· “Dynamite!! 2010” Preview

· Article author: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Posted on 12/30 at 06:53 PM

New Year’s Eve in Japan is usually a time for fighting, and this year a monstrous hybrid card is on tap from Fighting and Entertainment Group. Featuring mixed martial arts, kickboxing, and “special rules” bouts, the K-1 and Dream event will be shown live in the U.S. on HDNet starting at 4 a.m. ET tomorrow.

Almost all of the attention for the card has been focused on Strikeforce and K-1 Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem, pitted in a late addition to the event against former top UFC prospect Todd Duffee. Overeem, who became the first fighter to simultaneously hold K-1 and MMA titles after winning the K-1 World Grand Prix just three weeks ago, was rumored to face multiple fighters before Duffee was named as his opponent.

The bout between Overeem and Duffee will be for the interim Dream heavyweight championship, a curious decision as no actual Dream heavyweight title exists. But nonetheless it is a chance for "The Reem" to add more gold to his collection, which must be getting tough to carry around with him all the time.

Even more Dream gold will be up for grabs on the night, with the featherweight and welterweight belts both on the line as well. Dream Welterweight Champion Marius Zaromskis will return to defend his title after an eventful year in Strikeforce that saw him lose twice before he was involved in a no contest with Waachiim Spiritwolf in November after an inadvertent eye poke. He will face 41-year-old Japanese MMA legend Kazushi Sakuraba, who will receive a title shot despite losing four of his last six bouts. The matchup could provide for an exciting exchange if Sakuraba is willing to stand with the dangerous Zaromskis, but an early knockout is also just as possible.

Dream Featherweight Champion Bibiano Fernandes will return to Japan for the first time since March, when he reportedly waited months after the event to be paid. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt will put his seven-fight win streak on the line against Hiroyuki Takaya, who is coming off of consecutive nasty knockout victories over Joachim Hansen and Chase Beebe.

If you are still not satisfied or impressed with a championship triple header, hang in there. Josh Thomson will travel to Japan to represent Strikeforce as he takes on Dream lightweight Tatsuya Kawajiri. Both fighters lost championship fights in 2010, but that doesn’t lessen the possibility of excitement in what will likely be a back-and-forth battle looking to make everybody re-think fight of the year awards.

Even more star power will be in the ring throughout the night: Hayato “Mach” Sakurai, Shinya Aoki, Gegard Mousasi, Sergei Kharitonov, Ikuhisa Minowa, Hideo Tokoro, Caol Uno, and Bob Sapp will all be in action to end the year with a bang.