His fight is only two weeks away but due to exhaustion from the recent hot spell, Takanori Gomi cancelled his open work session for the media and instead just sat down with the reporters to answer questions.

He is planning on joining a training camp for the Kokushikan University wrestling team at Sugawara Kougen in Nagano next week to prepare for his fight against Sung Hwan Pang in Sengoku Fourth Battle at Saitama Super Arena.

"I am feeling a bit of frustration from the stress" Gomi talked about his recent schedule. To get ready for Pang, who is a striker, Gomi goes to Sagamihara Yonekura Gym for boxing training and Bushin-juku for karate training so driving to these two gyms on a daily basis has worn him out a little. Then he has his own Kugeyama Rascal gym, which is located on the basement floor, which has limited air circulation. Gomi revealed he has lost as much as 4 kg from one work out at his gym, "Sometimes when I am not feeling really up for the training, I do take a whole day off." But he is looking forward to the camp next week. "Its fun to train in nature. The heat factor is different just as the air. No temptations out there so I can just concentrate on training. Half of the time I’m going to push my self to the max but the other half is for me to relax."

Also in this camp is a Shoot featherweight fighter from Shooting Gym Hakkei, Takeya Mizugaki, will be accompanying Gomi as his training partner. "In the morning we are going to run, then from 3 pm to 6 pm wrestling, then striking. I am going to train at my pace not with the same menu as the students. Then the week after when I come back to Tokyo, I will do the final hard training and get everything out in the fight.

'Gold Medal Judo-ka Pawel Nastula Signed with WVR' - August 2nd, 2008

Pawel Nastula's only win in the pro MMA bout is this one against Edson Drago from Brazil.

On August 1st, World Victory Road (WVR) announced that Pawel Nastula will be fighting in the upcoming Sengoku Fourth Battle scheduled at the Saitama Super Arena.

In the world of judo, Nastula is a legend. He won gold at the Olympic Games in 1996. He also has three world titles, two European titles, and eleven national titles in his resume. However in MMA, Nastula so far has posted a record of 1-3. But obviously, that's because he has been fighting top fighters from the very beginning. Former PRIDE heavyweight and the current UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in his MMA debut, then hard hitting Aleksander Emelianenko in his second fight. Finally Nastula picked up a win in his third fight and it was against a very good fighter named Edson Drago from Brazil, but in the fourth fight faced Josh Barnett. So his pro MMA record is 1-3. Its not a good record for Poland's national hero who once posted a 312-bout winning streak in judo but not so, considering the fact that the three fighters who put an L on his record - Nogueira, Barnett, Aleksander - are all if not top five then for sure top ten heavyweights in the world. Nastula only fought the toughest of the bests. But when he tested positive for steroids in his last fight, Nastula sort of disappeared from the world's MMA scene.

And now, about a year and ten months since his last fight, Nastula, finally, is getting another shot in the big MMA show in Japan.

Nastula was born in 1970 so he is now 38 years old but it seems like he’s still got what it takes to do MMA. Nastula expressed his determination through a statement released by WVR, "I thought about retirement numerous times but as an Olympic gold medalist, I couldn't quit without exerting and exhibiting my real ability."

His opponent is yet to be determined.

Profile - Pawel Nastula
D.O.B. June 26th 1970
Birthplace: Poland
Height: 185cm
Weight: 100kg
Favorite moves: Kuchiki taoshi, ippon seoi, arm bar.

Principal Amateur Judo Record -

Olympic:
1996 Atlanta 95 kg & & Under - Gold Medal

World Championships:
1991 Barcelona 95 kg & & Under - Gold Medal
1995 Tokyo 95 kg & & Under - Gold Medal
1997 Paris 95 kg & & Under - Gold Medal

European Championship:
1994 to 1996 95 kg & & Under - Gold Medal

Others:
1995, 1996 World Games France 95 kg & & Under - Gold Medal
2000 World Games Holland 100 kg & Under - Gold Medal
2001 World Games Warsaw 100 kg & Under - Gold Medal
2002 World Games Czech 100 kg & Under - Gold Medal
1991 to 2003 Poland National Championship - 95 kg & Under - Gold Medal

'Finally Its Official - Gomi vs. Pang, Ludwig Withdrawal from the Tournament, and More!' - July 24th, 2008

Rodrigo Damm (right) got the right of participate in this GP by this right straight punch to the chin of Jorge Masvidal from ATT. Rodrigo is taking on Eiji Mitsuoka in the first round.

Finally WVR (World Victory Road) revealed Takanori Gomi's opponent. Just as expected, it is going to be Korean Sung Hwan Pang, the current DEEP champion.

On July 24th, in Tokyo, the press conference of Sengoku Fourth Battle was held and both Gomi and Pang attended along with all Japanese fighters confirmed for the lightweight tournament kicking
off in the same show. Gomi was the first one to speak, "This is going to be my last fight in my 20's and its The Main Event. It can't get any better. I believe its going to be my heart against the
opponent's heart but its The Main Event so I want to heat it up."

Takanori Gomi (left) fought a striker Duane Ludwig in the inaugural Sengoku show in March. About six months later, Gomi is taking on another striker named Sung Hwan Pang from Korea.

Pang may not be known among the Japanese general public but he is the one who KO'd both Dokonjonosuke Mishima (in a tag team match) and Jutaro Nakao then he captured the DEEP lightweight title by flooring Yokota, all of them with his signature right hook. He is now 9-1. Obviously this fight is not exactly a walk in the park for Gomi. "He has got tremendous heart, and he never gives up." Gomi shared his analysis on Pang, "I think his fight style is similar to
mine when I was fighting in Shooto." Then Gomi smiled and added, "Which means his weakness probably is the ground game" but it doesn't mean he is going for the ground war, "If there is a chance for a submission then I would go for it but when you think about what the fans are expecting, that is going to be difficult." Just like his last opponent, Duane Ludwig, he is taking on a striker again so the fans must be hoping for a hard striking battle, "Its easy to just engage in an audacious attack for the fans. But that is not what I am going to do. Recently when I get hit, I do get wobbly too. So I want to run a lot, build the body that can get a win in a striking war, prepare well. I am training to win." Gomi also said he did watch the DREAM lightweight GP on TV, "I want to fight in a way that would be a step further than them."

Pang was just modest, "I am truly a lucky boy." Then added, "I know Gomi likes to strike but my strength is a striking game too. I just have to believe in my fist and fight."

Also at this press conference, WVR announced all match-ups for the first round of the lightweight tournament. Satoru Kitaoka, who, in Sengoku Second Battle, finished Ian Schaffa in just 50 seconds, is going to face Clay French from H.I.T. Squad. French lost to Shinya Aoki in what turned out to be the last PRIDE Bushido show but since then won eight in a row including three title defense at the KOTC. Kitaoka told the reporters, "French fought in the last PRIDE Bushido show and that was the show I couldn't make, so it is very meaningful for me to fight a fighter who fought in PRIDE. Like always, I want to put up a good performance and win by ippon." Kitaoka was actually on Aoki's corner in that fight, "I have seen him very closely. But ever since losing to Aoki he has been winning, eight straight so I believe he is now at a different level as a fighter."

Satoru Kitaoka's signature finishing hold is a guillotine choke just like Joe Stevenson in the UFC. In fact many thinks he actually look like Stevenson.

Just like Kitaoke, Eiji Mitsuoka from Wajiu-tsu Keishu-kai also won the right to compete in this lightweight tournament by winning in Sengoku Second Battle. In the first round, Mitsuoka is taking on Rodrigo Damm from Brazil. Mitusoka knows he has a very tough task ahead of him, "He is a very strong fighter but I want to fight as usual" and he was relaxed enough to add a little bit of his sense of humor, "I think I have good luck on my side so I am going to win with my luck. My skill and ability would follow....... well, should be the other way around, right?" His opponent, Damm, just like Kitaoka and Mitsuoka, had to score a win in Sengoku to get to this tournament. In Sengoku Third Battle, Damm surprised many by engaging in a striking war against Jorge Masvidal from ATT and he finished the fight with a right straight to the chin followed by ground and pound. Which means he did not have to reveal his strongest skill, the ground game, to win the last fight so for Mitsuoka, a grappler that came from amateur wrestling, this may be the toughest obstacle in his career. Well, maybe not because just November of last year, Mitsuoka did beat Joachim Hansen who just conquered the DREAM Lightweight GP, "That was more than half a year ago so that win should bring my stock up. But it (Hansen winning the GP) did give me more confidence though." Damm sent the following comment via WVR office, "I'm very honored to be a part of this tournament and I will
do my best to become the first champion of Sengoku. Mitsuoka is one of the most experienced fighters in the tournament and I´m sure we will have a very entertaining contest, he will be the first Pride veteran I get to fight with, and his recent victory over Hansen will make this contest interesting."

Kazunori Yokota (right) is an aggressive striker but he is also dangerous on the ground. After all he is from GRABAKA.

Kazunori Yokota just suffered his first loss in his professional career in the DEEP title fight against Pang, "The last fight, it was shameless. This time it doesn't matter who the opponent is but this
time I am not taking anything lightly and will be conscious about winning no matter what." Yokota's first round opponent is Bojan Kosednar from Slovenia. He only made a pro MMA debut just a year ago but is already posting an impressive record of 6-1. He just lost to Cage Rage champ Paul Daley but Kosednar is a welterweight coming down to lightweight to compete in this tournament so this 25-year old originating Afrom the city of Ljubljana should have an edge in the power department.

The last Japanese fighter announced for this tournament is Mizuto Hirota from GUTSMAN Shooto Dojo. He just became Cage Force lightweight champion and is now taking on IFL champion at this
weight class, Ryan Schultz from Team Quest. Hiroto explained, "I don't know much about my opponent. I heard he is very aggressive so I want to go forward too."

At last Takahiro Kokuho from WVR explained the reason for previously announcing Ludwig being out of this tournament, "We found out he has engagements fighting in the US between this first round and the finals but we can't approve that so we asked him to withdraw."

The winners of the first round would go on to fight in the semi-final and final in one-day which is scheduled for the November Sengoku Sixth Battle show.

SENGOKU - 08/24/2008: 'Frank Trigg to Face Makoto Takimoto!' - July 15th, 2008

This fight against Frank Trigg is gong to determine Makoto Takimoto's future in Sengoku.

World Victory Road (WVR) has announced an additional card for the upcoming Sengoku Fourth Battle on August 24th at Saitama Super Arena. American Frank Trigg is going to take on Makoto Takimoto from the Yoshida Dojo. Trigg has not had a fight since defeating Edwin Dewees in December of last year, but he is also the last man to defeat Kazuo Misaki in the last PRIDE USA show.

For Takimoto this is going to be a do or die battle for him having lost to Brazilian Evangelista Cyborg in the inaugural Sengoku show in March, "It's the same case every time but I can not lose. I will frantically go for the win." Takimoto talked to the reporters at the WVR office in Shinjuku, Tokyo. For a former Olympic gold medalist the fact this fight is on the same day as the closing ceremony of the Peking Olympic must have some meaning, "Eight years ago I won a gold medal and it was a good time for me. So I sort of want to 'synchronize' with the Olympic mode and do well."

Takimoto knows that Trigg already defeated Jason Miller in December 2006 to capture the ICON Sports middleweight title as well as edging out a lay n prey decision over Kazuo Misaki at PRIDE's last show in the states. Yes he is aware that Trigg is indeed a top world class fighter but Takimoto has never seen a Trigg fight yet, "I am going to see his fights but more than what he has achieved in the past, I want to think of what can I do on the day of the fight. More than just technique, I want to express my feelings (in the fight) too."

Recently other fighters like Yushin Okami and Yuki Kondo started to come to the Yoshida Dojo to train so, "Its good that I get to train with other fighters, I can get out of the humdrum and get stimulated."

According to Takahiro Kokuho of WVR, just like the lightweight tournament, Sengoku is planning on starting a middleweight eight-man tournament at the September show, then finishing at the end of the year. Since Kazuo Misaki is scheduled to fight in the Strikeforce show in September it seems like the winner of this tournament is going to face Misaki but Takimoto said, " For now I want to produce positive result at this August fight. That is all I am thinking."

'Peter Graham to Face Moise Rimbon and More!' - June 25th, 2008

Peter Graham showing his new tattoo on his right arm - Silvia, his wife's name.

Peter Graham who got dominated by Kazuyuki Fujita in the inaugural Sengoku show is back, this time taking on Moise Rimbon from France.

Rimbon is 31 years old with kickboxing and wrestling competition experience under his belt. In 2001Rimbon defeated Roman Zentzov in the 2H2H show In Holland, and in the Bodog Fight Costa Rica show in February 2007, sent Alex Steibling into retirement.

Graham, after losing to Fujita in March, flew to California to train at Team Quest for three months. And from next week, with the members of Team Quest, Graham is heading to Thailand to do an intense Muay Thai training. Then from about a month before this fight he is planning to go back to California to sharpen his MMA skills at Team Quest.

At the press conference held at the World Victory Road (WVR) office in Tokyo on the 25th, Graham told the reporters, "I chased chickens to gain alertness. Then trained like a kangaroo for my kickboxing and what I call 'alligator training' for my ground game." Graham also revealed in the morning of this press conference, he has registered his marriage with his Brazilian girlfriend Silvia. So he is a newly wed now looking for his first win in his pro MMA career.

WVR also told the media that the opponents for Takanori Gomi and three remaining fighters for the lightweight tournament would be announced sometime next week. In addition, Takahiro Kokuho, PR of WVR, revealed that one Japanese and one non-Japanese top competitor from amateur combat sports would become "the supporter" of Sengoku. WVR is planning to reveal names of these two top amateur athletes sometime soon.

'Ludwig, Damm, Kitaoka and Two Others Confirmed for the Tournament and More!' - June 8th, 2008

Four fighters confirmed for the lightweight tournament. (from left to right) Duane Ludwig, Rodrigo Damm, Kazunori Yokota, Eiji Mitsuoka, Satoru Kitaoka.

Sengoku Fourth Batttle once again is going to be held at Saitama Super Arena on August 28th, and the lightweight GP first round would begin in this show. The theme of the tournament is nothing but "who would win the right to fight Takanori Gomi." After the intermission on June 8th show World Victory Road (WVR) officially announced five fighters confirmed this lightweight tournament. Duane Ludwig who fought Gomi in the inaugural Sengoku show in March was the first to announce on this day, "I wanted to fight today but couldn't. So, I want to prepare well for this August fight." Rodrigo Damm also got a right to compete by beating Jorge Masividal, "I trained with Mr. Yokota the other day so if possible I would like to fight him in the final." The other three are all Japanese fighters. Satoru Kitaoka from Pancrase-ism who came down to the lightweight told the fans, "This tournament is suitable for deciding Gomi's opponent and I am the who is going to survive at the end." Eiji Mitsuoka from Keishu-kai who defeated Kwang Hee Lee in Sengoku Second Battle is in the tournament as well, "Why not do Japanese vs. non-Japanese in the first round. I think that is going to be good so let's do that." Kazunori Yokota from GRABAKA was modest, "I had a shameless performance in the last fight (lost via KO in a DEEP title fight vs Sung Hwan Pang) so I want to win this tournament and get to the fight I always wanted." The remaining sports will be filled with one more Japanese fighter and two non-Japanese fighters.

In addition, WVR announced the signing of Frank Trigg, and top judo and wrestling fighters from Republic of Georgia in cluding 2004 Olympic judo gold medal winner (90 kg & under) Zurab Zviadauri and 2000 Olympic Bronze medal wrestler (90 kg) Eldari Kurtanidze. These top fighters from the country just south of Russia are scheduled to make Sengoku appearance after Peking Olympic this summer.

SENGOKU - Fourth Battle

Sunday August 24th, 2008

At Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan

Doors Open - 14:30

Fight Starts - 16:00

Confirmed Cards (Subject to Change):

Lightweight Bout 5 min / 2R

Takanori Gomi (Japan / Kugeyama Rascal Gym) vs. Sung Hwan Pang (Korea / CMA KOREA)

Lightweight GP Series 2008 First Round 5 min / 3R

Satoru Kitaoka (Japan / Pancrase-ism) vs. Clay French (USA / H.I.T. Squad)

Lightweight GP Series 2008 First Round 5 min / 3R

Eiji Mitsuoka (Japan / Wajiu-tsu Keishu-kai RJW) vs. Rodrigo Damm (Brazil / Alliance BJJ)

Lightweight GP Series 2008 First Round 5 min / 3R

Kazunori Yokota (Japan / GRABAKA) vs. Bojan Kosednar (Slovenia / WFC)

Lightweight GP Series 2008 First Round 5 min / 3R

Mizuto Hirota (Japan / GUTSMAN Shooto Dojo) vs. Ryan Schultz (USA / Team Quest)

Heavyweight Bout 5 min / 3R

Peter Graham (Australia / A.E. Factory) vs. Moise Rimbon (France / European Top Team)

Middleweight Bout 5 min / 3R

Frank Trigg (USA / RAW Team) vs. Makoto Takimoto (Japan / Yoshida Dojo)

Ticket Prices:

VIP - 100,000 yen RRS - 30,000 yen Sengoku seat - 17,000 yen S - 12,000 yen A - 7,000 yen