UFC Adds 4-Event Series in Japan for 2013

To make the UFC fresher and to attract more ideas, it appears that the world’s largest MMA promotion is going to be holding a Japan-only series in 2013.As reported by Nikkansports and secondhand through MMAweekly.com, it appears that there will be four…

To make the UFC fresher and to attract more ideas, it appears that the world’s largest MMA promotion is going to be holding a Japan-only series in 2013.

As reported by Nikkansports and secondhand through MMAweekly.com, it appears that there will be four events in smaller venues that hold around 5,000 spectators.

There is no word yet on broadcast options, as in whether it will be televised on Fuel TV, FX, Facebook or any other station the UFC has dealt with in the past. It is known, though what type of fighters will be included in the series.

According to the Mark Fisher, the UFC’s Asian chief, some details were released.

The series will be “Japanese fighter” centric, said Mark Fisher, the UFC’s Asian chief. The plan is to hold the events in a venue to be named with a target attendance of about 5,000 people.

This is an interesting development, as the UFC expands into Asia. Recently, a UFC on Fuel event was announced to take place in China, more specifically Macau.

This move will bring more Japanese talent to the eye of the public. This may be a strong move, as a number of top talent in Japan are from the lower weight classes, which are still being developed.

One would have to assume that the UFC’s series in Japan will heavily feature flyweights, bantamweights and featherweights. This would definitely make the fights more exciting, as the lighter weight classes are faster and more aesthetically pleasing.

The last trip to Japan was UFC 144, which was a huge success for the UFC. Hopefully, this series of events will bring further popularity to the company in a country rich in martial art history. 

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