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DREAM and Satoshi Ishii: Japanese MMA’s Problem with Making the Sport a Circus

It seems that DREAM is going to continue to not only put on fights, but keep its tradition of putting on a fight card on December 31.Luckily, UFC 141, which will headline with former DREAM star Alistair Overeem, will take place one day before its fight…

It seems that DREAM is going to continue to not only put on fights, but keep its tradition of putting on a fight card on December 31.

Luckily, UFC 141, which will headline with former DREAM star Alistair Overeem, will take place one day before its fight card.

Unofortunately, DREAM has decided to do what it always does, which is to turn the sport into a circus with mismatches based on how well they might draw.

DREAM will put on some competitive fights throughout the night, but there will be some exceptions. Like every year, it will somehow manage to take a great sporting event and give it a more theatrical feel.

This year, one of those fights will be Satoshi Ishii versus Fedor Emelianenko.

Chances are, if you are reading this article, you know who Emelianenko is. It’s hard to be an MMA fan and not know about the heavyweight who, until recently, seemed to dominate the MMA pound-for-pound rankings by not having lost in nine years.

He may have only just beaten a faded Jeff Monson after being on a three-fight losing streak, but he is still a tough customer for anyone who might underestimate him.

He is being paired against Satoshi Ishii, who won a gold medal in judo at the 2008 Olympics. Ishii is 24 and has six pro MMA fights. Four of them are wins.

Ishii is impressive in some ways, as he is a brilliant judoka and holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. His last fight, which was a draw with Paulo Filho, was considered by many to be a robbery which Ishii should have won.Other than that draw, Ishii only has one other blemish on his record. It was in DREAM’s 2009 New Year’s fight card against Hidehiko Yoshida.

There was no controversy in the loss.

Yoshida, who also won a gold medal in judo at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and had mixed success in his MMA career, still had enough experience to beat Ishii, who was making his MMA debut, by unanimous decision.

Ishii was thrown into a fight he wasn’t ready for because it might draw in TV ratings and would get press. It hurt Ishii’s career and it might still be something that affects him.

It isn’t the first time DREAM has damaged its credibility by making a fight that had more to do with being sensational than being technically sound.

Last year at its 2010 New Year’s show, it matched Alistair Overeem with Todd Duffee, who had lost his last fight by knockout and before that had the distinction of having the fastest knockout in the UFC.

His record was just 6-1 at the time with him being 1-1 in the UFC. The fight itself wasn’t even close to an intriguing matchup, but both men were massive heavyweights. Duffee was easily dispatched in the first round by Overeem.

This is the same company that, back in 2008, had Bobb Sapp on yet another New Year’s card fight in a match with an opponent dressed as Kinnikuman. Kinnikuman is a character from a Japanese comic book about a pro wrestler who wears a mask. Sapp’s opponent came into the ring, mask and all, and proceeded to lose by KO in the second round.

Spectacles like these have kept Japanese MMA from being anything more than a comical event mixed with serious fights. Future stars have been sacrificed, joke matches made and mismatches put together just so DREAM could turn a profit.

It has cost Ishii some of his star power and DREAM’s ability to really profit with him. It has cost DREAM the chance to be seen as a top MMA promotion.

And it’s cost Japan a chance to see high-level MMA.

When UFC 144 does come to Japan, DREAM is in trouble.

And it has no one to blame but itself.

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Why Do Japanese Fighters Fail in the UFC?

On the heels of Hatsu Hioki’s underwhelming and controversial decision win over American George Roop this past weekend at UFC 137 in Las Vegas, a very puzzling question remains in the mixed martial arts world:Why do most of the best Japanese star fight…

Why do most of the best Japanese star fighters fail in the UFC?

With the exception of Yushin Okami, the evidence has been played out time and time again in the history of MMA: A highly touted Japanese star, in demand as “the best fighter outside the UFC,” is finally signed to much fanfare, only fizzle out and fail without having any real success in the UFC.

Here are five main reasons why Japanese fighters fail in the UFC.

Physical Inferiority Complex

When it comes to physical stature, athleticism and strength, Japanese athletes often feel inferior in their physical make-up against the best of the best in the West. The belief is not that the athletes of the West are technically or skillfully better, but it is believed that they are naturally bigger and stronger and that there is a physical disadvantage going in that must be overcome.

That inferiority complex seeps into the mental side of the fight and confidence becomes an issue. Very rarely do you get physical specimen like Okami coming out of Japan.

UFC-Level Wrestling

A Japanese fighter is rarely a wrestler at his base; he is usually a martial artist turned mixed martial artist who has been training martial arts all his life.

There is no NCAA Division I athlete in Japan with the Dan Gable-like conditioning that many of the UFC athletes start with. Combine that with the more wrestling friendly rules and judging in the UFC, compared to organizations in Japan, and it makes for a lethal mix for Japanese failure.

On U.S. Soil

Many UFC debuts and events take place on American soil and, again, the Japanese are a regimented, homebody sort who have trouble adapting anytime they go out of the comfort of their own country. Therefore, Japanese fighters are often a bunch of homers who will do much better in the UFC when the fights take place in the comforts of their own land and culture.

The UFC Show

We have heard many people, including UFC President Dana White, speak about the UFC jitters that can overcome even the best and toughest fighters in their debut fights. It can—and has—struck star fighters from many organizations. Add the issues above to those jitters and you get one tentative and off fighter.

The Matchups

I have always been a critic of fighters who have dominated and held titles in other organizations flying in and debuting against any top five or better in the UFC. Pecking order dues aside, every fighter should get a warm-up opponent or two in order to get used to everything that a UFC fight entails. Examples like Hayato “Mach” Sakurai fighting champion Matt Hughes in his debut to Takanori Gomi fighting Kenny Florian are prime examples of an ill-prepared Japanese fighter immediately being thrown to the wolves with no slow build.

Even the best Japanese star who has dominated in his country is no more than a top-ten- to top-fifteen-rated prospect in a UFC debut. The evidence is there that Japanese fighters are rare to be a top five in the UFC when starting out or ever, as the UFC fighters are just that good. Unfortunately, many of them get thrown to the wolves based on dominance over lower-level opponents. They get eaten up and turn tail back to the comforts of the Land of the Rising Sun.

Dwight Wakabayashi is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA and correspondent for MMACanada.net.

Catch him on Facebook and Twitter at wakafightermma.

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Hot (?) Potato: 17 Photos of Rin Nakai, Jacked Female Fighter

(Full gallery is after the jump.)

A 5’1 ball of solid muscle, Rin Nakai isn’t the first woman you’d expect to become an MMA sex symbol. And yet Nakai has become an object of fetishistic interest in her native Japan due to the risqué photos that she regularly posts to her blog. The 24-year-old judoka has racked up a 10-0-1 professional record (seven wins via stoppage) as a 145-pounder, competing in Pancrase, Smackgirl, and Valkyrie, and was crowned the Valkyrie Open Weight Women’s Tournament champion last November. Check out our gallery of Rin Nakai photos below, and let us know in the comments section — would you or wouldn’t you?

A 5’1 ball of solid muscle, Rin Nakai isn’t the first woman you’d expect to become an MMA sex symbol. And yet Nakai has become an object of fetishistic interest in her native Japan due to the risqué photos that she regularly posts to her blog. The 24-year-old judoka has racked up a 10-0-1 professional record (seven wins via stoppage) as a 145-pounder, competing in Pancrase, Smackgirl, and Valkyrie, and was crowned the Valkyrie Open Weight Women’s Tournament champion last November. Check out our gallery of Rin Nakai photos above, and let us know in the comments section — would you or wouldn’t you?

Shinya Aoki Returns on New Year’s Eve; Faces Eddie Alvarez in 2012

DREAM lightweight champion Shinya Aoki has revealed his upcoming fight plans while speaking with MMAWeekly. The submission stalwart defeated striking specialist Rob McCullough at DREAM 17 on Sept. 24 and is now planning to return to action on New Year’…

DREAM lightweight champion Shinya Aoki has revealed his upcoming fight plans while speaking with MMAWeekly.

The submission stalwart defeated striking specialist Rob McCullough at DREAM 17 on Sept. 24 and is now planning to return to action on New Year’s Eve. No opponent has been announced for the end of year event.

Aoki also acknowledged his extensive training at Evolve MMA in Singapore, where he has been working on his Muay Thai skills. The fighter described his preparation for the McCullough fight, “For the first time, I was unafraid to stand and strike because of my Muay Thai training.”

The fighter also released the news that he will rematch current Bellator lightweight title holder Eddie Alvarez in 2012. Aoki defeated Alvarez by heel hook in late 2008.

The Japanese fighter also discussed the uphill battle that MMA faces in the country. Since the demise of Pride in 2007, other promotions have struggled to stay afloat. However, Aoki is confident that the sport will recover in the country. “MMA in Japan is a complicated situation,” Aoki declared. “(But) It’s not in my control.”

Despite a pair of appearances inside Strikeforce, Aoki has yet to make the jump to US competition full time. Aoki recently welcomed a newborn baby at home and the fighter made it known that his family is his priority. “If I did not have a family, then I would go to the UFC right now,” said Aoki.

With the current state of MMA in Japan looking bleak, Aoki remains the country’s biggest draw. Wins on New Year’s Eve and against Alvarez could help revive the sport’s popularity or even force Aoki to reconsider making the jump to the UFC.

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Josh Barnett: Secretly the Best Heavyweight in the World?

Since 1997, “The War Master” Josh Barnett has been one of the most dominant fighters in all of MMA. He has posted a record of 31-5, with 19 of his victories coming by way of submission. He has a who’s who list of victories, but once Pride FC folded, it…

“Catch as catch can.” That phrase is the motto of the style Barnett uses inside the cage, which is “catch” wrestling.

Catch wrestling, which is similar to jiu jitsu, is a much more brutal art. In catch wrestling, when you see a submission opportunity, you go for it. Not only does Barnett show off his catch wrestling skills in mixed martial arts, but he also enters grappling tournaments. He has won multiple grappling tournaments and for that, along with his knowledge, he was awarded a BJJ black belt in December of 2009.

Josh also uses his catch wrestling in Japan, where he is a professional wrestler and has competed for organizations like New Japan Pro Wrestling, as well as Antonio Inoki’s Inoki Genome Federation wrestling promotion. He is a very dominate pro wrestler, and is very well liked and accepted in Japan.

Josh has zero “bad losses” on his record in MMA, and has only been defeated by three different men, and two of those he holds a victory over. Since his final fight in Pride against Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera, he has posted an 8-0 record, and has now set himself up to become the Strikeforce World Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion, that is if he defeats two-time Olympic wrestler Daniel Cormier. If he defeats Cormier, then he will be able to add the Grand Prix Championship to his collection, which includes the UFC Heavyweight Championship, and the King of Pancrase Openweight Championship. He is only one of four man to have held a UFC Championship and a Pancrase Championship(Bas Rutten, Ken Shamrock, and Frank Shamrock).

The problem that Barnett presents to every heavyweight is his size and strength. Add excellent catch wrestling and improved boxing and, well, those are the makings of a force to be reckoned with.

Josh has all of the potential to be number one. He has the resume, and has now aligned himself with an opportunity to show the world what he is truly made of. At this point in his career, he is at the age in which many fighters come into their primes, which realistically is a scary thing. The only person that is going to stop Josh Barnett right now, is Josh Barnett himself.

As Barnett said as he pointed to the crowd after submitting Sergei Kharitonov: “You will all die by my hand!” Heavyweight division watch out, “The War Master” is coming for you!

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Kazushi Sakaraba: An MMA Ring Death Just Waiting to Happen

I was reading through the upcoming events in MMA when I read that the UFC was going to Japan in 2012.Since DREAM is still around, I wondered if the Japanese organization had any plans for that year, and to see if they planned on trying to compete with …

I was reading through the upcoming events in MMA when I read that the UFC was going to Japan in 2012.

Since DREAM is still around, I wondered if the Japanese organization had any plans for that year, and to see if they planned on trying to compete with Zuffa juggernaut.

Instead, I saw a card for DREAM 17 and a name on there that immediately filled me with dread.

The Gracie Hunter, Kazushi Sakaraba.

Before I go on, I have to say that I’m a fan of Sakaraba. He has beaten some of the best names in MMA and fought plenty more of them. Win or lose he has always given his all. The problem is he still is fighting and giving 100 percent.

He shouldn’t be fighting at all.

No doubt the last image in most of your minds of Sakaraba is the picture of the partially ripped off ear that was taken in his 2010 fight with Marius Zaromskis. He was 41 then.

Now he is a year older and has taken close to the same amount of time off since that fight. However, sometimes in Japanese MMA, the fighters are given easy comeback fights.

Not this time though. Instead of a soft touch, Sakaraba gets undefeated 9-0 Yan Cabral.

Cabral is 28.

It’s true that Cabral hasn’t faced murder’s row, but at this point, Sakaraba has been worn threadbare. His body is literally falling off of him. Sakaraba has lost his last three, and five of his last seven. He is worn out. He has nothing left, but he keeps coming back to fight again.

The worst part is that Sakaraba wants to die in the ring. His pride as a fighter keeps him coming back and his samurai spirit has him longing to die.

When he does, though, there will be no glory. No one will say that the man died like he wanted.

There will just be more bad press for MMA, and one more fallen hero.

To go in the ring when you know you might die takes courage. To walk in hoping that you will takes something else. Somebody to tell you that you need help.

Let’s hope Sakaraba gets it.

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