{{short description|Mixed martial arts event in 2008}} {{Infobox MMA event |name=Dream 2: Middleweight Grand Prix 2008 1st Round |image=Dream 2 poster.jpg |promotion=Dream |date=April 29, 2008 |venue=Saitama Super Arena |city={{flagicon|JPN}} Saitama, Japan |attendance=21,397 |previousevent=Dream 1: Lightweight Grand Prix 2008 1st Round |followingevent=Dream 3: Lightweight Grand Prix 2008 2nd Round }}
'''''Dream 2: Middleweight Grand Prix 2008 1st Round''''' was a mixed martial arts event promoted by Dream. It took place on Tuesday, April 29, 2008, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama City, Japan.
The event hosted the opening round of the promotion's Middleweight Grand Prix. All bouts were conducted under Dream Rules, (first round is 10 minutes, second round is 5 minutes) in an {{convert|84|kg|lb|0}} weight class. The evening's Main Event featured Kazushi Sakuraba of Japan and Brazilian kyokushin karateka Andrews Nakahara. It attracted a crowd of 21,397 and was broadcast live across Japan on the SkyPerfect pay-per-view.<ref name="Success for Sakuraba in Saitama">{{cite web |url=http://www.k-1.co.jp/k-1gp/btop.htm |title="Success for Sakuraba in Saitama" |last=DiPietro |first=Monty |accessdate=May 23, 2008 |publisher=K-1 Grand Prix Website |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070815220159/http://www.k-1.co.jpk-gp/btop.htm |archivedate=August 15, 2007 }}</ref>
The Middleweight champion was determined in Dream 6.
== Results == {{MMAevent}} {{MMAevent card|Middleweight Grand Prix 1st Round}} {{MMAevent bout | Middleweight | Kazushi Sakuraba | def. | Andrews Nakahara | Submission (neck crank) | 1 | 8:20 | }} {{MMAevent bout | Middleweight | Gegard Mousasi | def. | Denis Kang | Submission (triangle choke) | 1 | 3:10 | }} {{MMAevent bout | Middleweight | Kiyoshi Tamura | def. | Masakatsu Funaki | TKO (punches) | 1 | 0:57 | }} {{MMAevent bout | Middleweight | Ronaldo Souza | def. | Ian Murphy | Submission (rear-naked choke) | 1 | 3:38 | }} {{MMAevent bout | Middleweight | Zelg Galesic | def. | Magomed Sultanakhmedov | Submission (armbar) | 1 | 1:40 | }} {{MMAevent bout | Middleweight | Dong Sik Yoon | def. | Shungo Oyama | Decision (unanimous) | 2 | 5:00 | }} {{MMAevent bout | Middleweight | Taiei Kin | def. | Ikuhisa Minowa | Decision (unanimous) | 2 | 5:00 | }} {{MMAevent card|Lightweight Grandprix 1st Round|header=no}} {{MMAevent bout | Lightweight | Shinya Aoki | def. | Gesias Cavalcante | Decision (unanimous) | 2 | 5:00 | }} {{MMAevent end|notes = yes}}
==2008 Middleweight Grand Prix opening round== {{16TeamBracket
| RD2=Quarterfinals | RD3=Semifinals | RD4=Finals
| RD1-seed01={{flagicon|JPN}} | RD1-team01='''Kazushi Sakuraba''' | RD1-score01=W Sub | RD1-seed02={{flagicon|BRA}} | RD1-team02=Andrews Nakahara | RD1-seed03={{flagicon|JPN}} | RD1-team03='''Kiyoshi Tamura''' | RD1-score03=W TKO | RD1-seed04={{flagicon|JPN}} | RD1-team04=Masakatsu Funaki | RD1-seed05={{flagicon|CRO}} | RD1-team05='''Zelg Galesic''' | RD1-score05=W Sub | RD1-seed06={{flagicon|RUS}} | RD1-team06=Magomed Sultanakhmedov | RD1-seed07={{flagicon|JPN}} | RD1-team07='''Taiei Kin''' | RD1-score07=W Dec | RD1-seed08={{flagicon|JPN}} | RD1-team08=Ikuhisa Minowa | RD1-seed09={{flagicon|ARM}} | RD1-team09='''Gegard Mousasi''' | RD1-score09=W Sub | RD1-seed10={{flagicon|CAN}} | RD1-team10=Denis Kang | RD1-seed11={{flagicon|KOR}} | RD1-team11='''Yoon Dong-Sik''' | RD1-score11=W Dec | RD1-seed12={{flagicon|JPN}} | RD1-team12=Shungo Oyama | RD1-seed13={{flagicon|BRA}} | RD1-team13='''Ronaldo Souza''' | RD1-score13=W Sub | RD1-seed14={{flagicon|USA}} | RD1-team14=Ian Murphy | RD1-seed15={{flagicon|USA}} | RD1-team15='''Jason Miller''' | RD1-score15=W TKO | RD1-seed16={{flagicon|JPN}} | RD1-team16=Katsuyori Shibata
| RD2-seed01={{flagicon|JPN}} | RD2-team01=Kazushi Sakuraba | RD2-seed02={{flagicon|NED}} | RD2-team02=Melvin Manhoef** | RD2-seed03={{flagicon|CRO}} | RD2-team03=Zelg Galesic | RD2-seed04={{flagicon|KOR}} | RD2-team04=Taiei Kin | RD2-team05=Gegard Mousasi | RD2-seed05={{flagicon|ARM}} | RD2-team06=Yoon Dong-Sik | RD2-seed06={{flagicon|KOR}} | RD2-seed07={{flagicon|BRA}} | RD2-team07=Ronaldo Souza | RD2-seed08={{flagicon|USA}} | RD2-team08=Jason Miller }} Replacement = ** -->
== See also == * Dream (mixed martial arts) * List of Dream champions * 2008 in DREAM
==Notes==
* The 8th Opening Round match was held between Katsuyori Shibata and Jason "Mayhem" Miller at Dream 3. The match between Melvin Manhoef and Ralek Gracie was rumored as the 8th match, however, only Manhoef participated in the Grand Prix reserve bout against Dae Won Kim at Dream 3. * Originally, a bout between Frank Trigg and Ronaldo Souza was scheduled, however Trigg cited a breakdown in communication between him and Dream officials, which led to the bout being canceled. * Andrews Nakahara and Ian Murphy made their mixed martial arts debut at this event. * Yoshihiro Akiyama was scheduled to participate at the event, however he had to withdraw due to injuries suffered during his bout with Kazuo Misaki at Yarennoka! * Kiyoshi Tamura dropped out of the quarter-finals citing a broken hand from his bout with Masakatsu Funaki. Many believe though the real reason was his reluctance to fight Kazushi Sakuraba, his old wrestling mentor and competitor.
==References== <references />
{{Dream Events}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dream 002}} Category:Dream (mixed martial arts) events Category:2008 in mixed martial arts Category:Mixed martial arts in Japan Category:Sports competitions in Saitama (city) Category:2008 in Japanese sport