Sengoku 13 Predictions & Fight Previews

WVR's Sengoku 13 is fast approaching and will take place on Sunday, June 20, 2010 at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokoyo Japan. The event will be broadcast on HDNet in North American and ProFighting-fans.com provides our Sengoku 13 predictions below.

Masanori Kanehara vs. Marlon Sandro

Sengoku featherweight champion Masanori Kanehara (15-6-5) will get another tough test in the Sengoku 13 main event when he will meet Brazilian sensation Marlon Sandro (16-1).

Kanehara, 27, is a top Japanese fighter who trains at the Musashi-Murayama Dojo. He debuted in 2003 and became a veteran of DEEP, ZST, K-1 Hero’s, Shooto, and Pancrase before settling down with World Victory Road’s Sengoku in March 2009. He won three of four within the organization including the featherweight grand prix to become the promotion’s first featherweight champ. He defeated Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto by decision in a Dynamite bout on New Year’s Eve. He has been to a decision in each of his last five bouts.

Sandro, 33, is a Brazilian grappling specialist who trains with the world-famous Nova Uniao where he earned his black belt in jiu-jitsu. He debuted in 2004 and fought all over Brazil as well as Japan for Shooto and Pancrase organizations. He joined the Sengoku promotion in March 2009 and has won four of five since losing only to Michihiro Omigawa at Sengoku 9 in a “must-decide” draw. His last win was this March at Sengoku 12 via KO over Tomonari Kanomata. He has only been to a decision in one of his last five fights.

Prediction – Sandro decision

Hiroshi Izumi vs. Chang Seob Lee

Japanese Judoka Hiroshi Izumi (1-1) will be featured on the Sengoku 13 main fight card against South Korean striker Chang Seob Lee (3-4) in a heavyweight contest.

Izumi, 27, is a former Judo player who made the transition into MMA in 2009. He made two fights last year, losing to Antz Nansen by TKO in September at Sengoku 10 and defeating Katsuyori Shibata by decision on New Year’s Eve in K-1 Dynamite.

Seob Lee, 29, is a CMA Korea-trained fighter who made his debut in mid-2007. He has fought for notable promotions like Spirit MC, M-1 Challenge, and Heat. He lost four of his first five career bouts before winning back-to-back fights in Japan. He knocked out Henry Miller at Heat 12 last November in 0:53 and then knocked out Thomas Stanley at Heat 13 in March in 0:40.

Prediction – Izumi TKO

Maximo Blanco vs. Rodrigo Damm

Venezuelan Maximo Blanco (5-2-1, 1 NC) will go for four in a row when he meets Brazilian grappler Rodrigo Damm (9-3) in a Sengoku 13 main card bout in the lightweight division.

Blanco, 26, is a freestyle wrestler who trains at the Yoshida Dojo in Japan. He made his pro debut in 2008 for the Pancrase organization, which he went on to fight in four bouts. After winning only twice in his first six bouts, he turned it around and won his last three fights. He won the lightweight King of Pancrase and then in March at Sengoku 12 knocked out Chang Hyun Kim.

Damm, 30, is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who trains at Alliance Jiu-Jitsu. He debuted in 2004 and has fought for notable organizations like Bodog Fight, MARS, Shooto, and now Sengoku. His biggest win to date was last August when he knocked out Jorge Masvidal. He had a big opportunity in April 2009 when he competed for the vacant Strikeforce lightweight title, however was defeated by Gilbert Melendez. He recently picked up a win at Jungle Fight 17 this February.

Prediction – Blanco KO

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Shegeki Osawa vs. Katsuya Toida

Yoshida Dojo’s Shegeki Osawa (5-1) will match skills with twelve-year professional Katsuya Toida (12-9-3) in a Sengoku 13 featherweight bout.

Osawa, 24, began his professional career last April for the Pancrase organization. He fought once for Pancrase and then moved to Sengoku, where he has been for his last five fights. He won his first four career fights before losing at Sengoku 11 against Ronnie Mann. He recovered at Sengoku 12 this past March with a unanimous decision over Kyung Ho Kang.

Toida, 33, is a Wajutsu Keishukai Toikatsu-trained fighter who began in 1998. He has since fought exclusively in Japan for Shooto, GCM, K-1 Hero’s, and Warriors Realm and Heat organizations. He has been up and down throughout his career, although he did win his last two fights. He won in a Shooto bout this past March due to an illegal kick.

Prediction – Osawa decision

Kyung Ho Kang vs. Ikuo Usuda

South Korean Kyung Ho Kang (5-3) will be making his second Sengoku start against Japanese wrestler Ikuo Usuda (6-0) in a Sengoku 13 lightweight bout.

Ho Kang, 22, is a South Korean grappler who is trained at the Busan Team M.A.D. fight team. He debuted in 2007 and has fought for Spirit MC, Art of War, DEEP, and KOF organizations. He won four of his first five before dropping two in a row, which included his only Sengoku bout to date. He recovered from back-to-back losses with a win in his most recent bout in April.

Usuda, 30, is a Japanese trained wrestler who completes his training at the Kiguchi Dojo. He debuted in 2008 and won his first four bouts in the Shooto organization. He won back to back bouts at Sengoku 9 and 10 respectively. He defeated Woo Hyon Baek via TKO at Sengoku 10 last September in his most recent action.

Prediction – Ho Kang decision

Sanae Kikuta vs. Yasubey Enomoto

Japanese journeyman Sanae Kikuta (28-6-3) is in action at Sengoku 13 against Switzerland’s Yasubey Enomoto (3-1) in a welterweight bout.

Kikuta, 38, is a submission specialist who has been fighting professionally since 1996. He has been in most of the major organizations including PRIDE, Shooto, Pancrase, UFC, DEEP, and most recently, Sengoku. He defeated Eugene Jackson at UFC 25 in April 2000 by submission. He has had a late-career resurgence winning his last six fights including two in the Sengoku organization.

Enomoto, 26, is an all-rounder who trains at the Enomoto Dojo. He debuted in 2006 and went on to win his first three fights. He lost his most recent fight against Bellator veteran Tyler Stinson at Art of Fighting 3 last June by TKO.

Prediction – Kikuta submission

Ryo Kawamura vs. Hidetada Irie

Pancrase veteran Ryo Kawamura (11-5-2) will try for his second Sengoku victory in a light-heavyweight bout against Hidetada Irie (7-3-2) at Sengoku 13.

Kawamura, 28, is a five-year professional who has fought for GCM and Sengoku, but mostly for Pancrase over his career. He has been in four career Sengoku bouts (1-3) losing to Muhammed Lawal, Kevin Randleman, and Fabio Silva. His only victory in the organization came at Sengoku 1 against Antonio Neto. He did win in his most recent bout for Pancrase.

Irie is a stand-up fighter who has been fighting as a pro for over seven years. He has appeared for DEEP, Pancrase, and most recently Kingdom Ehrgeiz organizations. He has not lost over his last four bouts. His most recent victory was last August, a submission victory over Sho Tobita.

Prediction – Kawamura TKO

Omar de la Cruz vs. Keita Nakamura

Dominican Republic-native Omar de la Cruz (6-2) will meet UFC veteran Keita Nakamura (15-4-2) in a Sengoku welterweight grand prix bout at Sengoku 13.

De la Cruz, 30, is a Fight Training Academy student who made his debut in March 2007. He was entered in the season one Bellator welterweight tournament where he made it to the final and lost to current champ Lyman Good. He has picked up a win since the tournament in Oklahoma at C3 Fights this April against Prince McLean.

Nakamura, 26, is a Wajutsu Keishukai Honbu-trained fighter who fought for GCM, Shooto, MARS, UFC, and DREAM throughout his seven year career. He was 0-3 in the UFC from December 2006 until February 2008 losing against Brock Larson, Drew Fickett, and Rob Emerson. This will be his first Sengoku bout. His last fight was in November 2008 against Jang Yong Kim where he came out with the victory via 1 st round TKO.

Prediction – Nakamura TKO

Takaya Wada vs. Jae Sun Lee

Longtime Pancrase veteran Takaya Wada (19-8-10) is matched up against South Korean Jae Sun Lee (5-5) in a welterweight grand prix bout at Sengoku 13.

Wada, 32, is a Japanese-trained fighter who fights out of SK Absolute training center. He debuted in 1999 and has gone onto fight for Shooto, Golden Trophy, Pancrase, Absolute FC, GCM, and Bodog Fight organizations. He has fought some top-level competition over his career. He has fought both Jorge Santiago and Carlos Condit, although was dealt losses in both fights. He has had some good performances lately; he has not lost in his last nine fights. He won last bout against Shiko Yamashita in November 2009 at a Shooto event.

Sun Lee, 30, is a South Korean fighter who trains and fights out of Team Posse. He debuted in 2003 and has fought mostly for the Spirit MC organization. He has also battled in the KPW organization, and lately in the Sengoku promotion. He won his first three career bouts, but has won only twice over his next seven fights. He has dropped three of his last four including a Sengoku 10 unanimous decision against Makoto Takimoto in September 2009.

Prediction – Jae Sun Lee decision

By Nick Russell
ProFighting-fans.com Staff Writer