« Boxing refs Wayne Hedgpeth, Raul Caiz Jr. & Sr. file $100M racial discrimination claim against Andy Foster & California State Athletic Commission | Home | The death of Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto at age 41 »
How do you write about the history of Japanese MMA and PRIDE? Now is your chance to help finance and promote this effort
By Zach Arnold | August 25, 2018
Author Lee Daly was crazy enough to write about the history of Japanese MMA
I’m completely bored by American MMA since the corporate takeover of UFC by Ari Emanuel. Arguing over whether UFC is worth $4 billion or now $7 billion USD as Dana White claims after the new ESPN TV deal really doesn’t move my spiritual needle.
If you grew up as a fan when modern Mixed Martial Arts was boom, you appreciate how much of a drought there currently is when it comes to real human characters in the sport. I’m not talking about the overly tattooed, Neo Nazi types either.
I’ve kept my eyes and ear open about what is happening in the Japanese scene. One FC just announced an entry into the Japanese marketplace on March 31st, 2019 in Tokyo at Ryogoku Kokugikan. I expect 2019 to be a relatively strong growth campaign for One FC. They have been slowly inching closer towards filling up the vacuum in Japan that has been left over since the death of PRIDE.
Which brings us to a new project that Irish author Lee Daly has just finished: Before a Fall: A History of PRIDE.
Lee Daly took risks on multiple levels writing this book. First, he assumed the risk of not doing enough homework to satisfy all types of hardcore MMA fans who still worship at the alter of PRIDE. Second (and more impressively), Lee assumed the financial risk it takes to write such a book given how undefined the marketplace is for this type of writing. To create a turn-key product like this demonstrates a real seriousness.
In order to finance the launch of Before a Fall, Lee is crowdsourcing his efforts on IndieGogo and needs to raise funds in short order. This is your chance to reward someone for doing the right thing and help foster a new era of MMA writing.
The challenge of writing Before A Fall is extremely difficult. I’ve been an active hand in reading the book through its development stages in order to give feedback. I know the history of Japanese fighting and even I am conflicted on how I would have tackled such a project. Lee Daly managed to write a book that educates every kind of MMA fan while in the process being true to the industry’s roots. It’s detailed but not overly intense. Lee tells the history of Japanese MMA in a way from the people who were actually involved in making the history in the first place.
The best way to reward this kind of writing is to show that there is a market for it and you can demonstrate that there is a marketing for smart MMA writing by contributing to Lee Daly’s Before a Fall: A history of PRIDE book.
Topics: Japan, Media, MMA, PRIDE, Zach Arnold | 3 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
I predicted bellator would be the new pride, and with more tourneys and freakshows thats their style. At this point, as I predicted the UFC is merely fascist propaganda promoting fighting as the american way to solve disputes.
The obvious thing with last decade of Zuffa ufc is that it was a racist or at the least a nationalist operation. Dana and fertattas were always slagging on the non white, and more so the non american fighters to a greater degree than its white, and black american fighters. Even gsp is feeling the nationalist sting. Its obvious how ufc’s dirt bag fighting dirt bag program is at odds with GSP who represents the ideals honor and discipline of the true martial artist.
That Bellator, often referred to as beanator, was a successful predominantly mexican fighting promotion during UFC’s peak shows the disparity in national representation in the ufc, and their unwillingness to embrace the large hispanic audience.
Ari and Dana loath to promote a respectful idealist because exceptionalism and respect is not what they want to promote. Low class disrespectful people stand to “loose” their baser qualities when exposed to better people. The nastier they can make people the more likely those people are to watch.
Their biggest promoted star is one of the biggest self centered assholes I have ever seen. While Rani Yahya is fighting first tonight and they never say a word about him. Im tuning in to watch the Yahya fight only. I have never even seen Vick fight, but with the disgraceful way he spoke to Gaethe I have absolutely no interest in seeing him fight live. I will only watch the fight later if Gaethe wins. I have no interest in seeing low life’s stature being elevated in society simply because they denigrate and bang.
I know im no longer a target for UFC’s money sucking machine, and my opinion on their operation is no longer valid, but ufc’s drastic downturn in the ethics department and fight quality does show the need for a purer sporting alternative. If mma is really expected to be excepted.
Tell me that Yahya fight wasn’t thrilling! Yahya is one of the 3 elite grapplers in the ufc, along with Khabib and Maia.
Nice to see him call out TJ, that’d be a classic battle. Especially now that TJ has been usada’d.
Atrocious work protecting Dolloway by Herb! That fight should have been stopped with 50 seconds left! And again at 30 and absolutely at 10 seconds left when CB was flat on his belly getting beaten!
Herb used to be one of teh best but he’s been really slipping into Yamazigati territory. I think its the drugs and alcohol that erodes these referees reactions and decision making skills. USADA should be testing the refs and judges too!