since the dissolution of PRIDE FC in late 2007 -- previously appeared in Sengoku's second event last May, where he took a grinding unanimous decision over LHW King of Pancrase Ryo Kawamura. The 38-year-old "Monster" has since married and now claims to be in top shape, despite gassing early on in his snoozer against Whitehead.

On the heels of such a performance, the lesser-known and less experienced Nedkov might be considered a favorite in this match-up. All seven of the Shooto Bulgaria product's professional bouts have ended in stoppage wins, his most notable (and most recent) coming over 70-fight veteran Travis Wiuff in Sengoku this past May.

* * * * *

To follow-up on something that Spike 22 boss Melchor Manibusan told me last week:

In December, it's Spike 22 vs. DEEP. Guam champs Justin Cruz [URCC, 140 lbs] and Roque Martinez [PXC, heavyweight] will face the DEEP champs for this event. Some of my other guys like Baby Joe might get on this card as well.

Just connecting the dots, Cruz could have one of two opponents, since he fights between the weights of DEEP featherweight ace Takafumi Otsuka and bantamweight champ Masakazu Imanari. (One would imagine they'd ask him to move up against the young and newly-crowned Otsuka.) Martinez will likely face DEEP's "Megaton" champion Yusuke Kawaguchi (9-1), should Kawaguchi emerge victorious from his rematch with Seigo Mizuguchi (6-4) later this month.

These Guam vs. Japan bouts will probably take place at DEEP's "45th Impact," and this isn't the only rumor I've heard about DEEP's December show, either. Think along the lines of DREAM's "big surprise" from last month.

Star-divide

Greatest Common Multiple today announced a couple bouts for its next Cage Force show, which will go back-to-back with a Valkyrie card at Differ Ariake on October 24th. (Talk about a busy weekend for J-MMA - the 25th has events from DREAM, Pancrase and Shooto.)

In the main event, former Olympic wrestler Katsuhiko Nagata (4-6-1) will look to halt his five-fight winless skid against Tsudanuma Dojo up-and-comer Daisuke Hoshino (5-1), while the undercard will feature a bantamweight scrap between colorful Shooto favorite Tetsu "Hadairo" (9-7-3) and Isao Terada (6-7-4, 1 NC), who's coming off a surprising June submission win overf Yuta Nezu.

Valkyrie's main event has Misaki Takimoto (10-11-4) going up against... Valkyrie matchmaker Yasuko Mogi (4-4). It's a trash headliner, but I guess Mogi was put in a tough spot due to Yuka Tsuji being injured and unable to defend her belt against V-Hajime. At least the rest of the show has some solid fights, like Emi Fujino (8-3) vs. Jet Izumi (5-5-1).

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If Mo v Mousasi is true ...

then I think he ragdolls Mousasi. Should be a great fight though

by gunranger on Oct 7, 2009 5:14 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Mousasi will tear through Lawal like nothing!

by DRExLOC on Oct 7, 2009 5:18 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Striking – Mousasi > Lawal
Wrestling – Mousasi < Lawal
Ground game – which wrestling usually leads up to) Mousasi > Lawal
Submissions – Mousasi > Lawal
 and Mo has fought nobody, and when say nobody, i mean ABSOLUTELY nobody, while Mousasi whos on a 13 fight win streak has been dominating the likes of Babalu, Jacare, Manhoef, Hunt, Kang etc….. i dont think Mo has a chance!

by DRExLOC on Oct 7, 2009 5:26 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Nice Post...

I wonder what that will do to their poster?

by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 7, 2009 5:36 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Same thinking

I thought the same thing about sengoku’s poster, Well actually first I thought I can’t belive Mo blew off a easy W fighting Randleman to get crushed buy Mousasi. All in all terrable choice buy Mo in my opinion sure he has a chnace but I don’t see him winning this fight. I thought his career was going great. He or who ever his manager is was making the right choices in oppoents for experience and Ring time and now he goes and throws himself in the deep end. Not to many fighters go from fighting Mark Kerr to there next opponent being Mousasi. Horrible career decision buy KING MO

by Shocbomb on Oct 7, 2009 5:52 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Totally agree.

His management needs to get their head checked for this….oh wait, it’s M-1. Nevermind.

I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.

by The_Gaijin on Oct 7, 2009 6:00 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Mo isn't managed by M-1 at all.

His manager is Ryan Parsons of Team Quest.

Mo’s gonna need to step up to some stiffer competition eventually, and a match on CBS would get him a lot of exposure.

5-1 =/= the end of the world.

by Chris Nelson on Oct 7, 2009 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

My bad.

Not sure why I thought he was under M-1 mgmt. I’m going to unfairly blame MMASupremacy for spreading false rumours on that one!
=)

I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.

by The_Gaijin on Oct 7, 2009 6:48 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions   0 recs

Regardless – I think it’s piss poor management to put him up against Mousasi at this juncture of his career (he’ll learn little if he gets quickly smoked), if the rumour is true.

And it’s stupid matchmaking to hot shot him in there for the CBS show, rather than say, build him up by giving him a showcase fight on CBS (if there’s a timeslot available) or on a different Showtime card.

I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.

by The_Gaijin on Oct 7, 2009 8:16 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions   0 recs

For those of us who don't hate interesting fights, I like this rumor

Are you in any way tied to Mo’s career? This is GREAT. I was getting really worried he was going to take the Jake Shields route with his career after that interview he gave where essentially just said he wanted to grind out paychecks.

by LBo on Oct 7, 2009 6:12 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

If its true I’ll give Lawal credit for stepping up to face someone other than washed up former relevant fighter.

by swells2048 on Oct 7, 2009 5:44 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Actually

I’ll give him credit with his win over Wuiff. That is a solid win IMO and his fights aren’t bad for a new fighter. But this is a huge step up in competition for him

by swells2048 on Oct 7, 2009 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Swells thats the type of fighters a top young prospect like MO should be fighting this early in his career though. He should not be jumping head first in a fight against a top 10 LHW in his 6th MMA fight. A Kevin Randleman was the perfect type of opponent for him this early in his career.

by Shocbomb on Oct 7, 2009 5:58 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

You're right

But most young prospects don’t call out guys like Page or talk like they are the best fighter in the world. He is fighting exactly who he should be fighting…actually probably better guys than he should be fighting compared to who other prospects are fighting.

by swells2048 on Oct 7, 2009 8:39 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

For some reason in MMA more then any other combat sport or sport for that matter when there is a good young up and coming fighter he is thrown into the deep end so dam fast and very rarely do young fighters thrive in that all or nothing type of match making.

by Shocbomb on Oct 7, 2009 10:09 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Sengoku 11 is coming together quick. Here’s what I’ve got…

CONFIRMED
MW Title Bout: Jorge Santiago (21-7) vs. TBA
FW: Michihiro Omigawa (7-8-1) vs. Hatsu Hioki (20-3-2)
FW: Marlon Sandro (14-1) vs. Yuji Hoshino (16-7-7)
MW: Akihiro Gono (29-15-7) vs. TBA

UNCONFIRMED
LHW: Kevin Randleman (17-13) vs. Stanislav Nedkov (7-0)
LW: Satoru Kitaoka (25-9-9) vs. Jorge Masvidal (18-4)
LW: Kazunori Yokota (10-2-3) vs. Eiji Mitsuoka (16-6-2)
LW: Ikuo Usuda (6-0) vs. Ian Schaffa (8-6-1)
MW: Dan Hornbuckle (19-2) vs. TBA

by Chris Nelson on Oct 7, 2009 6:11 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I really like Omigawa and I think he’s much improved, but Hioki should completely tool him.

by FRANKIE on Oct 8, 2009 12:02 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I'm actually hearing...

A lot of sources saying the Lawal vs. Mousasi rumor is utterly bullshit, so don’t get your hopes up.

Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein

by Leland Roling on Oct 7, 2009 6:11 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Heh, King Mo isn’t that stupid. He knows Mousasi is a beast! Actually Coker would probably rather build Lawal up and feed him some cans on Nat TV, not to the wolves in a fighter like Mousasi.

SHOGUN WILL SLAY THE DRAGON!!!
SHOGUN TO BE THE NEW LHW CHAMP!!!
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."

by xFenixKnightx on Oct 7, 2009 7:08 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I also heard that Mousasi vs. Lawal was rumor. Not sure if the other two rumors, Mousasi vs. Filho / Mousasi vs. Sokoudjou, are any better.

My pick would be Mousasi vs. Sokoudjou, as I’d like to see Lawal vs. Filho.

by CSKit on Oct 7, 2009 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

if Mo does fight .... then his big mouth will be shut...real quick

Gegard will submit his ass in the first. or second….

by 1WAYtiket on Oct 7, 2009 6:33 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Terada vs Hadairo

could be a sick grappling fight to watch , Hadairo should take it.

by meyer1244 on Oct 7, 2009 6:35 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Really looking forward to that one. Who knew Terada had ill submission skills?

Too bad GCM shows rarely pop up online. We’ll be deprived of another awesome Hadairo entrance.

by Chris Nelson on Oct 7, 2009 7:15 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Spike 22 vs. DEEP

Go Guam!!! Definitivly can’t wait for that! Is that going to be broadcasting globally?

by GuamMMAFan on Oct 7, 2009 7:11 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Doubtful, but if what I’m hearing is true and this turns into a mega DEEP show, it should show up online faster than usual.

Talked to Jordan Breen about this and he thinks the Spike guys are in for a rough night. I’m not so sure though. I haven’t seen much of Roque, but Baby Joe and the Shocker are ready to take a step up in competition.

by Chris Nelson on Oct 7, 2009 7:17 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

DEEP

Really aggravates sometimes with how long it takes for vids to come out , DEEP 43 is still nowhere to be found as far as I know.

by meyer1244 on Oct 7, 2009 8:50 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

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