Comments on: My personal outlook on the Japanese MMA scene http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:37:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Gygax http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/comment-page-1/#comment-45275 Gygax Mon, 24 Dec 2007 21:48:13 +0000 http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/#comment-45275 Zach, I heard rumor that K-1 was getting the Yarennoka event shown on TBS immediately following the K-1 Dynamite event. This was because Hong Man Choi was plcaed in the main event. Any truth to this or is it exclusively on SkyPerfect PPV only? Zach, I heard rumor that K-1 was getting the Yarennoka event shown on TBS immediately following the K-1 Dynamite event. This was because Hong Man Choi was plcaed in the main event. Any truth to this or is it exclusively on SkyPerfect PPV only?

]]> By: David M http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/comment-page-1/#comment-45267 David M Mon, 24 Dec 2007 08:57:26 +0000 http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/#comment-45267 Good article Zach. Do you think Fedor-big Korean guy will get any tv ratings? I remember what you wrote about the big fucker having a resemblance to Giant Baba, but is that enough? How popular is Fedor in Japan? Is he as popular as Mirko used to be? Does he do tv ads? Good article Zach. Do you think Fedor-big Korean guy will get any tv ratings? I remember what you wrote about the big fucker having a resemblance to Giant Baba, but is that enough? How popular is Fedor in Japan? Is he as popular as Mirko used to be? Does he do tv ads?

]]> By: liger05 http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/comment-page-1/#comment-45266 liger05 Mon, 24 Dec 2007 07:28:58 +0000 http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/#comment-45266 Zach do u think the New Japan dome show will do good numbers at the gate this year? I'm more of a puroresu guy and for the first time in years I am more excited about that show than any of the Dec 31st MMA shows in Japan. Zach do u think the New Japan dome show will do good numbers at the gate this year? I’m more of a puroresu guy and for the first time in years I am more excited about that show than any of the Dec 31st MMA shows in Japan.

]]> By: Dave http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/comment-page-1/#comment-45264 Dave Mon, 24 Dec 2007 05:24:28 +0000 http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/#comment-45264 It sucks that Aoki vs Calvancante isn't going to happen anymore. But come on, Yarennoka! is still a good card. It pales in comparison to the previous Shockwaves but when I've seen some claim that it's as bad as UFC 78, that's just ridiculous. You have 7 ranked fighters on the card and with the exception of Fedor who is fighting another freakshow fight on NYE, they all have decent/good/great opponents. Heavyweight bout: Fedor Emelianenko vs. Hong-Man Choi Middleweight bout: Kazuo Misaki vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama Lightweight bout: Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Luiz Azeredo Lightweight bout: Hayato Sakurai vs. Hidehiko Hasegawa Lightweight bout: Gilbert Melendez vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida Middleweight bout: Makoto Takimoto vs. Murilo Bustamante Fedor vs. Choi is a typical PRIDE-esque freakshow main event. Not something I'm thrilled about as a fan as I would have preferred to see Fedor vs. Barnett. But in Japan, freakshow fights do get ratings. That's why PRIDE did them. Misaki and Akiyama is solid. How can Misaki not be a draw in Japan when he was the 2006 welterweight GP champ in PRIDE and also one of PRIDE's top fighters in the welterweight division? I would find it hard to believe that the 2006 PRIDE welterweight GP champ would be considered a nobody with the casual Japanese audience. From both the perspective of a fan and from a marketing perspective, this is going to be a good fight. Kawajiri vs Azeredo: Not as big as Misaki vs Akiyama but Kawajiri is one of the top PRIDE lightweights and Azeredo isn't a can or something. He has talent. The problem is that Azeredo doesn't have name value. Should be a good fight though but I can see how it wouldn't cater too much to the casual fan given that Azeredo isn't a name fighter. Sakurai vs Hasegawa: Sakurai is a big name PRIDE lightweight second to only Gomi. Hasegawa is the DEEP welterweight champion but DEEP is a small organization in Japan so I can see how this would take away from the drawing power of this fight. But Mach is a draw and it's not like he's fighting a can. I don't see how this fight or the Kawajiri vs Azeredo fight is any different from what you'd typically see in PRIDE really. Melendez vs Ishida: These are two top PRIDE lightweights. You have to admit that this is going to be a good fight. Though I would imagine that casual Japanese fans wouldn't be into Melendez but Ishida is a known Japanese lightweight. Takimoto vs Bustamante: This fight has the lowest drawing power on the card and isn't compelling. Would be nice to see Bustamante back in action but that's about it. It sucks that Aoki vs Calvancante isn’t going to happen anymore. But come on, Yarennoka! is still a good card. It pales in comparison to the previous Shockwaves but when I’ve seen some claim that it’s as bad as UFC 78, that’s just ridiculous. You have 7 ranked fighters on the card and with the exception of Fedor who is fighting another freakshow fight on NYE, they all have decent/good/great opponents.

Heavyweight bout: Fedor Emelianenko vs. Hong-Man Choi
Middleweight bout: Kazuo Misaki vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama
Lightweight bout: Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Luiz Azeredo
Lightweight bout: Hayato Sakurai vs. Hidehiko Hasegawa
Lightweight bout: Gilbert Melendez vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida
Middleweight bout: Makoto Takimoto vs. Murilo Bustamante

Fedor vs. Choi is a typical PRIDE-esque freakshow main event. Not something I’m thrilled about as a fan as I would have preferred to see Fedor vs. Barnett. But in Japan, freakshow fights do get ratings. That’s why PRIDE did them.

Misaki and Akiyama is solid. How can Misaki not be a draw in Japan when he was the 2006 welterweight GP champ in PRIDE and also one of PRIDE’s top fighters in the welterweight division? I would find it hard to believe that the 2006 PRIDE welterweight GP champ would be considered a nobody with the casual Japanese audience. From both the perspective of a fan and from a marketing perspective, this is going to be a good fight.

Kawajiri vs Azeredo: Not as big as Misaki vs Akiyama but Kawajiri is one of the top PRIDE lightweights and Azeredo isn’t a can or something. He has talent. The problem is that Azeredo doesn’t have name value. Should be a good fight though but I can see how it wouldn’t cater too much to the casual fan given that Azeredo isn’t a name fighter.

Sakurai vs Hasegawa: Sakurai is a big name PRIDE lightweight second to only Gomi. Hasegawa is the DEEP welterweight champion but DEEP is a small organization in Japan so I can see how this would take away from the drawing power of this fight. But Mach is a draw and it’s not like he’s fighting a can. I don’t see how this fight or the Kawajiri vs Azeredo fight is any different from what you’d typically see in PRIDE really.

Melendez vs Ishida: These are two top PRIDE lightweights. You have to admit that this is going to be a good fight. Though I would imagine that casual Japanese fans wouldn’t be into Melendez but Ishida is a known Japanese lightweight.

Takimoto vs Bustamante: This fight has the lowest drawing power on the card and isn’t compelling. Would be nice to see Bustamante back in action but that’s about it.

]]> By: Cool Story about Yakuza Dealings - JapanForum.com http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/comment-page-1/#comment-45259 Cool Story about Yakuza Dealings - JapanForum.com Mon, 24 Dec 2007 01:23:14 +0000 http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/#comment-45259 [...] Story about Yakuza Dealings - Today, 01:14 AM My personal outlook on the Japanese MMA scene | FightOpinion.com - Your Global Connection to the Fig... My personal outlook on the Japanese MMA scene By Zach Arnold | December 21, 2007 | Print This [...] [...] Story about Yakuza Dealings – Today, 01:14 AM My personal outlook on the Japanese MMA scene | FightOpinion.com – Your Global Connection to the Fig… My personal outlook on the Japanese MMA scene By Zach Arnold | December 21, 2007 | Print This [...]

]]> By: robthom http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/comment-page-1/#comment-45256 robthom Sun, 23 Dec 2007 22:44:46 +0000 http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/#comment-45256 Fedor has an established legacy and name value in Japan were it doesn't matter if the competition is legit. He doesn't need to take the heat against real comp to prove anything to anyone anymore. At least not right now. Coasting off his legacy in the celebrity driven Japanese fighting world is probley equally or more lucrative than the UFC, and much easier than risking his record for an often fickel American crowd. He may actually fight some legit guys under M1, there are still a few good HW's spread out among the non-ufc orgs. This is only his first fight with a new org and because its a NYE fight its of course of the requisitely silly variety. I wish he could have been in UFC, but I can understand his decision and I see no reason to be upset by it. BTW, great article Zach. Fedor has an established legacy and name value in Japan were it doesn’t matter if the competition is legit. He doesn’t need to take the heat against real comp to prove anything to anyone anymore. At least not right now. Coasting off his legacy in the celebrity driven Japanese fighting world is probley equally or more lucrative than the UFC, and much easier than risking his record for an often fickel American crowd. He may actually fight some legit guys under M1, there are still a few good HW’s spread out among the non-ufc orgs. This is only his first fight with a new org and because its a NYE fight its of course of the requisitely silly variety. I wish he could have been in UFC, but I can understand his decision and I see no reason to be upset by it.

BTW, great article Zach.

]]> By: Oliver Copp http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/comment-page-1/#comment-45255 Oliver Copp Sun, 23 Dec 2007 21:37:42 +0000 http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/#comment-45255 Just because they HAD to do the fight that doesn't make it any better. This is Fedor-Zulinho II. I really don't care for the reasons behind it - it just sucks. Just because they HAD to do the fight that doesn’t make it any better. This is Fedor-Zulinho II. I really don’t care for the reasons behind it – it just sucks.

]]> By: SamScaff http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/comment-page-1/#comment-45253 SamScaff Sun, 23 Dec 2007 18:27:59 +0000 http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/#comment-45253 The Fedor myth?? Thats funny. People forget that it was not Fedor's fault that Pride disappeared. And to blindly criticize him for not signing with UFC is just ignorant. As for NYE, according to Monte Cox, Fedor fighting HMC was the only way that event could even happen. Furthermore, several top ranked fighters from Pride have not fought in the past year. Are their rankings myths too? The Fedor myth??

Thats funny. People forget that it was not Fedor’s fault that Pride disappeared. And to blindly criticize him for not signing with UFC is just ignorant. As for NYE, according to Monte Cox, Fedor fighting HMC was the only way that event could even happen. Furthermore, several top ranked fighters from Pride have not fought in the past year. Are their rankings myths too?

]]> By: dustin http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/comment-page-1/#comment-45250 dustin Sun, 23 Dec 2007 17:42:00 +0000 http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/#comment-45250 i find it hilarious that people still buy into the fedor myth...i used to love the guy but it seems him and his management are more concerned with maintaining a legacy rather than proving himself. thanks for a great article! wasnt able to follow the craziness that happened in japan there for the life of me, but now i get it...kinda...i think... i find it hilarious that people still buy into the fedor myth…i used to love the guy but it seems him and his management are more concerned with maintaining a legacy rather than proving himself.

thanks for a great article! wasnt able to follow the craziness that happened in japan there for the life of me, but now i get it…kinda…i think…

]]> By: Oliver Copp http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/comment-page-1/#comment-45236 Oliver Copp Sun, 23 Dec 2007 09:22:07 +0000 http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/12/21/my-personal-outlook-on-the-japanese-mma-scene/#comment-45236 The main event isn't just not appealing - it's a joke. They couldn't have found a bigger (quite literally) tomato can for Fedor to face if they tried. There may be a few quality fights on the card but the main event is a disgrace. I agree with Bas that it shouldn't go more than two or three minutes tops. The main event isn’t just not appealing – it’s a joke. They couldn’t have found a bigger (quite literally) tomato can for Fedor to face if they tried.

There may be a few quality fights on the card but the main event is a disgrace. I agree with Bas that it shouldn’t go more than two or three minutes tops.

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