· “Dream: Japan GP Final” Set For July 16

· Article author: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Posted on 07/15 at 12:47 PM

It is no secret that Japanese MMA has seen better days. Long gone are the days where Pride FC ruled the world of MMA; it seems that more and more we are seeing an exodus of Japanese talent coming stateside. Yet, that still hasn't stopped FEG from putting together a quality card with "Dream: Japan GP Final," which takes place this Saturday, July 16 at the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo, Japan. The event features two title fights and the final round of Dream's inaugural bantamweight tournament.

Dream Featherweight Champion Hiroyuki Takaya (15-9-1) will make his first title defense after dethroning Bibiano Fernandes at "Dynamite!! 2010." He meets freestyle wrestling Olympian Kazuyuki Miyata (11-7), who is currently riding a six-fight win streak, which includes wins over the likes of Caol Uno and Takeshi "Lion" Inoue.

Gegard Mousasi (30-3-2), coming off a contentious draw with UFC veteran Keith Jardine, will return to Japan to defend his Dream light heavyweight championship against former Olympic gold medalist judoka, Hiroshi Izumi (4-1). After a disappointing professional debut, Izumi has rattled off four-straight wins to earn his shot at Mousasi.

After two hard-fought tournament rounds, Dream's first-ever bantamweight champion will be crowned when Masakazu Imanari takes on Hideo Tokoro in the tournament finale. Imanari (23-8-2) defeated both Keisuke Fujiwara and Kenji Osawa to reach the finals. Tokoro (29-23-1) fought his way through Yoshihiro Maeda and Atsushi Yamamoto.

The undercard features a line up of solid fights that also promise to deliver. In yet another bantamweight scrap, Kenji Osawa (17-10-2) faces Keisuke Fujiwara (11-3-4), in what will most likely determine the number one contender for the title.

Eiji Mitsuoka (17-7-2), coming off the April routing of South Korean talent Jung Gyeong Lee, will face off with Bruno Carvalho (13-4). Carvalho rides high into the fight after eight-straight wins, the last of which was a submission victory over "The Ultimate Fighter" veteran Kyacey Uscola.

Dream Welterweight Champion Marius Zaromskis (14-6,1 NC) returns to action in a non-title affair when he takes on Eiji Ishikawa (22-16-2), a late replacement for Hayato "Mach" Sakurai. Also returning to action is perennial lightweight Tatsuya Kawajiri (27-7-2), who faces UFC veteran Drew Fickett (41-14) in a promising lightweight match-up.

Opening the show, Tatsuya Mizuno (8-7) and Trevor Prangley (23-7-1) will meet in light heavyweight clash. Mizuno finds himself on a two-fight skid as Prangley comes in off a loss to Roger Gracie.