“UFC should be interested in talking to regarding their lawsuit against DSE.”

Imai definitely has connections in Japan and he is a smart guy. Mirko will feel at home in a ring.

Thanks Zach.

Zach, Slander and Libel are the spoken or written word used for defamation regardless if it is true or not.

Fun fact: The biggest defense in a defamation case possible is that the fact is true. For example, if I say Mike Tyson is a rapist, he can’t sue me for defamation as I am stating legal fact (since he was convicted of it in 1992).

And if you are referring to

It is Imai’s name that has been closest to those involved in big scandals in the Japanese fight scene. That’s a fact. Shine the spotlight on Imai. Make him answer pointed, detailed questions and be relentless while doing it.

Note that Zach isn’t stating “Imai is a Yakuza thug!” or any other type of statement such as that as fact. One can possibly read the “Why doesn’t anyone look into his connections?” as hinting that he is, but that’s really a big step in logic since he’s not stating it as fact to directly damage Imai’s name, he’s just wondering why a guy who has been around some ‘characters’ would escape scrunity (which was the same question asked about Jim Norris and his relationship with Frankie Carbo in the 40s & 50s as President of the IBC).

Nothing I wrote here is untrue.

The intent of the post was to raise the profile of someone who has had a very important role in the Japanese fight scene and someone who, in my opinion, UFC should be interested in talking to regarding their lawsuit against DSE.

Zach, Slander and Libel are the spoken or written word used for defamation regardless if it is true or not.

This really sounds like a malicious, slanderous article.

Sure, you can speculate that Ken Imai has been involved in illegal activity. You can point out his connections to Yakuza. But the fact is he has not been charged with, and more importantly, convicted of, a crime.

Slander and libel means malicious intent to defame someone not using facts or the truth.

Fact: Imai was in Ishii’s inner circle for many years in K-1. When the corporate tax scandal hit K-1 in late 2002, Imai was not charged with any crime while Ishii ended up going to jail.

Fact: Imai took Mirko away from Mijatovic in a major power play.

Fact: Imai was close to Sakakibara and DSE.

Fact: Imai is Mirko’s agent and took him to UFC.

Fact: Imai remains Mirko’s agent and Mirko showed up in Japan today to announce his return to MMA for DREAM on 3/15 in Saitama.

Look at the facts alone and look at the people Imai has been and is currently associated with. He’s been an integral part of the Japanese MMA landscape this decade — a scene that has dealt with multiple scandals involving people Imai either worked with or was associated with.

Does this mean 100% that he’s a criminal? No.

Should it raise a possible red flag? Yes.

Sure, you can speculate that Ken Imai has been involved in illegal activity. You can point out his connections to Yakuza. But the fact is he has not been charged with, and more importantly, convicted of, a crime.

And you assume Mirko’s return to Japan is somehow illegal. Everyone knows that Zuffa didnt want to pay Mirko his exorbitant asking price, so its possible this new deal is all on the up and up. But of course Zach wants to trash shady Japanese businessmen and save the day.

when ishii was in jail for tax evasion, imai was competing with tanigawa to be the man to takeover k1. problem was that imai had allegedly cooked the books of k1 america and ishii found out about it. ishi picked tanigawa to take over

imai got pissed off and got into bed with sakakibara (which means ishizaka) and started to attempt to steal all of k1’s big names for his new bosses – crocop, lebanner, aerts and sefo were his main targets

he only got mirko, as none of the other big name fighters trusted imai (for good reason)

in japan, it is well known that imai had the protection of ishizaka (the yakuza behind sakakibara) – so it was very interesting that Dana was happy to work with imai (who has the same yakuza taint as sakakibara). especially when dana let crocop appear at hustle