[EmpireWF]

Over in Japan, a K-1/Hero's mixed MMA/kickboxing show is set for New Years Even in Osaka. Dave Meltzer has a brief look at some of the fights on this show over at Yahoo! Sports.

Most of the contests don't look all that appealing from a standpoint that most of them are "freak show" oriented. However, there are two interesting match-ups set for the show.

One features the return of 38-year old Masakatsu Funaki (38-11-1) to take on 39-year old Kazushi Sakuraba (21-10-1) in the battle of the two biggest Japanese MMA legends. The last we saw of Sakuraba, he was defeated by Royce Gracie in Los Angeles. His knees appeared to be shot, but nevertheless, he's still a legend.

Also on the card is a fight between Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto (16-1) and Rani Yahya (11-3). Yahya is a fighter with the WEC, and is a submission specialist. Kid Yamamoto is one of the top stand-up guys in Japan. The clash of styles should make for an interesting fight.

Other fights on the card include:
MMA
Sergei Kharitonov vs. Siala "Mighty Mo" Siliga
-oachim Hansen vs. Kazuyuki Miyata
Hideo Tokoro vs. Kiyoshi Tamura
Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Masakatsu Funaki
Bob Sapp vs. Bobby Ologun
Melvin Manhoef vs. Yosuke Nishijima
Ikuhisa Minowa vs. Wagner da Conceicao Martins (aka Zuluzinho)
K-1 Kickboxing
Masato vs. Yong Soo Chi
Musashi vs. Bernard Ackah
Kenji Kubo vs. Yudai
HIROYA vs. Tsukasa Fuji