Takanori Gomi signs with UFC

MrStuffins

They've been flirting for so long, and now it's signed!

MMAJunkie.com

The final lightweight champion of the now-defunct PRIDE organization is now UFC bound.

UFC president Dana White revealed on his newest vlog that Takanori Gomi (31-5) has agreed to a contract with the world's largest MMA promotion.

News of the signing first leaked out on Friday night in an AOL FanHouse report.

"Takanori Gomi – nobody knows yet, but we just signed him," White said in the vlog. "He fights with the UFC now.

"Just making [expletive] even more exciting."

Known as "The Fireball Kid," Gomi has long been considered among the world's best lightweights. A recent two-fight losing streak to Satoru Kitaoka and Sergey Golyaev left Gomi outside of most top-10 rankings, but the Japanese product has since bounced back with a pair of victories over Tony Hervey and Takashi Nakakura.

Terms of the contract were not revealed.

"He signed, and he's here," White said. "Get ready; Gomi's back."

Fighting professionally since 1998, Gomi may be perhaps best known in the U.S. for a 2007 submission loss to Nick Diaz. The gogoplata finish was later overturned to a no-contest result by the Nevada State Athletic Commission after Diaz tested positive for marijuana in a post-fight drug screen.

Gomi's career includes wins over notables Marcus Aurelio, Seung Hwang Bang, Ralph Gracie, Mitsuhiro Ishida, Tatsuya Kawajiri, Duane Ludwig, Jens Pulver and Hayato "Mach" Sakurai, among others.

White did not reveal when Gomi would debut for the organization.

Great signing for the UFC and one of the only signings to make sense seeing as BJ has almost cleaned out the LW division completely.

scudzilla

Nice, been wanting this for a long time, still think BJ will own him though, but also gives a lot of other great fights, Gomi/Florian for example

MrStuffins

scudzilla wrote: »

Nice, been wanting this for a long time, still think BJ will own him though, but also gives a lot of other great fights, Gomi/Florian for example

Exactly. Gomi had a couple of shicking losses but there's no doubt he's one of the best in the world on his day! I can't see him getting past BJ anyway, but i'm just hoping that Dana doesnt throw him in against BJ right off.

If Dana signed Aoki and (somehow) Alvarez then i think i'd die of happiness!

scudzilla

MrStuffins wrote: »

Exactly. Gomi had a couple of shicking losses but there's no doubt he's one of the best in the world on his day! I can't see him getting past BJ anyway, but i'm just hoping that Dana doesnt throw him in against BJ right off.

If Dana signed Aoki and (somehow) Alvarez then i think i'd die of happiness!

That wouldn't surprise me at all, who else is there for BJ to fight at LW? Maybe a headline fight in Japan?

If Dana doesn't stick Gomi in straight away against Penn and then Gomi gets his ass handed to him by the likes of Florian or Sanchez then that's the BJ/Gomi fight right outta the window

MrStuffins

scudzilla wrote: »

That wouldn't surprise me at all, who else is there for BJ to fight at LW? Maybe a headline fight in Japan?

If Dana doesn't stick Gomi in straight away against Penn and then Gomi gets his ass handed to him by the likes of Florian or Sanchez then that's the BJ/Gomi fight right outta the window

Yeah you're right. And Dana has shown that he doesnt care whether the american audience knows who a guy is yet in order to stick them into big fights.

Should be very interesting

PADRAIC.M

oh man when i seen this on twitter I did a little dance! Loved him in pride, I hope if he can be the same fighter as he was then.

scudzilla

MrStuffins wrote: »

Yeah you're right. And Dana has shown that he doesnt care whether the american audience knows who a guy is yet in order to stick them into big fights.

Should be very interesting

And that's why a BJ/Gomi fight is perfect for the UFC's return to Japan ;)

MrStuffins

scudzilla wrote: »

And that's why a BJ/Gomi fight is perfect for the UFC's return to Japan ;)

Good thinking Batman!

Penn/Sanchez v Gomi/Uno for the first ever UFC Tag Team Titles!

And as i hinted to in a previous thread, with it being Japan, Brock v Godzilla. It's the only way!

rovert

A delayed signing of a piece of unfulfilled potential, am I missing something here?

PADRAIC.M wrote: »

oh man when i seen this on twitter I did a little dance! Loved him in pride, I hope if he can be the same fighter as he was then.

Denis Kang says hello

MrStuffins

rovert wrote: »

A delayed signing of a piece of unfulfilled potential, am I missing something here?



Denis Kang says hello

Unfulfilled potential? WW Shooto Champ, LW Pride Champ.

Good man!

8 whole posts before you came with your pontificating and attempts to argue and feign higher knowledge!

rovert

MrStuffins wrote: »

Unfulfilled potential? WW Shooto Champ, LW Pride Champ.

Imagine what he could have done if he trained more than he did in his career.

MrStuffins wrote: »

8 whole posts before you came with your pontificating and attempts to argue and feign higher knowledge!

I wouldnt call someone on their higher knowledge by using two ands in a sentence.

MrStuffins

rovert wrote: »

Imagine what he could have done if he trained more than he did in his career.



I wouldnt call someone on their higher knowledge by using two ands in a sentence.

Yeah, imagine..... imagine what exactly? He was the Champion...... what else is there?

And as for your little grammar dig, could you have proved my point any better?

rovert

MrStuffins wrote: »

Yeah, imagine..... imagine what exactly? He was the Champion...... what else is there?

He is a fighter who coasted on his natural ability approached, then reached 30 never really progressing as a fighter.

He is someone who embraced a slacker image so how can you say he has fulfilled his potential?

MrStuffins wrote: »

And as for your little grammar dig, could you have proved my point any better?

Dont start a sentence with an and. I was only replying to your personal dig at me btw.

MrStuffins

rovert wrote: »

He is a fighter who coasted on his natural ability approached, then reached 30 never really progressing as a fighter.

He is someone who embraced a slacker image so how can you say he has fulfilled his potential?



Dont start a sentence with an and. I was only replying to your personal dig at me btw.

I will start a sentence with an and whenever i want, this isn't English class, this is an MMA Forum, my dig at you was related to the topic, yours was not, try reading the forum.

And he fulfillid his potential by winning titles in 2 organisations and at the time of his holding the Pride belt being the No.1 LW in the world. Where else can you go from being No.1?

There's no point arguing with me over this, he was the champion, it's the championship belt that fighters aim for. He fulfilled that aim AND you do not have a higher knowledge of Gomi AND MMA in general than you think you have over everyone in this forum AND whatever else.

That enough ands for you?

rovert

MrStuffins wrote: »

I will start a sentence with an and whenever i want, this isn't English class, this is an MMA Forum, my dig at you was related to the topic, yours was not, try reading the forum.

And he fulfillid his potential by winning titles in 2 organisations and at the time of his holding the Pride belt being the No.1 LW in the world. Where else can you go from being No.1?

There's no point arguing with me over this, he was the champion, it's the championship belt that fighters aim for. He fulfilled that aim AND you do not have a higher knowledge of Gomi AND MMA in general than you think you have over everyone in this forum AND whatever else.

That enough ands for you?

Mrstuffins you've seemingly have a real problem with me here, **** sake.

You didnt answer the question I asked in the previous post. Nor can you make a case he has progressed as a fighter. Therefore the only assumpation that can be made is that Gomi hasnt fulfilled his potential.

Lord Muck

well , at least Gomi's a guy who can possibly challenge Penn and casue him a few problems. I rate Gomi a lot higher than Frankie Edgar who's reportedly the no.1 contender at the moment

peter p

Was it not said on "MMA live post 108 show" that kenflo will fight Gomi first?
I thought i heard kenny saying that.
If u look at the other high caliber fighters who come to the ufc (hendo a big example) and take on a hard first fight they usually lose do they not?
Maybe they should give him someone handy to start off with, to get the rust off so to speak.

Chewabacca

In regards to the arguing about Gomi, I think both posters are correct to a point. Gomi was a great fighter and with all the quality wins he racked up was most definitely the no. 1 LW once upon a time.

However, since the Diaz loss he put together a string of lackluster performances and seemed to stop performing. He was coming into to ring better and better each time and his vicous gnp and stand up seemed to become more effective with each showing. All of a sudden he stopped performing. Most believed that he would keep improving to become the most dominant LW to date. He never did this and has looked average at best.

Although he was champ I'd have to agree with the guys that said he never reached his full potential.

I like to compare him to Shogun. Shogun went on a tear in Pride and was consistently beating top 10 competition but would you really say he ever reached his FULL potential?(the UFC judges halted that). Shogun looks well on his way and hopefully will but only time will tell.

Let's hope Gomi begins to rise to the top again like Shogun is doing but although he's an exciting signing I predict he'll be another failed Japanese fighter in the UFC(Gono beat hardy and shouldn't have been cut but thats another issue).

rovert

Chewabacca wrote: »

In regards to the arguing about Gomi, I think both posters are correct to a point. Gomi was a great fighter and with all the quality wins he racked up was most definitely the no. 1 LW once upon a time.

However, since the Diaz loss he put together a string of lackluster performances and seemed to stop performing. He was coming into to ring better and better each time and his vicous gnp and stand up seemed to become more effective with each showing. All of a sudden he stopped performing. Most believed that he would keep improving to become the most dominant LW to date. He never did this and has looked average at best.

Although he was champ I'd have to agree with the guys that said he never reached his full potential.

I like to compare him to Shogun. Shogun went on a tear in Pride and was consistently beating top 10 competition but would you really say he ever reached his FULL potential?(the UFC judges halted that). Shogun looks well on his way and hopefully will but only time will tell.

Let's hope Gomi begins to rise to the top again like Shogun is doing but although he's an exciting signing I predict he'll be another failed Japanese fighter in the UFC(Gono beat hardy and shouldn't have been cut but thats another issue).

Shogun had knee problems, Gomi is just lazy

The-Game

rovert wrote: »

Shogun had knee problems, Gomi is just lazy

True Shogun was injured, Gomi gave up and became lazy, if he really has realised its time to kick it up again he could tear through the UFC division and him Vs BJ in Japan would be huge money, and an amazing fight.

NG-DOC

The-Game wrote: »

Gomi gave up and became lazy

yeah i know like, i asked him if he wanted to play three and in a while back and he wasn't even bothered.

just so lazy nowadays isn't he?

The-Game

Well he had said in interviews he lost his motivation and wasnt preparing to the best of his abilities for fights and that resulted in his losing streak, sure look at BJ when he wasnt pushing himself, his cardio was ridiculous, now he takes himself seriously again and is outclassing the rest of the division.

OMCCABE

Did I miss something or has nobody posting in this thread realised that BJ and Gomi fought before.


The fought in the Rumble on the Rock when BJ was out of the UFC. I think it was ROR 4 and it wasn't particularly competitive. BJ destroyed him both standing and grounded. BJ is a vastly superior fighter since then.

rovert

The-Game wrote: »

Well he had said in interviews he lost his motivation and wasnt preparing to the best of his abilities for fights and that resulted in his losing streak, sure look at BJ when he wasnt pushing himself, his cardio was ridiculous, now he takes himself seriously again and is outclassing the rest of the division.

The difference between Gomi and Penn is that on Penn's 30th birthday he had an epiphany while Gomi probably slept in. :pac: