Japanese star Megumi “Mega Megu” Fujii will make her DREAM debut on New Year’s Eve. The submission specialist faces Spanish prospect Karla Benitez at DREAM: “Genki Desu Ka” in Saitama, Japan. MMARising.com confirmed plans for the bout following an initial report from Sherdog.com.

Fujii has been sidelined while rehabbing injuries following a July victory over Jewels postergirl Mika “Future Princess” Nagano. She has tasted defeat just once; a contentious decision in last year’s Bellator women’s tournament. Benitez most recently had a five-fight winning streak snapped in October.

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Leading U.K. promotion Cage Warriors Fighting Championship has instated a 125-pound women’s title and will crown a new champion in 2012. CWFC director Graham Boylan and matchmaker Ian Dean confirmed the news with MMARising.com today and discussed plans for the coming year.

Cage Warriors’ first and only women’s champion, Rosi Sexton, captured her title in 2005 before travelling outside of the U.K. for bouts in BodogFight and EliteXC. Sexton’s title was later retired, but she is expected to be among the top contenders for the newly-created vacant championship in 2012.

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Welterweight contenders Jake “The Juggernaut” Ellenberger and Diego “The Dream” Sanchez are likely to face off in the main event of UFC on Fuel TV 1 on February 15, 2012. The targeted matchup is expected to take place at the CenturyLink Center in Ellenberger’s hometown of Omaha, Nebraska.

MMAjunkie.com first reported the bout today, including details of the date and location. UFC officials confirmed the fight this evening. Ellenberger has won five straight fights since a close defeat in his Octagon debut. Sanchez earned a contentious decision victory over Martin Kampmann in March.

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Former WEC welterweight champ “The Natural Born Killer” Carlos Condit will return to action against recent UFC title challenger Josh Koscheck at UFC 143 on February 4, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Koscheck announced the planned bout last week and UFC officials confirmed it earlier today.

Condit has won 12 of his past 13 fights and he had expected to challenge for the UFC Welterweight Championship last month before an untimely injury to champion Georges “Rush” St. Pierre cancelled the fight. Koscheck stopped Matt Hughes in September in his first fight back since losing to St. Pierre.

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Twelve bouts have now been confirmed for UFC 144: “Edgar vs Henderson” on February 26, 2012 in Saitama, Japan. Among the latest additions today is a lightweight bout between former long-time PRIDE champion Takanori “Fireball Kid” Gomi and submission specialist George Sotiropoulos.

Also announced today was a bantamweight battle between Japanese star Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto and England’s Vaughan Lee, as both fighters look to rebound from setbacks. Elsewhere, Chinese prospect Tiequan “The Wolf” Zhang faces off with Leonard “Bad Boy” Garcia in a featherweight bout.

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After bouts in Russia failed to materialise, Kaitlin Young will remain at home for her next fight. The Minnesota native is expected to face Canadian Anna “Smiles” Barone in a featured 140-pound matchup on January 6, 2012 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Minneapolis. Both fighters earned wins in October.

Young was originally booked to face Milana Dudieva for ProFC last month, but withdrew from the bout as a result of visa issues and cited promotional disorganisation. The fight was then rebooked for December 10th, but has since been scrapped again and Young will square off with Barone instead.

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Long-time training partners Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki and Satoru Kitaoka will face off for Aoki’s DREAM Lightweight Championship at DREAM: “Genki Desu Ka” on December 31st in Saitama, Japan. BloodyElbow.com was first to report on the bout earlier this week and the promotion announced it today.

Aoki has posted submission wins in a pair of non-title bouts for DREAM this year and has won six in a row overall. Kitaoka formerly held the Sengoku Lightweight Championship and has won four straight fights since a pair of defeats in late 2009. The fighters have combined for 34 submission wins.

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Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has been granted his wish. The former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion will indeed be part of the upcoming UFC 144 card on February 26, 2012 in Saitama, Japan. Jackson will face off against former top 205-pound contender Ryan “Darth” Bader in a featured bout.

ESPN.com first confirmed the matchup with UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta today. Jackson expressed anger and frustration this week when it appeared that he would not be on the UFC card in Japan. The long-time PRIDE star will now compete in the country for the first time in exactly six years.

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