Rich Hansen's Take
THE MMA BLOWTORCH: MMA for Newbs Part Four - The (essentially) irrelevant Japanese MMA scene
Jul 22, 2010 - 8:20:17 AM THE MMA BLOWTORCH: MMA for Newbs Part Four - The (essentially) irrelevant Japanese MMA scene

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By: Rich Hansen, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Follow along with this series with the previous segment, The secondary MMA promotions in the U.S.

You know what’s difficult to do? Just once, try writing about Japanese MMA in a series where you’re trying to make MMA accessible for new fans to the sport. I defy you to make it seem like Japanese MMA is relevant right now. It can’t be done.

There is absolutely no way I can possibly convince a new MMA fan that they need to know anything about Japan in order to get completely up to speed with the essentials that they need to know in order to become a knowledgeable MMA fan. So this is going to be short, lest you fall asleep. If nothing else, this should enhance the feeling of schadenfreude of those who think I’m a moron.

There isn’t one damned thing that you, MMA newbie, need to know about Japan in order to consider yourself well versed in MMA. That said, Japanese MMA is entirely entertaining, perversely entertaining even, and a good guilty pleasure.

If you have HDNet, I highly recommend tuning in for the next Dream or Sengoku show. Oh, and since you’re surely wondering, HDNet is a hi-def only channel on your cable or satellite dial, a channel so obscure and outside of the mainstream that I actually have to explain that it is in fact a channel in the first place. And that the best Dream and Sengoku can do in the USA is to get on HDNet, that tells you something about Japanese MMA’s place in the States right now.

And since we’re explaining the obscure here, Dream and Sengoku are the two rival Japanese promotions. Dream is more successful, is more about the theatrics, and generally has the better roster. Dream was created from the ashes of PRIDE, the legendary former Japanese MMA promotion. PRIDE went under a couple years back, and the UFC bought their assets. Essentially, they spent mid-eight figures for their tape library. But it’s really not important for the purposes of this exercise.

I’m really trying here. Honest I am.

Let’s just cut to the chase. Japanese fighters don’t cut weight, and they pretty much don’t wrestle. So their fighters that come here are undersized, and can’t control where the fight goes. There are a ton of incredible ground fighters and submission specialists in Japan, but if they can’t get a fight to the ground they’re dead in the water. Honestly, that’s all you need to know right now.

I’m not saying there aren’t quality fights in Japan. Japanese fighters are less skilled in defensive tactics than their American-based brethren, so you are more likely to see fireworks, but you’re also more likely to see less talented fighters as well. Like I said, check in to HDNet and check out Dream or Sengoku (click on the Upcoming Events link at the top of the page for dates). I love watching Dream (and to a lesser event Sengoku), but you’ve got to be pretty damn hardcore to tune in.