I don't see why they try to expand in countries like england and germany when there are 140 million people in japan (who all love mma and are great fans) and 1.1 billion in china. they should be holding events there. they would get the sellout crowds in yokohama and then still get ppv's here in US, or try to do a chinese event (ie usa vs. china).
Japan is really resistant to foreign business interests. I believe they wanted to continue holding Pride events but the employees and every other business involved did not want to cooperate.
UFC is trying to get into china aren't they? Or at least start showing UFC on tv there.
Why? Because they're Japanese. And Chinese.
agreed that china is not a mma country..... yet. however, they tend to assimilate sports from other countries, like basketball. Hong Kong is china.
UFC can easily resurrect Pride, with puppet japanese management run by dana white and the fertitas.
NoPlacebo - Japan is really resistant to foreign business interests. I believe they wanted to continue holding Pride events but the employees and every other business involved did not want to cooperate.
in 1980's maybe. now they are the biggest copycats for western culture now.
culturally hong kong is very much like the rest of southern china, like guangzhou and many of former villages that now are like cities. as a kid.
If all 140 million people in Japan love MMA and are great fans, why are Japanese promotions struggling so much?
because the talent is so much more promising in the UK
Chinese mma market is not big enough yet.
asscobra - because the talent is so much more promising in the UK
yes. the chinese and the english also share a great love for nice teeth.
massive pirating?
They already have a television deal in primetime in China that reaches 400 million homes.
Mphelan -
As for the Hong Kong comment, are you retarded? Yes, Hong Kong is a special admin. region, but its very different from everywhere else in China. Fight sport is sort of popular and there have been successful K-1 Asia events staged there.
As much as I would love the UFC, or any MMA to come to Hong Kong, since I now live there, it's still a very small market. It has a population of 7 million, most of whom have no clue what MMA is. There are 3 MMA gyms (which are really kickboxing gyms who offer grappling classes), and 3 BJJ dojos here, and only one bar in the whole region that shows the UFC.
China, on the other hand, shows MMA on TV in some areas. I know a guy who lives and fights in Shanghai. He said this year there are about 20 different events going on in China, not just the Art of War. So the sport is definitely growing faster there than in HK. There are zero MMA events in HK, though kickboxing events are very popular.
yeah, Macau would be cool. It is the Vegas of Asia afterall... and a 45 minute ferry ride for me :)
check out www.mmachina.com
the art of war promotion treated me quite fairly and i believe big john has now reffed at least 2 of their events.
Are you kidding ? There are weekly MMA broadcasts here and Sanda used to be huge (lost momentum after it didn't make the Olympics). Art of War is growing bigger by the day. In 5 years, MMA could be huge here just like it's getting to be in Korea.
Hong Kong is a tiny territory and they are not that crazy about sports in general. Besides watching foreign football i guess..
The real problem is UFC is blowing up so quick they would be spreading themselves a little thin. And they haven't even done much in the established market of Japan
"China is not a fightsport country. Art of War and King of Sanda are hardly popular. Hong Kong would be a better choice "
Given that they already have a TV deal in China, let’s talk Japan. The time is ripe for a US v Japan TUF! Okami, who should be no more than one fight away from a title shot, could coach against whoever the UFC wants to put in there. The only difficulty would, of course, be the language barrier and the subsequent subtitling of all the Japanese fighters it would require. But it would generate tons of Japanese interest and give the UFC an opportunity to nurture some up and coming Japanese talent. And they might even be able to steal a name or two from Dream or Sengoku.
Dana, make it happen!
best case scenario china embraces mma like america did... just imagine the talent pool coming out of there