March 8th, 2009 Featherweight GP Participants: Masakazu Imanari Hiroyuki Takaya Takafumi Otsuka Hideo Tokoro Wicky Akiyo Atsushi Yamamoto Bibiano Fernandes Micah Miller Chase Beebe Joe Warren Kim Jong Won Winner of Shoji Maruyama vs. Daiki "DJ.taiki" Hata which takes place on a Deep card next week. They haven't decided yet if Kid will be in the GP due to his injury but if he is in he will be seeded to the 2nd round. Do any of you American's know much about Joe Warren? I've read he is an American Greco Roman wrestler and missed the Olympics due to a 2 year suspension for testing positive for marijuana. There are 2 more slots left, if Kid is in. Would be good to see Maeda in if he still isn't in the WEC.
:yep I also wouldn't mind Tokoro winning it but I don't think he will. Bibiano Fernandes is a talented guy, I think he can go far in this GP.
Opening round matches have been announced:- Masakazu Imanari vs. Atsushi Yamamoto Hiroyuki Takaya vs. Jong Won Kim Yoshiro Maeda vs. Micah Miller Chase Beebe vs. Joe Warren Bibiano Fernandes vs. Takafumi Otsuka Abel Cullum vs. Akiyo "Wicky" Nishiura Hideo Tokoro vs. Daika Hata (will take place on the Dream 8 card in April as Hata needs time to recover from a injury) Kid Yamamoto will be seeded to the second round. I think Dream have done a good job in getting a decent batch of fighters for the GP.
They've done a good job with what they have. Unfortunately for them a lot of the top featherweights are in the WEC. Still it will be good to see Kid back in action. And plenty of exciting fighters. If Kid is definately in the GP then I'll be picking him to win it.
I would pick Imanari as the favorite, he has been on a tear and has earned the #1 or at least #2 spot in the division. A kid vs fernandez rematch or Imanari vs Fernandez would be great to watch.