Takanori Gomi announced through his blog that he will participate in the ADCC Submission Wrestling Asia Trials 2011. The tournament will take place on Feb. 27.
The winners of the Asia Trials will earn an automatic birth in the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championships. The biennial event will take place this year. A date and location for the tournament has not been announced.
Despite the majority of his success coming in MMA, Gomi has competed extensively in grappling. He entered the 2001 ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championships, but was eliminated by Matt Serra. From 2001-2007, Gomi won four All Japan Combat Wrestling Championships.
After the fall of Pride FC, Gomi found a home with Sengoku. He won two fights over Duane Ludwig and Seung Hwang Bang before suffering a defeat at the hands of M-1 fighter Sergey Golyaev. While he was taking these fights, the promotion was hosting a lightweight tournament billed as “The Road to Gomi.” Satoru Kitaoka won the bracket and forced Gomi to submit to an Achilles lock to claim the title.
Gomi then picked up a pair of victories over Takashi Nakakura and Tony Hervey fighting for leading Shooto promoter Sustain. After those wins, he signed with the UFC.
“The Fireball Kid” lost his UFC debut to Kenny Florian, but returned and scored a devastating knockout over Tyson Griffin. In his last fight, Clay Guida submitted the former champion with a guillotine choke.
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