Shooto Lightweight Champion Hatsu Hioki has officially vacated his Shooto title and may soon sign with a promotion in North America. The submission specialist, who also holds the Sengoku Featherweight Championship, will reportedly be in attendance at UFC 131 on June 11th in Vancouver.

Hioki has fought three times in North America before. All three bouts came in the former TKO promotion in Canada, where Hioki captured and defended the TKO Featherweight Championship with two wins over recent UFC title challenger Mark Hominick. His last TKO bout came in October 2008.

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Former DEEP Featherweight Champion Takafumi Otsuka will next compete on June 24th at DEEP: “54 Impact” when he faces rising star Hiroshi “Iron” Nakamura for the vacant DEEP Bantamweight Championship. The title fight matchup was officially announced by the promotion earlier today.

Otsuka most recently competed in the DREAM Japan Bantamweight Grand Prix, but suffered a Split Decision loss to Kenji Osawa in the opening round. Nakamura last fought in February when he defeated Masakazu Imanari in a non-title fight. Imanari has now vacated his DEEP bantamweight title.

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Strikeforce and BodogFIGHT veteran Carina “Beauty But The Beast” Damm got back on the winning track on Friday evening with a quick submission of Maguilla “Gorilla” Deize at Amazon Fight 8 in Belém, Pará, Brazil. Damm used a keylock to defeat Deize at 2:41 of the opening round.

In the night’s main event, Damm’s husband, Luis “Sapo” Santos, fought to a Draw with old rival Carlos Alexandre “Índio” Pereira. The pair first faced off in late 2007, with Pereira taking a Unanimous Decision win, but nothing was solved after three rounds on Friday and the rematch was ruled even.

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After a series of delays and cancellations, 2004 Olympic Silver Medallist Sara McMann was victorious in her long-awaited pro MMA debut last night at Universal Cage Combat: “Revolution” in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. McMann needed just 1:41 to submit Christina Marks early in the first round.

The freestyle wrestler, who won a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Games, was initially set to compete as a professional in MMA last year, but she has endured event cancellations and countless opponents who have backed out of fights. McMann will compete again against Julie Malenfant on June 17th.

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DREAM Lightweight Champion Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki and Joachim “Hellboy” Hansen were among the winners in non-tournament bouts tonight at DREAM: “Fight For Japan” in Saitama, Japan. Aoki submitted Rich “No Love” Clementi, and Hansen edged “The Endless Fighter” Mitsuhiro Ishida.

In other action on the card, Katsunori Kikuno earned a Unanimous Decision win over Daisuke Nakamura, while Caol “Uno Shoten” Uno defeated “Wicky” Akiyo Nishiura in another two-round decision. “Lion” Takeshi Inoue was also victorious tonight, as he stopped Koichiro Matsumoto in the first round.

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The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC 130: “Jackson vs Hamill.” The event was headlined by a light heavyweight bout between former champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and TUF 3 alum Matt “The Hammer” Hamill.

In other action on tonight’s card, Las Vegas natives Frank Mir and Roy “Big Country” Nelson squared off in a pivotal heavyweight battle, while Gleison Tibau clashed with the returning Rafaello “Tractor” Oliveira at 155 pounds. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for all fights on the UFC 130 card.

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Titan Fighting Championship made its return to HDNet tonight with TFC 18 from the Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas. The event was headlined by a catchweight bout between former UFC Lightweight Champion Jens “Lil’ Evil” Pulver and Missouri-based knockout artist Brian “Mr. D” Davidson.

Also on the card, UFC veteran Jake Rosholt came in on short notice to face John Ott in a catchweight bout at 200 pounds, while Rosholt’s brother Jared faced Kirk Grinlinton at heavyweight in another last-minute event addition. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the HDNet-televised card.

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Cage Warriors Fighting Championship will crown a new 125-pound women’s champion at CWFC 43 on July 9th when top UK star Rosi “The Surgeon” Sexton clashes with hard-hitting striker Sheila “The German Tank” Gaff. The targeted matchup will be contested over five, five-minute rounds.

MMARising.com learned of the bout from sources close to the negotiations earlier this month. Both fighters have signed bout agreements, but the fight requires final approval from Bellator Fighting Championships, where Sexton remains under contract. Sexton previously captured CWFC gold in 2005.

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