Kawajiri vs Omigawa Set For Dream 18 NYE

http://www.mmajunkie.com/news/2012/12/dream-18-adds-tatsuya-kawajiri-vs-michihiro-omigawa-to-year-end-event

Former top-ranked lightweight Tatsuya "Crusher" Kawajiri (31-7-2) will meet big-show vet Michihiro Omigawa (13-12-1) in a featherweight bout later this month.

Officials today announced the bout as part of the "DREAM.18 and GLORY 4 Tokyo – New Year's Eve Special" event.

DREAM.18, which features both MMA bouts and the "GLORY 4 Tokyo – Heavyweight Grand Slam" kickboxing tournament, takes place Dec. 31 at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Shinya Aoki and Antonio McKee headline the MMA portion of the card.

Plans for a possible broadcast in North America have not yet been announced.

Kawajiri, a former PRIDE fighter who's been with DREAM since its 2008 launch, is riding a four-fight win streak with five wins in his past six fights (the lone defeat came in a 2011 Strikeforce title fight with Gilbert Melendez). In his lone bout of 2012, he earned a submission victory over KOTC champ Donald Sanchez at ONE FC 3.

Omigawa, meanwhile, fights for the first time since a disappointing 1-4 run in the UFC, where his only victory came over Jason Young. It was his second stint in the UFC, where he went 1-6 overall. The latest stint came after Omigawa briefly resurrected his career with a runner-up finish in Sengoku's 2009 world featherweight grand prix. He lost in the final to Masanori Kanehara via split decision.

The latest "DREAM.18 and GLORY 4 Tokyo – New Year's Eve Special" MMA card now includes:

Champ Shinya Aoki vs. Antonio McKee - for lightweight title
Bibiano Fernandes vs. Yoshiro Maeda
Denis Kang vs. Melvin Manhoef
Hiroyuki Takaya vs. Georgi Karakhanyan
Phil Baroni vs. Hayato Sakurai
Will Brooks vs. Satoru Kitaoka
Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Michihiro Omigawa

I like the way this card is shaping up Phone Post

Wait when did Aoki/McKee become a fight for the title?

im excited to see Aoki back in action Phone Post

Chris27 - Wait when did Aoki/McKee become a fight for the title?

Idk but why not? Makes the event better. Phone Post

Card is definitely coming together. I am excite. Phone Post

UGCTT_SMASHED BY A BIG RIG! - 
Chris27 - Wait when did Aoki/McKee become a fight for the title?

Idk but why not? Makes the event better. Phone Post


I agree I just thought Aoki was stripped of the title or gave it back when he went to OneFC.

IS this him defending the belt or is the belt vacant and this is for the title?

Any news on a US broadcast yet? I know the Fight Network is airing it live in Canada. Phone Post

Havent heard anything about broadcast plans, I assume AXS TV would air it.

Kawajiri by KO. Phone Post

awesome!

wow Kang is gonna get KTFO'd.

looks like a good card! I'm in.