DREAM 9 gets a boost in TBS TV ratings with help from Daisuke Naito
By Zach Arnold | May 26, 2009
Tokyo Broadcasting System aired a 2 1/2 hour block night of fights on their channel on Tuesday. First up was a WBC Flyweight Title match between Daisuke Naito and Xiong Zhao Zhong in Tokyo at Differ Ariake. Naito’s decision win pulled a 20.4% rating on TBS, which is very good. A one-hour telecast from 8:30-9:30 PM JST was the time block the fight got.
With Naito’s big fight as a strong lead-in, DREAM 9 drew a strong 16.2% rating on TBS from 9:30-10:54 PM JST. The focus of the TV broadcast was the Super Hulk tournament featuring Jose Canseco, Choi Hong-Man, Bob Sapp, Minowaman, Gegard Mousasi, Mark Hunt, and others. The star power combined with freak-show element of the broadcast and the strong lead-in by Naito’s fight helped DREAM’s prospects of staying alive. The high ratings watermark was for Joe Warren vs. Kid Yamamoto, which drew a 19.1% QH rating. Will Yamamoto’s loss to Warren hurt his drawing power? (Probably unlikely.)
Interestingly, most of the major Japanese media outlets didn’t report an attendance figure for DREAM 9 at Yokohama Arena. The claimed attendance figure was 15,009.
Additions to the DREAM 10 card on 7/20 at Saitama Super Arena – Shin’ya Aoki vs. Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro and Melvin Manhoef vs. Paulo Filho.
Topics: DREAM, Japan, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 49 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
DREAM 9 (5/26 Yokohama Arena): Kid Yamamoto vs. Joe Warren
By Zach Arnold | May 24, 2009
Update (5/24): Match order for DREAM 5/26 Yokohama Arena event:
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Super Hulk Tournament
- Bob Sapp vs. Minowaman
- Jose Canseco vs. Choi Hong-Man
- Jan “The Giant” Nortje vs. Sokoudjou
- Gegard Mousasi vs. Mark Hunt
- Lightweights: J.Z. Calvan vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri
- Hideo Tokoro vs. Abel Cullum
- Yoshiro Maeda vs. Hiroyuki Takaya
- Masakazu Imanari vs. Bibiano Fernandes
- Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto vs. Joe Warren
- DREAM Middleweight Title match: Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza vs. Mayhem Miller
Featherweight GP (Round two)
Update (4/30): I guess ticket sales aren’t so strong for this event, because Choi Hong-Man vs. Jose Canseco has been booked. Even Deadspin is marking out.
This fight is part of a four-match “Super Hulk Tournament” featuring: Bob Sapp vs. Minowaman, Jan “The Giant” Nortje vs. Sokoudjou, and Mark Hunt vs. Gegard Mousasi. Plus, Jason “Mayhem” Miller vs. Ronaldo Jacare Souza on the undercard.
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5/26 Yokohama Arena (6 PM start time)
- Featherweight GP: Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto vs. Joe Warren
- Featherweight GP: Hideo Tokoro vs. Abel Cullum
- Featherweight GP: Yoshiro Maeda vs. Hiroyuki Takaya
- Featherweight GP: Bibiano Fernandes vs. Masakazu Imanari
Event promoters replaced DJ Taiki with Hideo Tokoro on the card because Taiki has a fractured eye socket.
Thoughts: What a rib on Kid Yamamoto. Yamamoto, who had his own marijuana scandal nationally in Japan, is booked against a former USA Wrestling star who failed two drug tests for using marijuana. Of course, marijuana usage carries a negative stigma in Japan, so the promoters will not mention it. They will simply say that Warren is a former world amateur wrestling champion. The fight media in Japan will not likely bring up the failed drug tests at all.
Sure, there’s plenty of money at stake for Yamamoto in this fight, but this fight is mostly a losing proposition to him.
- Warren’s only other MMA win was against Virginia MMA no-shower Chase Beebe at DREAM 7. If Warren keeps the fight competitive or wins outright, Yamamoto’s stock is publicly damaged in Japan.
- If casual fans learn of Warren’s marijuana usage and his past failed drug tests, they will immediately think about Shukan Gendai’s media blitz on Yamamoto. The irony is thick, given what happened to Enson Inoue.
The politics in the Japanese fight game always amaze me, but then again this shouldn’t be a surprise given all the controversy last year about Yamamoto taking time off due to a knee injury which some MMA insiders questioned the seriousness of (I thought it was legitimate and still believe that it was on the up-and-up). The politics between management, agents, and fighters in Japan has always been volatile, but this is an intriguing story to watch develop.
I do wonder how much leverage Yamamoto has left in the Japanese fight scene given how down everything is lately…
Topics: DREAM, Japan, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 41 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
UFC 98 (5/23 Las Vegas)
By Zach Arnold | May 22, 2009
Steve Cofield: Sean Sherk left the MGM Grand Garden Arena without taking urine drug test
Event results: MMA Opinion | AOL Fanhouse | MMA Weekly | Sherdog | MMA Torch | Bloody Elbow | MMA Junkie | Five Ounces | MMA Frenzy
Make your predictions for the PPV buyrate. Over/under… 550,000 buys?
Dark matches
- Lightweights (155 pounds): Dave Kaplan vs. George Roop
- Welterweights (170 pounds): Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs. Brandon Wolff
- Light Heavyweights (205 pounds): Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Andre Gusmao
- Lightweights (155 pounds): Phillipe Nover vs. Kyle Bradley
- Heavyweights (up to 265 pounds): Pat Berry vs. Tim Hague
- Welterweights (170 pounds): Brock Larson vs. Chris Wilson
Main card
- Lightweights (155 pounds): Sean Sherk vs. Frankie Edgar
- Middleweights (185 pounds): Chael Sonnen vs. Dan Miller
- Light Heavyweights (205 pounds): Xavier Foupa-Pokam vs. Drew McFedries
- Welterweights (170 pounds): Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra
- Light Heavyweights (205 pounds): Rashad Evans vs. Ryoto (Lyoto) Machida
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 68 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
The obligatory “OMG! Fedor vs. Barnett” post
By Zach Arnold | May 21, 2009
See, both fighters have reportedly agreed verbally, but no contracts have been signed. Enough cold water to pour on the fight?
So, if the fight takes place, ponder the following questions:
- Does the fight impact the standing of both men in their profession as far as the outcome goes?
- Over/under the amount paid to watch the fight in Anaheim – 7,000.
- Over/under the PPV buys it draws – 60,000.
- Is this going to be the last Affliction MMA event?
Don’t worry, the fact that I asked these questions means that I am ‘quick to piss on the excitement’. Who used the Original Whizzinator in that guy’s cheerios this morning? *sigh*
Topics: Affliction, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 91 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
“As far as his fighting career… I don’t know.”
By Zach Arnold | May 19, 2009
Dana White word’s today about Chuck Liddell during an interview with Dana Jacobson on ESPN’s First Take show.
Other quick notes:
– White was really curt, if not tight-lipped when grilled on questions about the Loretta Hunt Youtube rant. Amazing self-control (by Dana’s standards.)
– Said the next country UFC would advance into after Germany is France.
– Claimed that business is up 20% this year in the current quarter from last year’s quarter.
– Said that the UFC Heavyweight division never looked better.
Is Dana White’s stance on Chuck Liddell fighting one more time softening?
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 26 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
PR – XBoxMMA.com officially launched
By Zach Arnold | May 19, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – XBOXMMA.COM OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED FEATURING UFC 2009 UNDISPUTED TOURNAMENTS AND LEAGUES
Boston, Massachusetts, May 18, 2009– XBoxMMA.com has officially launched in preparation for the May 19, 2009 release of UFC 2009 Undisputed by THQ.
XBoxMMA.com provides free online tournaments and leagues for UFC 2009 Undisputed XBox360 gamers.
XBoxMMA.com users will be able to create and run their own tournaments for UFC 2009 Undisputed on the XBoxLIVE platform. Tournaments are available in all five weight classes and can feature between four and sixteen participants in a single or double-elimination format.
Right now, any user can create a tournament in any weight class in either single or double elimination format. The tournaments can have either 4, 8, 12 or 16 competitors. Users create tournaments on XBoxMMA.com where we generate all the brackets and aggregate all the stats and user ratings. They just play the match on XBoxLIVE then come back to the site to report the results.
Both public and private (invite-only, password required) tournaments are allowed.
XBoxMMA.com will feature both public and private tournaments as well as public and private UFC 2009 Undisputed “leagues”. The XBoxMMA.com leagues will feature a longer, season-based format that will culminate in a playoff tournament.
XBoxMMA.com membership is free and available to the public now at http://xboxmma.com
*** *** ***
ABOUT XBOXMMA.com
XBoxMMA.com was developed by Dr J Enterprises, LLC in association with MMAHQ.com. – http://xboxmma.com
MMA HQ has been covering the world of mixed martial arts online since 2004 and features and active and vibrant community of readers. – http://www.mmahq.com
Dr J Enterprises, LLC is a software consulting studio specializing in internet and mobile phone based applications. – http://www.drjenterprises.com
*** *** ***
CONTACT Craig Jolicoeur – cpjolicoeur [at] gmail [dot] com
###
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 1 Comment » | Permalink | Trackback |
Video: UFC 98 main event preview
By Zach Arnold | May 18, 2009
All of the major UFC hype videos for the show have 50,000 or more hits on YouTube. There is clearly strong interest in this show (online).
Jason Bent has a preview of Sean Sherk vs. Frankie Edgar. Sherdog has an interview with Sean Sherk. New York Newsday has a profile article on Phillippe Nover.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 39 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
(Boxing) Andre Ward takes care of business against Edison Miranda
By Zach Arnold | May 17, 2009
If you’ve been watching sports programming in the Bay Area for the last month, you haven’t been able to escape the promotional machine known as Andre Ward. He’s been on Comcast Sportsnet with Greg Papa on SF Chronicle Live. He’s been on the local TV stations with Tim Kawakami and others, talking about how he is going to bring his game to a new level against Edison Miranda.
The fight, which took place at Oracle Arena (the old Coliseum Arena), saw Ward beat Miranda by a unanimous 12-round decision victory. Next up is Carl Froch, who may end up fighting in the States if promoter Dan Goossen has any leverage (doubtful – the money will be significantly better in the UK for such a fight). 7,818 will be hyped as a big number, but Oracle is a huge building… Is Ward now the complete package as a fighter? The Ward/Miranda fight aired on Showtime.
There was a Stitch Duran sighting during the fight, and Andre Ward was happy that he was there in his corner.
Lowell Cohn, who was on Comcast Sportsnet with Andre Ward, said that Ward’s performance was bittersweet because he should have put Miranda away.
Topics: Boxing, Media, Zach Arnold | 16 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Josh Barnett: Next fight is in August
By Zach Arnold | May 16, 2009
So sayeth Daily Sports in Japan, which says that Barnett hasn’t decided which offer to take yet – the Inoki booking at Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo, an Affliction booking, or a Pancrase/Sengoku booking.
Prediction time – if Affliction offers him a deal less than his previous fights, he’ll take the Sengoku 8/2 Saitama Super Arena booking and work the IGF show. May as well do it.
Topics: Japan, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 27 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
K-1 5/16 Amsterdam Arena card
By Zach Arnold | May 16, 2009
Update (5/16): Results and video from the event. Claimed attendance was 15,000. I’m amused by this Japanese photograph of Hari.
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Promoted by K-1 (Sadaharu Tanigawa/Kazuyoshi Ishii) & It’s Showtime (Simon Rutz)
- Badr Hari vs. Semmy Schilt
- Gokhan Saki vs. Tyrone Spong
- Melvin Manhoef vs. Stefan Leko
- Errol Zimmerman vs. Mourad Bouzidi
- Andy Souwer vs. Chahid Oulad Elhadj
- Giorgio Petrosyan vs. Faldir Chabari
- Drago vs. William Diender
- Nieky “The Natural” Holzken vs. Sahin Yakut
- Joeri Mes vs. Alviar Lima
- Murat Direkci vs. Brian Lo-a-Njoe
Topics: K-1, Media, Zach Arnold | 23 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
The mainstream media coverage of UFC
By Zach Arnold | May 16, 2009
Is the media ignorant or intentionally misrepresenting facts about UFC?:
We’ve seen CBS and CNBC and other big networks portray UFC in a manner which isn’t entirely true. And every time we watch these shows, it becomes more and more painful to watch the media profiles of White and UFC management. Again, that’s not the fault of UFC — they’re doing their job, but the media isn’t doing its job in telling the complete story. Unfortunately, ESPN has been one of the biggest culprits of journalistic malpractice in terms of covering the full picture on who Dana White is and how he operates.
…
As we mentioned earlier in this column, Dana White is often known as BLAF (Built Like a Fighter) online because of his persona as a tough man who is one of the boys and once did a fitness magazine cover (while challenging Tito Ortiz to an exhibition fight). In his ESPN the Magazine piece, Woods wrote, “White is respected in the fight world because he’s a former fighter and looks like one.”
Update (5/16): Someone please give me a download link for this Michael Woods interview. I have got to hear if he was challenged on some of the ridiculous statements he wrote in his ESPN article about Dana White.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 52 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Bobby Lashley squashes jaybrone in 24 seconds in Canada
By Zach Arnold | May 15, 2009
Don’t wear a mask around this man. At least Mike Cook got lucky and didn’t catch Bobby on a day with hair clippers.
What’s next on the MMA horizon? The TNA stint has been… strange… so far.
Note to HDNet: Get some of your fights online with embeddable code so people can share them on their sites.
Friday Night Fights
Strikeforce ShoMMA: MMA Opinion (Josh Stein) | MMA Torch | MMA 4 Real | MMA Mania
Bellator in Chicago: Bloody Elbow | Michael David Smith
Topics: Canada, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 9 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Channeling the spirit of Vince Lombardi…
By Zach Arnold | May 14, 2009
“What the hell is going on out here?”
“I formally apologize to Yahoo.com’s Kevin Iole for the times I’ve been a raging asshole to him.”
Color me befuddled, but if you criticize someone two years ago and those criticisms were accurate then, why wouldn’t they be accurate now?
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 3 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |