Former World Victory Road/Sengoku featherweight champion Hatsu Hioki (24-4-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) officially is octagon-bound.
UFC officials today announced the top-ranked Japanese star is the newest addition to the roster of the world's biggest MMA promotion.
Officials did not reveal Hioki's debut appearance and first opponent.
"FYI – guard-smashing savant Hatsu Hioki, a top-ranked featherweight, has been signed to the UFC roster," UFC officials stated on the promotion's official Twitter account. "Welcome!"
The 27-year-old holds an incredible 12-1-1 record in his past 14 outings, with the lone loss coming in controversial split-decision fashion to current UFC fighter Michihiro Omigawa in a Novemebr 2009 Sengoku bout.
Fighting almost exclusively in Japan during his near-nine-year career, Hioki has earned 16 of his 24 career wins via stoppage, including 12 via submission. Hioki has fought three times in Canada, a run that includes a pair of victories over recent UFC 145-pound title-challenger Mark Hominick.
Hioki also owns career victories over notables Jeff Curran, Ronnie Mann, Marlon Sandro and Rumina Sato, among others.
Hioki, who was the reigning Sengoku champion, follows the path of Brazilian middleweight Jorge Santiago, who also recently vacated his title in Japan in favor of fighting for the UFC.
Source: Top-ranked Japanese featherweight Hatsu Hioki signs UFC deal
