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From the event's promoter: SHOOTO BIGGEST and BEST COMING TO HAWAII There is some big news coming from the Shooto world for the month of July. Most exciting is the announcement for up-coming event scheduled for July 9th at the Neil Blasidell Arena. The buzz is about Soljah Fight Night, where Japanese and Hawaiian promoters unite to bring the biggest Shooto ever to take place outside of Japan. A stacked international card with two world titles on the line, rounded out by a presentation of the hottest Hawaiian up-and-comers, all looking to get recognized on the world stage. The top of the card features hometown favorite Ray 'Braddah' Cooper v. Jake Shields for the vacant Shooto MW (167 lbs) title. Cooper is a stoic Shooto veteran having competed in the Shooto circuit since it first came to Hawaii in 1999. He has had his eye on the Shooto Championship for a long time, and has been hovering within the top 3 spots while the vacant title has waited for the ISC to mandate a title bout… As so it is. Braddah's opponent will be the Shooto invader - Jake Shields… After a tough Shooto debut against, none other than Ray Cooper (where Shields dropped the majority decision), Jake was invited to go to Japan and give Hayato Sakurai a warm-up fight so that he could get back on track after having lost his long held title… But the Cesar Gracie student had a different plan, and soundly won a unanimous decision over the Japanese superstar. Jake hasn't looked back since then and has faced international fare from both Brazil (where he defeated the dangerous and yet undiscovered Milton Vieira) and back in Japan where he dispatched one of Shooto's next big things in Akira Kikuchi… Shields is ready and determined to capture the title and avenge his loss to Cooper. Another Championship bout will be featured, with the long awaited title bout between American Top Team's Dustin Denes, challenging the Shooto LHW (183 lbs) Champion Masanori Suda. Denes emerged onto the Shooto scene to make his presence known by submitting opponents in his first two Shooto bouts. His third was a decision, but it was against the then Shooto world ranker Izuru Takeuchi. That win launched Denes into the title picture and he has maintained laser beam focus on the coveted Shooto belt since then. He has had to wait patiently while Suda put off defending the title, since his last defense in which he scored an impressive first round TKO victory of Hawaiian fan favorite, Egan Inoue. Masanori Suda is truly an unsung hero in the MMA world due to competing almost exclusively in Japan. With an overall record of 20-8-2 he brings s decisive experience advantage in against the American fighter. Not just in terms of number of fights, but level of opponents a well. But this oft overlooked standout in the 185 lbs range can make a strong impact in the minds of all Americans with a solid victory here (as he did with Hawaiians after dispatching Inoue). Denes is hungry and determined to capture the Shooto title and show the world that he is a player in the division. Also on that card is what promises to be one of the most riveting stand-ups bouts in the MMA world since Duane 'Bang' Ludwig KO'ed Jens Pulver… The bout in question will also include Jens Pulver, who will be trading blows with Stephan 'Bozo' Paling. These two are fighting in perhaps the toughest most highly competitive division in the MMA world… That is the Shooto LW (143 lbs) division. Pulver debuted in Shooto earlier this year. He absolutely decimated K'z Factoriy's Naoya Uematsu. The Japanese fighter is known for being equally dangerous on the ground as on his feet, and some were calling for him to put Pulver off-balance with a diverse game plan. After coming off of a pair of wins it seemed that he was back on track and it would be a tough debut for the American. But Pulver has also put together a pair of wins along with a solid televised pro boxing fight that revealed a even more polished and determined stand-up fighter than we have come to know. He dispatched Uematsu with a calculated stream of potent combinations, using wicked body shots to break down the more upright, thai-style Naoya. A well timed and beautifully placed head, body, head combo put the fight in the history books with a 1st round KO for Pulver. Now he will be going in with another dangerous and skilled boxer… The long time Shooto top ranker is also a Golden Gloves boxing champion and has scored some devastating KO's in his tenure in the fight game. Paling put together an incredible 5 fight winning streak, then fell into back to back losses at the hands (or elbows as it were) of Gilbert Melendez and Hiroyuki Takaya. This is Paling's make it or break it time… A win will put him in for another title shot (having ended in a draw with the champ last August), and a loss will put him back in line behind the likes of Joao Roque, Hiroyuki Takaya, Norifumi 'Kid' Yamamoto, Naoya Uematsu, Rumina Sato, Bao Quach, Hideki Kadowaki and Pulver… A list of fighters that will be virtually impossible to wade through as they all have their eyes set on the Shooto LW kingpin… Champion Alexandre 'Pequeno' Franca Nogueira. Then there is the intriguing match-up between Shooto legend, Rumina Sato and California's very crafty and gifted Bao Quach. Quach has had his ups and downs with some big wins and equally big losses… He soundly defeated Uematsu and the reputable Cole Escovedo, but has dropped some key bouts against Jeff Curran and Hideki Kadowaki. He is teetering on the verge of elite status, or as a credible but second tier gate-keeper for the division. A win against Sato could make the difference for him and turn the corner for his career… But no one needs a big win more than Rumina Sato. He has posted a losing record in the past 2 years, and has not been able to get rolling since dropping to 143 lbs. Most widely known for his dramatic and exciting snap submission style, he is threat to any fighter. But Bao has shown the strength, poise and control needed to keep out of danger and impose his will on his opponents… and approach that has spelled disaster for Sato several times before. Whatever happens, the action should be intense. Rounding out the main card is a non-title appearance from Shooto WW (154 lbs) Champion, Vitor 'Shaolin'Ribeiro. He is facing the undefeated Mistuhiro Ishida, who is ready to step up his level of competition and force the champ into a title fight by getting the win in Hawaii. Coming in for the under card of Class-B battles are the rough and tumble Mark Moreno (Bulls Pen) v. the dangerous and exciting striker in PJ Dean (Freelance). Jim Kikuchi of 808 Fight Factory will have the opportunity to even things up with HMC's Neal Andres… Both men are 2-0 in Shooto and a win here can push either into the Class-A category. Little but explosive Kyle Takao squares off with the 'Nature Boy' Ed Newalu. Ed has been coming on strong, winning 5 of his last 4, but that doesn't matter to Kyle who is looking to get back on track after losing in Japan. Finally, and international women's match features the Hawaiian sweetheart Betta Yeung, up against Nova Uniao fighter from Brazil, Anna Mitchel. More fights to be added, card subject to change SOLJAH FIGHT NIGHT at the NEAL BLASIDELL ARENA July 9, 2004 Call Ticketmaster for tickets and information Toll Free @ (877)750-4400 / Charge by phone Or visit www.ticketmaster.com General admission - $25 Event Day Lodges - $35 Event Day Risers - $45 Event Day Ringside - $55 Event Day Ringside Special, First 3 rows - $155 event day $5 OFF ALL PRICES FOR ADVANCE PURCHASE |
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