Manhoef-Misaki Booked for ‘Dynamite’

One of the sport’s most devastating stand-up fighters, Manhoef has delivered 22 of his 23 career victories by knockout or technical knockout and has gone the distance only twice in 30 professional appearances. The 33-year-old last appeared in July, when he submitted to a first-round armbar from former World Extreme Cagefighting middleweight champion Paulo Filho. Manhoef has posted 17 wins in 21 fights and holds notable victories against Japanese legend Kazushi Sakuraba and Brazilian bomber Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos.

Misaki, long viewed as one of the world’s top middleweights, has not competed since he choked Kazuhiro Nakamura unconscious at Sengoku “Ninth Battle” in August. Victories against two-time Olympian Dan Henderson, American Top Team’s Denis Kang and “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 3 runner-up Ed Herman anchor the 33-year-old Japanese standout’s resume. In 34 career appearances, Misaki has never been knocked out.

‘Dynamite’ will also feature a showdown between Olympic gold medalists Hidehiko Yoshida and Satoshi Ishii, along with pivotal lightweight battles pitting Shinya Aoki against Mizuto Hirota and Tatsuya Kawajiri and Kazunori Yokota. In addition, Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto will lock horns with Sengoku featherweight grand prix winner Masanori Kanehara.