RINGS 2 - 09/23/2012: Pankration Champ Sotaro Yamada Signed With RINGS

Two fighters RINGS signed recently - Sotaro Yamada (left) is a grappler while Tatsuya Watanabe (right) is a striker.

RINGS announced two more additional fights for the upcoming show at Korakuen Hall.

2010 FILA Pankration world champ Sotaro Yamada signed with RINGS and he will take on Yoshinori Takahashi from Mach Dojo.

Yamada won Pancrase Neo Blood tourney back in 2005 however from August 2008 he took a break from MMA and concentrated on Pankration and grappling matches.

Takahashi is a product of the Shooto amateur shows. However lost first seven pro fights and now his pro MMA record is 4-9. Takahashi is 37 years old while Yamada is only 28 so this is the fight Yamada needs to win.

Also RINGS confirmed 57 kg & under bout between Tatsuya Watanabe and Daiki Miyamoto.

Watanabe's background is karate, and he came out of the Outsiders show. In January of this year, he caused a huge upset by defeating a very first ZST flyweight champ Ryosuke Tanuma in just 39 seconds.

His opponent, Miyamoto, is the runner-up of the SWAT! Flyweight tourney in 2011.

RINGS  vol. 2
Sunday, September 23rd, 2012
At Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
Doors Open - 17:00 / Fight Starts - 18:00 

Confirmed Cards (Subject to Change):

Japan vs Kazakhstan 5 min / 2R
Kazuyuki Miyata (Japan / Brave) vs Erzan Estanov (Kazakhstan)

Japan vs Kazakhstan 5 min / 2R
Shungo Oyama (Japan / Freelance) vs Asif Tagiev (Kazakhstan)

Japan vs Kazakhstan 5 min / 2R
Keisuke Fujiwara (Japan / Spinning Garage) vs Asian Toktarbaev (Kazakhstan)

73 & Under Bout 5 min / 2R
Sotaro Yamada (Japan / BRAVE) vs Yoshinori Takahashi (Japan / Mach Dojo)

57Kg & Under Bout 5 min / 2R
Tatsuya Watanabe (Japan / RINGS) vsDaiki Miyamoto (Japan / move)


Ticket Prices:
VIP - 20,000 yen / SRS - 12,000 yen  RS - 10,000 yen / A - 6,000 yen


Report by Shu Hirata
Photo courtesy of GBR (gbring.com)