Satoshi Ishii meets former Heavyweight Champ in KSW debut

Earlier this week it was announced that Olympic Gold Medalist Satoshi Ishii (19-8-1) signed a multi-fight contract with KSW and now he looks set to make his promotional debut at KSW 47 at the Atlas Arena in Lodz, Poland on March 23.

Welcoming him into the promotion will be former heavyweight champion Fernando Rodrigues Jr. (12-4). The Brazilian has earned a fierce reputation as being an aggressive fighter and has amassed ten stoppage victories, eight via TKO, so far in his career. This includes his second round TKO win over the longest reigning KSW heavyweight champion Karol Bedorf at KSW 37 to capture title.

The 31-year-old then dropped the title and suffered back to back defeats at KSW 39 and KSW 41, respectively, before bouncing back with a win over former KSW title challenger and UFC veteran James McSweeney outside the promotion last year.

After winning a gold medal in judo at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Satoshi Ishii turned his attention to MMA in 2009. Since then he has registered wins against the likes of Tim Sylvia, Jeff Monson, Pedro Rizzo, Heath Herring, and even holds a win over current KSW heavyweight champion Phil De Fries.

The 32-year-old grappling master enters KSW having won his past four fights, all via first round stoppage, and now has his sights set on taking the KSW heavyweight division by storm.

KSW 47 features a Champ vs. Champ headliner between heavyweight champ Phil De Fries (16-6) and light heavyweight champ Tomasz Narkun (16-2), a co-main event contest between Five Time World’s Strongest Man Mariusz Pudzianowski (12-6) and Olympic Gold Medalist Weightlifter Szymon Kolecki (6-1) and a heated clash between former welterweight champion Borys Mankowski (19-7-1) and Norman Parke (25-6-1).

KSW 47 will be available to watch live around the world via online PPV at www.KSWTV.com on March 23 from the Atlas Arena in Łódź, Poland.

KSW 47 Fight Card

Main Event – Champ vs. Champ

Heavyweight Title Fight

Champion Phil De Fries (16-6) vs. Tomasz Narkun (16-2)

Co-Main Event – Heavyweight

Mariusz Pudzianowski (12-6) vs. Szymon Kolecki (6-1)

Welterweight

Borys Mankowski (19-7-1) vs. Norman Parke (25-6-1)

Heavyweight

Satoshi Ishii (19-8-1) vs. Fernando Rodrigues Jr. (12-4)

Middleweight