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The launch of M-1 Global Japan
By Zach Arnold | March 23, 2010
A press conference was held today in Tokyo (photo here). The theme of the event was “aiming at the globalization of MMA.” The press conference was to announce a small show on 4/16 at Shinjuku FACE in Tokyo called “M-1 Selection ASIA EDITION 2010 Japan.” Heading up M-1 Global Japan is former AtoZ Japanese pro-wrestling women’s wrestling ring announcer Mr. Tsuruga (he’s in the middle of the photo linked above). There will be M-1 events throughout Asia (including South Korea).
At the DREAM show yesterday at Yokohama Arena, the Strikeforce side denied the rumors of Hidehiko Yoshida vs. Fedor for J-ROCK’s 4/25 Nippon Budokan event in Tokyo. The goal of Fedor vs. Werdum still seems likely. Scott Coker addressed the Japanese media at the DREAM event (photo linked).
As for how the DREAM event played out in media coverage in Japan… sparse coverage, but Barnett was the only “big name” that generated headlines in what ended up being largely a quiet show. The claimed attendance was 13,712 (no idea how was much paid versus papered).
Topics: DREAM, Japan, M-1, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 13 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
They need fewer organizations in Japan, not more. I highly doubt M-1 Global will have any impact on Japan. Just like they have no impact on America outside of one fighter.
lol, god. I mean, really, nobody is going to break into the Japanese market when the Japanese market is breaking itself right now.
This DREAM show really flew under the radar and started off the year with a whimper.
M-1 will sue itself if it doesn’t work out
Sounds exactly the same as the tiny ‘Selection’ shows they’ve had in Europe over the past few months. It’s hardly a ‘new promotion’ as in something that will be vying supremacy with Dream, WVR, Shooto etc. Just a feeder show to find a couple of guys for the M-1 Challenge Series now that they’ve chanhed it to ‘parts of the world’ (Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia etc) instead of individual countries.
M1 is a joke. It is sad they have taken the entire world mma community hostage by hiding Fedor because their worthless brand didn’t get enough TV time. Fuck them.
FYI, they already did shows in Japan and South Korea last year.
It’s pretty simple. M-1 is a TV MMA product. They try to run shows in as many territories as possible and parley their “global appeal” into TV contracts in those markets. They’re already on live in South Korea, now they’re probably angling for a spot on Samurai TV or something like that in Japan.
Right, but this is them saying they are setting up shop, of sorts, in Asia. Setting up shop in Japan is so dumb right now.
There will be nothing left but shooto in Japan 3 to 5 years from now.
Their down cycle has only been 3 years and people are so sure of their demise? That’s as ridiculous as the people who were writing off the UFC because they had a string of bad shows a few months ago, or the people looking for any tidbit of bad news to declare boxing dead. Even if they aren’t making the amount of money they were in 2002-06, there is still the ability for success at a smaller level. I sure wouldn’t open up a new company there now (nor would I start a career in real estate now) but to say an entire nation is done with something until the end of time is silly.
I agree. They are in a downturn and really need to consolidate, the splinter promotions just won’t be big.
They just need to find their next big star in Japan and they are set.
I am just repeating what a lot of people in MMA community in Japan foresee happening down the road. DREAM is not doing well, K-1 is not either, Sengoku (same thing).
Glad to see paid UFC posters are on Zach Arnold’s site too.
You are officially “big time” now Zach.
I wonder how long this will last