Hayato Sakurai (33-8-2) vs. Katsuyori Shibata (2-5)
Sakurai
Striking : 3.0
Grappling : 4.0
Submissions : 3.0
Experience : 5.0
Total : 3.8
Shibata
Striking : 1.5
Grappling : 2.5
Submissions : 1.5
Experience : 2.5
Total : 2.0
Analysis: Former Shooto middleweight champion and Pride Bushido ace Sakurai still has not found his place in the post-Pride Japanese landscape. He lost to Frenchman David Baron at a Shooto event in May, as he submitted to a guillotine choke after coming into their bout out of shape. Shibata, meanwhile, has served as FEG’s premium “jobber” for the past two years and was invited to “Dynamite” because of the entertainment value he brings to the table.
Prediction: Sakurai will win this fight. The only question is whether he has enough interest in the match to train hard enough to knock out the professional wrestler or he just wants pepper him with strikes for 15 minutes for a decision. Go with the first option; Sakurai by first-round knockout.
Semmy Schilt (25-14-1) vs. Siala Siliga (3-0)
Power Ratings
Schilt
Striking : 5.0 Grappling : 2.0
Submissions : 2.5
Experience : 5.0
Total : 3.6
Siliga
Striking : 4.0
Grappling : 1.5
Submissions : 1.0
Experience : 2.5
Total : 2.3
Analysis: It has been a lost year of sorts for former K-1 kingpin Schilt. Plans to get back into MMA full time resulted in one tune-up bout in January, and he was eliminated in the round of 16 at the K-1 World Grand Prix Final. Mighty Mo does not appear to be anywhere near top form, either, as he has dropped five of his last six kickboxing bouts. Even so, he remains undefeated in MMA and always has a puncher’s chance.
Prediction: In their previous bout under K-1 rules, Siliga went the distance with an uninspired Schilt. With the six-ounce gloves, however, the “Hightower” will not be as forgiving and should knock out the Samoan boxer late in the first round.
Bob Sapp (9-3-1) vs. Akihito Tanaka (0-0)
Power Ratings
Sapp
Striking : 3.0
Grappling : 2.5
Submissions : 2.0
Experience : 3.5
Total : 2.8
Tanaka
Striking : 1.5
Grappling : 3.5
Submissions : 2.0
Experience : 1.5
Total : 2.1
Analysis: Sapp must need a new Harley or a 150-inch plasma television; otherwise, he would not have returned from his early retirement to trade leather with a cartoon character. A highly decorated amateur wrestling champion, Tanaka will play “Kinniku Mantaro,” a degenerated version of a teen-aged “He-Man,” in his bout with Sapp.
Prediction: Sapp has won four of his last five bouts, including his victory over Japanese TV personality Bobby Ologun at “Dynamite” last year. However, the former NFL offensive lineman was knocked out by Jan Nortje in just 55 seconds at a Strikeforce show in February. How long this fight lasts probably depends on how long Tanaka stays in character. As soon as he takes off the mask, he will take down Sapp and pound him out for the win.
Yukio Sakaguchi (3-3) vs. Andy Ologun (1-1)
Power Ratings
Sakaguchi
Striking : 2.0
Grappling : 2.5
Submissions : 2.0
Experience : 1.5
Total : 2.0
Ologun
Striking : 3.0
Grappling : 1.5
Submissions : 1.0
Experience : 1.5
Total : 1.8
Analysis: In another piece of odd MMA matchmaking, Sakaguchi -- the older brother of actor Kenji Sakaguchi -- will take on Bobby Ologun’s younger brother, Andy. Both men have legitimate fighting backgrounds, with Sakaguchi going .500 over six bouts in Pancrase and Ologun reaching the semi-finals of the K-1 Max Japan tournament in 2008.
Prediction: Ologun’s a straight-up kickboxer, while Sakaguchi’s a more complete mixed martial artist. Expect Sakaguchi by first-round submission in this one.
Hideo Tokoro (21-14-1) vs. Daisuke Nakamura (18-9)
Power Ratings
Tokoro
Striking : 1.5
Grappling : 4.0
Submissions : 3.5
Experience : 3.5
Total : 3.1
Nakamura
Striking : 2.0
Grappling : 3.0
Submissions : 3.5
Experience : 3.0
Total : 2.9
Analysis: In a continuation of his feud with Kiyoshi Tamura’s U-File Camp, Tokoro will take on Tamura’s top student, Nakamura, and attempt to avenge his loss from 365 days ago. Tokoro has been a crowd magnet for Dream in 2008, delivering high-octane MMA against Atsushi Yamamoto, Takeshi Yamazaki and Darren Uyenoyama. Nakamura, meanwhile, earned his invitation to the big show by going 4-0 on the M-1 Challenge circuit.
Prediction: Nakamura should prove to be too big and strong for Tokoro, a natural featherweight. He can also fall back on the experience his mentor had fighting and defeating Tokoro at “Dynamite” last December. Take Nakamura to win a unanimous decision.
Ikuhisa Minowa (40-29-8) vs. Errol Zimmerman (0-0)
Power Ratings
Minowa
Striking : 1.5
Grappling : 3.0
Submissions : 3.5
Experience : 5.0
Total : 3.3
Zimmerman
Striking : 3.5
Grappling : 1.5
Submissions : 1.0
Experience : 1.5
Total : 1.9
Analysis: For the past three years, Minowa has made a living fighting and, more often than not, beating men who outweighed him by as much as his own body weight. Young Surinamese Zimmerman has been the surprise of the K-1 circuit in 2008, as he won the World Grand Prix in Amsterdam and later reached the semi-finals of the World Grand Prix Final.
Prediction: Minowa’s shtick is slowly but surely growing old and has not been working as well as it used to; he has dropped two of his last four open weight confrontations. Zimmerman trains with Semmy Schilt and Alistair Overeem and should have picked up at least enough understanding of the game to keep the fight standing and finish Minowa with strikes in the first round.