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.

Aoki wasted little time in taking the fight with Clementi to the ground in round one, where he worked for submissions from the top before peppering Clementi with weak punches as Clementi covered up. Despite Clementi’s protests that Aoki “hit like a girl,” Aoki remained in complete control of the fight through round one and Clementi was eventually given a Yellow Card for inactivity.

In round two, Aoki took Clementi’s back while standing and dragged him to the mat. He resumed his assault with short punches before working for a rear-naked choke. When that failed, Aoki switched to a neck crank and Clementi tapped out.

Winner: Shinya Aoki by Submission (Neck Crank) at 2:17 of round one. He improves to 28-5-0, 1 NC.

Kikuno rocked Nakamura with punches right away in their fight, promoting Nakamura to look for a takedown. Kikuno avoided it and landed more strikes, then took Nakamura down and punched from the top. Nakamura stood and Kikuno walked forward with more punches. Nakamura countered with some of his own, as well as knees, but Kikuno took him down. Back on the feet, Nakamura outlanded Kikuno, but was taken down again and given a Yellow Card. Kikuno walked him down once more and scored a takedown before the bell.

Kikuno remained aggressive in the second round as Nakamura tried to counter with punches on the feet and was taken down. A lull in the action resulted in Yellow Cards for both fighters and they returned to exchanging punches on the feet. Kikuno sprawled out of a takedown and landed knees to the head, then took top position before the end of the round.

All three judges sided with Kikuno.

Winner: Katsunori Kkikuno by Unanimous Decision after two rounds. He improves to 15-3-2.

Uno remained at a distance early on and picked his shots with punches and leg kicks against Nishiura, who answered with occasional kicks of his own. Uno attempted a pair of takedowns and secured back control, then dragged Nishiura to the mat. Nishiura eventually scrambled into Uno’s guard, but Uno stood and the fighters battled in a scramble. Uno took Nishiura’s back again and tried for a rear-naked choke, but a stalemate followed and the fighters were stood up. Uno countered a flying knee with another takedown and tried for more chokes late in the round.

Nishiura was active with punches in the second round, but Uno ducked under and took his back once more. Uno nearly secured a rear-naked choke, but Nishiura squirmed free and missed with a big haymaker. Uno looked to take the fight to the mat again, but Nishiura remained on his feet and flurried with punches in the final seconds.

All three judges awarded the bout to Uno.

Winner: Caol Uno by Unanimous Decision after two rounds. He improves to 26-14-5.

Matsumoto scored with leg kicks and a combination of punches that dropped Inoue early on, but Inoue returned to his feet and the fighters traded kicks. Both landed punches to the body in a clinch and Inoue connected with a big knee. More punches were exchanged and Inoue landed two good leg kicks that had Matsumoto circling away. Inoue floored Matsumoto with a right hook and followed up with more punches for the TKO stoppage as Matsumoto covered up.

Winner: Takeshi Inoue by TKO (Punches) at 6:51 of round one. He improves to 20-5-0.

Ishida landed leg kicks and a big left cross that hurt Hansen early on, but Ishida was unable to follow up. He landed more punches, but Hansen trapped him in a clinch and took his back. Ishida threw Hansen to the mat and avoided a gogoplata attempt before the fighters were stood up. Hansen missed with a knee, but took Ishida’s back and suplexed him to the mat. He landed punches and tried for an armbar and a triangle choke, but Ishida escaped and scored with punches from the top. Back on the feet, Ishida scored a takedown and fought off an armbar. Ishida retained top position for much of the final minute.

Both fighters landed head kicks in round two and Hansen looked for a knockout punch, but Ishida took him down. Hansen stood and tried for a guillotine until referee Samio Kimura called for a break. Ishida managed to get a brief takedown, but Hansen stood and the fighters were separated again. Ishida took Hansen down and both fighters landed punches on the ground.

Two judges awarded the close fight to Hansen, while the third sided with Ishida.

Winner: Joachim Hansen by Split Decision after two rounds. He improves to 22-10-1.

DREAM Japan Bantamweight Grand Prix:

Masakazu “Ashikan Judan” Imanari (23-8-2) and Hideo Tokoro (29-23-1) advanced on to the finals of the inaugural DREAM Japan Bantamweight Grand Prix with a pair of victories apiece. Imanari decisioned Keisuke Fujiwara in the quarterfinals, then submitted Kenji Osawa with a second-round Achilles Lock in semi-final number one. Tokoro defeated Yoshiro Maeda in the quarterfinals via corner stoppage after Maeda re-aggravated an injury, then took a close Split Decision over Atsushi Yamamoto in the second semi-final.

Full tournament results are as follows:

– Masakazu Imanari defeated Kenji Osawa by Submission (Achilles Lock) at 0:58 of round two.
– Hideo Tokoro defeated Atsushi Yamamoto by Split Decision after two rounds.

– Kenji Osawa defeated Takafumi Otsuka by Split Decision after two rounds.
– Masakazu Imanari defeated Keisuke Fujiwara by Unanimous Decision after two rounds.
– Hideo Tokoro defeated Yoshiro Maeda by TKO (Corner Stoppage) at 0:43 of round two.
– Atsushi Yamamoto defeated Yusaku Nakamura by TKO (Punches) at 8:43 of round one.

(Photo Credit: Sherdog.com)