Credit: MMAFighting.com

According to MMAFighting.com, the UFC is close to adding two new fighters to their roster.

In what would be their second fighter acquisition related directly to the slow collapse of Sengoku Raiden Championships–the UFC recently re-acquired up the services of middleweight Jorge Santiago, who had recently terminated his contract with SRC–UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby told MMAFighting.com today that the UFC is interested in signing highly ranked Japanese featherweight Hatsu Hioki, regardless of the amount of space on the UFC’s post-WEC merger roster.

“If Hioki wanted in the UFC, I would be happy to have him,” said Shelby. “Because of the way the merger is, my roster is full. I wasn’t looking to add talent until June or July, but I would make room for Hioki at any point.”

Sporting a record of 23-4-2 with notable wins over Jeff Curran, Mark Hominick (twice), Rumina Sato, and Marlon Sandro, Shooto lightweight champion and SRC featherweight champ Hatsu Hioki has spent most of his career competing for the Shooto promotion in Japan. He is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and has earned four of his victories by KO or TKO, eleven by submission, and eight by decision. All of his four losses have come by way of decision.

Also according to MMAFighting, the UFC is close to picking up the services of 35-year old Norwegian heavyweight fighter Jon Olav Einemo. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, Einemo trains with Team Golden Glory and holds the distinction of being the only man to have defeated Roger Gracie in the Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championship, an event which he went on to win in 2003. The 6’6″ Einemo sports a record of 6-1, with his only loss coming via decision against Fabricio Werdum. He has won five of his bouts via submission and one via TKO.