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Kicking off the card is a light heavyweight division contest as Tatsuya Mizuno (10-7-0) will battle Ilima Maiava (1-0-0). Tatsuya Mizuno is coming off of the biggest victory of his career, defeating UFC veteran Trevor Prangley at DREAM: Fight For Japan 2011. It has been well over a year since Ilima Maiava competed in a professional MMA fight, where he defeated Matt Eaton by unanimous decision. This fight was put together at the last second due to the new DREAM/Pro Elite partnership, but it will be Tatsuya Mizuno picking up the victory.
We move to the welterweight division for our next fight as Brent Schermerhorn (4-1-0) dukes it out with Kaleo Gambill (2-0-0). Brent Schermerhorn is currently undefeated in Pro Elite competition, having defeated Jesse Lundgren at Pro Elite I. Kaleo Gambill is an undefeated fighter who has previous experience at Pro Elite, defeating Eldon Sproat at Pro Elite I. This fight could be a telling sign for the future welterweights of MMA, but it will be Brent Schermerhorn pulling out the win.
Up next is a women’s bantamweight division encounter as Sara McMann (4-0-0) squares off with Hitomi “Girlfight Monster†Akano (18-8-0). Sara McMann is an undefeated fighter who already holds a victory over top rated female competitor Tonya Evinger. Hitomi Akano is one of the more respected female fighters to come out of Japan and she enters the fight riding a two fight winning streak. This is easily one of the best female fights not on a Strikeforce card, but it will be Hitomi Akano ending the undefeated streak.
The Pro Elite Heavyweight Grand Prix Semi-Finals takes place next as Ryan Martinez (6-1-0) battles Cody Griffin (5-2-0). Ryan Martinez advanced to the tournament semi-finals when he defeated Mark Ellis by unanimous decision at Pro Elite: Big Guns. Cody Griffin found himself in the tournament semi-finals after defeating Justyn Riley by TKO at Pro Elite: Big Guns. This fight could very well be the best of the semi-final battles at Pro Elite III, but it will be Ryan Martinez picking up the “W.â€
The other Pro Elite Heavyweight Grand Prix Semi-Finals will take place as the co-main event as Jake “The Honey Bear†Heun (2-1-0) faces Richard “The Black Eagle†Odoms (6-0-0). Jake Heun punched his ticket to the tournaments next round by defeating Ed Carpenter at Pro Elite: Big Guns. The undefeated Richard Odoms got into the tournament semi’s by defeating Rodney Housley by unanimous decision. This will be another good heavyweight battle on the card, but it will by Richard Odoms remaining undefeated in the end.
Headlining this card is a middleweight division fight as Kendall “Da Spyder†Grove (13-9-0) takes on Ikuhisa “Minowaman†Minowa (52-32-8). Kendall Grove has won his lone fight since getting released from the UFC, defeating UFC veteran Joe Riggs at Pro Elite: Arlovski vs. Lopez. Ikuhisa Minowa is a well traveled MMA veteran who will be riding a five fight winning streak heading into the fight. This fight will easily be the biggest test of Kendall Grove’s post UFC career, but it will be a test that he passes.
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