Takanori Gomi at UFC 79, Signing Imminent?
Though his appearance octagonside for UFC 79: Nemesis nearly went unnoticed, PRIDE Lightweight Champion Takanori Gomi sat alongside Tito Ortiz for the UFC’s year-end card in Las Vegas this past weekend. His appearance at the event caused year-long rumors that he was UFC-bound to again resurface though UFC President Dana White quickly quashed hopes that a signing was imminent during the post-event press conference:
“I’ve wanted to sign Takanori Gomi for a long time. I am very interested in him. Gomi was just here to watch the fights. He did stop by and say hello though.”
While we won’t be seeing the “Fireball Kid” fighting in the octagon anytime soon his appearance at the event and White’s post-event comments indicate that the UFC has not given up on signing the number-one ranked lightweight in the world.
Tags: Takanori Gomi
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Gomi VS BJ!!!!!!!!!!!!
never seen this guy fight b4 does ne1 think he`d rule in the ufc or will he be another pride fighter who comes an dissapoints
I dont think he will win anyone like Kenny Florian, BJ Penn, Roger Huerta, Joe Stevenson, Clay Guida, Tyson Griffen, Shawn Sherk, or Hermes Franca. This division is stacked and I dont think he will do much damage.
haha so hes not that good then
Actually I think he’s really good and can easily win enough to deserve a title shot. I’ve seen almost every one of his fights and he really is a fireball and has a really good chin as well. He’s also versed in submissions but is probably the best lightweight ground and pounder and is on par with Sherk in that department.
I’d love to see BJ / Gomi…would be a great fight.
BJ/Gomi happened already a few years ago in Rumble on the Rock.
BJ dominated en route to a unanimous decision victory.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8096097432117750006
I don’t think the result of a rematch would be much different.
BJ/Gomi fought a few years ago at Rumble on the Rock 4 and it was a good fight, I won’t say who won in case you haven’t seen it. I’d love to see them go at it again. Gomi was the lightweight champ when Zuffa bought Pride, though he actually lost a non-title bout to Nick Diaz (the one where Diaz tested positive for marijuana so it was changed to a no-contest).
That said, Gomi would be a solid addition to the Lightweight division and could potentially challenge for the title but there’s lots of fighters that he would have to go through before getting a title shot.
kool we need this guy in the ufc he is a awsome fighter
overrated
Nobody can really predict whether or not he’ll do well in the UFC but he is a top lightweight. The time off is my biggest concern but I don’t think he’ll fail in the UFC. I’m not going to predict he’s going to become a champion but he’s a good fighter.
I have to agree with Fixxer, overrated. I would love to see him add some more excitement to the LW division, but I don’t see him on Penn or Sherk’s level.
check this out, Ricco’s belt from UFC 39:
http://cgi.ebay.com/UFC-39-HEAVYWEIGHT-CHAMPIONSHIP-BELT_W0QQitemZ140194796581QQihZ004QQcategoryZ31678QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
wow, unbelievable, whos gonna pay 30 grand for it though.
Gomi is the best LW there is. Nico u are an idiot for saying he would not beat ken-flo, huerta, penn and those bunch. I admit that heurta and guida would make it hard because of their conditioning but come on man florian, stevenson, penn, franca. he would run through these guys. for everyone that doesnt know who he is gomi is a wrecking machine. he has hands better than anyone in the UFC lightweight divsion and a ground game similar to franca’s. he is a tank.
Gomi is pretty damn good and will will fit into the UFC well. He’ll run into trouble though when he goes up against the top UFC lightweights. With the addition of Gomi, the lightweight division is really getting loaded with bad boys. There should be some great fights coming soon, killer fights!
The UFC needs 2 more weight classes…145 and 135…there are bunch of little bad asses out there too.
Just wait till Gomi signs with another org. Dana will be screaming how he never wanted Gomi, how he thinks Gomi is overrated, that he never wanted him in the first place and that he was only gonna sign him to prove he’d be destroyed if he fought the UFC’s lightweight champion.
cheers for the input dan
There are alot of “names” in the LW division but not really many upper tier fighters.. Gomi may have a loss to BJ and a loss to Diaz( I don’t respect the NC bullcrap.. weed didnt help diaz win) but hell he still has a 27-4 record and is a very exciting fighter.. I don’t think they just pulled his name out of a hat and named him #1 ranked LW
When PRIDE fell I cosndiered Gomi a top 5 must have for the UFC (Fedor, Shogun, Wanderlai, Cro Cop, and Gomi, yes you could argue for Henderson and Nogueira). Gomi is a great fighter and a big lightweight. I have loved the unification fight idea that UFC has done. After The Silva/Henderson unification fight I would love to see Gomi vs. Penn II (I am assuming that Penn beats Stevenson, but you know what they say about assuming). Anyways, signing Gomi would come close to redeeming loosing out on Fedor. He is a solid fighter, a serious contender at lightweight, and by far the best Japanese fighter pound for pound.
You remember when Rampage beat Chuck Liddell the last time? Following the fight, Dan Henderson walks into the cage carrying his belts and then is announced that Henderson would fight Jackson for the title. What are the chances that following UFC 80’s main event, out come Takanori Gomi carrying his PRIDE belt, with a announcment of a fight and a signing of Gomi? That would rock!
Jason, great thought. I could definitely see that happening.
Awesome, Gomi’s coming to the UFC.
Let me rephase that: It would bew awesome if Gomi came to the UFC.
i dont think gomi stands a chance fighting most of the top guys in the ufc…not unless he gets that horrible cardio in line and im not even joking…dont ya’ll remember the beating diaz put on him after Gomi gassed???? not too take anything away from Gomi…hes a phenomanal fighter and has an outstanding record but lets face facts here most of the fighters in the UFC LW division are jus cardio monsters and it wouldnt be good too see another top pride fighter come in and get dominated like so many b4 him….put Gomi in with randy and lets see what he can do for his cardio then maybe i’ll jump on this one small man band wagon
Gomi & BJ did fight, and I thought BJ made Gomi tap via rear naked choke. BJ dominated that fight as well from beginning to end. Has anyone one else here seen that fight?
if you don’t know who gomi is then you don’t know anything about mma. he beat up hansen, pulver, and the fireball kid who also could defeat anyone in the ufc lightweight division. the ufc has added some bad rules and left out some great ones. point 1 not allowing knees to downed opponent or kicks to downed opponent. both are part of a fight and allow a striker to evade a wrestler. point 2 pride had the best rule ever for a slow fight a yellow card which would penalize a fighter stalling 10% of their purse. that said the worst thing that ufc has created is stupid fans. booing great fights because they’re to dumb to understand what is taking place. gomi is a great fighter and should be given respect no matter if he is champ or just a contender. that said he will be in the top three when he enters and will show everyone that Anderson silva(Pride fighter) is not the only one who will bruise his weight division.
and to the idiot who referenced diaz the steroid user. if they fought when he wasn’t using it would be a different story just look at what happened with kj can you say domination. and i saw the fight with bj, gomi lost but there is no denying that bj can be the best and he can have off days just like gomi. they should fight again i can’t tell you i wouldn’t care who won because it would be a great fight. i do think gomi can win and anyone who thinks he can’t understands nothing about fighting.
Diaz the steroid user????? It was marijuana. It was also one of the greatest lightweight fights I have seen. Diaz must have been stoned to come up with that Gogo-plata. Awesome. I can’t wait to see what Gomi can do in the octagon. It is a lot different than the small ring, but he does have MAD SKILLS. I still want to see a rematch with Diaz though. I think Diaz was robbed of his victory.
Gomi would level the lightweight division like a typhoon
Yeah Gomi is overrated!!! LOL People who say that must know nothing at all about MMA. Go take alook at all the top 10 light weights he beat, He is one of the best light weights there is if not the best !!!! Please before you say Gomi is overrated please know a little something about him and who he has fought ??? I guess just becasue he was never on relaity show he is not that GOOD. LOL !!! and for the people who say Penn destroyed him he did not it was a close fight and Penn was fighting as a welterweight at the time and Gomi as a leightweight ?