The UFC will attempt to revive MMA in Japan this Saturday, when the organization will visit to Saitama Super Arena for UFC 144, which will be headlined by a lightweight title fight between champion Frankie Edgar and Benson Henderson.
Since the downfall of Pride, the popularity of MMA in Japan has quickly declined. Enthusiasts are now hoping that the UFC’s first trip to Japan under the Zuffa ownership will prove enough to reignite a flame and bring the sport back to prominence in the country.
With a fight card full of elite athletes and popular Japanese fighters, the world’s premier MMA organization is determined to entertain fans in its return to Japan. Let’s take a look at how each of the matchups could play out in one of the deepest fight cards in recent memory.