The UFC is by far the biggest MMA organization especially now that they have swallowed the WEC and now own Strikeforce. After Strikeforce, DREAM and Sengoku put on the best events with the biggest names in MMA. If you have never watched a DREAM event before then mark your calendar for July 16th, because this one’s an event that can’t be missed. Here is the full official fight card below:
• Light Heavyweight Championship bout: Gegard Mousasi vs. Hiroshi Izumi
• Featherweight Championship bout: Hiroyuki Takaya vs. Kazuyuki Miyata
• Bantamweight Tournament Final: Masakazu Imanari vs. Hideo Tokoro
• Bantamweight bout: Keisuke Fujiwara vs. Kenji Osawa
• Lightweight bout: Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Drew Fickett
• Light Heavyweight bout: Tatsuya Mizuno vs. Trevor Prangley
• Welterweight bout: Hayato Sakurai vs. Marius Žaromskis
• Heavyweight bout: Todd Duffee vs. Nick Gaston
• Lightweight bout: Eiji Mitsuoka vs. Bruno Carvalho
The biggest, most well known fighter on the card is Gegard Mousasi. Gegard has fought and won in notable MMA organizations such as Strikeforce, Pride FC, Affliction and DREAM. He has an outstanding record of 30-3-2 and is only 25 years old. His opponent is Hiroshi Izumi who is 3 inches shorter but is packed with muscle. Izumi has a mean over-head right that can easily rock or KO just about anybody. He has fought in Sengoku and Dynamite, but as he only has a 4-1 record, has never won a championship fight and is making his DREAM debut, it is obvious that this fight was set up as a stepping stone for Gegard to ensure that he remains the DREAM Light Heavyweight Champion.
You’ve probably never heard of Hiroyuki Takaya or Kazuyuki Miyata, but it should make an interesting Featherweight Championship bout. Takaya, the current Featherweight Champion, has fought in Shooto, K-1 Hero’s, Cage Force, WEC and used to be a street fighter. He has a 15-9 record with 11 wins by KO. Miyata has an unimpressive record of 11-7 but is on a 6 win streak. Both fighters are wrestlers so I’m curious as to what strategy they will have coming into this title fight.
DREAM 17 MMA Odds will be available at BetDSI Sportsbook Monday, July 11th at night.
