PCX SIGNS SHOOTO CHAMP YUSUKE YACHI

Pacific Xtreme Combat announced today that it has entered into a multi-fight deal with Shooto Pacific Rim Lightweight Champion Yusuke Yachi (9-3) from the acclaimed team Krazy Bee / Yamamoto Sports Academy in Tokyo, Japan. Yachi, now only 22 years of age, first made his name as a Shooto Rookie Champ in 2010. He then lost his following match by DQing himself against Kasuya Toida. He came back his next fight in the win column, and Shooto saw fit to start feeding him to the wolves, first as a sacrificial lamb to Hideki Kadowaki then to Guy Delarmeau, in back to back barnburners that saw him take both the distance but ended him on the wrong side of the judges’ decision. After that, Yachi went on a four fight tear and was offered a shot at the Pacific Rim Lightweight strap, winning against Wataru Miki, and then defended successfully against warhorse veteran Yuji Hoshino.

Yachi will make his debut at PXC on May 18th in Manila, Philippines in a 4-man Featherweight tournament against Mark Striegl (12-0). An interesting match up by the promotion, to say the least. Striegl has finished ten of his opponents by submission, only allowing two to go the distance. Yachi has all of his wins by going the distance and detailed planning against his opponents.

The world gets smaller from here. Yachi’s last opponent, Hoshino of Wajutsu Keishukai GODS, happens to be Striegl’s long time coach. There will definitely be a lot of emotions in this fight, inside and outside the cage.

In further ’6 degrees of separation’, Yachi’s last loss was against another PXC fighter, Delarmeau. Delarmeau got the attention of PXC with his wins over Yachi and teammate Issei Tamura, who is incidentally in the UFC. Delarmeau’s last fight with Dustin Kimura got Dustin signed to the UFC. And of course there’s Yachi’s coach, none other than KID Norifumi Yamamoto, also of UFC. PXC’s claim of being a UFC feeder is proving itself repeatedly.

http://mma-in-asia.com/region/singapore/pcx-signs-shooto-champ-yusuke-yachi/