Aoki vs. Aurelio, Hansen vs. Tokoro Added to Dream 16

By FCF Staff   Dream has confirmed three more notable bouts for its upcoming September 25^th event in Nagoya, Japan, one of which includes the promotion’s lightweight champion Shinya Aoki, who will face UFC vet Marcus Aurelio.

Aoki (24-5) will compete for the first time since Dream 15 in July, when he tapped out Tatsuya Kawajiri in the first round with an Achilles Lock. The victory returned the submission wizard to the winning column, after Aoki lost by Unanimous Decision to Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez in April.

Aurelio (20-8) has won back-to-back bouts since dropping a Split Decision to Evan Dunham at UFC 102 last August; most recently the former UFC competitor tapped out Niko Puhakka at a Fight Festival event in March.

Dream has also confirmed a featherweight bout between veterans Joachim Hansen (pictured left) and Hideo Tokoro. The accomplished Hansen (19-10-1) will be looking to end a three fight losing streak; at Dream 14 in May, he was KO’d by Hiroyuki Takaya.

In Tokoro’s (26-22-1) last outing at Dream 14 he was stopped by Akiyo Nishiura, after working his way to a Unanimous Decision victory over Jong Man Kim, at K-1’s New Year’s Eve Dynamite event.

In another featherweight bout confirmed for the upcoming September 25^th Dream, former Shooto champion Takeshi “Lion” Inoue (18-4) will face Kazuyuki Miyata (9-7). Inoue hasn’t competed since May when he lost his Shooto championship to Hatsu Hioki by Split Decsiion. Miyata’s last bout took place at Dream 14 when he worked his way to a Split Decision win over Takafumi Otsuka.

Dream 16, which will also feature the light-heavyweight grand-prix final between Gegard Mousasi and Tatsuya Mizuno, will be broadcast live on HDNet.