DREAM.11 Update: Andrews Nakahara vs Zelg Galesic Added

by MMASuPreMaCy on Jun 28, 2009 10:46 AM EDT Comment 24 comments

In a recent interview with Andrews Nakahara, he stated that he is scheduled to take on Zelg Galesic at DREAM.11. Also rumored for this card is Mirko Cro Cop, since he is scheduled to miss his participation in DREAM.10 due to illness, and Ninja Rua, who is coming off a loss to Riki Fukada at DREAM.8.

This was also the event were Alvarez versus JZ were supposed to square off, but that rumor was later dismissed by Monte Cox, Eddie's manager, due to Bellator Champion commitments. MMAConvert has some interesting points to make about Eddie Alvarez and his newly exclusive agreement with Bellator.

What’s unclear at this point though is if and whom the champions will be fighting during season two. Would they defend their belts against fighters who lost in season one? For example, could there be a Eddie Alvarez vs Jorge Masvidal lightweight title fight? Would they fight in non-title bouts? Or just sit out the season entirely? If it’s the latter, Rebney says Bellator is open to allowing their champions to take fights outside the organization, however, just yesterday, it was reported that Eddie Alvarez was offered a fight against JZ Cavalcante at DREAM.11 in September, but was forced to turn it down because Bellator wouldn’t let him take it. Season two isn’t supposed to start until this fall, so if Eddie isn’t obligated to fight for Bellator until months after season two concludes, timing really shouldn’t be an issue. Who knows, maybe Bellator will only let their champs take fights they’re confident they won’t lose.

Of course, previously this year Eddie Alvarez made the statements that he was going to fight in Strikeforce by the end of the year since they picked up his contract from Pro Elite. It will be interesting when Monte Cox decides to honor the 1 more fight he has with DREAM and the rest of his contract with Strikeforce, when they claim that Eddie is now exclusive to Bellator after becoming their champ. Even without the Alvarez vs JZ fight, DREAM.11 is shaping up to be another solid event by DREAM.

DREAM 11: SEPTEMBER ON HDNET

venue: TBA in Tokyo, Japan

Dream Featherweight Grand Prix Semi-Finals and Finals:

-Bibiano Fernandes (5-2)

-Joe Warren (2-0)

-Hiroyuki Takaya (11-6-1)

-Hideo Tokoro (22-16-1)

Dream Super Hulk Tournament Semi-Finals (Open Weight):

-Gegard Mousasi (23-2-1) vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (6-4)

-Ikuhisa Minowa (42-30-8) vs. Hong Man Choi (2-2)

Rumored DREAM MW Title Bout:

-Jacare vs Mayhem Miller

Non Tournament Bouts:

-Andrews Nakahara vs Zelg Galesic

Rumored:

-Mirko Cro Cop

-Murilo "Ninja" Rua

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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Comments

This will be a good fight but I’m not sure how many punches Nakahara can take. My bet is about 8.

by Ahhhoki on Jun 25, 2009 6:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I am pretty sure he can take punches. His only weakness was his ground game, but he seems to have really improved that in his last couple of fights.

by MMASuPreMaCy on Jun 25, 2009 6:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That’s true. Zelg has some decent submissions so maybe we’ll see him fight the smart fight.

by Ahhhoki on Jun 25, 2009 6:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

This ongoing weirdness with Alvarez is interesting to say the least.

"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 Jun 26, 2009 1:12 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

i'll be honest, i dont know anything about Nakahara or galesic..

how good are they?

weoweoweo .deviantart .com

by Anton Tabuena on Jun 26, 2009 2:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

is he really that good a karate fighter?

weoweoweo .deviantart .com

by Anton Tabuena on Jun 26, 2009 2:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nakahara i’s good but he’s not game-changing. I don’t think he could afford to trade with Zelg but on the other hand that is his strength so it’s possible this fight won’t involve a whole lot of stand-up.

Galesic was once hailed as “Little Mirko” and is known for his lightning-fast combinations and decent power. He is also like a brown belt (that was a year or two ago so I’m not sure currently) in BJJ so he’s well-rounded. He has good accuracy in his strikes that carries over from his days as a full-contact TKD competitor.

by Ahhhoki on Jun 26, 2009 3:23 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Zelg is a brown belt?

Seriously?

I find that hard to believe. He has a decent offensive game from the bottom, but is terrible at defending submissions (as evidenced by three of his four career losses coming via submission).

by Steve4192 on Jun 26, 2009 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I Guess All Yellow Belts Can Pull Off This Move in MMA?

by MMASuPreMaCy on Jun 26, 2009 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yellow belts?

by szucconi on Jun 26, 2009 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kids Get Yellow Belts...

If I am not mistaking.

Responding to:

Zelg is a brown belt?

Seriously?

by MMASuPreMaCy on Jun 26, 2009 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Never seen a BJJ yellow, kid or not.
black > brown > purple > blue > white
I don’t think you need a brown to do an armbar. I have done them and I am a white.

by szucconi on Jun 26, 2009 3:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

In MMA, while someone is trying to punch you?
=)

by MMASuPreMaCy on Jun 26, 2009 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

In Mid Air? =)

I think different color systems exist for the lower belts, depending where you train. Common is White to Blue though.

by MMASuPreMaCy on Jun 26, 2009 4:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It is different in some schools, especially ones with Judo backgrounds, but the most common way is white→blue→purple→brown→black.

by Ahhhoki on Jun 28, 2009 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Can you read?

I said he nice offensive game from the bottom, but is terrible at playing defense from the top. You just reinforced my point.

by Steve4192 on Jun 28, 2009 2:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m not necessarily disagreeing with you but I think if a guy loses in the same manner in a couple fights, it doesn’t automatically mean that he’s particularly weak in that aspect of his jiujitsu game. At the same time it certainly could mean that, but I think the times he’s been submitted were against guys who are pretty qualified to lock on submissions. In this case, Zelg has been submitted by Takimoto (2000 Gold Medalist in Judo), Dong-Sik Yoon, and Jacaré.

by Ahhhoki on Jun 28, 2009 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think people put a lot of stock in “belt” level but there is no universal standard, so yeah brown belts and black belts get submitted all the time, sometimes by somebody worse (see GSP’s armbar of Matt Hughes)…

Sometimes by somebody better.

by Ahhhoki on Jun 28, 2009 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

by Ahhhoki on Jun 28, 2009 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

All You Have To Know:

Nakahara is like a young Machida:

Hes a Kyokushin Karate master and is developing his ground game:

All American Open Karate Championships 2007 (IKO-1) – 2nd Place (Lost to Ewerton Teixeira)
All American Open Karate Championships 2006 (IKO-1) – 1st Place (Defeated Ewerton Teixeira)
All American Open Karate Championships 2005 (IKO-1) – 2nd Place (Lost to Eduardo Tanaka)

Galesic is like a young Cro Cop but with an actual developing ground game:

A tremendous fighter, Zelg’s height is six feet and two inches and weights around eighty four kilograms. Zelg has a Tae Kwon Do background which has helped him in his fighting career immensely. He is a three timer European ITF Tae Kwon Do winner, ITF Tae Kwon Do Champion and two times World Champion. Zelg has fought around three hundred kickboxing events both in and around Europe.

by MMASuPreMaCy on Jun 26, 2009 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Edited...

Hey Supremacy… for quotes and stuff from other sites. Make sure to paste it into Notepad or something first so all the formatting is removed, then paste it into your post. Formatting from other sites makes it look different from our default text.

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"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein

by Leland Roling on Jun 26, 2009 9:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs