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[Fedorlei Gomipierre]

K.J. Noons vs. Andre Dida, Three More Bouts Added to March Dream Card by Chris Nelson on Feb 25, 2010

Fighting and Entertainment Group today announced some solid additions to the card for their "DREAM.13" show in Yokohama, Japan. Two intriguing lightweight matchups, an old guard vs. new school welterweight clash, and a quintessentially J-MMA openweight bout join a previously announced featherweight scrap between Joachim Hansen and Bibiano Fernandes on the March 22nd slate.

In the 70kg (154 lbs.) division, former EliteXC lightweight champ and recent Strikeforce signee K.J. Noons (7-2) will see his first MMA action since 2008 when he meets Brazilian Muay Thai specialist Andre "Dida" Amado (6-3-1). Noons has spent the two years since his split with EliteXC in the boxing ring, amassing a respectable 4-1 record in that time (11-2 overall), though he dropped his most high profile match - a unanimous decision loss to James Countryman last March.

Meanwhile, the last man to beat "Dida," Deep ace Katsunori Kikuno (12-2-2), faces Cage Force champion Kuniyoshi Hironaka (16-6) in a battle of two of Japan's best lightweights. Kikuno was last seen in Dream's "white cage" last October, where he was submitted in the second round by Eddie Alvarez despite a strong start. Hironaka has reeled off four straight wins since dropping from welterweight, including one on that same October card against highly-touted Korean prospect Won-Sik Park.

In the second fight of his post-UFC campaign, Pride veteran Ryo Chonan (16-10) will take on Kyokushin practicioner Andrews Nakahara (2-1) at welterweight. In his homecoming match last August in Deep, Chonan came out on top with a decision win over fellow ex-UFC'er Jutaro Nakao. The still-green karate convert Nakahara was scheduled to fight Zelg Galesic in a "DREAM.12" bout which never materialized; the same fight had been rumored for this show.

Finally, Dream's very own "Super Hulk" champion, Ikushisa Minowa (44-30-8) looks to extend his three-fight win streak against oversized opponents when he meets heavyweight also-ran Jimmy "The Titan" Ambriz (14-12-1).

K.J. Noons vs. Andre Dida, Three More Bouts Added to March Dream Card - Bloody Elbow

Nice card, however I'd still love to see Sengoku and DREAM merge fulltime so we could get higher quality all around cards.

[beau420]

Nice....can't wait to hear the full fight card.

I would like Noons to face a tougher guy....I predict a KO.

[Mirko45]

Lot of miss-matches on this card imo. Some really good fights but it looks like it'll be a repeat of DREAM 12 as far as actual competitive match ups go

[beau420]

Originally Posted by Mirko45

Lot of miss-matches on this card imo. Some really good fights but it looks like it'll be a repeat of DREAM 12 as far as actual competitive match ups go

I like that around 30-50 percent of the fights are pretty easy to bet on. But don't forget that DREAM 12 had Bebee vs Maeda, Sakuraba vs Galesic...both could be considered upsets and Kikuno vs Alvarez...and Kikuno rocked him pretty nicely.

I considered Miyashita beating Fujiwara an upset. And that DREAM 12 card was suppose to have Manhoef (who was injured) and Paulo Filho (who had those 'passport' problems)

But yeah...it did have 4 fights that should have been blowouts...

I actually enjoy a couple blowout fights....especially if all the other fights are close or going to decision. I love watching a Overeem MMA fight or more recently a It's Showtime Badr Hari K-1 fight against some can....as long as they mix in some good competitive fights.

[optimusjoel]

I don't think this will be an easy fight at all for Noons. I wouldn't be suprised at all to see Dida KO him.

[Dr. MMA]

Originally Posted by optimusjoel

I don't think this will be an easy fight at all for Noons. I wouldn't be suprised at all to see Dida KO him.

I expect Dida to KO him. Dida is a very inconsistent performer but he is a really good MT practitioner. He almost KO'ed and finished Baukaw. It's too bad he gassed himself and ended up losing in the end. Against Kikuno, he looked terrible though.

[optimusjoel]

Originally Posted by Dr. MMA

I expect Dida to KO him. Dida is a very inconsistent performer but he is a really good MT practitioner. He almost KO'ed and finished Baukaw. It's too bad he gassed himself and ended up losing in the end. Against Kikuno, he looked terrible though.

Yeah he did drop Kikuno once though. I just think Noons standup is highly overrated. He beats a gassed Nick Diaz by cut stopage and all of a sudden he garners a lot of respect. I don't buy it.

[Dr. MMA]

Originally Posted by optimusjoel

Yeah he did drop Kikuno once though. I just think Noons standup is highly overrated. He beats a gassed Nick Diaz by cut stopage and all of a sudden he garners a lot of respect. I don't buy it.

He did drop him in the first 20 seconds and looked good in the first minute, engaging in punches, kicks, clinches and knees. After that, he decided to abandon throwing anything. Considering he came from a chute boxe background, you'd expect him to be somewhat aggressive especially against someone who had their hands in a Kyokushin karate style.

[frogman]

Dida By Murder
Hope his mental will not collapse

[Pasha K]

Minowaman, we all know that he is famous for fighting Super HWs, but I think DREAM is abusing on that. He is a Middleweight or LHW, I am not sure. He should fight 2-3 guys of his own weight class and then alternate with some freak fight.

Ambriz is a joke, Minowa is going to submit him.