UFC signs Japanese Top 10 Middleweight Akiyama

Published on: 24th February, 2009

UFC signs Japanese Top 10 Middleweight Akiyama  | read this item

UFC signs Akiyama (R)

UFC president Dana White has made it no secret that he is looking to sign the best fighters from Japan and today he added another standout to his roster in Yoshihiro Akiyama (12-1). The K-1 Hero’s/ Dream standout who owns wins over Melvin Manhoef and Denis Kang will now join a Middleweight division that is looking deeper after every event. Akiyama’s signing comes only weeks after the announcement that the UFC also signed veteran Caol Uno as well.

The UFC officially announced the signing of the Japanese standout on their Official Website and Dana White had this to say about the acquisition.

Akiyama is so popular he is sponsored by Nike

“I’m excited to bring Akiyama into the UFC and I can see him making an immediate impact in the middleweight division,” said UFC President Dana White. “Besides his great judo and submission game, he’s a finisher, and UFC fans are going to love watching him because he always shows up to fight.”

A press conference in Japan and Korea was also officially announced as well to mark the signing of the popular Asian fighter.

In his last few months at Dream, Akiyama was offered a long list of opponents to continue with the promotion, but turned down several easy fights to wait out the expiration of his contract.  In the UFC he will not receive the same ability to hand pick his opponents and will probably face some of the promotion’s best Middleweights right away.

While no official opponent or event was announced for his debut we will let you know as soon as we hear official word on who he will fight first.

 Alberto Martinez "The Narcisist" is the founding owner of URDirt.com. If you would like to post on the front page or in our New "Fan Jab" section all you need to do is register. Read more from this author

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