The New Years Eve card at Saitama Super Arena continues to fill out as the folks at Dream and Fight for Japan release more details. Last night they sent out a press release stating that Hiroyuki Takaya would face Lion Takeshi for the featherweight title. They also matched up Tatsuya Kawajiri with Kazuyuki Miyata in another featherweight fight.
Tonight they officially announced that the bantamweight tournament would come to a close on New Years eve. At Dream.17 Bibiano Ferdnandes, Rodolfo Marques Diniz, Masakazu Imanari, and Antonio Benuelos all advanced with victories. Bibiano is matched with Rodolfo while Imanari will face Banuelos. The winner of each fight will meet in the finals later that evening.
Finally, they announced that Hayato Sakurai would meet Ryo Chonan in a welterweight clash. This is essentially a legend’s fight between two of the all time greats of Japanese MMA. Sakurai hasn’t competed since last year’s Dynamite!! and is on a four fight losing streak. Chonan has stayed relatively active, fighting twice this year. He is undefeated in 2011.