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Fox Sports: "Zach Arnold's Fight Opinion site is one of the best spots on the Web for thought-provoking MMA pieces."

« | Home | »

Tuesday headlines: Kang vs. Akiyama booked

By Zach Arnold | October 15, 2007

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HERO’s 10/28 Seoul, South Korea card line-up: Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Denis Kang, Yoon Dong Sik vs. Fabio Silva, Kin Tai Ei vs. Zelg Galesic, Yoshihisa Yamamoto vs. Lee Tae Hyun, Minowaman vs. Kim Min-Soo, Carlos Newton vs. Shungo Oyama, Bernard Ackah vs. Poai Suganuma, and Marcelo Garcia vs. Kim Dae Won.

Eddie Goldman has a new radio show talking about the futures of both Evander Holyfield and Randy Couture. Plus, he has some commentary about both the boxing and MMA media writers. Mike Sawyer and Oliver Copp have a brand new radio show (audio here) that you should check out. It’s really unfortunate that Blog Talk Radio has eliminated direct MP3 links to archived shows (like their old format used to feature). MMA Predictions radio (audio here) has a preview of the upcoming UFC 77 and Hardcore Championship Fighting events.

Here’s a Q & A session with Brandon Vera. Vera also made a media appearance Monday on Fight Network Radio (audio here).

Help wanted: Writers are still needed for the Sprawl ‘n Brawl web site. If you are interested, contact Adam Morgan here. Plus, MMA California is also looking for writers. If you’re interested in helping out Erin Bucknell, e-mail her here. There’s also a blog at MMA Predictions and if you’re interested in helping contribute content on that web site, contact Caleb here.

UFC Mania has an interview with Josh Koscheck.

The card line-up for the upcoming Cage Wars: Celtic Rage event.

I am very glad that people listen to Fight Opinion and took our advice to do a write-up about the Ed Fishman interview. The write-up is good reading.

Reaction to WVR press conference: It was a somewhat-muted reaction throughout the various Japanese sports newspapers when discussing the details of yesterday’s press conference for World Victory Road Inc. Most of the headlines basically label Hidehiko Yoshida’s name with the creation of ‘a new promotion.’ For the sake of future reference, here are all the media reports on WVR in Japanese w/ photos (if you are interested):

Sports Nippon | Sankei Sports | Nikkan Sports | Chunichi Shimbun | Daily Sports | GBR I | GBR II | GBR III | GBR IV

Legend Credit makes their move into the MMA marketplace.

Benji Radach is looking for his first MMA title in the IFL GP tournament.

Does MMA need a fighter’s union or player’s association?

Anderson Silva loves comics.

Hermes Franca is setting up his own team.

Mark Cuban critiques his first HDNet Fights event from last weekend. More thoughts at Fox Sports.

Monte Cox says he has no more interest in doing business with the IFL.

Taking a look at UFC’s Heavyweight title scene. Randy Couture’s one-man strike against the UFC. Brian Fritz has more thoughts on the situation.

Kimbo Slice is getting media attention in Corpus Christi.

Time Magazine has an article discussing Russia’s increasing role in the boxing scene.

Topics: Boxing, HDNet, HERO's, IFL, Japan, K-1, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, South Korea, UFC, Zach Arnold | 28 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

28 Responses to “Tuesday headlines: Kang vs. Akiyama booked”

  1. white ninja says:

    The UFC failed to get TV; what makes these guys, who are just a rehashed bunch of old Pride and other “grey” guys think that they can get on Japanese TV? They think by just getting a few washed up ex officials to front some second rate commission is going to wash the yakuza and doping out of Japanese MMA?

    The lack of any major push by any of the major Japanese news outlets means these guys have nothing except some money and Yoshida’s name to push out there. If they continue to be ignored by TV and more importantly Dentsu, theyll put on one big money losing show and disappear

  2. groda says:

    ***BREAKING NEWS***

    In a stunningly brilliant move, the UFC has in one stroke turned the recent bad news around and totally redeemed itself by securing live tv coverage for UFC 77 in Sweden.

    http://mmabloggen.blogspot.com/
    http://www.tvplaneten.se/tv4sport/2007-10-20/

  3. Khzarn says:

    That’s crazy. I hope Finland is not too far behind.

  4. Andrej says:

    Akiyama/Denis Kang and Fabio Silva/Yong Dong Sik are the only match’s that intrest me. UFC 78 has better match up’s with fight’s that are evenly matched. I like Denis Kang but come on why is Carlos Newton fighting? Hero’s is a joke and they know it.

  5. LR says:

    I was hoping for a Melvin Manhoef devastating knockout.

  6. The Gaijin says:

    “The UFC failed to get TV; what makes these guys, who are just a rehashed bunch of old Pride and other “grey” guys think that they can get on Japanese TV?”

    One would suspect if they could secure someone like Yoshida, they’d clearly be in better footing than the UFC.

    From what I’ve understand (mainly from reading on here), UFC has no clout in the current Japanese mma landscape and aren’t really a “draw” to give them any TV bargaining power. Not to mention the fact that they have pissed away any and all goodwill they did have with their (perceived) poor handling of the PRIDE situation.

  7. LR says:

    Well, they promised to keep PRIDE around and dumped it. Poor handling is an understatement to the Japanese MMA community.

  8. Jonathan says:

    None of those three guyslook nearly as good as Sakikabara-san. Noticed how their ties were a little undone? From what I understand of the Japanese view on public image, isn’t this a big no-no?

  9. Grape Knee High says:

    Looking at the match-ups for HEROs makes one think K-1 is almost resigned to favoring the South Korean market over the Japanese one. Kang/Akiyama should be entertaining. Hopefully, Yoon will earn a top matchup at some point; the guy is just fun to watch.

    I’m also still amazed Galesic continues to get fights in Japan. Is the “Little Cro-Cop” thing really fooling anyone over there? (Honest question)

    I just saw an ad for this weekend’s UFC on CNBC (the TV station) just now. Maybe they’ve done it before, but I never noticed. Probably a wise move to try and get older fans on board if the UFC really wants to be seen as a legitimate sport. The college student Spike/Sherdog crowd can only take the UFC so far, methinks.

  10. Sam Scaff says:

    Marcelo Garcia might be the best BJJ/grappler in the world. His debut is something to look forward to.

    And perhaps I’m the only one… but I like Bernard Ackah. Guy’s got balls and heavy hands.

    And Kin Tai Ei vs. Zelg Galesic should be a standup WAR as long as it lasts.

    This actually looks to be one of the better Heros cards Ive seen.

  11. David says:

    Andrej, Marcelo Garcia doesn’t turn you on???

  12. LR says:

    College students become adults. 5-10 years down the road, they are the 35-40 crowd and new college crowd would be tuning in as well. As long as they can keep loyal fans, the demographic will spread out in numbers.

  13. Andrej says:

    And what has Marcelo Garcia done that Marcio Pe de Pano Cruz has not done? I’m sure he will look good aganist a fighter who is considered a can.

  14. David says:

    Andrej, you should not speak! Marcelo Garcia and Jacare are the #1 grapplers in the world! Doesn’t matter who they fight, long as they are doing MMA I want to watch their style translate.

  15. Andrej says:

    Wait and see how Marcelo Garcia does before you promote him with the like’s of Jacare. He is a special talent but I don’t think he has what it take’s to fight in MMA as a top level talent. sorry

  16. Zack says:

    I’m still a huge Carlos Newton mark. I still claim he beat Hendo @ UFC 17 🙂

  17. The Gaijin says:

    I’ve got nothing against Newton, to me he’s just had a case of “the bad luck ronin” over the last few years.

    It’s not like he’s going in and getting embarrassed or taking unnecessary beatings (cough*saku*cough) time and again. I think if he’s health and focused he can still bring it with the best of them.

  18. Jeremy (not that Jeremy) says:

    Does Eddie Goldman have anything interesting to say that anyone would care to summarize here?

    I stopped listening when he started repeatedly referring to UFC as the Urine Fighting Championship. That’s just unprofessional.

  19. Grape Knee High says:

    LR, of course you are absolutely correct, but what I’m really talking about is the UFC trying to breakthrough from a marginal — albeit popular — sport into a legitimate, respected sport. Think about the difference between how the Olympics and the X-Games are perceived. Fans like and enjoy both and both events are very popular, but the Olympics has a mainstream cachet that the X-Games simply does not have at this moment in time.

    Right now MMA is not considered a mainstream, legitimate sport the way the NFL, MLB or the NBA are in the US. Not only does this affect mainstream sports coverage, but corporate sponsorship as well.

  20. The Gaijin says:

    ^ Certain people don’t help their cause by bombastically proclaiming to the media, “We don’t need Coke. Coke NEEDS us!”

  21. Sam Scaff says:

    “And what has Marcelo Garcia done that Marcio Pe de Pano Cruz has not done?”

    “Wait and see how Marcelo Garcia does before you promote him with the like’s of Jacare. He is a special talent but I don’t think he has what it take’s to fight in MMA as a top level talent. sorry”

    For one, he regularly defeats heavyweights in BJJ like Ricco Rodriguez and Gabriel Gonzaga. He’s also choked out the likes of Jake Shields, Thales Leites, Vitor Ribeiro, and Shinya Aoki.

    What basis to you have to say that he doesnt have what it takes to make it in MMA?? You may very well be right, but you have absolutey ZERO evidence to make that argument. Its certainly not based on his BJJ record.

  22. Rollo the Cat says:

    “Does Eddie Goldman have anything interesting to say that anyone would care to summarize here?”

    I’ll summarize:

  23. David says:

    Good comments everybody, good reads.

    “^ Certain people don’t help their cause by bombastically proclaiming to the media, “We don’t need Coke. Coke NEEDS us!”” – LMAO!!! great quote. We should call him Cokehead White, thats appropriate, no?

  24. Skwirrl says:

    Akiyama/Denis Kang and Fabio Silva/Yong Dong Sik are the only match’s that intrest me. UFC 78 has better match up’s with fight’s that are evenly matched. I like Denis Kang but come on why is Carlos Newton fighting? Hero’s is a joke and they know it.

    Huh…? I considered the Hero’s Lightweight tournament the 2nd best event of the year after Pride 33. (Minus the Kid Yamamoto reffing abomination.) Akiyama is a tremendously talented 185lb fighter and i’d set him up against the very best the Urine Fighting Championship could muster at that weight.

    I’m enjoying watching Egg Fu Yung *cough* excuse me Dong Sik Yoon develop and hopefully he’ll get a top matchup again soon enough – when hes ready for it this time. Poor guy got fed to the wolves to start his career.

    1 more thing… Just watching Garcia’s MMA debut is an event in and of itself. How will he handle himself on his feet? Will he have a strong enough takedown to put it on the mat? And if/when he gets it to the ground will he be alright with taking strikes while working from his back?

    My belief is yes, yes and yes. Garcia by spinning backfist Rd 1. J/k RNC Rd. 1

  25. ilostmydog says:

    Wasn’t it Pork Fried Rice?

  26. Skwirrl says:

    Thats Phil Baroni’s name for him. You knew exactly who I was talking about with my name. I should just call him {insert chinese food here}

  27. […] wrote an interesting post today on Comment on Tuesday headlines: Kang vs. Akiyama booked by …Here’s a quick […]

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