Blagoi Ivanov Faces Kazuyuki Fujita in MMA Debut at Sengoku 9

August 2, 2009, Sengoku 9, Saitama Japan.

The only man to ever defeat Fedor Emelianenko in the Russian combat sport Sambo will make his MMA debut against one of the toughest men in the history of MMA, Kazayuki Fujita.

To say the least, this should be an incredible matchup and a serious test for Ivanov despite his tremendous Sambo experience. Kazayuki is a very mean opponent that can headbutt a horse and KO it.

He is the only man to ever come close to KO’ing Fedor in an MMA match, and (should Ivanov be successful) it would be a fantastic start to a very interesting MMA career.

Many MMA fans in North America may not be familiar with these two men. That is unfortunate because this is likely to be one of the most exciting and anticipated bouts of the year.

While it still pales in comparison to the recent Lesnar vs. Mir fight, it should not be overlooked by serious MMA aficionados.

This should be a treat for everyone, and fans unfamiliar with the sport outside of the UFC can enjoy the fight for free on the Internet. It's not even available for Pay Per View in the USA.

So if you have recovered from UFC 100 and would like to see a good follow up fight in the near future, this one is it.

It should be a barn burner.

The fight can be broken down very simply. If Ivanov can utilize his Sambo skills while being beaten about the face and neck, then he will win.

Fujita can be submitted.

The point is that Ivanov will have to overcome not only a really strong, tough, and skilled fighter, he will also have to contend with Fujita’s immense MMA experience.

Don’t miss it!