Bellator Indicators Pancrase Welterweight Champion Masayuki Kikuiri

TOKYO – BELLATOR MMA has signed King of Pancrase Welterweight Champion, Masayuki Kikuiri (7-2-1), to an unique multi-fight, multi-year contract. The 27-year-old Kikuiri joins BELLATOR after a profitable ten-fight run with Pancrase, Japan’s longest-running martial arts group, that culminated with him successful the 170-pound championship. U-NEXT is the unique dwell streaming accomplice of all BELLATOR occasions in Japan together with Kikuiri’s future bouts.

Kikuiri joins a talent-stacked welterweight division together with Champion Yaroslav Amosov, Interim Champion Logan Storley, together with Michael “Venom” Web page, Jason Jackson, Douglas Lima, and Goiti Yamauchi.

Welterweight King of Pancrase Champion, Masayuki Kikuiri: “To start with, I’m very pleased to have the ability to compete on the highest stage MMA group BELLATOR. The roster is stacked with robust guys and I’m excited to be coming after them.

I’m very grateful to Mr. Scott Coker for this chance and everybody concerned in making this occur. I promise I’m coming for finishes and will likely be a BELLATOR fighter that’ll make Japan proud.

I’ve fought just for Pancrase from my MMA debut and each battle till turning into champion. I’m grateful to Pancrase for serving to me develop and kindly sending me out to battle beneath the Pancrase banner. I’ll be sure you proudly present the power of the lengthy line of King of Pancrase Champions to the world.

I’m extremely pleased to be signed with Arsenal Sports activities Company, which has managed most of the high, well-known and most revered fighters in MMA historical past. I’ll do the corporate proud to attain the extent of outcomes they’re recognized for.”

BELLATOR MMA CEO, Scott Coker: “At BELLATOR we’re repeatedly evaluating expertise all through the world in an effort to construct on our sturdy roster of elite athletes. In relation to Masayuki Kikuiri particularly, his run in Pancrase has been spectacular, successful their welterweight championship. I’m to see him match up towards a few of our expertise at 170-pounds, a division that I contemplate one among our deepest.”

Pancrase Govt Committee, Govt Director, Hidetaka Fuku: “Underneath the management of Mr. Scott Coker, BELLATOR has change into a world premier MMA group, each in title and actuality. BELLATOR has strengthened its MMA presence and affect over time and is very acknowledged in Japan. We’re very happy to have the chance to ship our fighter to BELLATOR from Pancrase, one among Japan’s nationally treasured MMA organizations. I want to categorical my gratitude to BELLATOR President, Mr. Scott Coker, and all on group BELLATOR for this chance.

I’d additionally like to specific gratitude to my administration accomplice within the USA and Proprietor of Arsenal Sports activities Administration, Mr. Tiki Ghosn, with out whose efforts this unbelievable alternative wouldn’t have been attainable.

Because the King of Pancrase Welterweight Champion, Kikuiri represents the elite of his division in Japan. Certainly, I want to have seen him compete in Japan for some time longer, however once I heard of his want to step up the world stage, I considered his future potential and determined that Pancrase would assist him 100% in realizing his dream.

We hope to see this as a chance for the King of Pancrase Champion, Masayuki Kikuiri, to pave the way in which in preventing the perfect athletes abroad and look ahead to his success in BELLATOR.”

Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Govt Author, Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a ardour for Fight Sports activities and likewise a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s additionally a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer.