Japan’s Satoshi Ishii is set to collide with former heavyweight champion Fernando Rodrigues Jr. at KSW 47 next month.
Satoshi Ishii’s first bout for Poland’s KSW has been officially announced. On Wednesday, the promotion revealed via press release that Japan’s Ishii (19-8-1) will take on former KSW heavyweight champ Fernando Rodrigues Jr. (12-4) at KSW 47 later this year. In a separate press release, promotion officials also announced that Norman Parke (25-6-1) was stepping in for Dricus Du Plessis against Borys Mankowski (19-7-1) at the event.
News of Parke joining the show made the rounds yesterday, with word of Du Plessis being forced off the card. The former Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes winner has won two straight, under the KSW and Brave CF banners. Curiously, it was confirmed last Summer that Parke had signed an exclusive deal with Bellator MMA.
Ishii, meanwhile, joins KSW on a four-fight win streak. The Olympic gold medalist judoka holds a win over current KSW heavyweight champ Phil De Fries. De Fries has won four straight, and defended the title once during his reign. The winner between Ishii and Rodrigues, then, could be set for a title shot. Rodrigues got back in the win column in his last fight, picking up a victory over James McSweeney outside KSW.
KSW 47 takes place March 23 at the Atlas Arena in Lodz, Poland. Phil De Fries defends his heavyweight title against light heavyweight champ Tomasz Narkun in the main event.
