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The UFC is returning to Japan this weekend and it does so with one of the better cards that will air exclusively on UFC Fight Pass. UFC Fight Night 52 will be headlined by a huge heavyweight division bout as Roy Nelson faces Mark Hunt. Also, Miesha Tate faces Rin Nakai, while Myles Jury faces Takanori Gomi in a big lightweight division bout.
Kicking off the action is a bantamweight division bout as Kyoji Horiguchi (13-1-0) competes against Jon “The Heat†Delos Reyes (7-3-0). Horiguchi is currently undefeated in UFC competition, last defeating Darrell Montague at UFC Fight Night: Brown vs. Silva. Reyes is currently winless under the UFC banner, having dropped a fight to Dustin Kimura at UFC Fight Night: Saffiedine vs. Lim. Horiguchi is slowly building himself in a contender in the bantamweight division and his status will rise as he defeats Reyes.
The welterweight division will be featured next as Kiichi “Strasser†Kunimoto (17-5-2-1NC) does battle against Richard “Filthy Rich†Walsh (8-1-0). Kunimoto is currently undefeated in UFC competition, most notably defeating Daniel Sarafian at UFC 174. Walsh is also undefeated in UFC competition, with his win coming over Chris Indich at the UFC Ultimate Fighter Nations Finale. This is an interesting fight that could be a launching point for both fighters UFC runs, but it will be Kunimoto staying undefeated within the UFC in the end.
A women's bantamweight division bout is next as Rin Nakai (16-0-1) is in action against Miesha “Cupcake†Tate (14-5-0). Nakai will be making her UFC debut in this fight, but she does hold wins over Invicta FC veterans Tara LaRosa and Sarah D'Alelio. Tate will be looking to build on the momentum of her first UFC win, which came over Liz Carmouche at UFC On Fox 11. The winner of this could be a fight away from a title shot and it will be Tate getting closer to that she by ending the undefeated streak of Nakai.
More welterweight division action is happening next as Yoshihiro “Sexyama†Akiyama (13-5-0-2NC) battles Amir Sadollah (6-4-0). Akiyama will be returning to action after a two-plus year absence and he has not won a fight in over five years. Sadollah will also be returning to action after a long layoff and he was the winner of the UFC Ultimate Fighter VII. This is a must win situation for both competitors in this one and it will be the TUF Champion walking away with the win.
Up next is a lightweight division affair as “The Fireball Kid†Takanori Gomi (35-9-0-1NC) takes on Myles “Fury†Jury (14-0-0). Gomi has won three of his last four under the UFC banner, most notably defeating Mac Danzig at UFC On Fuel TV VI. Jury is coming off the biggest win of his career, which came over TUF I Champion Diego Sanchez at UFC 171. Jury is quietly becoming a true force in the lightweight division and he will add another big win to his resume when he defeats Gomi.
Headlining this card is a heavyweight division bout as “The Super Samoan†Mark Hunt (9-8-1) faces Roy “Big Country†Nelson (20-9-0). Hunt is arguably coming off of the best fight of his career, which was a majority draw against Antonio Silva at UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Bigfoot. Nelson has won just one of his last three under the UFC banner, with that lone win coming over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC Fight Night: Minotauro vs. Nelson. This fight will be nothing short of a slugfest from bell to bell, but it will be a rejuvenated Hunt getting the win.
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