Gomi Visits American Kickboxing Academy

Bob Cook, one of AKA’s head trainers, said the Japanese striker “mostly grappled” with UFC welterweight contender Jon Fitch, Strikeforce champion Josh Thomson, Justin Wilcox, as well as with middleweight Trevor Prangley and UFC heavyweight Cain Velasquez.

The former Pride lightweight champion is in the U.S. reportedly to take meetings with both the UFC and Strikeforce. Cook is a consultant for Strikeforce.

Gomi also attended the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto boxing match last Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

One of Japan’s biggest attractions during the Pride era, Gomi dropped back-to back losses against Sergey Golyaev and Satoru Kitaoka in Sengoku, but rebounded in the last half of 2009 with victories over Takashi Nakakura in Shooto and Tony Hervey in Vale Tudo Japan 2009 in late October. Gomi carries a third-round submission loss to UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn from October 2003.