World Victory Road has selected two New Zealanders as opponents against former EliteXC heavyweight champion Antonio Silva and 2004 Olympic judo silver medalist Hiroshi Izumi for Sengoku 10 on Sept. 23 in Tokyo, Japan.
Silva (12-1) will face "Big" Jim York (11-2) in a heavyweight bout that should earn the winner a title shot later this year. Silva is making his second appearance in Japan since ignoring his steroids suspension following his EliteXC title win against the late Justin Eilers in July 2008. In his promotional debut for World Victory Road in January, Silva won early in the first round when his opponent Yoshihiro "Kiss" Nakao injured his knee from a leg kick. York is coming off a knockout win over James Thompson in Sengoku 7 and holds claim to never going to a decision in his 13-fight career.
Izumi, one of two Olympic judokas signed by Sengoku in 2009, will be making his MMA debut against another newcomer, kickboxing titleholder Antz Nansen.
Main Card
Hiroshi Izumi vs. Antz Nansen
Antonio Silva vs. "Big" Jim York
Makoto Takimoto vs. Lee Jae Sun
Kazunori Yokota vs. Ryan Schultz
Maximo Blanco vs. Tetsuya Yamada
Joe Doerksen vs. Takenori Sato
Nick Thompson vs. Dan Hornbuckle
Ryo Kawamura vs. Fabio Silva
Prelims
Ikuo Usuda vs. Baek Woo Hyun
Shigeki Osawa vs. Kim Ki Hyun
Ryosuke Komori vs. So Jee Hyun
Silva (12-1) will face "Big" Jim York (11-2) in a heavyweight bout that should earn the winner a title shot later this year. Silva is making his second appearance in Japan since ignoring his steroids suspension following his EliteXC title win against the late Justin Eilers in July 2008. In his promotional debut for World Victory Road in January, Silva won early in the first round when his opponent Yoshihiro "Kiss" Nakao injured his knee from a leg kick. York is coming off a knockout win over James Thompson in Sengoku 7 and holds claim to never going to a decision in his 13-fight career.
Izumi, one of two Olympic judokas signed by Sengoku in 2009, will be making his MMA debut against another newcomer, kickboxing titleholder Antz Nansen.
Main Card
Hiroshi Izumi vs. Antz Nansen
Antonio Silva vs. "Big" Jim York
Makoto Takimoto vs. Lee Jae Sun
Kazunori Yokota vs. Ryan Schultz
Maximo Blanco vs. Tetsuya Yamada
Joe Doerksen vs. Takenori Sato
Nick Thompson vs. Dan Hornbuckle
Ryo Kawamura vs. Fabio Silva
Prelims
Ikuo Usuda vs. Baek Woo Hyun
Shigeki Osawa vs. Kim Ki Hyun
Ryosuke Komori vs. So Jee Hyun
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