The Rickson/Funaki mma fight years back…that’s right, 30 million viewers showing much interest in a mma fight…now, has Japan lost interest in mma or were they only watching because it was Rickson vs Funaki?surely not because Pride had a large viewer base…makes me wobd why a large mma organization hadn’t risen up in Jaoan as of late…we have Rizin and a few others but they are small org…will there ever be another Pride type even or org in Japan?!
not without the yakuza fren
Coulda been a fad
it is curious… there was a stretch there where 3 competing shows would have televised MMA cards on New Year’s eve in these monstrous sized arenas… Japan appeared to be the MMA capital of the world… then poof…
sawdusk - it is curious... there was a stretch there where 3 competing shows would have televised MMA cards on New Year's eve in these monstrous sized arenas... Japan appeared to be the MMA capital of the world... then poof...
Exactly…one minute they have most of the worlds best fighters in great bouts and then a year or two later, nada…obvious the Yakuza was backing Pride so what happened then? Did they lose interest in mma?
K-1 went away too…how? Why?
It might be coming back with a few more tenshins and a more active kron
inthink it also went away with the power of organized crime in japan too imo
1- yakuza
2- Japan is crazy about fads, once it’s over they’re on to something new
Don’t forget Saku was like a Mc Gregor like character back in the day - he was huge for the sport much like how gsp was CANADA
I don’t understand why Pride fell. Yakuza steal all the money and run? Anyone? Cliffs?
Sex robots and the internet took over
RIZIN is far from a small org. They are holding a 3 day event at Saitama Super Arena, and a 5+ hour TV spot during golden time on NYE TV. Any other MMA org in Japan could not pull that off.
They are doing all the right things to raise itto the level of PRIDE popularity. Sakakibara initially said hr had a 10 year plan. So far so good.
As to why PRIDE died. Mainly down to their Yakuza connections being a little to obvious and public, with a gun held to Mirko and Fedor’s former agent being an obvious example. They lost their free to air Fuji TV broadcasting, and there is no sustainable PPV market in Japan. This meant the talent dried up and moved to the UFC, and the same time Zuffa swooped in and bought them.
FatBuddha - I don't understand why Pride fell. Yakuza steal all the money and run? Anyone? Cliffs?
MMA was huge in Japan because it was on free TV.
Yakuza involvement is only vaguely accepted in Japan as long as it is deniable and invisible.
PRIDE had more and more stories about Yakuza involvement come out (including match fixing/influencing and laundering) until a Japanese newspaper ran a big story on it.
They lost their TV contacts which basically killed them and MMA got a reputation of being dirty and corrupt and the whole MMA culture there collapsed.
I lived there in the mid 2000s and there was MMA clothing stuff everywhere and athletes endorsing things like white goods. Went back in 2015 and couldn’t find a sign off MMA anywhere.
30 million sounds like some Floyd / Conor type inflated number.
FingerorMoon -All very true. Since RIZIN and the new K1 we are now seeing more fighters appear on normal celebrity TV programs, and it is showing positive sihns of growth again.FatBuddha - I don't understand why Pride fell. Yakuza steal all the money and run? Anyone? Cliffs?MMA was huge in Japan because it was on free TV.
Yakuza involvement is only vaguely accepted in Japan as long as it is deniable and invisible.
PRIDE had more and more stories about Yakuza involvement come out (including match fixing/influencing and laundering) until a Japanese newspaper ran a big story on it.
They lost their TV contacts which basically killed them and MMA got a reputation of being dirty and corrupt and the whole MMA culture there collapsed.
I lived there in the mid 2000s and there was MMA clothing stuff everywhere and athletes endorsing things like white goods. Went back in 2015 and couldn’t find a sign off MMA anywhere.
Lets not forget the rise and fall of Japanese fighters, themselves.
They were very good in the early days of MMA, but when everyone started juicing, and a wrestling background became almost standard, they had a much more difficult time. Their mentality was never point fighting, so when guys came in with the mentality to just neutralize the opponent with grappling, they weren't ready for it.
Hell, you could say the sport wasn't ready for it. It didn't bother 'Merica as much because it was 'mericans doing it (and thus, 'winning').
Rickson didnt fight Funaki in PRIDE.
PRIDE had Sakuraba. PRIDE was built on SAKU's success against GRACIES and other brazilians ( Braga, Goes, Belfort, etc. ) which Rickson helped to set the stage for.
PRIDE had television deals ( SKY and FUJI ) that gave them unprecedented viewership which they subsequently lost after a local paper went after PRIDE and Sakakibara for their illicit way of doing things.
The scandal permanently soured the culture over there.
And RIZIN isnt a small promotion. Are you daft? Where did you formulate this opinion? Multi-day events on Saitama Super Arena ? The same arena PRIDE used to sell out.
Lastly, RIZIN has already accomplished what DREAM never could : lucrative television deals for exposure. Give them time to build up a couple of stars.