With Dream’s grand prix already underway, Sengoku will kick off its own featherweight tournament on Friday. Going down at the cozy Yoyogi National Number 2 Gymnasium in Tokyo, the featured featherweight field starting at Sengoku’s 7th Battle will not only be conducted at the more accepted weight of 143 pounds but also will feature a myriad of prospects that, until now, have not had the chance to shine on the big stage.
Their brief histories make it difficult to pick with certainty how they’ll fare or which will end up at the top of the heap by year’s end, but the uncertainty also helps to accentuate the featherweight tourney’s charm and excitement. Who will shine and who will shrink under the big lights, and which featherweight prospect will finally “arrive” as a top tier-talent, like Satoru Kitaoka and Jorge Santiago before them?