Zelg Galesic Returns at DREAM.8, Minowaman vs. Shibata Added

by Chris Nelson on Mar 12, 2009 9:00 AM EDT

Zelg-galesic-kin_medium

Croatian middleweight Zelg "Benkei" Galešić (9-4) will return to the ring for the first time since his 2008 MWGP Semifinal loss to Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza, according to an updated DREAM.8 fight card on DREAM's official site. Galešić is set to face karate champion Andrews Nakahara (1-1), who defeated Dong Sik Yoon at the same event last September.

Also added to the show (as previewed by the official poster released yesterday) is what's sure to be a heavy duty battle between two pro wrestlers, Ikuhisa Minowa (41-29-8) and Katsuyori Shibata (2-6-1).

OLYMPIA DREAM.8 Welterweight GP 2009 1st Round
April 5, 2009 // Nippon Gaishi Hall // Nagoya, Japan

Zelg Galešić vs. Andrews Nakahara
Ikuhisa "Minowaman" Minowa vs. Katsuyori Shibata
Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza vs. TBA

Featherweight GP Fight
Hideo Tokoro vs. Daiki "DJ.taiki" Hata

Welterweight GP Participants
Shinya Aoki
Hayato "Mach" Sakurai
Seichi Ikemoto
Yuya Shirai / Yoon Young Kim (March 14 @ ClubDEEP)

The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Bloody Elbow readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bloody Elbow editors or staff.

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Galesic used to be one of those guys everyone thought would break out, but I don’t really think he’s that talented to begin with. He’ll win this bout, but… he’s never going to live up to the potential that was thrust upon him.

Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com

by Leland Roling on Mar 12, 2009 9:17 AM EDT reply actions

I hear you. Still, Zelg is one of the few fighters I’ll always cheer for just on the basis of being a good dude.

Contributor Emeritus - BloodyElbow.com

by Chris Nelson on Mar 12, 2009 11:56 AM EDT up reply actions

I’m seriously not too excited about this card so far. Unless Sakurai vs. Aoki happens immediately, they better start putting together some better fights on this card.

Of course, I’m not Japanese. Maybe they want to see DJ Taiki vs Tokoro, but I don’t care for that fight at all.

Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com

by Leland Roling on Mar 12, 2009 1:00 PM EDT up reply actions

This is looking weaker than DREAM 7.

"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito on Belfort at Affliction:DOR

by Rundownloser on Mar 12, 2009 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Rundown

Come on dude – this card is gonna put ADCC to shame

He didn’t list the rumored participants

Andre Galvao and Marcelo Garcia

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 12, 2009 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Aoki vs whoever Sakurai vs whoever

Marcelinho vs clubdeep winner Galvao vs Ikemoto

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 12, 2009 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions

And also possibly

Kawajiri vs JZ

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 12, 2009 2:49 PM EDT up reply actions

JZ has been booked for a while (Fiend put that on blast on the 25th Feb)

And Kawajiri asked for the fight and is ready to go – this should be SICK

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 12, 2009 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Rumored participants don’t mean much, especially in Japan where everyone and his mom is a rumored participant.

by ilostmydog on Mar 12, 2009 2:49 PM EDT up reply actions

JZ is not rumored he’s booked. Kawajiri asked for the fight last show and is 100% It SHOULD happen.

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 12, 2009 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Great, now I can hear JZ give me the perfect Mike Tyson impression.

Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com

by Leland Roling on Mar 12, 2009 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Kawajiri can ask for whatever he wants, it doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.

by ilostmydog on Mar 12, 2009 8:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Now if you wanna talk RUMOR

Hunto was in the original DREAM 8 poster along with Zelg and Jacare and I THINK its John Alessio that was on it too

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 12, 2009 2:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Correction on who the gaijin is.

I should know but its slipping my brain if its not Alessio minus metero dyed blonde hair

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 12, 2009 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions

It’s Zelg Galesic, not Alessio.

by ilostmydog on Mar 12, 2009 8:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Another one

Is Sergei Kharitonov who is fighting April 5th according to him. But he doesn’t know the opponent. Didn’t name the promotion either. But there is 1 Kharitonov caliber promotion putting on a card on April 5th

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 12, 2009 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions

So though its UNLIKELY the card could look like this

Minowaman vs Shibata
Tokoro vs DJ Taiki
Zelg Galešić vs. Andrews Nakahara

Jacare vs Paulo Filho (quite possible or Trigg, Lawler (is he officially with Strikeforce now?), Lindland or assorted noob or random Japanese dude (also likely)

WWGP
Aoki vs Alessio
Sakurai vs somebody
Marcelo vs Shirai/Kim winner
Galvao vs Ikemoto

Kharitonov vs Hunt
Werdum vs Overeem

(Ok so I’m just completely making up the last one but it is theoretically possible)

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 12, 2009 3:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Oops

I forgot Kawajiri vs JZ on that card – that makes 11

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 12, 2009 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Wow… I hope you’re wrong.

I understand the way the GP will work is to set up great bouts, but Alessio will get subb’d inside 5 minutes if that. The other fights are ok for prelimnary bouts, but I’d rather see someone other than Alessio to be honest. Kharitonov vs. Hunt may be ok, but I’ve heard rumblings of Kharitonov vs. Overeem more than Hunt.

Werdum vs. Overeem is going to be murder in my opinion. Overeem now has 50 extra pounds of destruction since Werdum’s last tussle with him.

Jacare vs. Filho would be nice. JZ. vs Kawajiri is a decent scrap as well. It’ll be better than 7, that’s for sure, if this lineup actually happens.

Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com

by Leland Roling on Mar 12, 2009 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions

If everything comes to pass as you say, then I’ll change my tune. Until then, it looks pretty weak.

"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito on Belfort at Affliction:DOR

by Rundownloser on Mar 12, 2009 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Another possible though much less likely participant

DreamFighters.com: Do you know when you will be fighting next?

Alistair Overeem: Maybe I will be fighting another k-1 fight March 28 or in Dream April 5th, maybe I do both, hahahahaa

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 12, 2009 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe in K-1? He IS fighting in K-1 on March 28.

by ilostmydog on Mar 12, 2009 8:49 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m new to the site (looks great by the way). I am always interested in seeing Jacare fight. I will say that the card doesn’t look too strong though.

by ol brob on Mar 12, 2009 1:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Welcome!

Looking forward to seeing who they match Jacare up with as well.

I’m not judging this card too harshly yet, since they’ve only announced 3-4 WWGP contestants so far. If they add Andre Galvao I’ll be stoked.

Contributor Emeritus - BloodyElbow.com

by Chris Nelson on Mar 12, 2009 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Very true, and in typical Japanesee form, they don’t announce fights till way later. I feel like that can hurt their PR for these events though. The WW GP needs to gain some solid competitors. Galvao is a nice addition, but the rest of the field matters immensely. If the only great bouts we’ll see won’t happen for 3 events in the WWGP, I’m a bit disappointed.

Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com

by Leland Roling on Mar 12, 2009 1:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Marcelinho

Is supposed to compete as of a post on tatame a few weeks ago

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 12, 2009 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Ahh, that’s an interesting addition.

Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com

by Leland Roling on Mar 12, 2009 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions

BANG ANOTHER ONE

From a DREAMfighters interview with Kharitonov:::

Sergei Kharitonov: I will be fighting april 5th, I do not know the oponent yet!

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 12, 2009 3:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, I already heard that rumor. The problem is that Kharitonov is a rumor on nearly every DREAM card and K-1 card. I’m sure he’s fighting, but I almost always ignore Kharitonov rumors.

Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com

by Leland Roling on Mar 12, 2009 3:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Well its more the fact

That he named a date and not an organization. To me that lends it credence that the paperwork is there to be signed and he has a DREAM contract anyways so I’m pretty convinced we’ll see him on this one. Possibly vs the man in the poster Hunto

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 12, 2009 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions

I will watch any fight Jacare is involved in (or pretty much any MMA event for that matter), PPV or otherwise. His armbar on Galesic was one of the best that i’ve ever seen and I’m holding out hope he can develope a standup game to match. It may never happen, but it will be fun to watch him in the mean time.

by ol brob on Mar 12, 2009 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions

I love Galesic. Dude is always smiling.

by Tonley on Mar 12, 2009 12:46 PM EDT reply actions

These are some awesome fights. I’ve been hoping for a Minowa/Shibata fight for a long time.

And of course, anything with Galesic in it is awesome. Dude’s such a sweetheart. The fight with Nakahara should be a war too, since I think Nakahara’s take down defense is strong enough to avoid anything Galesic could attempt.

by AnonymousA on Mar 12, 2009 12:57 PM EDT reply actions