Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez will face off against the DEEP 154-pound titleholder Katsunori Kikuno at DREAM.12 on Oct. 25 in Osaka, Japan.
DREAM announced Tuesday Alvarez vs. Kikuno along with another bout featuring a lightweight champ, Cage Force's Kuniyoshi Hironaka taking on Won Sik Park.
Also official is its partner Strikeforce's influence on the company. DREAM.12 will kick off an annual special of having fights inside a six-sided white cage and contested under three, five-minute rounds.
Alvarez (18-2) returns to Japan after winning all three of his fights in 2009 from April to June en route to capturing the Bellator season one championship. Due to the postponement of season two, Bellator champions have been allowed to compete elsewhere and Alvarez comes back to the promotion that hosted his climb to the top 10 world rankings in 2008.
DEEP veteran Kikuno (12-1-1) lost in his third career bout in February 2006 and has not lost since, winning 10 and drawing one in his next 11 fights. In July, Kikuno smiled, crescent kicked and ground and pounded his way towards a TKO win over Andre "Dida" Amade at DREAM.10.
Two weeks ago Hironaka (12-6) stopped Yoshihiro Koyama for the Cage Force lightweight title to give his fading career new life. He had entered the title fight after a 1-3 stint with the UFC and 1-1 return to Japan with DREAM.
Won Sik Park (7-1-1) out of the CMA Korea Ulsan Gym has been slowly making a name for himself with wins in the DEEP and MARS organizations. He has not lost since his MMA debut in October 2006.
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