Former DEEP champ Katsunori Kikuno signs with UFC

In advance of a planned Asian expansion, the UFC continues to add talent from that region, as Katsunori Kikuno (21-5-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has joined the world's largest MMA promotion.

MMAjunkie.com today confirmed with sources close to Kikuno that the former DEEP lightweight champion has signed a multi-fight deal with the promotion.

UFC officials have yet to announce the signing, and an octagon debut date for the fighter was not immediately clear.

The 31-year-old Kikuno is a Japanese native and black belt in judo and Kyokushin karate, and his fighting style is highly reflective of his traditional martial arts background. His previous 28 professional MMA contests have all taken place in his native Japan.

Fighting professionally since 2005, Kikuno opened his career with just one loss in his first 15 appearances, picking up a DEEP lightweight tournament win along the way with victories over Koichiro Matsumoto, Bu Kyung Jung and Jang Yong Kim. With the victory in the eight-man bracket, he was awarded the promotion's lightweight belt.

Kikuno would balance his DEEP responsibilities with five appearances under the DREAM banner, picking up wins over Daisuke Nakamura, Kuniyoshi Hironaka and Andre Amade while suffering a few high-profile losses to Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante and Eddie Alvarez.

Most recently, Kikuno has put together a five-fight win streak that includes four first-round finishes – a run that three stoppages of 67 seconds or less.

http://www.mmajunkie.com/news/2013/10/source-former-deep-champ-katsunori-kikuno-signs-with-ufc

Well shit, UFC complaining about a bloated roster but Horiguchi's win was too convincing for them to not vulture JMMA talent I suppose.

I really hope they actually pay these Japanese fighters decently. I bet the match ups for Kawajiri and Kikuno are going to be horrid. JOE SILVA COULDN'T MATCH UP A PAIR OF SHOES.

The bad news keep coming. When will these mafia scumbags stop taking all the good fighters? No one should support Zuffa.

Wow does the UFC plan on buying all of JMMA today

was about to post this.

another big loss for JMMA

I think id rather Kawajiri get two fights a year as opposed to sitting on ass for a year and a half. I'm happy Kawajiri signed with the UFC, that way he'll actually get fights.

I think losing Kikuno is actually good for DEEP. With his inclusion on top of Daisuke and Kitaoka, it made it very hard for DEEP to really groom any new talent. Outside of Kishimoto and whomever wins the LWGP final, DEEP really has too much disparity in its lightweight division. This way, I hope we'll get to see new stars in the near future.

It works out for Kikuno too. He's already faced the top three guys in the division and that's really all there is of all the fighters that are on his level. He's been wasting his time fighting bottom of the barrel scraps from ROAD FC. He needs competition and that's stateside nowadays.

wekka wrote:I'm happy Kawajiri signed with the UFC, that way he'll actually get fights.

You should never be happy when a fighter signs with UFC  

Relax guys this all part of Shigs plan to buy the ufc. Him and Dana and imanari are prolly sharing a sauna right now going over da details.

i thought their roster was too full?

Fairweather wrote:i thought their roster was too full?

It's different when you're signing world class fighters, not guys with a total of three fights from North Dakota.

wekka wrote:

Fairweather wrote:i thought their roster was too full?

It's different when you're signing world class fighters, not guys with a total of three fights from North Dakota.

This.......that's what I have been saying for awhile now if you need to pack your roster do it with guys who deserve it like kawajiri not some no name regional guy with less than 10 fights who fights in bars on Friday night.

Kikuno is one of my favorite Japanese fighters. I'm glad to be able to watch him on tv now, but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth that he's with UFC now as DEEP is my favorite JMMA organization. It sucks he's gone from their roster. He'll probably be given unfavorable matchups. Joe Silva seems to have a hard-on for that.

I think they'll give Kikuno some softballs to start. Kawajiri will get the hard stuff right off the bat.

Kikuno will be given guys like Njokuani, Guillard, and Makdessi.

wekka wrote:Kikuno will be given guys like Njokuani, Guillard, and Makdessi.

It's sad when guys like that can dead him if he fights like a retard. His footwork is absolutely terrible. He needs to fix it.

Id hope that'd change since he's finally fighting on a bigger stage once again. He's really been bad with fighting the same level as his opposition. Unless its a total can like LUIZ.

Kikuno has been booked against Quinn Mulhern for his debut fight in January at Singapore.

Very winnabe fight, I do believe. Kikuno's striking is vastly superior and I think he can.handle Mulhern's grappling. Quinn's a pretty big.lightweight and I can see Kikuno having problems throughout the fight trying to find range, though.

Kikuno better win or I will quit watching DEEP Forever. It's on you now, warrior.

Quinn who? Quinn Butthorn? Kikuno's got this. Road to hero, bros.