• Former UFC heavyweight champion Kevin Randleman will look to get back in the win column after losing to Mike Whitehead at a June Strikeforce event, facing off against undefeated Stanislav Nedkov at Sengoku 11. [MMAJunkie]
• DEEP’s “45th Impact” will include a “Guam vs. Japan” format which will include Guam champions Justin Cruz (140 lbs) and Roque Martinez (Heavyweight). Cruz’s opponents could either be DEEP featherweight champion Takafumi Otsuka or bantamweight champion Masakazu Iminari, since he normally fights between those weights. Martinez’s opponent will likely be Yusuke Kawaguchi if he wins his upcoming bout against Seigo Mizuguchi. The event is scheduled to take place in December. [BloodyElbow]
• .Cage Force will be holding an October 25th event featuring Katsuhiko Nagata vs. Daisuke Hoshino and Tetsu “Hadairo” Suzuki vs. Isao Terada, among other contests.[BloodyElbow]
• Former Sengoku Lightweight Champion Satoru Kitaoka will face off against Bellator semi-finalist Jorge Masvidal at WVR’s Sengoku 11 on November 7.[Tapology]
• Following his Korean giant Hong Man Choi’s victory over Jose Canseco in the opening round of the Dream Super Hulk Tournament, US basketball star (and MMA fan) Shaquille O’Neal expressed interest in facing off against the 7-2 Choi, after his basketball career had ended. Prior to his bout Tuesday against Ikuhisa Minowa at Dream 11, MMAFanhouse asked Choi if he was open to that match up, to which he responded, “Yes, if there is a chance.” It would be no surprise if FEG promoted this fight for one of it’s Dream events, once Shaq does leave the NBA.

Pictured: Kevin Randleman

Sakurai improves to 35-8-2 with the victory and now advances to the semifinals of the promotion’s 2009 welterweight grand prix while Aoki, who falls to 20-4 with the loss, is likely to return to the lightweight division for his next bout.

With victories at DREAM 8, Jason High, Marius Zaromskis, and Andre Galvao also advanced to the welterweight semis.

The opening round of DREAM’s featherweight grand prix, which got underway with six bouts at DREAM 7, concluded on Sunday as Daiki “DJ.taiki” Hata advanced with a win over Hideo Tokoro.

Notables Jeff Monson and Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro also picked up wins in non-tournament action, while Murilo “Ninja” Rua dropped an exciting unanimous decision to late-replacement Riki Fukuda.

The official DREAM 8 results were:

• Hayato “Mach” Sakurai def. Shinya Aoki via TKO (strikes) — Round 1, 0:27*
• Jason High def. Yuya Shirai via technical submission (rear naked choke) — Round 1, 0:59*
• Marius Zaromskis def. Seichi Ikemoto via unanimous decision*
• Andre Galvao def. John Alessio via submission (armbar) — Round 1, 7:34*
• Daiki “DJ.taiki” Hata def. Hideo Tokoro via unanimous decision^
• Jeff Monson def. Sergei Kharitonov via submission (north-south choke) – Round 1, 1:42
• Riki Fukuda def. Murilo “Ninja” Rua via unanimous decision
• Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro def. Katsuhiko Nagata via TKO (cut) – Round 1, 7:58
• Andrews Nakahara def. Shungo Oyama via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 2:00
• Katsutori Shibata def. Ikuhisa “Minowaman” Minowa via unanimous decision

* 2009 DREAM Welterweight GP quarterfinals bout
^ 2009 DREAM Featherweight GP opening round bout

Videos:

Hayato “Mach” Sakurai vs. Shinya Aoki

Jason High vs. Yuya Shira

Jeff Monson vs. Sergei Kharitonov

The event will air via tape-delay on HDNet and features the opening round of the DREAM welterweight grand prix as well as the final bout from DREAM’s featherweight grand prix opening round.

Riki Fukuda has agreed to fight fellow middleweight Murilo “Ninja” Rua on just one days notice after his scheduled opponent, Dong Sik Yoon, was forced out of their bout due to an undisclosed injury.

The official DREAM 8 weigh-in results were:

• Hayato “Mach” Sakurai (75.9kg/167 lbs.) vs. Shinya Aoki (73.5kg/161.7 lbs.)
• Yuya Shirai (75.7kg/166.5 lbs.) vs. Jason High (75.9kg/167 lbs.)
• Marius Zaromskis (75.5kg/166.1 lbs.) vs. Seichi Ikemoto (75.7kg/166.5 lbs.)
• John Alessio (76.0kg/167.2 lbs.) vs. Andre Galvao (76.0kg/167.2 lbs.)
• Hideo Tokoro (62.3kg/137 lbs.) vs. Daiki “DJ.taiki” Hata (63.0kg/138.6 lbs.)
• Sergei Kharitonov (116.5kg/256.3 lbs.) vs. Jeff Monson (110.0kg/242 lbs.
• Riki Fukuda (88.8kg/195.4 lbs.) vs. Murilo “Ninja” Rua (88.0kg/193.6 lbs.)
• Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro (69.7kg/153.3 lbs.) vs. Katsuhiko Nagata (70.0kg/154 lbs.)
• Andrews Nakahara (85.0kg/187 lbs.) vs. Shungo Oyama (85.7kg/188.5 lbs.)
• Katsuyori Shibata (86.2 kg/189.6 lbs.) vs. Ikuhisa Minowa (87.0 kg/191.4 lbs.)

Stop by MMAFrenzy.com tomorrow afternoon for official DREAM 8 results.

• Rob Yundt will take on Alessio Sakara at The Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale.
• At UFC 87 Heath Herring will fill in for an injured Mark Coleman and take on Brock Lesnar, Clay Guida will face Mac Danzig, Jason MacDonald takes on Demian Maia, and Manny Gamburyan will be in action against an opponent to be announced.
• Adrenaline MMA has inked a deal with HDNet to air the promotion’s first three events on the network.
• Jeremy Lang has replaced Eric Schambari against Tim McKenzie and Danny Castillo has replaced Richard Crunkilton against Donald Cerrone on the WEC 34 fight card, which is takes place on June 1st.
• Ryan Ford will take on UFC veteran Drew Fickett at MFC 17 for the promotion’s vacant welterweight championship.
• DREAM has announced the official pairings for the second round of the promtion’s middleweight tournament. The matchups are Kazushi Sakuraba versus Melvin Manhoef, Jason “Mayhem” Miller versus Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, Gegard Mousasi versus Dong Sik Yoon, and Zelg Galesic versus Taiei Kin.
• Antonio Rogerio Nogueria will fight Vernon White at Affliction’s debut event, “Banned”, on July 19th.
• ESPN The Magazine featuring Kimbo Slice on the cover is on newstands now.
• EliteXC President Gary Shaw revealed this week that the promotion is likely going to introduce a heavyweight title in 2008.
• MMA veteran Matt Lindland won the Republican primary for the Oregon House of Representatives by a 14-point margin and will not take on Democratic nominee Suzanne VanOrman in the November 4th general election.
• EliteXC will stage a ShoXC event in San Diego, California on June 27th. Hector Lombard will make his debut with the promotion at the event, Cyrille Diabate will face Jamie Fletcher in a main card bout, and King of the Cage middleweight champion Keith Berry will look to defend his title against Reggie Orr.
• UFC 88 will take place on September 6th at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.