Posted on May 6, 2011 by Ken Pishna
(Reporting by Erik Fontanez)
Antonio McKee and Jacob Volkmann at UFC 125
Antonio McKee and Jacob Volkmann at UFC 125
A proposed fight between Shinya Aoki and Willamy Freire appears to be off for Dream’s “Fight for Japan” event on May 29. The Dream lightweight champion will remain on the card, however, if a fight between he and former MFC lightweight champion Antonio McKee can be finalized.
Sources close to the situation told MMAWeekly.com that the fight between Aoki and McKee has been verbally agreed to and that bout agreements have been issued. McKee, though, must first renew his passport and get a visa to gain entry into Japan, the same sort of issues that reportedly kept Freire out of the fight in the first place.
Aoki (27-5) enters the bout on the back of four-straight victories in mixed martial arts bouts. He submitted Lyle Beerbohm in the opening round of their fight for Strikeforce in April. Aoki hasn’t lost since being manhandled by current Strikeforce champion and No. 1 ranked lightweight Gilbert Melendez last year.
McKee (25-4-2) comes into the fight on the heels of a loss to Jacob Volkmann at UFC 125 on New Year’s Day. McKee, at that time, still held the MFC lightweight title. He was scheduled to return to the promotion to defend it, but an injury forced him out of a proposed fight with Drew Fickett in February.
MFC officials then announced its June 10 fight card, where the title would be up for grabs in a bout between Fickett and UFC veteran Hermes Franca. The promotion stated that McKee had “mutually vacated” the belt. McKee told MMAWeekly.com that he had not, but that he did discuss the situation – after the announcement – with MFC president Mark Pavelich.
“Fight for Japan” is a relief effort following the recent tsunami and earthquake disasters in Japan. Dream is working in conjunction with several other fight promoters to put the show together at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.
(Reporting by Erik Fontanez)
Antonio McKee and Jacob Volkmann at UFC 125
Antonio McKee and Jacob Volkmann at UFC 125
A proposed fight between Shinya Aoki and Willamy Freire appears to be off for Dream’s “Fight for Japan” event on May 29. The Dream lightweight champion will remain on the card, however, if a fight between he and former MFC lightweight champion Antonio McKee can be finalized.
Sources close to the situation told MMAWeekly.com that the fight between Aoki and McKee has been verbally agreed to and that bout agreements have been issued. McKee, though, must first renew his passport and get a visa to gain entry into Japan, the same sort of issues that reportedly kept Freire out of the fight in the first place.
Aoki (27-5) enters the bout on the back of four-straight victories in mixed martial arts bouts. He submitted Lyle Beerbohm in the opening round of their fight for Strikeforce in April. Aoki hasn’t lost since being manhandled by current Strikeforce champion and No. 1 ranked lightweight Gilbert Melendez last year.
McKee (25-4-2) comes into the fight on the heels of a loss to Jacob Volkmann at UFC 125 on New Year’s Day. McKee, at that time, still held the MFC lightweight title. He was scheduled to return to the promotion to defend it, but an injury forced him out of a proposed fight with Drew Fickett in February.
MFC officials then announced its June 10 fight card, where the title would be up for grabs in a bout between Fickett and UFC veteran Hermes Franca. The promotion stated that McKee had “mutually vacated” the belt. McKee told MMAWeekly.com that he had not, but that he did discuss the situation – after the announcement – with MFC president Mark Pavelich.
“Fight for Japan” is a relief effort following the recent tsunami and earthquake disasters in Japan. Dream is working in conjunction with several other fight promoters to put the show together at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.
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