UFC 144 (Japan, 2/26): Edgar vs. Bendo

[CPT]

Man, talk about a big day for news. Somehow this flew under the radar, but to me, it is huge.

http://mmajunkie.com/news/25098/ufc-ret ... -arena.mma

The UFC officially is returning to Japan.

The organization, which hasn't promoted a show in the country since UFC 29 in late 2000, heads to Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, on Feb. 26, 2012.

UFC officials, including UFC-Asia head Mark Fischer, today announced the event at a press conference in Tokyo.

UFC president Dana White did not attend the press conference (he hosts a UFC 137 presser in Las Vegas on Wednesday) but prepared a video message for the press gathering.

No fighters have been announced for the card, but the organization's Japanese roster – including the likes of Yushin Okami, Hatsu Hioki, Yoshihiro Akiyama, Takanori Gomi and Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto – are all possibilities.

To accommodate the traditional live North American broadcasting on Saturday night, Feb. 25, the event takes place Sunday morning at 10 a.m. local time. Officials haven't determined broadcast plans or event naming for the show, and no broadcast plans have been announced for North America.

Saitama Super Arena will be configured to seat approximately 20,000 fans for the show.

It's the first of what Fischer expects to be frequent events in the country, which recently has seen the decline of the DREAM promotion and the apparent collapse of World Victory Road's Sengoku event series.

To date the UFC has hosted three events in Japan, none of which took place at Saitama Super Arena, the former home of PRIDE Fighting Championships, a top rival the UFC purchased and ultimately disbanded in 2007. The UFC never has hosted a Japan show since it was acquired by Zuffa LLC, the UFC's current ownership group.

Many former PRIDE stars – such as Wanderlei Silva, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira – also are possibilities for the Feb. 26 card.

The fact that they are going out of their way to have the event at 10 AM local to accomodate a North American broadcast could mean they have some big plans for this event.

Maybe a Hioki vs. Aldo main event bolstered by a big name undercard with some of the guys listed above.

Could be a good time to do that Big Nog vs. Cro Cop fight if they ever want to. Would make it seem like a bigger deal than it is.

Akiyama HAS to be on the show. Probably his debut at WW.

[singh_shady]

Pride reunion.. Scheduling wise it's very possible for Nog, Bro Cop and Page to be on this card. Having Wand fight would be pretty huge as well.

I would think most of the Japanese guys cpt mentioned would be on this card

[Elden Payton]

I'm glad they're going back to the land of the rising sun, they are without a doubt the most educated MMA fans in the world.

I'd love for them to rehash some old pride feuds & I'd love it if they could somehow get Fedor to fight on the card. (pipe dream I know)

[CPT]

The Japanese fans appreciate the sport in a different way, and they do seem more knowledgeable about the sport (though I think people just take the whole being quiet during fights thing and decide that it's because they are more educated/respectful), but they are also pretty fickle. All the knowledge about the sport doesnt change the fact that Japanese MMA is in really rough shape at the moment, simply because it's no longer mainstream/trendy.

As for Fedor, and this is pure speculation on my part, but I'd be surprised if Zuffa didn't have a reasonable offer on the table (reasonable meaning pay in accordance with his drawing power/recent performance and no co-promotion). They know he would be good for business at the right price, especially in Japan. Then again, I just remembered that he has that contract with Showtime, so maybe it's not possible.

As for a little update on this card, no official bouts yet, but I think we can safely say there will be no Big Nog on this card, with him fighting Frank Mir at UFC 140 in December. Lil Nog is on that card as well I believe, but it wasn't like Lil Nog was going to spark the return of MMA Mania in Japan.

[K1NG]

A fight involving two of Hendo/Shogun/Rampage would be nostalgic for the Pride fans and could be a co-main event or possibly even the headliner of the show. It obviously depends on their respective fights between now and then.

[HMFFL]

This is very exciting. I'd love to attend it but it would probably cost me around 10k. Oh well, I guess watching it on PPV won't be bad.

[CPT]

Yeah, I might try to go (would be a nice reason to go to Japan again), but I'll have to see how the card shapes up and what they are doing for tickets.

[Transistor]

Akiyama vs Jake Shields confirmed for this card

http://www.ufc.com/news/Akiyama-Makes-Welterweight-Debut-against-Shields-in-February

Edgar vs Henderson already confirmed too, looking to be a good card

[REDDzone]

Yeah, I might try to go (would be a nice reason to go to Japan again), but I'll have to see how the card shapes up and what they are doing for tickets.

Edgard/Bendo will be worth the trip dude.

[REDDzone]

Akiyama vs Jake Shields confirmed for this card

If Shields can't sub a guy who was subbed by Leben...

[Posey H8er]

add Rampage/Mo, Okami, Gomi, or even Hioki, and you have a great card.

[Cammo101]

Rampage vs. Mo would be great for this card. Hioki and Gomi will almost surely be on it as well.

[Nemesis21]

Good to hear. Agree if Rampage/King Mo was added that would be awesome.

[Cammo101]

UFC in Japan...

Edgar vs. Hendo
Rampage vs. King Mo
Shields vs. Sexiyama
Hioki vs. Poirier
Gomi vs. Jeremy Stephens
Bob Sapp vs. Minowaman

[CPT]

Christ, Akiyama drops down to WW and gets to fight a guy who should be at MW. Possibly the best guy he's faced in the UFC. Was hoping he would get someone like Dan Hardy. He's got a chance though. Aside from getting subbed by Leben(!) when he was gassed and trying to LNP, he's a very good grappler.

Edgar/Bendo is going to be sick. Bendo has a pretty good shot. Will be interesting to see what the odds look like.

All of Cammo's fights make sense, minus Sapp vs. Minowaman, lol. Wouldn't mind seeing either guy on there to be honest, but I don't think the UFC is going to make an open weight freakshow fight like that. Sapp vs. Struve though? I could probably get behind that, haha.

[Cammo101]

All of Cammo's fights make sense, minus Sapp vs. Minowaman, lol. Wouldn't mind seeing either guy on there to be honest, but I don't think the UFC is going to make an open weight freakshow fight like that. Sapp vs. Struve though? I could probably get behind that, haha.

I was kidding about that fight, but I am sure the Japanese fans would eat it up.

[REDDzone]

Akiyama gets a better fight everytime he loses. If he loses to Shields he may be next in line for gsp.

Sapp doesn't fight seriously anymore. Last 3-4 fights he's been in he seems to fall within the first 40 seconds after he takes one punch.

[CPT]

I figured you were joking, just thought I'd comment on the possibility.

I forgot that Sapp probably wouldn't be able to make 265 even if the UFC would have him. Wouldn't be surprised to see Struve fight someone though, I think the Japanese fans would love that guy.

I don't think the UFC would take advantage of the no weight class kind of stuff just for a show in Japan, as they would like to maintain some kind of consistency.

I still wouldn't write off the likes of Minowaman getting a spot on the prelims though.

[Transistor]

Rampage/Mo would be good

For other Japanese fighters, i'd love to see Okami and Hioki on this card

[Nemesis21]

Okami vs Boetsch to this card,

http://bjpenn.com/news/2011/11/15/okami ... -7983.html