With the financial troubles that Japanese promotions like DREAM is currently experiencing, along with the subsequent disaster that struck the country last month, many fighters have been left wondering what the future will hold for them.
Now that DREAM has officially announced it’s plans for an upcoming Japanese Bantamweight Grand Prix tournament, which will lead into a World GP this September, fighters like former DREAM 145 lbs champ Bibiano Fernandes (8-3) can relax and start focusing on fighting in the tournament.
Fernandes lost the DREAM featherweight title last New Years Eve at the Dynamite!! 2010 event, dropping a unanimous decision to Hiroyuki Takaya. The loss ended a six fight win streak which saw Fernandes win the DREAM featherweight Grand Prix in October 2010.
Speaking to Tatame.com, Fernandes expressed excitement, as well as hope, that the tournament will get off the ground and that he’ll get to compete in the opening round on September 25.
“Bro, we are looking forwards for it. This GP was supposed to happen in July 18th, but it didn’t. Because of the disaster in Japan… But I’m anxious for it, I’m crazy to fight, I hope it really happens, because when you don’t fight you don’t get paid”, commented Bibiano, who doesn’t intend to wait for this GP to move on with his life.
“I want to open my gym now, I’m checking things out, I believe I’ll open it before ADCC. I’ll do it so I train more, I’m also doing it for the money, because it’s hard, man. You don’t fight, you don’t have any money”, concluded the fighter.