Update : Omigawa signs with UFC, to debut against Chad Mendes

as per Ariel.

Posted by Ariel Helwani on 12/9/2010 at 1:48PM
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Japanese featherweight star Michihiro Omigawa has signed with the UFC and will debut against Chad Mendes in either February or March, Versus.com has learned from sources.

Omigawa, 12-8-1, has won his last five fights in a row and is 8-2-1 since dropping down to featherweight.

The 34-year-old Japanese fighter is universally considered one of the 10 best featherweights in the world. He has defeated the likes of Hatsu Hioki, Cole Escovedo, Marlon Sandro and Nam Phan.

It has been rumored for several months that he was in contract negotiations with Zuffa, the parent company of the UFC.

Mendes, 9-0, most recently defeated Javier Vazquez at WEC 52 via unanimous decision. The Team Alpha Male member debuted in WEC in March and has won his first four fights in WEC. This will mark his first fight in the UFC.

It is still unknown whether the fight will take place at UFC 126 in February or 128 in March.

Useful signing. Thinking about it, the somewhat lower exposure of these divisions in the US and globally (even though it's not nearly the same case in Japan) is gonna make it easier for the UFC to pump their divisions up trt style. The fight with Mendez is good. Right now I'm picking Mendez but ask me again in a week.

Omigawi is one of the most well respected guys outside the UFC in this division. This is a big signing. If Mendes wins, it's a big win for him, an upset win.

Great signing.

WOW this is awesome, never thoguht I would see Omigawa in the UFC again , happy he is back and man cant wait to see him in the division

I literally yelled "Yeah!!" when I read this. My wife gave me a weird look.

cant blame ya wolf
Omigawa is a pretty dangerous fighter right know and can give anynoe in the division a tough out

They are stockpiling these two divisions alot better know that they are under the UFC banner instead of the WEC banner

I think they are putting more effort into it now because of brand recognition. There were still people who either didn't know what WEC was or hadn't seen a WEC event until just last month. Now that the divisions are being folded into the UFC brand it's time to really get serious and sign what little of the top ten in each division they didn't already have.

It's a shame they gave him a blanket for his first fight back.

They had to give him someone in the top ten and most of the others are either not in the UFC yet or booked or injured.

yeah I know.

I dont see a problem with hinm fighting Mendes

My first thought "Awesome!!"
My second thought "I wish he wasn't fighting a LnP faggot"

Sweet.

Bout time. UFC is raiding Japan. Even they realize their FW division is past best if sold by date. Kid and Omigawa are big pick ups. Bibiano is probably next.

It certainly was a great signing for the UFC, name recognition is really going to do favors for the FW and BW divisions. On Omigawa, aside from commenting on the obvious angle of Japanese FW/BWs in the US/UFC, this guy has really killed it since dropping down a division. Some very impressive wins since the drop. Before moving down, if you remember he was in the UFC as a LW with loses to like Winman and Tavares. Now has a win over Sandro and Hioki I believe. That said, I wouldn't be surpirsed to see Mendes win here, infact I'd probably pick him via takedowns and LnP.

I was hoping him and Sandro would rematch, I had Sandro winning that on my score card. It was a close fight but I don't agree with the title tiebreaker method they used. It's not out of the question that they still might rematch one day.

I like it!