FanHouse Sengoku 10

Japan's Sengoku mixed martial arts organization thought it had a star in the making in Hiroshi Izumi, a 2004 Olympic silver medalist in judo who's a popular athlete in one of his country's most popular Olympic sports. But Izumi's debut did not go well: He was knocked out in the first round by a kickboxer from New Zealand named Antz Nansen.

Dan Hornbuckle is a fighter from Mahomet, Illinois, who's currently known to only the most hard-core of MMA fans. But after finishing yet another fight in spectacular fashion in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, he's a star on the rise in the sport.

Sengoku 10 will mark the MMA debut of 2004 Olympic judo silver medalist Hiroshi Izumi. World Victory Road has been on a collecting spree in finding as many Japanese judo Olympians as possible and Izumi's 2009 signing is second only to 2008 Olympic gold medalist Satoshi Ishii, who will debut against 1992 gold medalist Hidehiko Yoshida on Sengoku's New Year's card.

The rest of the card is comprised of bouts that could determine future title contenders: heavyweights Antonio Silva vs. "Big" Jim York, lightweights Ryan Schultz vs. Kazunori Yokota and welterweights Dan Hornbuckle vs. Nick "The Goat" Thompson.

Check out my predictions below.

The competitors for Sengoku 10 weighed-in Tuesday to make official their respective bouts happening Wednesday at the Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

In the main event, 2004 Olympic judo silver medalist Hiroshi Izumi will make his MMA debut against kickboxer Antz Nansen in a light heavyweight bout.

World Victory Road has selected two New Zealanders as opponents against former EliteXC heavyweight champion Antonio Silva and 2004 Olympic judo silver medalist Hiroshi Izumi for Sengoku 10 on Sept. 23 in Tokyo, Japan.

Silva (12-1) will face "Big" Jim York (11-2) in a heavyweight bout that should earn the winner a title shot later this year. Silva is making his second appearance in Japan since ignoring his steroids suspension following his EliteXC title win against the late Justin Eilers in July 2008. In his promotional debut for World Victory Road in January, Silva won early in the first round when his opponent Yoshihiro "Kiss" Nakao injured his knee from a leg kick. York is coming off a knockout win over James Thompson in Sengoku 7 and holds claim to never going to a decision in his 13-fight career.

World Victory Road held a news conference Tuesday to announce three additional bouts for its Sengoku 10 card on Sept. 23 in Tokyo, Japan.

Dan Hornbuckle (18-2), who at the last Sengoku spoiled Akihiro Gono's return to Japan by way of a devastating head kick knockout, will take on Nick "The Goat" Thompson (38-11-1) in a welterweight bout. Thompson is returning to Sengoku off a loss as a middleweight to Tim Kennedy at Strikeforce Challenger Series in June.