Close to two years after they were first set to face each other, Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz and Japanese legend Hayato “Mach” Sakurai will square off at Dream.14 on May 29th. The non-title bout could serve as the main event of the card, which was formally announced today.
Diaz and Sakurai were originally scheduled to compete at Dream.5 in July of 2008 in a bout that was rumoured to be for the first DREAM Welterweight Championship. Diaz was pulled from the event for a fight in EliteXC and has since captured the Strikeforce Welterweight Championship.
With just under two months to go before UFC 114: “Jackson vs Evans,” the Ultimate Fighting Championship has confirmed the full 11-fight lineup for the May 29th card. The event is headlined by a 205-pound grudge match between former UFC Light Heavyweight Champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and “Sugar” Rashad Evans.
The first major sanctioned MMA event in the state of Massachusetts could feature a rematch between two of the top female fighters in the sport. Former champions Tara LaRosa and Roxanne Modafferi may square off for a second time at the upcoming Moosin: “God of Martial Arts” card on May 21st.
After injuries resulted in a series of postponements, welterweight standouts Jon Fitch and Thiago “Pitbull” Alves are set to compete in a long-awaited rematch at UFC 115 on June 12th in Vancouver, British Columbia. UFC President Dana White confirmed the news late tonight.
Bellator Fighting Championships is reportedly planning to hold its first women’s tournament this year. Female boxing champion and undefeated mixed martial artist Elena “Babydoll” Reid stated earlier today that the promotion may begin a 115-pound women’s tournament in August.
Heavyweights dominated the mixed martial arts scene in an MMA-rich month of March, with veteran fighters falling victim to rising stars. Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir suffered a crushing loss at the hands of Shane Carwin at UFC 111 and Carwin takes a big step up the ranks.