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UFC Japan 2013: Wanderlei Silva KOs Brian Stann

By Zach Arnold | March 2, 2013

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A few notes heading into the show…

The publicity/marketing for this show has been about one man and that’s Wanderlei. In the newspapers, Brian Stann’s name is barely mentioned at all. Wanderlei has done an insane amount of PR work for the show. UFC management cannot discredit him for effort. He really, really cares about this possibly being his last fight in Japan.

More coverage for this UFC show than the 2012 edition, in large part due to Wanderlei being the headliner. His name still carries currency.

Zero talk about Yushin Okami. Very little talk for Takanori Gomi except that he would have a ‘surprise’ for Diego Sanchez. Diego had his issues making weight…

Show will air on WOWOW. Heard nothing about an over-the-air TV deal. Without a strong local MMA circuit, UFC’s task of getting on broadcast TV is that much harder.

Topics: Japan, Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 29 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

29 Responses to “UFC Japan 2013: Wanderlei Silva KOs Brian Stann”

  1. Jason Harris says:

    Much better than most UFC on Fuel cards, hell better than some UFC on FX cards. Definitely one I’m excited to watch.

    Looking forward to hearing how it’s going to be a colossal failure and if it is not a failure how it was because UFC paid everyone to show up

  2. The Judge says:

    This is FUEL, right? Quite loaded for Fuel.
    While the main event has all the “ugh!” feel of a typical UFC concussion disaster waiting to happen, the presence of Hunt, Sanchez and Hyun-Kim guarantees the card will at least have a few quality fighters.

  3. edub says:

    Nice little card.

    First four are about as good as can be expected from the last tier of UFC cards these days, and Mizugaki-Caraway is a battle of borderline top 10 guys too.

    Too bad somebody will get injured, and the UFC won’t have a replacement waiting.

  4. Chris says:

    Not a bad card

  5. The Gaijin says:

    I’m so sorry to you folks on this site and with family in CT. What a tragedy.

  6. Megatherium says:

    Funaki vs Volk Han at RINGS is tomorrow.

    Here is the fight card.

    http://www.rings.co.jp/archives/7230

  7. The Gaijin says:

    K-1 MAX tourney was great – what a final!

  8. Chromium says:

    You know, technically Brian Stann was born in Okinawa. Are we finally going to see a Japanese person beat Wanderlei Silva?

  9. Joe says:

    What does Alex Caceres have on Joe Silva that he keeps getting gifted these scrub matchups? He doesn’t even have the afro anymore. He’s 3-3 in the UFC, with wins against Damacio Page, who’s lost his last 4 fights, Cole Escovedo, who’s lost 5 of his last 6, and Motonobu Tezuka, whoever that is. His 3 losses are against, arguably, the worst regular fighters still on the UFC roster in Edwin Figueroa, Jim Hettes, and Mackens Semerzier.

    And it’s not like Caceres puts on wars every time he fights– he’s actually fairly boring. I don’t get it.

    • Joe says:

      forgot that Sean Shelby is the matchmaker for the lighter weights

      • cutch says:

        since he has dropped to bantamweight he has only lost one fight by split decision in a fight he was deducted 2 points in, I think you are being a little harsh.

      • RST says:

        “Sean Shelby is the matchmaker for the lighter weights”

        Interesting
        I didn’t know that

        (I dont follow the lightweights as much)

        I dont think it makes any difference though

        dana has been having such a good time playing god through joel,
        ya think he’ll hire someone who won’t do the same thing?

        ufc matchmaking often seems to be either very favoritist or grudge driven

        And when it doesn’t seem embarrassingly personal it seems dictated by politics more often then by quality

        But a fight is a fight and on a 1 on 1 basis even a trash matchup can still be interesting in the moment

        But the overall package or “storyline” is almost nauseating

  10. 45 Huddle says:

    Daniel Strauss…. The man who was supposed to fight for the Bellator Featherweight Title recently…. Just got busted for having 20 grams of weed and some other drugs on him. Don’t know the drug laws in his state, but I can’t imagine they will be good news for him.

  11. RST says:

    Vanderlei/stann is more dumb/selfish matchmaking from joel and dana IMO

    Stann is obviously too young and functional for Vanderslei these days

    I can only assume that this is dana’s usual revenge against anything related to pride for playing him for a such a fool for so many years

    In fact it looks like danajoel has also done its best to get Hunt submitted and Gomi wrestled

    Its got to be deliberate
    joel obviously isn’t a DUMB matchmaker,
    just a petty one who makes dumb matchups
    More then likely at dana’s behest

    Luckily for the Japanese, they usually seem just as satisfied watching their idols get beat up

    So thats still a win-win for the Japanese and dana’s childish ego

    Me personally,
    I can live without it

    I’ll check the results

    Fingers crossed for Okami
    I think he’s got a good chance if he watches his chin

    Lombard is over-rated

    • MattGreen says:

      Excellent predictions there RST:

      “Stann is obviously too young and functional for Vanderslei these days” – Vanderslei “obviously” didn’t think so.

      “it looks like danajoel has also done its best to get Hunt submitted” – Hunt obviously had other ideas.

      Perhaps you owe joel and dana an apology.

  12. David M says:

    Silva’s career ended when Mirko kicked him in the head. I have no interest in this card.

  13. Jonathan says:

    A night of upsets and near upsets.

    Very happy for Silva and Hunt.

    Pride Never Die!

  14. RST says:

    Thats a REALLY good win for Hunt!

    I had Struve @ a probably generous #6-7

    They should have been booking Hunt into the HW round robin 6 months ago instead of Bigfoot/Cain again already

    Glad I was wrong about Vanderlei
    Not the greatest win in the world from any rankings standpoint

    But very possibly the greatest result in the world for his Japanese fans

    I heard stungun even showed out a little bit and silenced a loudmouth

    Thats why I still love the sport

    Shiesty matchmaking can make a joke out of the belts and ruin some of the fun
    But until they go full kayfabe its still to unpredictable to ruin all of it

  15. 45 Huddle says:

    Hector Lombard is going to get cut. Makes too much money for being 1-2 and boring.

    Hunt being borderline Top 10 shows just how bad the Heavyweight division really is.

    There is a trend in MMA…. For CHAMPIONS from other larger organizations coming over to the UFC. They go 1-1 in their first 2 UFC fights. In the WEC, Bellator, and Strikeforce….

    Steve Cantwell, Carlos Condit, Anthony Pettis, Alistair Overeem, Dan Henderson (Strikeforce), Jake Shields, Nick Diaz, & Hector Lombard.

    It also happened to Dan Henderson 2 times after coming from Pride. His first 2 fights at each LHW & MW (he was a champion in both)…. He went 1-1 in both divisions.

    How do people think Gilbert Melendez, Tarec Saffadeine, & Luke Rockhold are going to do? My money would be on each going 1-1 in their first 2 fights.

    It is almost scary how it is basically happening for every fighter. The only fighters to buck that trend are Aldo & Cruz. But they were coming to brand new divisions. When fighters come to already established UFC Divisions as champions from other organizations…. They will lose.

    • Zheroen says:

      Hey everyone, did you know that 45 Huddle thinks that the UFC rules and all other MMA organizations drool?

  16. Jay B. says:

    Or actually shows just how good Hunt really is.

    Champions from “other larger” organization. Didnt you and other say/admit that WEC, Strikeforce and Bellator are not “Big organizations” but in fact equal to International Level leagues which is equal to AAA in Baseball

  17. ufc 162 live says:

    If some one wants to be updated with most recent technologies then he must be pay a quick visit this web page
    and be up to date all the time.

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