DREAM and Strikeforce Talk Co-Promotion; Mayhem vs Shields for Strikeforce Interim MW Title Plus More...

Video from MMAFanhouse:

From MMAJunkie:

The two shared the stage briefly, and Coker described a vision for the two organizations that included co-promotion and fighter exchanges for events both in the U.S. and Japan.

"In Strikeforce, we're committed to putting on the best fights that we can," Coker said. "They have a lot of great fighters in DREAM, and we'll be able to test the best fighters in Strikeforce against the best fighters in DREAM. Hopefully we'll be in Japan doing a co-promotion in relatively short time."

On potential matchups:

"I'd love to get (DREAM lightweight Shinya) Aoki to come here and fight Josh Thomson or Gilbert Melendez," Coker said. "I'd like to see Melvin Manhoef fight Robbie Lawler.

...

Coker said he was also targeting a bout between Jason "Mayhem" Miller and Jake Shields – a bout that could potentially serve as Strikeforce's promised interim middleweight title fight.

"The thing about 'Mayhem,' he's fighting in Japan and his contract allows him to fight in Japan with DREAM, but he also has a contract with Strikeforce," Coker said. "You will see him in Strikeforce, and whether he's fighting for DREAM or for us, 'Mayhem' Miller vs. Jake Shields, we're trying to put that fight together."

...

"Maybe 'Jacare' vs. 'Mayhem,'" Coker said. "'Mayhem' is an interesting character, and we're looking forward to having him fight."

Coker and Sasahara working together to possibly create bouts such as Lawler vs Manhoef, Aoki vs Thomson, Jacare vs Shields, and Mayhem vs Shields is something MMA fans can really appreciate.  In terms of co-promotion, it has never been an easy feat for two promotions to work together, but in this case, it really looks like DREAM and Strikeforce will give it a go, with a rumored co-promoted DREAM/Strikeforce event to be potentially televised on Showtime already in the works.  Hopefully, something like this won't get in the way of this "alliance", and if both parties can endure the bumps on the road, fans will be eagerly waiting for some blockbuster fights to happen between these two promotions.  

Leland Roling has already given us some potential matchups that may be coming our way soon, and I guess now we just have to patiently wait for his dreams of seeing Manhoef versus Ruthless come true.  Sprinkling glitter away Leland.  As for myself, I will anxiously wait for the Fancy Pants versus Magic Pants match-up that fans have been coveting for months now.  =)

Andrews Nakahara To Compete In Kyokushin Karate Tournament

In other DREAM news, Andrews Nakahara will compete in the 4th World Weight Category Tournament in Kyokushin Karate, which takes place from August 21st to the 23rd in Chiba, Japan.  Andrews won the 3rd World Weight Category Tournament in 2005.  From NightmareOfBattle:

This is a big tournament which only happens once every four years and winning it twice would really be something. Nakahara will be facing Barja Kumar Rai from Nepal in his first match of the day.

 

A1: Hiroyuki Kidachi (Japan) vs. Simon Kennedy (Australia)

A2: Stoian Nicolae (Romania) vs. Shohei Yamamoto (USA)

B1: Zenjyuro Mori (Japan) vs. Khuseyn Elikhanov (Russia)

B2: Barja Kumar Rai (Nepal) vs. Andrews Nakahara (Brazil)

Gina Carano's Crowd Reaction Live at The HP Pavilion in San Jose

Via FightLinker, here is the crowd reaction to Gina Carano walking into the cage.