DREAM’s top lightweights may finally have an opportunity to cross their fists in July.

Numerous sources report that the long-awaited match between the DREAM lightweight champion and Strikeforce contender, Shinya Aoki, and Tatsuya Kawajiri, is currently scheduled for DREAM 16 in July. The date of the event will be determined shortly when Fighting and Entertainment Group’s TV partner, Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) finalizes its schedule for the summer.

The match has been in the making for a long time. Kawajiri emerged as a top lightweight contender in the Japanese promotion when he defeated the American Top Team standout, Gesias Cavalcante at DREAM 9 last May. He has been lobbying earnestly for a title shot since then. When Aoki wrested the lightweight belt from Joachim Hansen at DREAM 11, Kawajiri immediately called out the newly minted champion. Aoki initially appeared evasive about answering the challenge and facetiously deflected Kawajiri’s plea; however, he later welcomed the fight when it was scheduled for the New Year’s Eve on Dynamite!! 2009 fight card.

Their NYE showdown unraveled when DREAM and Sengoku Raiden Championship joined forces on a short notice for a merged fight card. At Dynamite!! 2009, Kawajiri grinded out a decision victory over SRC lighweight contender, Kazunori Yokota. On the same night, Aoki took one home for DREAM with a gruesome, arm-breaking submission victory over SRC lightweight champion, Mizuto Hirota, and became a lightning rod for controversy with his post-fight antics.

There is no word yet on whether the lightweight title will be on the line for Aoki-Kawajiri, even though it obviously befits the occasion.

Aoki will make his USA and Strikeforce debut on April 17 on Strikeforce’s CBS fight card against the promotion’s lightweight champion, Gilbert Melendez.

Don’t laugh — he’s currently in the lead. By a lot. Cast your vote here.

DALLAS (April 1, 2010) HDNet will kick off the 2010 K-1 and K-1 World MAX seasons this weekend with two exclusive broadcasts featuring the best kickboxers in the world.

“HDNet Fights: K-1 World MAX 2010 Japan Tournament” premieres on Friday, April 2 at 10:00 p.m. ET, and then, early Saturday morning, HDNet features the LIVE broadcast of “HDNet Fights: K-1 World GP 2010 in Yokohama” at 4:00 a.m. ET – with an encore presentation scheduled for next Friday night, April 9 at 10:00 p.m.

“This Friday night K-1 double feature is going to be a real treat for fight fans,” said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. “If you’ve never seen the fast paced, knockout action of K-1 and K-1 MAX, this is your chance to find out why these fighters are widely regarded as the best all-round strikers in the world.”

The K-1 World MAX 2010 debut features an exciting one night, 8-man tournament to crown the best 154 pound kickboxer in Japan. The Japan tournament is traditionally considered the toughest of the K-1 MAX qualifying tournaments and typically produces the most knockouts. The action continues into the late night as HDNet presents LIVE coverage of “HDNet Fights: K-1 World GP 2010 in Yokohama.”

In the main event of the evening, the reigning K-1 World GP Champion and one of the most dominating fighters in all of combat sports, Semmy Schilt (32-3-1, 16(T)KOs) puts his K-1 Super Heavyweight Title on the line against Errol Zimmerman (7-3, 3(T)KOs).

Plus, K-1 legend Peter Aerts (63-23, 48(T)KOs) challenges Kyotaro (8-3, 4(T)KOs) for the K-1 Heavyweight Title, Badr Hari (16-6, 14(T)KOs) looks to avenge a 2003 loss to former top 10 K-1 fighter Alexey Ignashov (25-9, 16(T)KOs), and Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem (3-3, 2(T)KOs) faces off with Dzevad Poturak (K-1 debut).

Check out the second (and I think better) trailer for the A-Team movie, which premieres on June 11, after the jump.

Props: UFC.com

Quoteworthy:

“I’m real blessed to be able to fight for the UFC and have them keep giving me top level guys. That’s what I’m in the sport for, to see how far I can take it and keep improving. Anything can happen out there but I just try to focus on what I can control and have fun and that’s what I did. I wanted to open (Gomi) up and keep him guessing. He was really low and I didn’t want to force anything out there, I just wanted it to flow and he got a little upright so I changed levels and took him down. I’ve been working a lot on my wrestling, especially the offensive side of it and it paid off. I still got a long way to go and a lot of things to work on but I know the plan’s working, I’m getting better every day. ‘Kaizen,’ little improvements every day.”

Former UFC lightweight number one contender Kenny Florian once again shows he’s one of the sport’s best lightweights with a dominating performance over PRIDE import and Japanese sensation Takanori Gomi at the UFC Fight Night 21 event from Charlotte back on March 31. “KenFlo” continues to refine his game and may have one more big fight prior to a potential third 155-pound title fight. Is Gray Maynard the only thing standing in his way?

“The fight was good. I couldn’t finish him in the first round because honestly I got tired. I got a little tired so I took his back and I was like ‘I’ll ding him up a little bit and catch my breath.’ I got over to my corner and told my cornerman ‘I’m a little tired.’ He slowed my breathing down, I caught my breath again and I was ready to go. I felt like he was overcommitting on some of the things so I would fake, let him come in and that allowed me to get the 1-2, which eventually won the fight. Real simple mechanics, real simple boxing, nothing too complicated and I’ve always felt the basics are gonna win the fight for you so as long as you keep it simple and he falls into it, that’s what’s up. I got a real good thing right now and [my heart is] strong, so you’re gonna see me a lot more.”

An emotional and emphatic Jorge Rivera reflects (via UFC.com) on his UFC Fight Night 21 stoppage over Nate Quarry at the Bojangles Coliseum on March 31 in Charlotte. “El Conquistador” won his third straight fight inside the Octagon and has continued to look better each time out. With the UFC headed to Boston on August 28, expect to see more of Rivera later this summer. Is it time to see him take a step up in competition?

Props: Lowkick.com

Quoteworthy:

“I think that (Rogers) is a strong and big fighter, but no more then that. My game plan is to knock him out! Sometimes it is ok to hype up a fight and to bring more attention, but I guess that somebody calling me a coward like Brett did is just funny. He makes himself stupid or maybe does not know fighters like Bonjasky, Aerts and Badr Hari. If Brett is such a good striker and fearless why he is not fighting in K-1? I love challenging myself fighting in K-1 and MMA, and yes, after Rogers I want to fight Fedor. I already got a third place at the K-1 GP finals, something I do not see Rogers or Fedor even try!”

Current Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem holds himself to a higher standard based on his participation in K-1 kickboxing tournaments while fellow Strikeforce heavyweights Brett Rogers and Fedor Emelianenko continue to throw down in mixed martial arts bouts. Perhaps the same logic can be applied to “Demolition Man,” who hasn’t seen stateside MMA since 2007. Will he finally put his money where his mouth is and defend his belt at “Heavy Artillery” on May 15? Or will some last-minute shenanigans jeopardize the fight? We’ll know in a little over a month…