The translation for the visual above, which is a feature from Tokyo Sports on the possibility of World Victory Road (WVR) and Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG) working together for a New Year’s Eve show, might as well read “hell may freeze over in 2010″.
After the unfortunate demise of the legendary Pride Fighting Championships, a league which enjoyed a stranglehold on the overseas market for most of it’s existence, the Japanese MMA scene was split into two seperate factions: the “Sengoku” shows under the WVR banner, and the DREAM and K-1/Dynamite! promotions under the wings of FEG. The all too logical opinion that these separately distinguished Japanese MMA companies should join forces and become one powerhouse organization was previously deemed impossible due to an allegedly malicious rivalry between the two company figureheads.
"We want MMA to thrive in Japan, so for us, it is not even a question of whether we should do it. There was Dynamite and PRIDE but now this might be a new way to raise MMA in Japan back to where it was."
A lot of people are coming to the conclusion that Sengoku must be folding, but I'm not so convinced.
This seems more like a means to an end for both companies. K-1 gets the added ratings boost of an Ishii vs. Yoshida bout, Sengoku gets additional exposure and a chance to present their product to a TV audience. We'll find out soon enough I'm sure.
