Sengoku ‘Ninth Battle’ Preview

Akihiro Gono (29-14-7) vs. Dan Hornbuckle (17-2)

The Storyline: After a 14-month stint in the UFC, colorful veteran Gono returns to Japan to fight for Sengoku for the first time. He served previously as a color commentator for the promotion. Losses to Jon Fitch and Dan Hardy stained his UFC run but earned him plenty of respect in the process.

Hornbuckle, a versatile ground fighting specialist, dominated the Indiana scene for a number of years. He snatched championship belts in the Legends of Fighting and Total Fight Challenge promotions and also won an eight-man, single-night tournament inside Hook-N-Shoot. Recently, he extended his sphere of influence to Canada, where he captured a title in the fledgling Raw Combat organization.

The Breakdown: As well-rounded and seasoned as they come after more than 16 years in the game, Gono has seen virtually everything. Highlights on his resume include snapping Daniel Acacio’s 10-fight winning streak and handing Armenian wunderkind Gegard Mousasi a rare submission defeat. Gono also went the distance with Hardy and Fitch.

Hornbuckle may challenge Chris Lytle for the title of best welterweight in the Great Lakes region and may already be one of the top 20 170-pounders in the United States. He wields a solid jiu-jitsu game, always presses the action and tries to put his opponents in awkward positions by putting pressure on them. His Sengoku debut did not go as planned, however, as he was triangle choked by Mike Pyle with eight seconds to go in the first round.

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The Prediction: Hornbuckle has to feel pressure to perform significantly better in his sophomore bout with the promotion. Doing so against Gono -- who, provided he has not aged overnight in his mid 30s, holds the advantage in just about every aspect of the game -- seems too steep a challenge. Expect the Japanese veteran to control his much taller opponent on the ground before putting him away with his patented armbar late in the second round.