Yushin Okami has found a new home. The former UFC middleweight title challenger was abruptly released by the UFC a few weeks ago after a TKO loss to Ronaldo Souza, and it didn’t take him long to attract some notice on the open market. One of those suitors was World Series of Fighting, who has signed the Japanese fighter to a contract. The news comes via Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting:
The former UFC middleweight title contender has signed an exclusive, multi-fight deal with World Series of Fighting, the promotion’s president Ray Sefo and executive vice president Ali Abdel-Aziz confirmed with MMAFighting.com.
Okami will make his WSOF debut “around March” 2014, however, a specific date and opponent hasn’t been finalized. “Thunder” will compete in the organization’s middleweight division.
Okami, who went 13-5 in 18 UFC fights, instantly becomes a top middleweight on the promotion’s roster. They are currently in the middle of a tournament set up to crown their first middleweight champion. The winner of a delayed bout between Elvis Mutapcic and Jesse Taylor at WSOF 7 will meet David Branch for the title in early 2014. You’d have to assume that Okami will be getting a shot at that title soon thereafter.
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