Fight Entertainment Group has announced one more fight for the July 16 HERO'S card at the Yokohama Arena, officially adding a match between Japanese icon Kiyoshi Tamura (Pictures) and longtime K-1 competitor Taiei Kin (Pictures) to the fight line-up.
Some months ago, Tamura had stated that he was in negotiations with FEG to fight in HERO'S after spending the last four years competing in the PRIDE ring. The 37-year-old shoot-style pro-wrestling hero last saw action on New Year's Eve, where he brutally knocked out Ikuhisa Minowa (Pictures) with a barrage of soccer kicks in just 78 seconds.
Taiei Kin (Pictures), also 37, was one of the first Japanese standouts when K-1 began in 1993. Kin, a representative of Seidokaikan, made his return to K-1 under the HERO'S banner last Aug., competing under MMA rules for the first time. After a controversial technical submission loss to Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures) in his debut, Kin scored a crushing head kick KO of Tokimitsu Ishizawa (Pictures) at K-1 Premium Dynamite!! this past New Year's Eve.
With Tamura's migration to HERO'S, FEG president Sadaharu Tanigawa has suggested that a September match-up with Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures) is a possibility. Tanigawa previously teased the possibility of a return for Akiyama for the September 17 HERO'S card earlier this month. Akiyama was indefinitely suspended by FEG this past January after his now-infamous New Year's Eve bout with Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures), after Akiyama admitted to using a skin moisturizer prior to the bout.
Tanigawa also revealed that he extended an offer to Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures), but that Sakuraba was seemingly opting to fight at the September HERO'S card instead. The FEG boss said that he felt people needed to remember how strong Sakuraba is, and that resultantly, he planned to match him against a formidable opponent.
In addition, Tanigawa said he planned on adding another one or two bouts to the card, one of which would feature Dutchman Melvin Manhoef (Pictures). Tanigawa also repeated what he stated at the last HERO'S press conference, saying that he hoped to unveil a surprise on the day of the event, which in his words, would "change the flow of MMA in Japan."
Some months ago, Tamura had stated that he was in negotiations with FEG to fight in HERO'S after spending the last four years competing in the PRIDE ring. The 37-year-old shoot-style pro-wrestling hero last saw action on New Year's Eve, where he brutally knocked out Ikuhisa Minowa (Pictures) with a barrage of soccer kicks in just 78 seconds.
Taiei Kin (Pictures), also 37, was one of the first Japanese standouts when K-1 began in 1993. Kin, a representative of Seidokaikan, made his return to K-1 under the HERO'S banner last Aug., competing under MMA rules for the first time. After a controversial technical submission loss to Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures) in his debut, Kin scored a crushing head kick KO of Tokimitsu Ishizawa (Pictures) at K-1 Premium Dynamite!! this past New Year's Eve.
With Tamura's migration to HERO'S, FEG president Sadaharu Tanigawa has suggested that a September match-up with Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures) is a possibility. Tanigawa previously teased the possibility of a return for Akiyama for the September 17 HERO'S card earlier this month. Akiyama was indefinitely suspended by FEG this past January after his now-infamous New Year's Eve bout with Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures), after Akiyama admitted to using a skin moisturizer prior to the bout.
Tanigawa also revealed that he extended an offer to Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures), but that Sakuraba was seemingly opting to fight at the September HERO'S card instead. The FEG boss said that he felt people needed to remember how strong Sakuraba is, and that resultantly, he planned to match him against a formidable opponent.
In addition, Tanigawa said he planned on adding another one or two bouts to the card, one of which would feature Dutchman Melvin Manhoef (Pictures). Tanigawa also repeated what he stated at the last HERO'S press conference, saying that he hoped to unveil a surprise on the day of the event, which in his words, would "change the flow of MMA in Japan."