Rumors of UFC events to be held in Japan are just rumors
Posted on August 30, 2012, 06:59 PM by Mike SearsonUFC 144, held in February 2012 marked the UFC's fifth appearance in Japan, and the first event in Japan since UFC 29 in 2000. The card was a massive success and completely sold out the Saitama Super Arena. After the event, the promotion promised that it would return to Japan in the near future.
Japanese news outlet Nikkan Sports reported this week that the UFC would be holding four smaller events in Japan next year in 5,000-seat venues around the country.
Mark Fischer, executive vice president and managing director of UFC Asia, announced today that this was not exactly the case and that he was quoted out of context.
Fischer said via email: "I think some items they printed were exaggerated or taken out of context, as if they are happening rather than simply just things we are just looking at. (It is) all really just pure speculation at this point."
Fischer insists that the organization is committed to developing the Japanese market, but that they are still in the "talking" stage: "I want to foster Japanese world-class fighters. In Japan, which can be called the birthplace of mixed martial arts, I want to do an event on a regular basis."
Comments
The UFC should hold more cards across the world, they will sell out almost anywhere they go, if I was Dana or Lorenzo I would hold local events even if I didn't have a US TV outlet and let the fighters there fight up to larger cards here in the US or Canada.
well this is a first telling us that the rumors are just rumors well thanks for keeping us in suspense :)
I'd like to see more there as well. It will just take time.
Dana keeps the cards coming in the U.S. because I personally think that the U.S. is his biggest PPV base. As long as MMA still hasnt taken off bigtime on national TV, you'll keep seeing more cards here.
The U.S. was one of the first countries to really get re-sensitized to people beating each other's asses on TV.
Just because we have some awesome fighters from other countries, it doesn't mean their citizens are in full support. Look at Germany. Some good fighters but their public will take a while before their mindset is ok with controlled violence.
"de-sensitized"....spell check and sleepy eyes don't mix.
people need to stop being so prude for instance when they say oh well i dont like mma its violent or its human **** fighting of course its violent its fighting how can it not be violent boxing is violent to but its not as violent as mma and u dont hear about people bitching or complaining about it i mean even fake wrestling can and is violent at times and most of its fake smh