Zuffa still trying to get japan to drink their cool aid

The UFC is putting together a Japan-only series that will take place throughout 2013, according to the Japanese sportspaper NikkanSports.

The company has been planning to put together a series of events that will take place within smaller venues in Japan. Four events will take place throughout 2013, according to the report. The series will be “Japanese fighter” centric, said Mark Fisher, the UFC’s Asian chief. The plan is to hold the events in a venue to be named with a target attendance of about 5,000 people.

The Japanese series will not fall into the UFC’s numbered series of events. No word was given as to broadcast plans for the series, but it seems the ball is rolling for 2013.

The UFC returned to Japan this year with great fanfare with UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson. Comped ticket Fans packed Saitama Super Arena to watch some of the companies biggest names from both present and past put on an exciting show. Benson Henderson captured the UFC lightweight championship from Frankie Edgar at the February event.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/ufc-planning-four-smaller-japan-centric-events-for-2013

If they are going back to Japan they should just turn SF into PRIDE reborn (PRIDE rules, in a ring,...) with the SF roster and build the promotion back up in LW, MW, LHW, and HW divisions. 9 events a yr. will suffice and then stack the rosters in ea. division, like PRIDE.

^Good idea, or just bring back Pride, they will never do it though.

UFC Still Working on Four-Show Japanese Series for 2013, but It’s Not Finalized

AsianMMA.com brought you the news on Wednesday that the UFC was planning to put on a series of four events in 2013 that focused on Japanese talent, ultimately selecting some of them to fight on some of the bigger UFC fight cards. The plan was to hold these events in smaller venues and focus mainly on Japanese talent. The news was initially put out by Japanese sports newspaper NikkanSports.

Mark Fischer, executive vice president and managing director of UFC Asia, spoke with AsianMMA.com via email on Thursday to give us a better idea as to what was going on with the UFC’s plans in Japan.

When it comes to the idea of holding a series of events in Japan next year, Fischer stated that things may have been taken a bit out of context. Whereas the article seemed to have an undertone that the plan was good to go, Fischer stated that the company is still in a phase of simply looking at the idea.

According to Fischer, while the concept of a Japanese series is out there, many steps remain to actually get the series a green lit into a plan the company could fully execute.

If such a plan is put into play, the company will make a formal announcement about how they will go forward with them. What we did learn is that they are studying the concept.

So while nothing is concrete regarding the four-part series in 2013, the idea is certainly on the table at Zuffa.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/ufc-still-working-on-four-show-japanese-series-for-2013-but-its-not-finalized

If they can get some more Japanese fighters in a larger spotlight, I'm all for it.

Otherwise, this is a total waste of time.

their not worthy of any high level japanese fighters period.

I rather have no PRIDE then a zuffa PRIDE, Do us all a favor and sell the rights to PRIDE back to someone in Japan and then Zuffa plz promptly go back to hell.

hey UFC can you please back up with official sources that you sold 20,000 seats for UFC 144?

Thank You!


you won't succeed in japan! 4 shows?? ahaha more like you be lucky with 1 stacked japanese friendly card each year. JMMA is dead

if they try to make 4 shows in japan, they are going to shit money, beacuse japanese fans will not support this shit after what they did to pride...fuck zuffa

I just don't think the interest is there anymore for the japanese to go and watch MMA anymore.

The interest for mma is still there imo it just takes time to recover from what the mafia bros did.

Most of the fans in attendance for the UFC Japan show were american soldiers, they also gave away tickets.

stu3ufc wrote:hey UFC can you please back up with official sources that you sold 20,000 seats for UFC 144?

Thank You!


you won't succeed in japan! 4 shows?? ahaha more like you be lucky with 1 stacked japanese friendly card each year. JMMA is dead

JMMA isn't dead, but it's a niche sport now.

One problem for Zuffa is that the people who are crazy MMA fans also know the history.

Johan Lofgren wrote:The interest for mma is still there imo it just takes time to recover from what the mafia bros did.

Most of the fans in attendance for the UFC Japan show were american soldiers, they also gave away tickets.

I don't think it is. it's not even on TV anymore

There aren't many new stars coming out of japan either. It's been ages since I've seen an up and comer. majority of the names have been around for 15 years and should have retired long time ago.

I wish sengoku was still around because they had a great idea with new up and comers / tournaments

stu3ufc,,,,,,,i fucking miss sengoku......


im still a believer of jmma.....and this gives me hope...read it....

FLAWLESS Fighting Championships is an MMA event that will have its maiden show in the month of August 2012.

The first show will be held in the “Windy City” Chicago where there will be fighters from the USA, Europe and Japan making FLAWLESS Fighting Championships a true International MMA event.
Flawless MMA INC has teamed up with a well known brand in the name of MMA organizations. And this name is SENGOKU GLOBAL.

SENGOKU GLOBAL is a newly formed arm of the SENGOKU RAIDEN CHAMPIONSHIP SRC WORLD VICTORY ROAD Corporation who hosted events in Japan with some of MMA’s biggest Japanese and International superstars.

Now FLAWLESS MMA INC is bringing to the fans some of these stars to compete for your viewing pleasure in a CAGE format.

FLAWLESS Fighting Championships will be the ONLY “FEEDER” show for the newly formed SENGOKU GLOBAL Organization who will be hosting SENGOKU events in the USA in a cage format. This fact will ensure that we as an organization be able to bring to you the MMA fans the best possible upcoming talents and legends of MMA into one cage for exciting MMA events that is worthy of your attention.


http://flawlessfc.com/main.html

Yo Willie, is there any more news on Sengoku Global?

Sonatine....

from what ive found, in november flawless 2 will happen, the fighters that look

the best will get a chance to fight for sengoku global in 2013.....

as of now sengoku global will re-start in 2013....if i get some more info

i will post it here my friend...

Nice, cheers mate!

Would be great hear some more wvr news, sengoku was great promotion to watch w/ top talent and good matchmaking

hey zuffa, mma in america is slowing fading just like it did in Japan, however I think one day it will make a big return in Japan but the show will have to be a big show like Pride, not some rinky dink backroom casiono event that takes place in a cage.

MR.WILLIE wrote:stu3ufc,,,,,,,i fucking miss sengoku......


im still a believer of jmma.....and this gives me hope...read it....

FLAWLESS Fighting Championships is an MMA event that will have its maiden show in the month of August 2012.

The first show will be held in the “Windy City” Chicago where there will be fighters from the USA, Europe and Japan making FLAWLESS Fighting Championships a true International MMA event.
Flawless MMA INC has teamed up with a well known brand in the name of MMA organizations. And this name is SENGOKU GLOBAL.

SENGOKU GLOBAL is a newly formed arm of the SENGOKU RAIDEN CHAMPIONSHIP SRC WORLD VICTORY ROAD Corporation who hosted events in Japan with some of MMA’s biggest Japanese and International superstars.

Now FLAWLESS MMA INC is bringing to the fans some of these stars to compete for your viewing pleasure in a CAGE format.

FLAWLESS Fighting Championships will be the ONLY “FEEDER” show for the newly formed SENGOKU GLOBAL Organization who will be hosting SENGOKU events in the USA in a cage format. This fact will ensure that we as an organization be able to bring to you the MMA fans the best possible upcoming talents and legends of MMA into one cage for exciting MMA events that is worthy of your attention.


http://flawlessfc.com/main.html

I would have sengoku back over a zuffa pride or a watered down budget DREAM

oh please god!

I dont know what that feeder show is but americanised cage fighting is not the sengoku i knew and LOVED

MR.WILLIE, do you know if they'll ONLY use the cage? I just hope they keep the japanese style of it. I'm tired of stupid cages where everything is gray and brown. It looks like garbage.

Well at least Sengoku will be back.

Wolfman wrote:MR.WILLIE, do you know if they'll ONLY use the cage? I just hope they keep the japanese style of it. I'm tired of stupid cages where everything is gray and brown. It looks like garbage.

Well at least Sengoku will be back.

I´m also tired of boring cages/mats. The grey mat is something Bellator could improve as well as their production. Bellator should learn from KSW.

stu3ufc wrote:I just don't think the interest is there anymore for the japanese to go and watch MMA anymore.

I agree Pride believe it or not was a fad in japanese culture, same goes for K-1

Heretic wrote:

stu3ufc wrote:I just don't think the interest is there anymore for the japanese to go and watch MMA anymore.

I agree Pride believe it or not was a fad in japanese culture, same goes for K-1

Blame Zuffa.

I don't think it was a fad. Japanese people just want to be entertained. They want spectacle > sport. The UFC offers neither.