Dana White Confirms “Kid” Yamamoto Signed to UFC

Friday, December 10, 2010


By FCF Staff

With the UFC now promoting a featherweight division, the promotion has taken steps to add another notable name to its roster, as UFC President Dana White has confirmed that the organization has signed Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto (18-3). White confirmed the signing via his official Twitter account; when asked about a recent report from MMA Junkie that stated the Japanese featherweight was headed to the Octagon, White posted “we did sign Kid.”

No details about Yamamoto’s contract or when the 33 year-old-fighter will make his UFC debut were given.

Yamamoto fought just once in 2010; in May he knocked out Federico Lopez in the first round at Dream 14. In 2009, Yamamoto returned to MMA for the first time since New Year’s Eve, 2007, and lost by decision in back-to-back bouts against Joe Warren and Masanori Kanehara. Yamamoto had made a bid for the Olympic freestyle wrestling team in 2008.

The losses were Yamamoto’s first since 2002 and ended his 14 fight undefeated streak, which had catapulted him to the top of the world featherweight rankings.