With a week out from the first caged fight card in the promotional history, DREAM has announced additional bouts for DREAM 12, scheduled for Oct. 25 at Osaka Castle Hall in Osaka, Japan.
DREAM welterweight champion, Marius Zaromskis (12-3), who has been prominently featured in the promotional poster and trailer for the event, returns to action in a non-title bout against a Korean prospect, Myeon Ho Bae (8-4).
In the Middleweight department, Katsuyori Shibata (3-6-1) takes on Tokimitsu Ishizawa (7-1-3) in a showdown between pro-wrestlers, and Kazushi Sakuraba (25-12-1) returns for the second consecutive appearance this month to replace Melvin Manhoef against Zelg Galesic (9-4). Moving down the scale, Keisuke Fujiwara (4-0-1) squares off with Tomoya Miyashita (12-5-6).
Zaromskis makes his first DREAM appearance since winning the organization’s welterweight grand prix at DREAM 10. A Lithuanian native training out of London Shootfighter, Zaromskis cut his teeth in UK’s Cage Rage before making his DREAM debut.
He entered the welterweight tourney as a virtual unknown and considerable underdog: He sent a shockwave through the MMA world by upsetting tournament favorite, Hayato “Mach” Sakurai in the semi-final round with a high-kick TKO before dispatching Jason High with high-kick yet again to snatch the inaugural DREAM welterweight title.
His opponent, Bae is a veteran of M-1 and MARS who makes his DREAM debut. Having won seven of his last eight fights, Bae looks to maintain his momentum against Zaromskis.
Katsuyori Shibata recently snapped his losing streak with a unanimous decision victory over Ikuhisa Minowa at DREAM 8. His opponent and fellow pro-wrestler, Tokimitsu Ishizawa, returns to MMA for the first time in nearly three years. A veteran of now defunct K-1 Hero’s and PRIDE, Ishizawa notched the most significant victory of his career in 2000 when he defeated the outlaw of Gracie clan, late Ryan Gracie.
Fujiwara, a featherweight ZST prospect, makes his leap to the big stage to take on DEEP veteran, Miyashita. Despite having only five professional bouts under his belt, Fujiwara has been rising through the ZST ranks with undefeated streak. Miyashita, on the other hand, has won four of his last five fights.
Finally, Japanese MMA legend, Sakuraba, who returned to action at DREAM 11 after a 10-month layoff, now breaks a two-and-half week hiatus to take on Mirko Cro Cop understudy, Zelg Galesic. Sakuraba scored a quick submission victory over MMA debutant, Rubin Williams, at DREAM 11, while Galesic last fought at DREAM 6 more than a year ago. Galesic lost to Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza in the semi-final round of DREAM Middleweight grand prix via submission.
Following is an updated line-up for DREAM 12:
* Zelg Galesic vs. Kazushi Sakuraba
* Tokimitsu Ishizawa vs. Katsuyori Shibata
* Marius Zaromskis vs. Myeon Ho Bae
* Keisuke Fujiwara vs. Tomoya Miyashita
* Paulo Filho vs. Yoon Dong Sik
* Chase Beebe vs. Yoshiro Maeda
* Eddie Alvarez vs. Katsunori Kikuno
* Kuniyoshi Hironaka vs. Won Sik Park