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« Previous Entries Next Entries »Shocking UFC Fight Night Japan 2017 Saitama Super Arena card
Monday, September 4th, 2017UFC Fight Night Japan 2017 features a fight card more fitting of Korakuen Hall in Tokyo rather than Saitama Super Arena.
Book review: Ali vs. Inoki, The Forgotten Fight (Josh Gross) – a buy recommendation
Tuesday, April 19th, 2016We’re approaching the 40 year anniversary of the infamous Ali vs. Inoki fight at Budokan that forever changed the combat sports landscape. Author Josh Gross tackled an incredibly challenging topic with great vigor.
Validation: “the truth” about PRIDE was really “the truth” as you (and UFC) suspected
Friday, April 15th, 2016Paul Gift at Bloody Elbow has opened a huge can of worms regarding what UFC discovered about both PRIDE & Nobuyuki Sakakibara during their “due diligence” investigation with Spectrum Gaming.
The chicken & the egg: UFC’s Japanese TV deal with WOWOW was never going to work
Wednesday, April 6th, 2016The marriage between Japanese pay TV channel WOWOW & UFC was destined to fail. A foreign company with few strong Japanese MMA stars was simply going to be too expensive a proposition.
A piece of MMA’s soul and history just died with Kevin Randleman’s passing
Thursday, February 11th, 2016One of MMA’s true pioneers, Kevin Randleman, has died. He was one of the true characters that made MMA so fun.
Masato vs. Kid Yamamoto did better in Japanese TV ratings than RIZIN
Friday, January 1st, 2016The good news for Nobuyuki Sakakibara is that his return to Japanese MMA went off without many problems. The bad news is that Fuji TV was once again the door mat for New Year’s Eve TV ratings.
Rizin from the graveyard of golden oldies
Thursday, November 5th, 2015The old front man of PRIDE is back in front of the cameras, trying to launch an MMA revival in Japan. He has his work cut out for him in more than one way.
A bowling shoe ugly UFC slobberknocker in Saitama
Saturday, September 26th, 2015Josh Barnett and Roy Nelson had a gritty, gutty, bowling shoe ugly five-round slobberknocker to cap off what was a wonderfully whimsical UFC event at Saitama Super Arena.
Billy Robinson’s legacy: A Godfather of the Japanese MMA/pro-wrestling connection
Tuesday, March 4th, 2014One of the most influential foreigners ever in Japanese pro-wrestling history has died.
Famous ring announcer & fixer for Giant Baba & Mitsuharu Misawa, Ryu Nakata, dead at age 51
Tuesday, February 18th, 2014One of the most important historical figures in the modern Japanese fight scene, Ryu Nakata, died at the age 51 from a heart attack.
The brutal truth: Can Japan become a major player again in the MMA scene?
Thursday, January 2nd, 2014Unless there are dramatic changes to the current business environment in which the Japanese combat sport scene is promoted around, no new major players will rise to the occasion.
GLORY 13 at Ariake Colosseum: Was that really a Japanese event?
Saturday, December 21st, 2013GLORY held a year-end kickboxing event in Tokyo at Ariake Colosseum… and it strangely did not feel like a Japanese show.
Frank Shamrock: Bound by Blood is a must-see documentary for all the right reasons
Friday, October 11th, 2013Spike TV aired one of the best MMA documentaries ever with Frank Shamrock: Bound By Blood. Powerful.
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