This Japanese fighter has been on the prospect’s radar for a while now, hence why he is on the main card for his debut this Saturday at UFC 137.
The reason:
Titles: He is the former TKO Major League MMA in which he won the title by defeating Mark Hominick. He won the Shooto Lightweight Champion against Takeshi Inoue. And he won the Sengoku featherweight title against Marlon Sandro.
Style: He is a ground fighting expert who has 12 out of 24 wins via submissions and many of his other wins have come due to superior control on the ground. He has many submissions from the bottom, but he is especially dangerous from the top where he specializes in the mounted triangle. Unlike many other Japanese ground specialists Hioki is also comfortable on his feet. His stand up style is primarily boxing, and he utilizes his reach as well as good foot work to keep opponents guessing. He may not pack a heavy punch, but he is effective in the art of outside fighting which will surely be tested against the well-rounded stand-up game of George Roop.
The Match-up:
George Roop is a Muay Thai fighter with recent high-light KO wins over Chan-Sung Jung (head kick) and George Grispi (Body shot). He is an explosive striker and has a reach advantage over most in the division with his 6 foot 1 frame. If he can keep Hioki standing, which is definitely going to be his game plan, he can utilize his reach and kicks; and may possibly be the first man to stop Hioki in his professional career. On the ground Roop is quite effective at using his long legs to maintain guard and has a decent submission game of his own, but against a guy like Hioki he will want to avoid long durations on the ground.
