MMA News

World Victory Road presents Sengoku: “Eleventh Battle,” taking place in the famed Sumo Hall, Ryogoku Kokugikan on November 7, has come to a close.

The event delivered a nine-fight card live via HDNEt and more than fulfilled the MMA enthusiasts’ thirst for thrilling competition, showcasing several wars of attrition, a barn burner of main event and a number of quick finishes that kept the live and TV audience on the edge of their seat.

As the last event of the year before the Sengoku Raiden Championship on New Year’s Eve, Sengoku 11 served as an invigorating prelude to the year-end extravaganza.

Without further ado, check out our complete fight recap after the jump.

Shigeki Osawa vs. Ronnie Mann

The night kicked off with a three-round scrap between the British prospect, Ronnie Mann and former amateur wrestling superstar, Kenji Osawa. Mann, the far more experienced of the two, staged a MMA clinic against Osawa, who made his debut on Sengoku’s main card.

Mann surprised many as he fearlessly pursued takedowns against the world class wrestler. He kept busy on the feet and on the ground to stay one step ahead of Osawa, threatening with several submission attempts. Osawa kicked up to a higher gear with forty seconds left in the final round, feverishly working the top control and ground-and-pound; however, his effort proved belated as Mann walked away with a majority decision.

Dave Herman vs. Jim York

Dave “Pee Wee” Herman notched another KO victory with a raw display of striking acumen. York took control of the stand-up exchange. With his hands hovering dangerously low, Herman got tagged repeatedly on the feet and found himself on the back. York snatched his feet for an ankle lock. Herman briefly countered with toe hold but switched gears to hammer York with heel strikes – Herman’s heel landed flush on York’s jaw to add another stoppage victory to the ledger of the unstoppable “Pee Wee.”

Marlon Sandro vs. Yuji Hoshino

In a match pitting the current champions of two Japanese promotions, Marlon Sandro took one home for Pancrase as he made a quick work of Cage Force featherweight champion, Yuji Hoshino.

After a sluggish start that saw the fighters stall in the clinch, Sandro exploded forward with a flurry of mile-wide hooks to counter Hoshino’s kick: Sandro’s strikes penetrated through the gaping void above Hoshino’s low guard and landed flush on the chin.

Having shut off Hoshino’s light, Sandro earned his 15^th career W and rebounded from the galling loss to Michihiro Omigawa in the semi-final round of the featherweight grand prix.

Akihiro Gono vs. Yoon Young Kim

Akihiro Gono forwent his trademark pageantry – he instead trudged to the ring with solemn expression. Upon his return to ring after a devastating KO loss to Dan Hornbuckle, he seemed devoid of his usual pizzazz: His nerves manifested in the frustratingly hesitant tussle he waged for the first two rounds.

The first round unfolded as a tentatively paced striking contest with both fighters’ trading low kicks and jab-right cross combinations. Round two proceeded in a similar fashion: Kim displayed crisp body punch combinations while Gono remained unable to pull his trigger. On the mat, Gono looked equally sluggish on the ground, content to maintain the top position.

Gono started the final round with urgency and staggered Kim with a right hand to the jaw. Finally displaying a semblance of momentum, he inflicted further damage with a series of punches and a jumping knee. Gono eked out a unanimous decision victory.

Immediately after the fight, he took the mic and demonstrated surprising English proficiency to deliver a message to his last opponent, Dan Hornbuckle: The humble veteran congratulated Hornbuckle for the victory in their bout and thanked him for the wake-up call to train harder. He concluded the message with a plea for rematch and word of encouragement in light of Hornbuckle’s possible showdown with Makoto Takimoto for the welterweight belt.

Kevin Randleman vs. Stanislav Nedkov

Upon his return to Japan, UFC and PRIDE veteran, Kevin Randleman met the undefeated Bulgarian prospect, Stanislav Nedkov for a three-round war of attrition. They traded takedowns and top control throughout the fight. An extremely close contest prompted two of the judges score it a draw and the third ruling in favor of Nedkov: In accordance with the promotional rule, the two judges were forced to overturn their verdict and pick the winner. In the end, Nedkov walked away with a split decision victory to keep his undefeated record intact.

Kazunori Yokota vs. Eiji Mitsuoka

In one of the two matches pitting top lightweight contenders, Mitsuoka and Yokota showcased a collision of “power and speed,” per the pre-fight billing. Mitsuoka showed his momentum in the first round by scoring takedowns, wearing off Yokota with knee strikes and dirty boxing from the clinch, and securing advantageous positions on the ground.

Yokota proved resilient in the second and third round, peppering Mitsuoka with crisp, straight punches. Mitsuoka kept pace with stifling wrestling but ultimately proved unable to do much more than locking up Yokota with body lock. Yokota also revealed a glimpse of his judo background with an exquisite judo throw in the second round.

After a three-round war of attrition, Yokota edged Mitsuoka with unanimous decision.

Satoru Kitaoka vs. Jorge Masvidal

After having his momentum halted and belt wrested, the former lightweight champion, Satoru Kitaoka experienced another deflating loss against Jorge Masvidal.

Kitaoka had his moment in the first round, as he threatened to wrench Masvidal’s foot off with his signature heel hook. Masvidal persevered and eventually spun out of the submission. After the arduous takedown and submission effort, Kitaoka precipitously lost steam. Seemingly on auto pilot, Kitaoka persisted for one anemic takedown attempt after another but Masvidal countered with guillotine choke attempt and mercilessly punished him with ground-and-pound. The first round ended with Kitaoka bruised and struggling to walk back to his corner.

Wobbling on his feet, Kitaoka started the second round with (gasp!) another takedown. Kitaoka dug deep for every last ounce of strength to lock in a toe hold that looked tight: Again, Masvidal spun out. A slumped heap of flesh at this point, Kitaoka gave another futile attempt for takedown but eventually succumbed to Masvidal’s barrage of punches.

With a stoppage victory, Masvidal made a strong case for title shot against the current champion, Mizuto Hirota.

Jorge Santiago vs. Mamed Khalidov

In the upset special of the night, Mamed Khalidov made a quantum leap from the obscure corner to the forefront of the MMA world.

In a non-title bout against the reigning Sengoku champion and top-ranked middleweight, Jorge Santiago, the Chechen-Polish fighter sent a shockwave throughout Ryogoku Kokugikan with his granite fist.

After a slow start to the fight which saw Santiago breeze through the first round with top control on the ground, Khalidov put an exclamation mark with a punch that turned the tide: After bucking Santiago off, he got up and stunned him with a single blow, forcing the champion to turtle up. Khalidov then swarmed him with a flurry of punches until the referee intervened.

Hatsu Hioki vs. Michihiro Omigawa

In an entertaining scrap to cap off the night, Hioki and Omigawa went toe to toe in a gripping stand-up action. After a feeling-out process on the feet to begin the first round, Omigawa landed a crisp right cross.

The first significant strike of the fight served as a wake-up call for Hioki to force Omigawa into his domain. He maintained top control and peppered Omigawa relentlessly with short punches. Toward the end of the round, he secured a back mount and rolled into an arm bar, forcing Omigawa at his mercy for the last thirty seconds.

In the second round, the two fighters continued with the action on the feet. While Omigawa sought to navigate past Hioki’s reach and land big shots, Hioki countered with short straight punches to keep his foe at the end of his reach. In addition to the rudimentary but effective striking, Hioki again showcased fluid grappling on the ground.

In the third round, Omigawa turned up the heat in the striking exchange. Though neither fighter showed a decisive advantage, Omigawa started finding the target with his punches and seized the momentum in spurts. The partisan crowd sat on the edge of their seat and went into frenzy over his valiant effort.

After fifteen minutes of feverish action, Omigawa walked away with a split decision victory that sent the HDNet broadcast team into throes of disbelief – a controversial decision that reeks of favoritism and dubious judging certainly puts a damper on the entertaining bout and punctuates an otherwise solid night of action on a sour note.

Stay tuned to MMAmania for post-fight reports and other scoops on the aftermath of the event.

With the penultimate month of the year under way, World Victory Road (WVR) is set to host Sengoku: “Eleventh Battle” TONIGHT (Nov. 7) at the famed Sumo Hall, Ryogoku Kokugikan, in Tokyo, Japan.

This will be the final event before WVR inaugurates the new “Sengoku Raiden Championship” banner on New Year’s Eve.

Sengoku 11 will air LIVE via HDNet beginning at 2:00 AM ET.

Besides boasting several marquee names, the fight card also serves as a prelude to the year end event: With at least three title contests scheduled on NYE, several fighters on the card will enter the ring for high-stake battles to earn the title shots.

For those of you Maniacs following the fights as they go down (or those of you that are just along for the ride), go ahead and sound off in the comments section with any results, news, photos and videos — it’s an open thread, so go crazy.

Just try your hardest to keep it Sengoku related.

Be sure to check back a little later this morning for our results and complete recap. In the meantime, have at it.

We want to hear from you.

If you need to get up to speed on what’s happening with this card be sure to check out our comprehensive “Eleventh Battle” preview here.

World Victory Road (WVR) held the weigh-in and pre-fight press conference earlier today for Sengoku 11, which takes place on Nov. 7 at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan.

It’s a a fight card stacked from top to bottom that includes several high-stakes battles heading into the colossal New Year’s Eve event. Sengoku 11 will airs LIVE in North America on Nov. 7 at 2:00 AM ET (Friday night running into Saturday) courtesy of HDNet.

The event sees a pair of veteran fighters — Kevin Randleman and Akihiro Gono — return to action. The night of action culminates with co-main events that feature the reigning middleweight champion, Jorge Santiago against the Polish standout and Sengoku newcomer, Mamed Khalidov, as well as the showdown between featherweight top contenders, Hatsu Hioki and Michihiro Omigawa.

Maniacs, stock up on Red Bull and midnight munchies!

Click here for the event preview.

Check out the complete Sengoku 11 weigh-in results after the jump:

FW: Hatsu Hioki (64.9kg / 143 lbs) vs. Michihiro Omigawa (64.9kg / 143 lbs)

MW: Jorge Santiago (83kg / 182.9 lbs) vs. Mamed Khalidov (82.4kg / 181.6 lbs)

LW: Satoru Kitaoka (70kg / 154.3 lbs) vs. Jorge Masvidal (70kg / 154.3 lbs)

LW: Kazunori Yokota (69.7kg / 153.6 lbs) vs. Eiji Mitsuoka (70kg / 154.3 lbs)

LHW: Kevin Randleman (92.1kg / 203 lbs) vs. Stanislav Nedkov (92.5kg / 203.9 lbs)

WW: Akihiro Gono (76kg / 167.5 lbs) vs. Yoon Young Kim (75.8kg / 167.1 lbs)

FW: Marlon Sandro (65kg / 143.3 lbs) vs. Yuji Hoshino (65kg / 143.3 lbs)

HW: Dave Herman (108.7kg / 239.6 lbs) vs. Jim York (116.3kg / 256.3 lbs)

FW: Shigeki Osawa (64.8kg / 142.8 lbs) vs. Ronnie Mann (64.6kg / 142.4 lbs)

“Fight of the Soul” (Intermission) – Featherweight – 2R x 5 min.
Hirokazu “Bull” Konno (64.8kg / 142.8 lbs) vs. Tomoaki Ueyama (64.7kg /42.6 lbs)

Opening Bout – Bantamweight – 2R x 5 min.
Yuichiro Yajima (56.8kg / 125.2 lbs) vs. Ryota Uozomi (56.8kg / 125.2 lbs)

With the penultimate month of the year under way, World Victory Road (WVR) hosts Sengoku: “Eleventh Battle” on Nov. 7 at the famed Sumo Hall, Ryogoku Kokugikan, in Tokyo, Japan.

This will be the final event before WVR inaugurates the new, “Sengoku Raiden Championship” banner on NYE.

Sengoku 11 will air live on Nov. 7 via HDNet beginning at 2:00 AM ET (Friday night into Saturday).

Besides boasting several marquee names, the fight card also serves as a prelude to the NYE event: With at least three title contests scheduled on NYE, several fighters on the card will enter the ring for high-stake battles to earn the title shots.

Let’s get to it:

Ronnie Mann vs. Shigeki Osawa: British prospect vs. Sengoku-poster-boy-in-training

Ronnie Mann (16-2-1), a veteran of Cage Rage and Cage Gladiators, returns to Sengoku after his stint in the promotion’s featherweight tournament was curtailed by Hatsu Hioki. Despite his impressive record, he remains a bit of an unknown quantity, having defeated the then 3-0 Tetsuya Yamada at Sengoku 7 but falling to the top-ranked Hioki in less than a round. With a background in boxing and wrestling and ten submission victories under his belt, the 23 year-old displays promise; however, he has yet to transcend the confine of his home country to make an impact on an international stage.

Shigeki Osawa (4-0), a fighter under Sengoku’s Fighter Development program, makes the first big leap in his nascent career with a move up to the main card. While fitting snugly in the collegiate-wrestler-turned-MMA fighter mold, Osawa boasts no ordinary achievement: Billed as a “gem that surfaces once every twenty years” during his prodigious collegiate wrestling career, he capped off a long list of accolades in the sport with a gold medal in the World Collegiate Freestyle Wrestling tournament in Greece. In his three previous Sengoku appearances, he triumphed in the opening bouts. Now facing a step-up in competition, the ambitious 24 year-old is ready to showcase his developing striking ability and of course, his bread-and-butter takedown.

Slugfest alert: Dave “Pee-Wee” Herman vs. “Big” Jim York

Dave “Pee-Wee” Herman (15-1), who has yet to see a judge’s score card in his career, faces an equally decision-proof “Big” Jim York (11-3) in the lone heavyweight contest of the night.

Herman looks to atone for his lone career loss to Mu Bae Choi in his Japanese debut at Sengoku’s New Year show ten months ago. He most recently recorded a 60-second TKO victory over Don Frye at Shark Fights 6. Now dedicated to training full-time, Herman has been working to evolve from a raw talent with abundant athleticism to a full-fledged MMA fighter.

York’s Sengoku record stands at 1-2 with a KO victory over James Thompson and losses to Yoshihiro Nakao and Antonio Silva. York possesses power in his hands but his plodding stand-up and limited grappling bodes ill against the explosive and relentless Herman. If he indeed suffers his third loss in Sengoku, he most likely does so in a fantastic manner – better to light up a fistic firework and go out with a bang than fizzle out in a snoozefest.

Potential sleeper of the night: Marlon Sandro vs. Yuji Hoshino

Sengoku featherweight tournament semi-finalist, Marlon Sandro (14-1) and Cage Force featherweight champion, Yuji Hoshino (16-6-7) lock horns to establish themselves at the top echelon of the division.

Sandro is visibly aggravated over getting the short end of the stick in a controversial split decision verdict against Michihiro Omigawa in the semi-final round of the featherweight tournament. When willing to let his hands go, he demonstrates good power that gives him a decisive advantage on the feet against Hoshino.

If the fight hits the mat, expect a clash of styles between a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu ace and strong wrestler who thrives on top control. Hoshino, an accomplished collegiate Greco-Roman wrestler, has been undefeated since June, 2005. He has been able to capitalize on his takedown, fluid guard passing, and top control since settling in the current weight class. In the Cage Force featherweight tournament in 2008, he triumphed over current DREAM fighter, Akiyo Nishiura, and highly touted Shooto veteran, Antonio Carvalho.

Do-or-die for “Japanese Sensation”: Akihiro Gono vs. Yoon Young Kim

Currently on a three-fight skid, PRIDE and UFC veteran, Akihiro Gono (29-15-7) risks fading into the twilight of his career against Yoon Young Kim (12-4). In his last fight, he ended up on a wrong side of the highlight-reel head kick KO courtesy of Dan Hornbuckle.

In his 51 career bouts, he has faced opponents of every stylistic stripe; Kim, long-limbed submission specialist, poses no novel threat to him. Despite the cataclysmic ending to his last fight, he looked sharp with his strikes and more than held his own in the grappling department. Kim, a Spirit MC and DEEP veteran, holds eight submission victories and is no “gimme” opponent for Gono. Expect Gono to fight with a sense of urgency and restore himself to the winning column.

“Monster” returns to Japan: Kevin Randleman vs. Stanislav Nedkov

Kevin Randleman (17-13) returns to action after a lackluster decision loss to Mike Whitehead in Strikeforce in June. The “Monster” meets the undefeated Bulgarian prospect, Stanislav Nedkov (7-0). Randleman, a former UFC heavyweight champion, remains a threat with his takedown but his offense runs its course once the fight hits the mat.

Nedkov made his Sengoku debut at Sengoku 8 and managed to eke out a TKO victory over grizzled veteran, Travis Wiuff, after being penalized for low blows. He has proven to be a capable grappler, and as long as he stays composed after being put on his back, he should have no problem scrambling back to his feet, reversing position, or submitting Randleman.

Top lightweight contender match 1: Kazunori Yokota vs. Eiji Mitsuoka

In a fight billed as the “collision of speed and power,” Yokota (10-2-3) and Mitsuoka (16-6-2) vie to punch their tickets for a title shot against Mizuto Hirota on NYE.

Yokota has been quietly making his name as a versatile contender: He out-struck and out-grappled the current lightweight champion, Hirota, in Sengoku’s lightweight grand prix last year and fought Brazilian Jiu Jitsu phenom, Leonardo Santos, to a split decision victory. In his last fight, he knocked out Ryan Schultz to win his first stoppage victory in Sengoku. In addition to a repertoire of throws from the clinch thanks to his judo background, he boasts crisp striking, agility, and relentless pace on the feet. As he has stated in recent interviews, his speed and control of the striking exchange will be the key to his victory in this fight.

Mitsuoka has been on a tear since making his Sengoku debut last year. In his five Sengoku bouts, he has recorded four victories – all via submission in the first round. A strong wrestler and wily technician on the ground, he has made his name in Japan for thriving in caged promotions. His best bet against Yokota would be to utilize his wrestling to seize control on the ground; however, taking down Yokota is no easy task due to his heavy hips.

While Yokota is the more fleet-footed and possesses the faster hands of the two, he has displayed a detrimental habit of dropping his hands and carrying his chin too high: If Mitsuoka can fire off a perfectly-timed counter as he did against Rodrigo Damm, he will not only pick up his first KO victory in Sengoku but also make a strong case for the title shot.

Top lightweight contender match 2: Satoru Kitaoka vs. Jorge Masvidal

The former lightweight champion, Kitaoka (25-9-9), takes his first step back toward reclaiming the belt as he takes on the American Top Team prospect, Jorge Masvidal (18-4).

A hyper-aggressive grappler combining brute muscularity with slick submission skills, Kitaoka makes no secret of his plan: Take the fight to the mat and finish Masvidal with his patented leg locks, guillotine choke, or some other tricks up his sleeve. As long as his gas tank lasts three rounds, he will be able to overwhelm Masvidal with relentless takedown and submission threat.

A caveat in the above scenario is that, while capable of putting away world class fighters like Carlos Condit and Paul Daley, he has piled up losses and draws against journeyman opponents due to his inconsistency. Unfortunately, Masvidal is a dangerous enough opponent to potentially throw a wrench in Kitaoka’s plan for victory.

Masvidal also pulls no punches regarding his strategy: Swarm Kitaoka with strikes at 100 mph and score a knockout. His challenge, of course, is to avoid being forced into defensive by Kitaoka’s bulldozing style. While his maturation from an entertaining brawler to versatile fighter looked remarkable against lesser opponents in Bellator FC, it is doubtful whether his takedown and submission defense will hold up against Kitaoka.

Do not expect this one to go the distance: Whoever ends the fight with his hand raised will make a strong case for the title shot.

Sengoku middleweight champ vs. Beast from Eastern Europe: Jorge Santiago vs. Mamed Khalidov

Jorge Santiago (21-7) returns to Sengoku after capturing the title with his victory over Kazuo Misaki in January. He takes on Mamed Khalidov (19-3-1), a fighter out of Poland with four-year undefeated streak in a non-title affair.

Both fighters are proven finishers, and if they carry on their business as usual in the ring, they likely will put on a fight-of-the-night-caliber performance. Khalidov, who possesses a background in full-contact karate and wrestling, has torn through his competition in his native Poland with a notable victory over PRIDE veteran, Daniel Acacio. He has proven to have heavy hands that could be a potent weapon against Santiago, whose chin has failed him against Chris Leben and Alan Belcher.

Santiago has struggled against competent strikers like Belcher and Misaki, but his versatility and experience against higher-caliber opponents should help him chart a route to victory against Khalidov. Khalidov is an aggressive striker with proven submission savvy against lower-caliber opponents in European promotions; however, Santiago is the more polished fighter who is capable of countering everything Khalidov throws at him and seizing control of the fight.

Expect Santiago to finish Khalidov with a submission and await his title defense on NYE.

Featherweight title challenger match: Hatsu Hioki vs. Michihiro Omigawa

Hatsu Hioki (20-3-2) and Michihiro Omigawa (7-8-1) square off for a title shot against Masanori Kanehara.

Hioki defeated Kanehara in the semi-final match of the featherweight grand prix but was forced to withdraw due to injury. Omigawa became the tournament surprise as he edged past three tournament favorites – LC Davis, Nam Phan, and Marlon Sandro – to reach the final.

Hioki boasts the most fluid and dangerous grappling game in the featherweight division. Known for his top control, ground-and-pound, and active guard-passing, he is equally dangerous off his back. Omigawa is simply no match for Hioki on the ground.

In the grand prix, Omigawa showcased not only his newly found strength at featherweight division that accentuates his judo but vastly improved hands. He has always been relentless on his feet – whereas he was once a reckless brawler, he has now equipped himself with footwork, head movement, and better all-around techniques to threaten his opponents with his power. If he can control the pace and pressure Hioki on the feet, a victory is within his reach, as Hioki’s downfall in the past has been his tendency to become overconfident in his reach advantage in the striking exchange: Hioki does not possess the technical proficiency to capitalize on his reach and pick apart his opponent with strikes.

If Hioki stays smart and takes the fight to his domain, it is a matter of time before he locks in a submission or time runs out and he receives the judge’s nod.

That’s a wrap. Be sure to check us out on Fight Night for the best Sengoku discussion on the Net. In the meantime, get up to speed with our Sengoku 11 archive here.

World Victory Road has announced that an opening bout between bantamweights, Ryota Uozomi (9-2-2) and Yuichiro Yajima (9-9-1), to consummate the Sengoku “Eleventh Battle” fight card.

The event takes place on Nov. 7 at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, and airs in North America on HDNet where Uozomi and Yajima will make their promotional debuts.

Uozomi, a veteran of Japanese indie circuit, Kingdom Ehrgeiz, has also fought in established organizations such as DEEP and Cage Force. He has won six of his last eight bouts, most recently fighting Ryuko Wada at the tenth anniversary event for the Kingdom; the bout was ruled a No Contest after one of the combatants landed an accidental groin kick.

Yajima, a long-time veteran of ZST, comes off a first-round submission victory in Pancrase last month. A fighter with background in Zendokan karate, he made his professional debut in 2004 after becoming a finalist in the 2000 Eastern Japan Shooto Amateur Open Tournament. His professional career has been dogged with inconsistency, as he has struggled to string together more than two consecutive victories.

With the addition of Uozomi-Yajima tilt, the Sengoku-”Eleventh Battle” fight card now consists of nine main card fights, one opening bout, and a “Fight of the Soul” bout that will take place during the intermission.

The full fight card stands as follows:

Hatsu Hioki vs. Michihiro Omigawa
Yuji Hoshino vs. Marlon Sandro
Ronnie “Ushiwaka” Mann vs. Shigeki Osawa
Eiji Mitsuoka vs. Kazunori Yokota
Satoru Kitaoka vs. Jorge Masvidal
Dave Herman vs. Jim York
Stanislav Nedkov vs. Kevin Randleman
Mamed Khalidov vs. Jorge Santiago
Akihiro Gono vs. Yoon Young Kim
Hirokazu “Bull” Konno vs. Tomoaki Ueyama
Ryota Uozomi vs. Yuichiro Yajima

For more on Sengoku 11 click here.

Jorge Santiago vs. Mamed Khalidov and Kevin Randleman vs. Stanislav Nedkov have been on the radar for a while as the fight cards for Sengoku – “Eleventh Battle” took shape.

The World Victory Road has finally confirmed their addition to the Nov. 7 event that will take place at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.

Sengoku Middleweight champion, Jorge Santiago (21-7) will break a ten-month hiatus to step into the ring with Chechen-Polish standout, Mamed Khalidov (19-3-1) in a non-title affair.

Santiago has been on a red-hot streak since his TKO loss to Alan Belcher in UFC in December 2006. He has strung together a nine-fight winning streak over the likes of Jeremy Horn, Trevor Prangley, Sean Salomon, and Kazuo Misaki, finishing all nine opponents.

Earlier this year, he capped off his remarkable run through the Sengoku middleweight tourney by defeating Kazuo Misaki via rear naked choke in the fifth round of the inaugural Sengoku middleweight championship battle.

Khalidov has been tearing through the European promotions, most notably KSW. He introduced himself to the American audience when he defeated Jason Guida at the ShoXC – Elite Challenger Series last October. In his last fight, he notched the most significant victory of his career, knocking out the PRIDE veteran and Chute Boxe Academy member, Daniel Acacio at KSW 11.

Like Santiago, Khalidov is a proven finisher, having earned 18 of his 19 victories via stoppage. Also, he is riding a 17-fight undefeated streak, not having lost since September, 2005.

Former UFC Heavyweight champion and PRIDE staple, Kevin “Monster” Randleman (17-13) makes his return to the Sengoku ring and squares off withunbeaten Bulgarian prospect, Stanislav Nedkov (7-0).

Randleman will fight for the first time since dropping a unanimous decision to Mike Whitehead at “Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields” in June. Returning after a year-long hiatus, Randleman looked tentative and sluggish throughout the three-round bout against Whitehead.

He looks to bounce back from the lackluster performance and piece together the W’s that has largely eluded him since upsetting Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic in PRIDE in 2004. At Sengoku 11, he will make his second appearance in the promotion: He made his Sengoku debut at Sengoku: “Second Battle” where he notched a unanimous decision victory over Ryo Kawamura.

Nedkov made his Sengoku debut on a high note in May at Sengoku: “Eighth Battle” by scoring a TKO victory over the grizzled veteran, Travis Wiuff. A fighter with strong wrestling base, Nedkov has reeled off seven consecutive stoppage victories in organizations such as Shooto, Pancrase, and now, Sengoku, since his pro debut in 2007. He will now look to add another high-profile name to his resume with a victory over Kevin Randleman.

With the fight cards nearing completion, following is the line-up for Sengoku – “Eleventh Battle”:

Hatsu Hioki vs. Michihiro Omigawa
Kazunori Yokota vs. Eiji Mitsuoka
Jorge Santiago vs. Mamed Khalidov
Satoru Kitaoka vs. Jorge Masvidal
Dave Herman vs. Jim York
Kevin Randleman vs. Stanislav Nedkov
Marlon Sandro vs. Yuji Hoshino

As it stands, Akihiro Gono is the only remaining fighter whose participation has been rumored but has not received an opponent.

For more on Sengoku 11 click here.