DREAM.2

Infobox MMA event
name=


promotion=DREAM
date=April 29, 2008
venue=Saitama Super Arena
city=flagicon|JPN Saitama, Japan
attendance=21,397
previousevent=
followingevent=

"Dream.2 Middle Weight Grandprix 2008 1st Round" was a mixed martial arts event promoted by DREAM. It took place on Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama City, Japan.

The event hosted the opening round of the promotion's Middleweight Grand Prix. All bouts were conducted under DREAM Rules, (1stR x 10 min, 2ndR x 5min) in an 84 kg/185 lbs weight class. The evening's Main Event featured Kazushi Sakuraba of Japan and Brazilian kyokushin karateka Andrews Nakahara. It attracted a crowd of 21,397 and was broadcast live across Japan on the SkyPerfect pay-per-view.cite web
url=http://www.k-1.co.jp/k-1gp/btop.htm
title="Success for Sakuraba in Saitama" "
last=DiPietro
first=Monty
accessdate=2008-05-23
publisher=K-1 Grand Prix Website]

The Middleweight champion will be determined at DREAM.6, on September 23, 2008 in Saitama City, Japan.

= Resultscite web
url=http://www.k-1.co.jp/k-1gp/btop.htm
title="Success for Sakuraba in Saitama" "
last=DiPietro
first=Monty
accessdate=2008-05-23
publisher=K-1 Grand Prix Website] =

*Lightweight Grand Prix 1st Round:flagicon|JPN Shinya Aoki vs. flagicon|BRA Gesias Calvancanti
:Aoki defeats Calvancanti by decision (unanimous).

*Middleweight Grand Prix 1st Round:flagicon|JPN Taiei Kin vs. flagicon|JPN Ikuhisa Minowa
:Kin defeats Minowa by decision (unanimous).

*Middleweight Grand Prix 1st Round:flagicon|KOR Dong Sik Yoon vs. flagicon|JPN Shungo Oyama
:Yoon defeats Oyama by decision (unanimous).

*Middleweight Grand Prix 1st Round :flagicon|CRO Zelg Galesic vs. flagicon|RUS Magomed Sultanakhmedov
:Galesic defeats Sultanakhmedov by submission (armbar) at 1:20 of round 1.

*Middleweight Grand Prix 1st Round :flagicon|BRA Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza vs. flagicon|USA Ian Murphy
:de Souza defeats Murphy by submission (rear naked choke) at 3:38 of round 1.

*Middleweight Grand Prix 1st Round :flagicon|JPN Kiyoshi Tamura vs. flagicon|JPN Masakatsu Funaki
:Tamura defeats Funaki by TKO (punches) at 0:57 of round 1.

*Middleweight Grand Prix 1st Round :flagicon|NED Gegard Mousasi vs. flagicon|CAN Denis Kang
:Mousasi defeats Kang by submission (triangle choke) at 3:10 of round 1.

*Middleweight Grand Prix 1st Round :flagicon|JPN Kazushi Sakuraba vs. flagicon|BRA Andrews Nakahara
:Sakuraba defeats Nakahara by submission (neck crank) at 8:29 of round 1.

Notes

* The 8th Opening Round match will be held between Katsuyori Shibata and Jason "Mayhem" Miller at DREAM.3. The match between Melvin Manhoef and Ralek Gracie was rumored as the 8th match, however, only Manhoef will participate in the Grand Prix reserve bout against Dae Won Kim at DREAM.3.
* Originally, a bout between Frank Trigg and Ronaldo Souza was scheduled, however Trigg cited a breakdown in communication between him and DREAM officials, which led to the bout being canceled.
* Andrews Nakahara and Ian Murphy made their mixed martial arts debut at this event.
* Yoshihiro Akiyama was scheduled to participate at the event, however he had to withdraw due to injuries suffered during his bout with Kazuo Misaki at Yarennoka!
* Kiyoshi Tamura dropped out of the quarter-finals citing a broken hand from his bout with Masakatsu Funaki. Many believe though the real reason is his reluctance to fight Kazushi Sakuraba, his old wrestling mentor and competitor.

References