The UFC Japan stage has been set...

with Wand beating Bisping. Now a fight with Akiyama makes since in Japan.
1. What other fights should the UFC plan for this potential event?

2. Who should the UFC bring in, a la Elvis Sinosic in Australia [which didn't work out], to bolster the Japanese appeal?

3. And do you bring back the Pride banners -- make it look like a co-promotion?

My answers:

1. Crocop, Gomi, and Coleman, and have them face American favorites to enlarge fan appeal. Maybe Rampage and Big Nog too.

2. Maybe Sakuraba and check out the contract status of Minowa and Yoshida. I would love to see Don Frye too.

3. Absolutely. Get the Japanese to think Pride=UFC.

You have to bring back Gono. Maybe have Lesnar fight on the card, Japanese people are into the freakishly big guys fighting.

The UFC will have a hard time breaking into Japan, and while we've all long thought about a Wandy Akiyama match in Japan, this is still a long time away. It won't be until at least 11 or even 12 before this becomes a reality.

Wand vs Akiyama

Cro Cop vs Rothwell

Gomi vs ???

Okami vs ???

Uno vs ???


Bring in Gono, Nakamura, Misaki.

Gomi vs. George Sotiropolous or Uno
Okami vs. Nate
Uno vs. Stevenson or Gomi

The UFC faces opposition from certain Japanese interests, be they Yakuza or just the prowrestling business, or both, that will prevent this from happening soon.

history repeats itself, i remember 15 years ago Nike was interested in MMA if UFC went to Japan

Don't Japanese MMA fans think Akiyama is a jackass?

Quote :

The next three countries for the UFC are China, South Korea and India. Lorenzo Fertitta will be going overseas for the next three weeks to work on getting a TUF season in those countries.

The UFC is working to get into Japan, but it isn't easy. White doesn’t know if the Pride brand could be resurrected

Dana White before this event in the prefight presser on Friday. Since Japan is at least four new markets away, that means realistically they are two years out.

KingsOwn19 wrote:

Don't Japanese MMA fans think Akiyama is a jackass?

He's a heel in Japan, while Wand is probably their favorite fighter ever.

Other than Coleman or Lesnar, I would probably keep any wrestlers at home. I don't think the Japanese fans have much patience for any lay and pray types.

Those fans are different though. They have appreciation for good work on the feet or canvas, they are enemies of idle though.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

The UFC will have a hard time breaking into Japan, and while we've all long thought about a Wandy Akiyama match in Japan, this is still a long time away. It won't be until at least 11 or even 12 before this becomes a reality.

The UFC would sell out just as fast in Japan as they did in Austrailia. They could have a crap event and it would still be a sell out tommorrow. They don't even have to have all the big Pride names either imo. The UFC is the big dog everywhere including Japan.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

The UFC will have a hard time breaking into Japan, and while we've all long thought about a Wandy Akiyama match in Japan, this is still a long time away. It won't be until at least 11 or even 12 before this becomes a reality.

Wolf I am not trying to bust your balls or anything. I have dissagreed with you a couple of times in the past 48 hours. You have typed some things I would have never thought you would say. I am starting to think your wife has been posting for you the past few days. You know too much about MMA to have said some of this stuff.

aww who moved what I said?


Anyway BBC, everyone knows about Japanese organized crime and its role in the fight game there, everyone besides you I guess.

Dana recently said he's been told they'd kill him if he set foot on Japanese soil to promote an event.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

aww who moved what I said?


Anyway BBC, everyone knows about Japanese organized crime and its role in the fight game there, everyone besides you I guess.

Dana recently said he's been told they'd kill him if he set foot on Japanese soil to promote an event.

Yeah "I've heard things" in the past, but I don't believe that will keep the UFC from going over there, when Japanese fans love the UFC. I think it is wrong to assume the Yakuza would keep a UFC show from showing up. The Yakuza doesn't run Japan like they did years back, just like the mafia isn't alive as much on american soil. I am not saying they don't exist and the Yakuza is out there more than the Italian mob, but I won't ever say organized crime will keep a multi-million dollar company from showing up for millions of fans who want it either.

Isn't it a big rumor that the Fertittas were/are in the Italian mob?

Ninja\Rua/Fan wrote:

Isn't it a big rumor that the Fertittas were/are in the Italian mob?

Yeah I heard about that, Brock doing roids, aliens abducting people, monkey's flying out of my ass, etc.
I'm gonna go to the suggestion part and put the word out for an US weekly column. Maybe some of us guys who aren't making money can be paparazzi.
However if the Fertitta's are in the mob they could kick some Yakuza ass and the UFC will be in Japan! lol

Gosh Ninja can't an Italian man make an honest living? You racist and don't tell me you are half italian next either cause that doesn't count! lol

bigbeastcardinal12 wrote:

Gosh Ninja can't an Italian man make an honest living? You racist and don't tell me you are half italian next either cause that doesn't count! lol

The irony in this is that I am in fact half Italian.

Wow...That was kind of anticlimactic. A for effort though!

Ninja\Rua/Fan wrote:

bigbeastcardinal12 wrote:

Gosh Ninja can't an Italian man make an honest living? You racist and don't tell me you are half italian next either cause that doesn't count! lol

The irony in this is that I am in fact half Italian.

HA HA! that if so funny for real that you are . I was just typing that to be funny for real, and had no idea if you have ever mentioned it?

LudoCain wrote:

Wow...That was kind of anticlimactic. A for effort though!

I know what ur verbage means, I have no idea what ur talking about though? Please go into detail.

bigbeastcardinal12 wrote:

Ninja\Rua/Fan wrote:

Isn't it a big rumor that the Fertittas were/are in the Italian mob?

Yeah I heard about that, Brock doing roids, aliens abducting people, monkey's flying out of my ass, etc.
I'm gonna go to the suggestion part and put the word out for an US weekly column. Maybe some of us guys who aren't making money can be paparazzi.
However if the Fertitta's are in the mob they could kick some Yakuza ass and the UFC will be in Japan! lol

Didn't Discovery channel do some ridiculous hypothetical battle between the Yakuza and the Italina Mob?

boomer sooner wrote:

bigbeastcardinal12 wrote:

Ninja\Rua/Fan wrote:

Isn't it a big rumor that the Fertittas were/are in the Italian mob?

Yeah I heard about that, Brock doing roids, aliens abducting people, monkey's flying out of my ass, etc.
I'm gonna go to the suggestion part and put the word out for an US weekly column. Maybe some of us guys who aren't making money can be paparazzi.
However if the Fertitta's are in the mob they could kick some Yakuza ass and the UFC will be in Japan! lol

Didn't Discovery channel do some ridiculous hypothetical battle between the Yakuza and the Italina Mob?

I saw one on that show on spike about them having a fight and shoot outs. Didn't watch the whole thing though so I don't know who was picked as the winner?

Deadliest Warrior, Yakuza vs Mafia:
Overall Kills: Yakuza- 414 Mafia- 586
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadliest_Warrior