The UFC has made official its intents to return to the “Land of the Rising Sun.”
At a press conference Tuesday at the theatre used to screen UFC Live and Ultimate Fight Night events, UFC officials confirmed a date and venue: the Saitama Super Arena.
While no fighters have been officially confirmed for the event, Yushin Okami, Yoshihiro Akiyama, Michihiro Omigawa, Hatsu Hioki, Riki Fukuda, Takeya Mizugaki, Norifumi Yamamoto and Takanori Gomi are all expected to take part in the festivities.
Zuffa LLC Asia Executive Vice President and Managing Director Mark Fischer was very confident this would not be the last.
“Let me also say that while UFC Japan in 2012 will be the first event for Zuffa in Asia, it certainly won’t be the last,” Fischer said. “We hope to make UFC Japan an annual fixture on our calendar and we also have plans to follow-up with a series of high quality events across Asia.”
The UFC hasn’t been in Japan since UFC 29, which saw Tito Ortiz and Pat Miletich successfully defend their championships while Chuck Liddell, Matt Lindland, Evan Tanner also earned victories on the card and Dennis Hallman defeated legendary Matt Hughes in front of just over 1,000 in Tokyo.
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