Dream Bantamweight Tournament Set

Dream Bantamweight Tournament Set

DREAM's world bantamweight grand prix is set, and a few surprise names made the cut.

DREAM officials announced the eight participants and pairing for September's opening round, and the matchups include Antonio Banuelos (18-7) vs. Hideo Tokoro (30-23-1), Bibiano Fernandes (8-3) vs. Takafumi Otuska (12-8-1), Masakazu Imanari (23-9-2) vs. Abel Cullum (18-5) and Rodolfo Marques (12-1) vs. Yusup Saadulaev (8-0-1).

DREAM.17 takes place Sept. 24 at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

No North-American broadcast plans have been announced for the show.

A 13-time WEC veteran, Banuelos makes his DREAM debut after suffering a decision loss to Miguel Torres in the UFC's octagon. He faces Tokoro, who brings a four-fight win streak to the contest after capturing the promotion's eight-man Japan bantamweight grand prix tourney title.

Former featherweight Fernandes looks to rebound from a New Year's Eve loss to Hiroyuki Takaya against 12-time DEEP veteran Otsuka, who is just 2-4 in his past six outings.

Japan bantamweight grand prix runner-up and 11-year veteran Imanari draws Cullum, a nine-time King of the Cage fighter who looks to snap a two-fight losing streak.

Lastly, a pair of promising prospects make their promotional debuts as Nove Uniao's Marques meets undefeated Illini Saadulaev.

The current lineup for DREAM.17 now includes:

Antonio Banuelos vs. Hideo Tokoro*
Bibiano Fernandes vs. Takafumi Otuska*
Masakazu Imanari vs. Abel Cullum*
Rodolfo Marques vs. Yusup Saadulaev*
Joachim Hansen vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri
Shinya Aoki vs. Rob McCullough
Willamy Freire vs. Satoru Kitaoka
Takeshi Inoue vs. Caol Uno

http://mmajunkie.com/news/24697/dream-gp-banuelos-tokoro-fernandes-otsuka-cullum-imanari-marques-saadulaev.mma

i didnt know antonio was released

That card looks pretty badass.

HDNet needs to air it LIVE.

Yeah, the two week later stuff is no beuno/

GDPofDRC wrote:

Yeah, the two week later stuff is no beuno/

Fingers crossed.

http://mmajunkie.com/news/25292/dream-execs-set-10-bout-lineup-for-this-weekends-dream-17-event.mma
The lineup for this weekend's 10-bout DREAM.17 lineup is now officials.

Shinya Aoki vs. Rob McCullough headlines the Sept. 24 event, which takes
place at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, and airs live in the
U.S. on HDNet.

The event opens with the four quarterfinal matchups in DREAM's world bantamweight grand prix.

DREAM.17 is the first 2011 fight card from the Japanese-based promotion
to air live in the U.S. Tape-delayed airings of DREAM's two most recent
shows were due to the fact that the promotion, which encountered serious
financial difficulties in 2010 and much of 2011, had not yet decided to
forge ahead with live events. By the time it did, live programming was
no longer an option on the premium cable channel, DREAM's U.S.
representative Mike Kogan previously told MMAjunkie.com.

DREAM.17 is also the promotion's first to utilize the bout format
favored by American promoters. The fights will feature three,
five-minute rounds, as opposed to one 10-minute round followed by a
second five-minute round.

DREAM.17 airs live on HDNet this Saturday morning, Sept. 24, at 3 a.m. ET/12 a.m. PT.

The evening's full lineup includes:

• Shinya Aoki vs. Rob McCullough
  
• Joachim Hansen vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri
  
• Takeshi Inoue vs. Caol Uno
  
• Yan Cabral vs. Kazushi Sakuraba
  
• Willamy Freire vs. Satoru Kitaoka
  
• Gerald Harris vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura
  
• Antonio Banuelos vs. Hideo Tokoro (bantamweight grand-prix quarterfinal)
  
• Bibiano Fernandes vs. Takafumi Otuska (bantamweight grand-prix quarterfinal)
  
• Masakazu Imanari vs. Abel Cullum (bantamweight grand-prix quarterfinal)
  
• Rodolfo Marques vs. Yusup Saadulaev (bantamweight grand-prix quarterfinal)
  

OU wrote:

GDPofDRC wrote:

Yeah, the two week later stuff is no beuno/

Fingers crossed.

If I'm not doing anything, I might be down for a live viewing, if my chat arm is strong!!!

GDPofDRC wrote:

OU wrote:

GDPofDRC wrote:

Yeah, the two week later stuff is no beuno/

Fingers crossed.

If I'm not doing anything, I might be down for a live viewing, if my chat arm is strong!!!

I'm sure I can take a GOW break and watch this. It was fun staying up for the New Years show.

It's not as bad for you with West Coast time.

OU wrote:

GDPofDRC wrote:

OU wrote:

GDPofDRC wrote:

Yeah, the two week later stuff is no beuno/

Fingers crossed.

If I'm not doing anything, I might be down for a live viewing, if my chat arm is strong!!!

I'm sure I can take a GOW break and watch this. It was fun staying up for the New Years show.

thats crazy talk

killerofchicken wrote:

OU wrote:

GDPofDRC wrote:

OU wrote:

GDPofDRC wrote:

Yeah, the two week later stuff is no beuno/

Fingers crossed.

If I'm not doing anything, I might be down for a live viewing, if my chat arm is strong!!!

I'm sure I can take a GOW break and watch this. It was fun staying up for the New Years show.

thats crazy talk

I'll give the newbs time to ice that ass. I know it's sore from me raping them all day.

This card is legit. No way can they afford this payroll.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

This card is legit. No way can they afford this payroll.

Legit? You do know this is a non-Zuffa card? I guess that's why you had to throw in the payroll comment, part of your Zuffa contract.

it is so uncomfortable being called a zuffa shill. How did my defense of SF turn into that?

Wolfgangsta wrote:

it is so uncomfortable being called a zuffa shill. How did my defense of SF turn into that?

because u were ignoring the obvious indicators pointing to the demise of SF in that defense.

Not to mention going out of your way in both a Bellator and now DREAM thread to make some kind of negative remark.

When was the last time you honestly watched a non-zuffa card?

Bamma, a week ago. That said I've watched no SF challenger events this year prior to a couple months ago and missed most of the fight nights and some numbered cards this year in the UFC. Most of the SF I watched was on tape. I didn't watch Fedor lose live either time. I am kind of "back" now though. Anyway, there is no way they can afford this pay roll. No way. We'll be hearing about fights off this card unpaid in a year based on everything I've seen out of FEG in the last two years. There is no Zuffa shilling about that. Overeem came out this week and said he still hasn't been paid for winning the GP.

Not interested in all of these fights but there are a couple that should be good

This is a sick card. I can't believe there is this much talent on one card. Then again where these guys gonna fight?

future non payment won't stop me from staying up and watching this LIVE. Sick card indeed.

http://mmajunkie.com/news/25303/dream-17-adds-11th-bout-with-ikuhisa-minowa-vs-baru-harn-at-open-weight.mma
An open-weight bout between DREAM "Super Hulk" champion Ikuhisa
"Minowaman" Minowa (49-32-8 MMA, 7-5 DREAM) and Baru Harn (1-1 MMA, 0-0
DREAM) is the 11th addition to this weekend's DREAM.17 event.

DREAM officials today announced the fight.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

This card is legit. No way can they afford this payroll.

Man I just thought of that all those fighters should just no-show Dreams punk asses. I've been a fan of the Dream org but with all the fighters not being paid I don't understand how any of these fighters could take their "word" that they will get paid. I mean are all these fighters fuckin stupid. I like this card, might as well watch it, it should be good. But honestly when are fighters gonna start telling Dream to fuck off? If they ain't paying Reem guess what Razor Rob your getting your ass subed on TV for free lol dumbass.