TheKenwyne Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 The last PRIDE Lightweight champion Takanori Gomi (31-5 (1 NC)) has signed for the UFC. An entertaining fighter with heavy hands who can hold his own on the ground, Gomi is a legend in his native Japan. He is best known in the west for his exciting fight against Nick Diaz that went to a no contest. His fight has been announced as a 'multi fight deal', suggesting he will have a tune up fight in the early part of 2010 with a championship bout with BJ Penn presumably on the horizon. Gomi is on a winning streak, his last to wins a submission against Takashi Nakamura in a Shooto event in May of 2009, and a unanimous desicion over Tony Hervey at VTJ 2009. For those wishing to familiriaze themselves with this exciting fighter: ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v29meWabRc ) - this is Part 1 of his fight against Diaz, and you'll be able to follow the link to part 2 on the site. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJzKhhT8ww0 ) - This is a highlight reel, though it's a bit out of date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franchise22 Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 despite alreadying beating him, im really excited to see Penn vs Gomi II. id suspect its the main reason they signed him. Now, do they feed him to penn right away and hype it like crazy? or do we see one or two fights from him ( risking him losing before penn) then getting a shot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansLanda11 Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 I'd love to see Gomi vs. Frankie Edgar or Gray Maynard, winner gets a shot to be deformed by BJ Penn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brashleyholland Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 They seem intent on finding reasons for Penn to stay at 155 (and who can blame them?), so props to the UFC for signing Gomi. It will be interesting to see how he does against some of the UFC guys. Florian, Guida, Edgar, Maynard, Diaz, Sherk, Griffin...all intriguing fights. Gomi peaked some years ago and has struggled ever since he was put to sleep by Aurelio. There's two ways the UFC could go with this: 1) Give Gomi a 'tune-up' against someone who'll break him in without threatening too much. Then go for the Penn/Gomi superfight sometime in the summer. 2) They give Edgar the next title shot and throw Gomi to the lions - the winner of Maynard/Diaz. Either way, Gomi has been so inconsistant over the past few years that anything outside of an instant title shot is a risk. Lets hope it pays off for Gomi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACCBiggz Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 Florian is the UFC's first choice for Gomi apprently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capelli King Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 should be good to see how this goes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACCBiggz Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 My prediction: Bad, if you are a Gomi fan. I truly believe Diego and Kenny are far superior to Takanori at this stage. Would rather see Gomi take on a lower lightweight in his first UFC bout. I'd imagine this could go on the same card as Penn/Edgar with winners meeting each other unless Maynard starts finishing people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKenwyne Posted January 6, 2010 Author Share Posted January 6, 2010 Five Ounces of Pain report Gomi's first fight likely against against either Kenny Florian or Spencer Fisher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris caulfield Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Five Ounces of Pain report Gomi's first fight likely against against either Kenny Florian or Spencer Fisher. Would really enjoy a kenflo vs. gomi fight but I think even though fisher is underrated in my eyes I think Gomi would steamroll him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tag01 Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Gomi isn't going to be able to hang in the UFC. In an ideal world I'd give him a tune up fight and then have him fight Penn with the full marketing blitz behind it. And Spencer Fisher is probably as much of an ideal, name fighter they could try and feed to Gomi. But at this point in his career i'm not sure if Gomi could beat Fisher or Nate Diaz, and I think he gets crushed by BJ, Diego, KenFlo, or Maynard. Still, I'm excited to see him aboard, and if he can somehow win his first fight in the UFC, the rematch with Penn would be massive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackman Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 despite alreadying beating him, im really excited to see Penn vs Gomi II. id suspect its the main reason they signed him. Now, do they feed him to penn right away and hype it like crazy? or do we see one or two fights from him ( risking him losing before penn) then getting a shot? A potential loss will always bring about a new challenger. I'd love to see him take on Penn though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACCBiggz Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 A potential loss will always bring about a new challenger. I'd love to see him take on Penn though. He's already fought Penn, and been choked out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franchise22 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 tito has been crushed twice but that isnt stopping a thrid match between the two.... so... Seeing Penn Gomi II on a big stage would be awesome. Rumble on the Rock wasnt a very big platform for such a huge match. UFC could hype it to the heavens (countdown ect) and i think would do alot of buys, including internationally (we know how important that is to the ufc, and they expressed tons of interest in japanese market.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franchise22 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 id also like to mention liddell/horn II. Clearky horn was not in chucks league at the time, but UFC did a great job promoting it., allowing liddell to avenge a loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brashleyholland Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Seeing Penn Gomi II on a big stage would be awesome. Rumble on the Rock wasnt a very big platform for such a huge match. It wasn't a huge match when it happened. Penn was 5-1-1, comming of a really lacklustre draw against Caol Uno. Gomi was comming off a loss in his first big test (Sato had already peaked and Mishima was never that good at 154) against Hansen. Like you say though, the UFC could promote the hell out of this fight if Gomi picks up a decent win beforehand. They wont mention that he's looked horrible and uninterested over the last couple of years. He'll be the big Japanese star and 90% of the the UFC fanbase wont know any different. they expressed tons of interest in japanese market. Not anymore - they tried to promote the UFC there, they tried to promote Pride there...neither worked. They have a small and insignificant distribution deal over there, but China, the Philippines and Korea are higher on the UFC's wish-list now. If they we're trying to make more headway into Japan, Gomi isn't exactly the way to go. His stock has fallen sharply in the last few years to the point that TV networks and advertisers aren't interested in him. There's no PPV market to speak of in Japan, money comes from corperate sponsors, advertising and live gates. Gomi and Uno are essentially worthless in that respect - Akiyama is another story though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKenwyne Posted January 7, 2010 Author Share Posted January 7, 2010 In less related news, Dana White has recently confirmed that the winner of Diaz/Maynard on Monday will face BJ Penn soon, possibly at the card in Abu Dhabi on April 10th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brashleyholland Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 In less related news, Dana White has recently confirmed that the winner of Diaz/Maynard on Monday will face BJ Penn soon, possibly at the card in Abu Dhabi on April 10th. Source for that? I know with 100% certainty that they are not interested in giving Nate Diaz a title shot yet, even if he beats Maynard again. Maynard is a possibility *if* he looks like a world-beater against Diaz, but still only a possibility. Most sources close the UFC and fighters in question are saying that Frankie Edgar is next, followed by Maynard. Like I said though, if The Bully comes out and smokes Diaz in spectacular fashion, there's a chance they'd stick him in off the back of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKenwyne Posted January 7, 2010 Author Share Posted January 7, 2010 http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Penn-Gunning-for-UFC-Abu-Dhabi-Slot-21887 Looks like Maynard is next, I misread it. Unless Diaz does what he does best and gets battered for 21/2 rounds only to win by submission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACCBiggz Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 tito has been crushed twice but that isnt stopping a thrid match between the two.... so... Seeing Penn Gomi II on a big stage would be awesome. Rumble on the Rock wasnt a very big platform for such a huge match. UFC could hype it to the heavens (countdown ect) and i think would do alot of buys, including internationally (we know how important that is to the ufc, and they expressed tons of interest in japanese market.) So because they are making a third between Chuck/Tito that means they should make a second with Gomi/Penn? Kind of backwards logic, especially considering Penn dominated Gomi in their fight at RotR (regardless of the stage, it doesn't effect the actual fight), has looked far far far better than at any other point in his career, and Gomi has been looking very average. That's personally why I don't want to see it yet, and why Dana has said he'll need to win a couple before getting a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brashleyholland Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Penn-Gunning-for-UFC-Abu-Dhabi-Slot-21887 Looks like Maynard is next, I misread it. Unless Diaz does what he does best and gets battered for 21/2 rounds only to win by submission. Doesn't say anywhere that White has suggested anyone will be the next challenger for Penn, just that Maynard "has been recognised as the top contender for Penn's crown at this time". By who exactly? Loretta? I try and avoid everything that woman writes, now I feel like I've been Rick-Rolled. As I said before, unless Maynard looks extra-ordinary against Diaz, look for Edgar to get the next title shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACCBiggz Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Edgar is who I expect, and Gross tweeted/reported as such last night: Hearing from several places Frankie Edgar is the front runner to fight BJ Penn in April. Nothing set in stone, but I'm told "very likely." And by very likely I take that to mean what I've thought for quite some time... he gets the shot unless Maynard does something spectacular against Diaz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capelli King Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 It wasn't a huge match when it happened. Penn was 5-1-1, comming of a really lacklustre draw against Caol Uno. Gomi was comming off a loss in his first big test (Sato had already peaked and Mishima was never that good at 154) against Hansen. yeah, something like the Tito vs Silva match in Japan (for the UFC) back then they were 2 good fighters on the rise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACCBiggz Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Not quite, Gomi - yes. Simply because he had already been Shooto champion and was right before his rise in PRIDE. Penn on the other hand was already considered the top 155 pound fighter in the world, and it was a match fans of the division had wanted. They came together in that fight as Penn wanted a big match to help put over RotR at the time. It's not like either of them were nobodies or rookies. Regardless, I wouldn't mind seeing the bout, but it's nothing I'm dying to see. Then when you consider how Gomi has looked in recent times and how Penn has finally dedicated himself (unlike the first bout) it really is not that interesting to me. I'd much rather see a rematch against Florian before a rematch with Gomi. But the current plan is to have Gomi win one or two before the title fight, and by that time I'll be fine with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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