Report: DREAM parent company closes shop, effectively ending Japanese promotion
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Report: DREAM parent company closes shop, effectively ending Japanese promotion
grappler0000
9/14/12 11:52:09AM
The DREAM era basically has been dead for months, but the final nail in the coffin likely has been pounded in.
According to a report from AsianMMA.com, DREAM's remaining parent company, Real Entertainment Co. Ltd., has closed shop. And that appears to be the end of the Japanese promotion.
DREAM's final event was held this past New Year's Eve at Saitama Super Arena, just north of Tokyo.
The writing had been on the wall for DREAM for months after its other parent company, Fighting and Entertainment Group, filed for bankruptcy in May. Without FEG, and with no real plans for any events, Real Entertainment called it a day, as well.
DREAM had hoped to become the new PRIDE for Japan, after PRIDE was purchased by Zuffa in March 2007. Many PRIDE executives formed DREAM about a year after Zuffa's purchase of the former MMA powerhouse promotion...
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According to a report from AsianMMA.com, DREAM's remaining parent company, Real Entertainment Co. Ltd., has closed shop. And that appears to be the end of the Japanese promotion.
DREAM's final event was held this past New Year's Eve at Saitama Super Arena, just north of Tokyo.
The writing had been on the wall for DREAM for months after its other parent company, Fighting and Entertainment Group, filed for bankruptcy in May. Without FEG, and with no real plans for any events, Real Entertainment called it a day, as well.
DREAM had hoped to become the new PRIDE for Japan, after PRIDE was purchased by Zuffa in March 2007. Many PRIDE executives formed DREAM about a year after Zuffa's purchase of the former MMA powerhouse promotion...
Full Story
meier
9/14/12 12:41:43PM
Thats sad
pmoney
9/14/12 12:55:53PM
DREAM had hoped to become the new PRIDE for Japan, after PRIDE was purchased by Zuffa in March 2007. Many PRIDE executives formed DREAM about a year after Zuffa's purchase of the former MMA powerhouse promotion...
I had hoped for the same thing. DREAM seemed like Pride, but with even more flair. A good number of the names from Pride were gone, but DREAM still put on a fun show.
I'll miss you, DREAM. I'll always remember Eddie Alvarez vs. Joachim Hansen. Hong Man Choi vs. Fedor. And of course, the DREAM NYE 2011 show. I'm glad I got to share their last event with some good pals.
ghandikush
9/14/12 1:02:57PM
Posted by pmoney
DREAM had hoped to become the new PRIDE for Japan, after PRIDE was purchased by Zuffa in March 2007. Many PRIDE executives formed DREAM about a year after Zuffa's purchase of the former MMA powerhouse promotion...
I had hoped for the same thing. DREAM seemed like Pride, but with even more flair. A good number of the names from Pride were gone, but DREAM still put on a fun show.
I'll miss you, DREAM. I'll always remember Eddie Alvarez vs. Joachim Hansen. Hong Man Choi vs. Fedor. And of course, the DREAM NYE 2011 show. I'm glad I got to share their last event with some good pals.
Great promotion is dead.... and who could forget Jose Conseco vs HMC, I mean, that shit actually happened.
isk
9/14/12 1:39:14PM
It's so hard for Japanese promoters now. A lot of the mystique of PRIDE was in their legitimate claims to some of the best fighters in the world while they were in their prime. The pageantry, the entrances, the passionate announcer, the crazy freak show fights that led into the instant classics on the same night - all within the boxing-style ring that somehow made the violence more classy and respectable.
But something was wrong there. Allegations of corruption, irresponsible business practices, mismanagement of fighters - behind the scenes it was a bit ugly and unprofessional. The local market eventually crashed, both in regards to ticket sales and TV deals. It was many problems seemingly all at once, though they'd been building and festering for some time.
I'm glad the UFC's continuing to try to make in-roads in Japan. Importing fighters that are either Japanese or made a name for themselves in Japan hasn't generally panned out, but thankfully they're moving on to just putting on more events. Ideally I'd like to see more than one a year, as even UFC 144 sold out for 'em. There's just something about Japanese crowds that still have the excitement and passion of other audiences, but they're incredibly polite and respectful in between the big hits and exciting scrambles.
But something was wrong there. Allegations of corruption, irresponsible business practices, mismanagement of fighters - behind the scenes it was a bit ugly and unprofessional. The local market eventually crashed, both in regards to ticket sales and TV deals. It was many problems seemingly all at once, though they'd been building and festering for some time.
I'm glad the UFC's continuing to try to make in-roads in Japan. Importing fighters that are either Japanese or made a name for themselves in Japan hasn't generally panned out, but thankfully they're moving on to just putting on more events. Ideally I'd like to see more than one a year, as even UFC 144 sold out for 'em. There's just something about Japanese crowds that still have the excitement and passion of other audiences, but they're incredibly polite and respectful in between the big hits and exciting scrambles.
Cooler
9/14/12 5:36:29PM
Kpro
9/14/12 7:04:22PM
....and the ONE FC network of aligned camps and promotions grows, along with their roster as promotions go under...
DREAM (Japan)
URCC (Philippines)
Cage Fighting Championship (Australia)
ROAD Fighting Championship (Korea)
DARE Championship (Thailand)
Team Lakay Wushu (Philippines)
Tiger Muay Thai and MMA (Thailand)
Evolve Mixed Martial Arts (Singapore)
Legacy Gym (Thailand)
Tough MMA (Taiwan)
Synergy Jiu-Jitsu (Indonesia)
Spider Academy (Indonesia)
Juggernaut FC (Singapore)
Fightworks Asia (Singapore)
PAK MMA (Pakistan)
Team Force (Korea)
MuayFit (Malaysia)
Leverage MMA (Malaysia)
Fairtex Gym Bangkok
DREAM (Japan)
URCC (Philippines)
Cage Fighting Championship (Australia)
ROAD Fighting Championship (Korea)
DARE Championship (Thailand)
Team Lakay Wushu (Philippines)
Tiger Muay Thai and MMA (Thailand)
Evolve Mixed Martial Arts (Singapore)
Legacy Gym (Thailand)
Tough MMA (Taiwan)
Synergy Jiu-Jitsu (Indonesia)
Spider Academy (Indonesia)
Juggernaut FC (Singapore)
Fightworks Asia (Singapore)
PAK MMA (Pakistan)
Team Force (Korea)
MuayFit (Malaysia)
Leverage MMA (Malaysia)
Fairtex Gym Bangkok
Svartorm
9/14/12 7:38:12PM
Posted by pmoney
Hong Man Choi vs. Fedor.
Hate to be a stickler, but that wasn't a DREAM event. It was the one-off Yarennoka promotion. I'm just kidding, I love being a stickler.
pmoney
9/15/12 12:29:19AM
Posted by Svartorm
Posted by pmoney
Hong Man Choi vs. Fedor.
Hate to be a stickler, but that wasn't a DREAM event. It was the one-off Yarennoka promotion. I'm just kidding, I love being a stickler.
Lol, well done sir. I wasn't 100% positive as I was writing that, all I remembered was watching it on HDNet. I guess the time period had me place it in DREAM
fullerene
9/17/12 10:56:18AM
Japanese entertainment seems very fad driven. I think that even with the same level of fighters and TV deals that Pride had a few years ago the promotion would have problems reaching the same success. Japanese MMA was hot for a few years and now it's not. There will always be a hardcore following but the mainstream viewers of a decade ago are on to something else now.