Largely flying under the radar due to this evening’s UFC 104 event in Los Angeles, DREAM 12 is set to go down on October 25 from Osaka, Japan.
The event will be the first DREAM card ever to feature caged combat, utilizing a fenced in hexagon for the evening’s action. Along those lines, DREAM 12 will also be the first event to feature three, five minute rounds, identical to the sanctioned rules used in the United States.
A slew of notable mixed martial artist will be participating in the event, including current Strikeforce heavyweight title holder Alistair Overeem, who will be taking on James “Colossus” Thompson, along with appearances from the likes of Kazushi Sakuraba, DREAM welterweight champion Marius Zaromskis, and Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez.
Come along as Heavy.com dives head first into what should be an electrifying evening of fights from the land of the rising sun.
Alistair Overeem vs. James Thompson
As the Strikeforce heavyweight championship belt steadily collects dust, the promotion’s AWOL champion is over in Japan collecting a paycheck at the mercy of an colossal British heavyweight by the name of James Thompson.
“Colossus” has lost his last four consecutive bouts, and eight of his last ten. Perhaps the scariest statistic in the mix of the massive brawler’s losing streak is the fact that Thompson has been absolutely flattened via TKO or KO in seven of his last ten appearances in mixed martial arts. This is the point when a fighter should be seriously entertaining a different profession in respect of those that care about them, and not fighting one of the most dangerous stand-up fighters on the planet.
No need for technical analysis on this fight, it should be over in a flash. Expect for Thompson to start out quick like he usually does only to end up in la-la land courtesy of whatever “The Demolition Man” chooses to hit him with.
Winner: Alistair Overeem via knockout
Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Zelg Galesic
Having previously been preparing to face off with heavy handed knockout artist Melvn Manhoef, Galesic got the juke-a-duke when he ended up with submission master Kazushi Sakuraba as the late replacement.
While far from a novice on the canvas, Galesic is known as a striker, with seven of his nine victories coming by way of knockout. In his four defeats, three of them have come by submission; not a good statistic when going into a fight with one of the trickiest ground fighters in the history of the sport.
Anything can happen in this bout. Galesic could knock Saku senseless, or Kazushi could latch on to a limb and take it home with him. Either way, this one carries an action packed guarantee. Neither man is known for putting fans to sleep and they’re not going to start on Sunday. Expect fireworks for as long as it lasts.
Winner: Kazushi Sakuraba vis submission
Katsuyori Shibata vs. Tokimitsu Ishizawa
Only in Japan. This fight between not so spectacular light-heavyweights pits former professional wrestler’s Katsuyori Shibata (3-6-1) against Tokimitsu Ishizawa (1-4-1).
I’m not going to sit here and lie to you guys, neither of these guys are very good fighters. Both of them have been knocked out and submitted on several occasions. While this is not going to be the most technical match-up on the card, if you’re a fan of decisive finishes, this one shouldn’t disapoint.
Winners: Tokimitsu Ishizawa vs. Katsuyori Shibata via double knockout
Marius Zaromskis vs. Myeon Ho Bae
The newly crowned DREAM welterweight champ Mariusz Zaromskis will be facing off with Myeon Ho Bae in a non-title defense that should end violently.
Ho Bae is a capable Krean fighter with a record of 8-4, but he’s a big step down from the competition Zaromskis faced in the recent DREAM welterweight tournament. The same tournament where he finished his last two bouts with brutal highlight reel head kicks.
At the core this fight is meant to give the newly crowned champ a platform to add another clip to his highlight reel. Look for Marius to come out like a whirlwind and seal the deal within the first minute or two via strikes.
Winner: Marius Zaromskis via TKO
Keisuke Fujiwara vs. Tomoya Miyashita
This bout was announced just a few days before the event and it makes you wonder how much time these guys had to prepare for the fight.
Fujiwara has done all of his fighting up until now under the ZST promotion, while Miyashita has made a name for himself fighting primarily under the DEEP banner in Japan.
Miyashita saw his hand raised in victory only one time in his first seven bouts, but most recently he has seen his luck improve, coming out on top in four of his last five.
Fujiwara has been solid like a rock during the course of his career, only suffering defeat once in ten bouts. However, this fight aginst the more experienced Miyashita will be his toughest test to date.
Winner: Tomya Miyashita via decision
Tarec Saffiedine vs. Dong Sik Yoon
Dong is looking to place himself back into the wiiners circle following a string of three defeats at the hands of Gegard Mousasi, Andrews Nakahara and Jesse Taylor. A former judoka known for his skills on the mat, Sik Yoon will have his hands full against fellow submission artist Tarec Saffiedine.
A late replacement for Paulo Filho, Saffiedine holds a career record of 7-1, with five of his wins coming by way of submission. Tarec picked up a unanimous decision victory over Seichi Ikemoto during DREAM 10 in his last appearance.
The extensive knowledge of ground fighting by both men will keep this fight competetive from beginning to end. Tes styles of both men should combine to create an exciting fight on the canvas with submission attempts and transitions galore.
Winner: Tarec Saffiedine via decision
Chase Beebe vs. Yoshiro Maeda
Winless in his last four bouts, former WEC bantamweight champion Chase Beebe will be looking to right the ship against Yoshiro Maeda, who has gone 3-3 in his last six.
Beebe is known for his extensive ground game while Maeda has made a name for hiself as a knockout artist during his time in the sport. The primary factors to keep an eye on in this bout is the fact that Beebe has never suffered a legitimate knockout loss in his career, while Maeda has been caught in submissions on several occasions.
Winner: Chase Beebe via submission
Eddie Alvarez vs. Katsunori Kikuno
This should end up being the most electrifying bout on the card. Both guys are known for their mutual ablities finish their fights standing, and neither man has a history of participating in anything less than pulse pounding bouts.
A solid test for both fighters, this fight should turn into a stand-up war in the early goings, with both men having their moments in the exchanges. Alvarez has been rocked several times in the past and it will be interesting to see how he rsponds if, and when it happens in this one.
Winner: Katsunori Kikuno via TKO
Kuniyoshi Hironaka vs. Won Sik Park
Hironaka, a UFC veteran, sports a career record of 15-6, while Sik Park is relatively newer to the sport, holding an impressive record of 7-1-1.
Both guys are well known for their fast paced fighting styles and well rounded skill sets. For as long as this one lasts it should be a back and forth tug of war involving mutiple exchanges of the feet and transitions on the canvas.
Sik Park may be a little more green in the sport but Hironaka has a tendency to to choke when it matters the most.
Winner: Won Sik Park via TKO