Yoshihiro Akiyama Agrees to Fight Chris Leben at UFC 116

by Nick Thomas on Jun 24, 2010 6:16 PM EDT in MMA News

Sources close to the promotion that despite some initial resistance to facing a new opponent, Japanese judoka Yoshihiro Akiyama has indeed agreed to face Chris Leben at next week's UFC 116 event in Las Vegas.

Yoshihiro Akiyama (13-1)
Win Alan Belcher - Decision (Split) UFC 100
Win Masanori Tonooka - Submission (Armbar) Dream 6 6:26 R1
Win Katsuyori Shibata - Submission (Ezekiel Choke) Dream 5 6:34 R1
NC Kazuo Misaki - NC (Akiyama KO'd by Illegal Soccer Kick) Yarennoka 7:48 R1
Win Denis Kang - KO (Punch) K-1 HERO's 4:45 R1

Chris "The Crippler" Leben (20-6)
Win Aaron Simpson - TKO (Punches) TUF 11 Finale 4:17 R2
Win Jay Silva - Decision (Unanimous) UFC Fight Night 20
Loss Jake Rosholt - Technical Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) UFC 102 1:30 R3
Loss Michael Bisping - Decision (Unanimous) UFC 89
Win Alessio Sakara - TKO (Punches) UFC 82 3:16 R1

Tweet Comment 48 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Whoo!

Keep Firing, Assholes!

Have you accepted BROCKLESNARRRRRR!!!!!!! as your personal Heavyweight Champion?

by Ubernoober on Jun 24, 2010 6:18 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Is it possible that the UFC agreed to pay him more?

I doubt it though, it doesn’t seem to be in Akiyama’s character.

by goodbadugly16 on Jun 24, 2010 6:19 PM EDT reply actions

I think it was more like, “who the fuck do you think you are?, now shut the fuck up and fight”.

"they mad at me, I keep going hard reppin/
cause what's your Rampage to Rashad Evans/"
-Joe Budden (Something To Ride To)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/76866807deabe3c1/

by Nightwhistler on Jun 24, 2010 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions

I would say its almost a certainty.

by VirtualBalboa on Jun 24, 2010 7:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Cool. Wonder what the lines will be

Slow Cooking! MMM-MMM GOOD!
"I Wanna Thank Joe Rogan!" - BJ Penn

by MSEMCEE on Jun 24, 2010 6:22 PM EDT reply actions

Leben +200 Akiyama -SEXY

Twitter: @Mike_Fagan_13
http://www.sackmikegoldberg.com

by Mike Fagan on Jun 24, 2010 6:36 PM EDT up reply actions 6 recs

can I get a parlay on Lesnar-Sotiropolous-JizzInPants?

Inhale deep, like the words of my breath—I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death

MMA For Real

by Anthony Pace on Jun 24, 2010 6:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Slow Cooking! MMM-MMM GOOD!
"I Wanna Thank Joe Rogan!" - BJ Penn

by MSEMCEE on Jun 24, 2010 6:41 PM EDT up reply actions

This picture just proves what a pussy Wandy is

the guy wont fight with a few cracked ribs, Leben on the other hand is fighting with only a nub for a right arm.

Fake Emcees, we always act hard, but won't walk the streets without our bodyguards.

by Fake Emcee on Jun 24, 2010 6:36 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

You can’t break a nub.

Keep Firing, Assholes!

Have you accepted BROCKLESNARRRRRR!!!!!!! as your personal Heavyweight Champion?

by Ubernoober on Jun 24, 2010 6:39 PM EDT up reply actions

true story

this is an “OH YUUH” story describing a fight i was in, so…i’ll get that out of the way. Got in a fight with a guy with some wrestlers, one of them did not have fingers on his hand. He didn’t punch me, but got my friend- said that not only was it the hardest he’s ever been punched, but he had a black eye and a broken nose. thats all.

by Body Triangle on Jun 24, 2010 7:46 PM EDT up reply actions

really Wand and pussy in the same sentence ? I don’t think so if you watched maybe 1/20th of his career you would know better then to never say that

by Shocbomb on Jun 24, 2010 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions

cmon guys, its a obvious joke.

Fan of Tiger 'Makin It Rain' Woods

by B-A-N-A-N-A-S on Jun 25, 2010 12:10 AM EDT up reply actions

You fail

by I Can't Feel My Face on Jun 25, 2010 3:32 AM EDT up reply actions

It was a joke about how Leben’s arm is cropped in the photo.

by judonerd on Jun 25, 2010 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions

HA HA Funny

by Shocbomb on Jun 25, 2010 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions

This’ll be a good fight. Leben looked great this last week.

Besides, the two can’t be that dissimilar. Leben don’t kick as much, but the looping, the brawling, the way Leben was holding the head and throwing bombs with the other hand… I don’t remember how Leben looks on the floor, but standing he kinda looks like Wandy to me.

by judonerd on Jun 24, 2010 6:39 PM EDT reply actions

Leben is as close to Wand as you can get. Solid defensive grappling (used to get up off his back), sometimes employs the rubber guard to stall for a stand up.

Follow me on twitter @thisredengine

Also please check out SBnation's Red Bulls blog @ www.onceametro.com

by Matthew Roth on Jun 24, 2010 6:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Leben keeps his elbows down when waiting to throw?

Seriously, I’m stretching for differences.

by judonerd on Jun 24, 2010 6:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Leben is a southpaw

by sday420 on Jun 24, 2010 6:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Shit, that’s a big one.

by judonerd on Jun 24, 2010 8:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Leben has a granite chin.

2010 Wand … not so much.

by Steve4192 on Jun 25, 2010 8:40 AM EDT up reply actions

Except Wandy stands orthodox and Leben’s a southpaw, which Akiyama should be able to easily adapt, but if he spent his entire camp circling in one direction, he might get caught moving the wrong way, especially if he’s already in trouble at the time.

by kid_eh on Jun 24, 2010 6:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Leben just looked a little less horrible then Simpson thats all. Bolth were gassing pretty dam hard only Simpson more so

by Shocbomb on Jun 24, 2010 11:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Leben is a fighter a guy like Akiyama wants to avoid

Akiyama is looking for big NAME fights to build himself. Leben is not someone a guy like him wants to face because Leben isn’t highly regarded ratings-wise, and might be the toughest guy in the division who can take a beating, keep coming, and then knock you out on call.

Vote Quimby

by mason_beer on Jun 24, 2010 6:50 PM EDT reply actions

This

Walking the line between intelligence and ignorance since 1985
@deowade

by Damon O. on Jun 24, 2010 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Akiyama must be seeing this as a lose-lose situation. Now a KO/TKO against Leben will be a win-win.

by Holls Hoyce on Jun 24, 2010 7:32 PM EDT up reply actions

definitely

can completely understand what a big bummer it is to go from wanderlei to leben

by Body Triangle on Jun 24, 2010 7:48 PM EDT up reply actions

the toughest guy in the division who can take a beating, keep coming, and then knock you out on call.

His wins over Terry Martin and Jorge Santiago are a testament to that. I rank the Martin KO right up there with Smith/Sell as one of the craziest KOs ever.

by Steve4192 on Jun 25, 2010 8:43 AM EDT up reply actions

yep,

and Terry was dead out.

Ride the Tiger!

by doonerthesooner on Jun 25, 2010 9:15 AM EDT up reply actions

Way to be Yoshi

by Geno Mrosko on Jun 24, 2010 6:51 PM EDT reply actions

Akiyama needs to be able to beat guys like Leben pretty handily if he thinks he should be higher in the rankings! No offence to Leben, but Akiyama has a much more diverse game.

by ManicPreacher on Jun 24, 2010 7:30 PM EDT reply actions

When is the last time we have seen a fighter fight two UFC's in a row?

by J_Maddux on Jun 24, 2010 7:36 PM EDT reply actions

Did Koscheck do it between Alves and Yoshida?

When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Fightlinker.com

by Derek Suboticki on Jun 24, 2010 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions

UFC 91 was between Kos’ fights.

by Holls Hoyce on Jun 24, 2010 7:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Jacob Volkmann or Soszynski

Fan of Tiger 'Makin It Rain' Woods

by B-A-N-A-N-A-S on Jun 25, 2010 12:11 AM EDT up reply actions

Soszynski 97+98

Volkmann was close, 106 + 108

Fan of Tiger 'Makin It Rain' Woods

by B-A-N-A-N-A-S on Jun 25, 2010 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions

i believe Jason Macdonald done it as well

by Riley_96 on Jun 25, 2010 1:21 AM EDT up reply actions

You think Yoshi read the comments on BE?

I like to think we played a part in getting him to agree. We didn’t, because I don’t think he speaks English, but still.

by Electro Boy on Jun 24, 2010 8:17 PM EDT reply actions

I like to think I’m the reason beautiful women leave their husbands.

I have accepted BROCKLESNARRRRRR!!!!!!! as my personal Heavyweight Champion!
Baptized in Coors Light and Jack's Links jerky!!!
Dressed in my heavenly DeathClutch robes!!!

by Worldisart on Jun 24, 2010 8:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Akiyama should bring back the Chris Pontius “Party Boy” character.

by Electro Boy on Jun 24, 2010 8:59 PM EDT reply actions

I love this site but I'll be honest I mostly come on here just to see the shit deowade comes up with. You Sir have my respect!

by Red Dragons on Jun 24, 2010 9:49 PM EDT reply actions

Wish it was someone else

I’m suffering from a Leben overdose…. Good fighter… just would be better to see someone else fight Akiyama…..

by DeepStrike on Jun 24, 2010 11:14 PM EDT reply actions

LOL. This comments section just got a whole lot shorter.

by judonerd on Jun 24, 2010 11:47 PM EDT reply actions

I hate it when I miss things.

"I'm AJB and I endorse this nut-puncher."

by AJB on Jun 25, 2010 7:10 AM EDT up reply actions

Dana cracked that whip....

by JimJoe on Jun 25, 2010 12:54 AM EDT reply actions

Sucks to be Aaron Simpson right now

by I Can't Feel My Face on Jun 25, 2010 3:33 AM EDT reply actions

never thought I would say this but,……War Leben

"Hey, sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I'd never know 'cause I wouldn't eat the filthy motherf**ker" - Jules Winnfield

"A good word that I got from the Mike Tyson Documentary... I'm going to absolutley decimate this motherf**ker, I haven't been in the dictionary to see what it actually means but I'm guessing it's going to be something in the way of just killing a motherf**ker." -Paul Daley (on the definition of Decimate)

by WeaponElDeem on Jun 25, 2010 8:50 AM EDT reply actions