Koubousen Companion: News And Notes From Japan
Koubousen Companion
Jordan Breen Sep 8, 2006
The coming weeks are busy ones for Japanese mixed martial arts.
In the debut edition of Koubousen Companion, Sherdog.com looks at the potential impact of PRIDE's allegiance with Mike Tyson on television execs; UFC's Joe Silva open invitation to Japanese fighters; and a business deal between two of Japan's satellite heavy hitters that should have Dana White and Co. smiling.
Also included in the first KC: fighters looking for a fresh start;
what's on the horizon for ZST; the health scares of Shigeru Saeki
and the future of DEEP; and mounting tensions between Wajyutsu
Keisyukai and Team Kurofune.
Kondo back to Pancrase
Coming off of a dominant decision win over Daijiro Matsui (Pictures) at Pancrase's August 27 summer card, Kondo stated that he was unscathed in the bout and eager to get back in the ring. It took little time thereafter for Pancrase to announce that Kondo would compete October 1 at Umeda Stella Hall in Osaka against a yet-to-be-named opponent. It will be the first time since early 2004 that Kondo has fought on consecutive Pancrase tour dates.
Kondo's return to Pancrase for more than a one night stand likely serves a dual purpose.
Firstly, it's a homecoming to the organization where he holds legendary status and spent the overwhelming majority of his first eight years as a professional fighter, and his stature can carry and sell cards.
Secondly, it can provide Kondo with a means to rebuild his confidence before venturing back to PRIDE, where he's 0-5 in his last five bouts and coming off an unceremonious 25-second knockout at the hands of Phil Baroni (Pictures) this past April.
Spreading ZST
Ever-unconventional RINGS offshoot ZST has begun to accelerate its schedule for the remainder of the year. The card for ZST10 on September 10 at Tokyo's Differ Ariake will see a return to the tactics that gained the organization notoriety, as the card will be headlined by a tag-team MMA contest between Shuichiro Katsumura (Pictures) and Baret Yoshida against Takumi Yano (Pictures) and Erikas Petraitis (Pictures).
ZST also announced ZST11 for November 23, and as well ZST is sponsoring a card in Finland on September 23 featuring Japanese ZST mainstays Hiroki Kotani (Pictures) and Masayuki Okude along with a crop of European talent. ZST has yet to announce a date for the next SWAT!, which features young talent competing in yearlong round-robin style tournaments.
ZST's schedule for the second half of the year will be aided by the cable television deal struck with GAORA TV in late June. GAORA TV base sport programming around independent wrestling, All Japan Kickboxing, New Japan Kickboxing, full contact karate tournaments, high school baseball and surfing. Also, as ZST has began an open call for sponsorship, its upcoming schedule and cable television deal may help secure some corporate backing going into 2007.
Sakurai, 167 pounds in the current for "The Piranha"
DEEP President and PRIDE Public Relations Officer Shigeru Saeki has offered insight into the immediate future of PRIDE Bushido star and DEEP 183-pound champion Ryo Chonan (Pictures). At the announcement of DEEP's October 10 26th Impact card on Tuesday, Saeki told the media that Chonan would return to DEEP on December 20 for DEEP's 27th Impact, where he would make his first title defense against former champion Ryuta Sakurai (Pictures) in a rematch.
Chonan defeated Sakurai for the title on February 5 at DEEP's fifth anniversary 23rd Impact card. Chonan broke Sakurai's nose in the opening moments of the fight with a flurry of punches in the clinch.
The ringside doctor stopped the bout just before the two-minute mark due to the amount of blood coming from Sakurai's nose, making Chonan the new champion. Chonan then grabbed the microphone and declared, "I got the belt, but I'm not a real champion. Let's fight again!"
Saeki went on to say that following the rematch with Sakurai, Chonan may cut down the 167 pounds. Saeki told the media that Chonan isn't a particularly large fighter at 183, and that he feels Chonan could be a top-level competitor by dropping down a weight class. According to Saeki, Chonan has said in the past that he would like to try competing at 167.
As PRIDE's Bushido does not operate a 167-pound class, reporters asked what a weight cut would mean in terms of Chonan's future participation in Bushido.
"Bushido is on the backburner now,” Saeki said plainly. “He may want to start from square one, and start over fresh."
Saeki said he would talk with Chonan in the coming weeks about the possibility of moving to 167 pounds next year.
Health of Saeki, DEEP in jeopardy?
Saeki also dropped a considerable bombshell on the media on Tuesday when he revealed that last week he spent four days and three nights in the hospital undergoing a multitude of tests on his kidneys. Saeki said results of the tests would be revealed next week, and that he may need kidney dialysis.
"I may have to begin dialysis. If that happens, DEEP will end. I stop," said Saeki.
Saeki stressed to the media not to keep his health woes a secret, but rather to report them and share the information with people. While it could be speculated that Saeki's claim of DEEP’s demise, should he undergo hemodialysis, might be somewhat of a bluff, the situation nonetheless is a grave one.
Saeki has played a crucial role in the crystallization of PRIDE Bushido, serving both as a matchmaker and talent scout. And DEEP has served as a primary feeder show for PRIDE. The absence of Saeki and/or DEEP could be a considerable blow to Dream Stage Entertainment.
DEEP's corpulent commander has been chided by the press and his contemporaries for his physique and health in the past, most notably last year when after being announced as Dream Stage Entertainment's Public Relations Officer PRIDE General Director Nobuhiko Takada (Pictures) stated in reference to Saeki's new position: "My worry is that he is only going to get fatter and develop diabetes."
Tension builds between Wajyutsu and Kurofune?
While we don't often associate inter-gym animosity with the Japanese MMA scene, there are indeed rumblings of mounting tensions between the Wajyutsu Keisyukai network and Team Kurofune.
The Wajyutsu Keisyukai network is comprised of nearly two dozen gyms in Japan, and is virtually homologous with the MMA promotion Greatest Common Multiple and its subsidiaries such as Demolition, Demolition of Octagon Gear, and others.
The WK Network is home to a wide array of top fighters, such as Caol Uno (Pictures), Yushin Okami (Pictures), Hidetaka Monma (Pictures) and Kenji Osawa (Pictures), among others, who compete many of Japan's top organizations including GCM events, HERO's, Shooto, Pancrase and Smackgirl.
Team Kurofune is not so much a "team" per se, so much as a loosely knit union of fighters who refine their striking skills at JB SPORTS CLUB under boxing trainer Takeshi Yamada. Yamada is perhaps best recognized to most MMA fans as the corner man accompanying Tatsuya Kawajiri (Pictures) to the ring at PRIDE Bushido 12 wearing sunglasses and sporting a chonmage hairdo. Among those who train striking under Yamada are the aforementioned Kawajiri, Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures), Kenji Osawa (Pictures) and Hidetaka Monma (Pictures).
According to sources close to Wajyutsu Keisyukai, some higher-ups in the WK Network have developed animosity toward Yamada and Team Kurofune over WK fighters such as Monma and Osawa training at JB SPORTS CLUB, and their association with Team Kurofune. These persons from WK are angered at Wajyutsu fighters seemingly "representing" another team that is in no way affiliated with the Wajyutsu Keisyukai Network.
The July edition of Japanese combat sports magazine GONG Kakutougi featured a "team photograph" of fighters who regularly train at JB SPORTS CLUB, falling under the loose banner of Team Kurofune, which included Wajyutsu fighters Osawa and Monma. In addition, WK have reportedly been upset with JB SPORTS CLUB's Web site linking the site of Wajyutsu Keisyukai Monma Dojo the WK-affiliate headed by Monma.
While full details on Wajyutsu Keisyukai's beef with JB SPORTS CLUB and Team Kurofune is scant, many fans have criticized WK's position as petty, and have opined that officials in the WK Network have become arrogant as a result of the clout the network possesses in the Japanese MMA scene.
"The main event that wasn't" may be for 10/14 Shooto
The next big endeavor for Sustain, Shooto’s leading promoter, will be the October 14 super-card at Pacifico Yokohama's National Convention Center in Kanagawa. There is much speculation that the headliner will be a rematch between Joachim Hansen (Pictures) and Tatsuya Kawajiri (Pictures) for Kawajiri's Shooto world 154-pound title.
The two originally met on February 17 at Shooto's The Victory Of The Truth, but the bout had gone only eight seconds when an errant kick from the challenger Hansen caught Kawajiri in the groin, sending him crumpled to the mat in pain. Kawajiri couldn't continue and Hansen was disqualified as a result of the illegal blow, leaving unfinished business between the two.
The latest edition of SHOOTO NEWS stated that promoters hoped to feature a blockbuster match, likely a Shooto world title fight, for the October 14 card, and teased a possible rematch between Hansen and Kawajiri due to the circumstances that their February bout ended under.
If Hansen and Kawajiri are to rematch in October, it will likely be announced this coming Friday at Shooto's Korakuen Hall card. In the event that Kawajiri-Hansen II doesn't happen on October 14, it may happen this December or early in 2007, as Hansen has told people that a rematch with Kawajiri was in the works for late this year.
Other possible headliners for the October 14 card could see Shooto 123-pound world champion Mamoru Yamaguchi (Pictures) or 143-pound world champion "Lion" Takeshi Inoue (Pictures) defend their titles. While there is not necessarily a clear-cut challenger for Inoue's title, Mamoru's next title defense will more than likely be against Masatoshi Abe (Pictures).
In the debut edition of Koubousen Companion, Sherdog.com looks at the potential impact of PRIDE's allegiance with Mike Tyson on television execs; UFC's Joe Silva open invitation to Japanese fighters; and a business deal between two of Japan's satellite heavy hitters that should have Dana White and Co. smiling.
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Kondo back to Pancrase
Pancrase has announced that 199-pound King of Pancrase Yuki Kondo (Pictures) will be back in the ring for its
October 1 edition of the BLOW tour.
Coming off of a dominant decision win over Daijiro Matsui (Pictures) at Pancrase's August 27 summer card, Kondo stated that he was unscathed in the bout and eager to get back in the ring. It took little time thereafter for Pancrase to announce that Kondo would compete October 1 at Umeda Stella Hall in Osaka against a yet-to-be-named opponent. It will be the first time since early 2004 that Kondo has fought on consecutive Pancrase tour dates.
Kondo's return to Pancrase for more than a one night stand likely serves a dual purpose.
Firstly, it's a homecoming to the organization where he holds legendary status and spent the overwhelming majority of his first eight years as a professional fighter, and his stature can carry and sell cards.
Secondly, it can provide Kondo with a means to rebuild his confidence before venturing back to PRIDE, where he's 0-5 in his last five bouts and coming off an unceremonious 25-second knockout at the hands of Phil Baroni (Pictures) this past April.
Spreading ZST
Ever-unconventional RINGS offshoot ZST has begun to accelerate its schedule for the remainder of the year. The card for ZST10 on September 10 at Tokyo's Differ Ariake will see a return to the tactics that gained the organization notoriety, as the card will be headlined by a tag-team MMA contest between Shuichiro Katsumura (Pictures) and Baret Yoshida against Takumi Yano (Pictures) and Erikas Petraitis (Pictures).
ZST also announced ZST11 for November 23, and as well ZST is sponsoring a card in Finland on September 23 featuring Japanese ZST mainstays Hiroki Kotani (Pictures) and Masayuki Okude along with a crop of European talent. ZST has yet to announce a date for the next SWAT!, which features young talent competing in yearlong round-robin style tournaments.
ZST's schedule for the second half of the year will be aided by the cable television deal struck with GAORA TV in late June. GAORA TV base sport programming around independent wrestling, All Japan Kickboxing, New Japan Kickboxing, full contact karate tournaments, high school baseball and surfing. Also, as ZST has began an open call for sponsorship, its upcoming schedule and cable television deal may help secure some corporate backing going into 2007.
Sakurai, 167 pounds in the current for "The Piranha"
DEEP President and PRIDE Public Relations Officer Shigeru Saeki has offered insight into the immediate future of PRIDE Bushido star and DEEP 183-pound champion Ryo Chonan (Pictures). At the announcement of DEEP's October 10 26th Impact card on Tuesday, Saeki told the media that Chonan would return to DEEP on December 20 for DEEP's 27th Impact, where he would make his first title defense against former champion Ryuta Sakurai (Pictures) in a rematch.
Chonan defeated Sakurai for the title on February 5 at DEEP's fifth anniversary 23rd Impact card. Chonan broke Sakurai's nose in the opening moments of the fight with a flurry of punches in the clinch.
The ringside doctor stopped the bout just before the two-minute mark due to the amount of blood coming from Sakurai's nose, making Chonan the new champion. Chonan then grabbed the microphone and declared, "I got the belt, but I'm not a real champion. Let's fight again!"
Saeki went on to say that following the rematch with Sakurai, Chonan may cut down the 167 pounds. Saeki told the media that Chonan isn't a particularly large fighter at 183, and that he feels Chonan could be a top-level competitor by dropping down a weight class. According to Saeki, Chonan has said in the past that he would like to try competing at 167.
As PRIDE's Bushido does not operate a 167-pound class, reporters asked what a weight cut would mean in terms of Chonan's future participation in Bushido.
"Bushido is on the backburner now,” Saeki said plainly. “He may want to start from square one, and start over fresh."
Saeki said he would talk with Chonan in the coming weeks about the possibility of moving to 167 pounds next year.
Health of Saeki, DEEP in jeopardy?
Saeki also dropped a considerable bombshell on the media on Tuesday when he revealed that last week he spent four days and three nights in the hospital undergoing a multitude of tests on his kidneys. Saeki said results of the tests would be revealed next week, and that he may need kidney dialysis.
"I may have to begin dialysis. If that happens, DEEP will end. I stop," said Saeki.
Saeki stressed to the media not to keep his health woes a secret, but rather to report them and share the information with people. While it could be speculated that Saeki's claim of DEEP’s demise, should he undergo hemodialysis, might be somewhat of a bluff, the situation nonetheless is a grave one.
Saeki has played a crucial role in the crystallization of PRIDE Bushido, serving both as a matchmaker and talent scout. And DEEP has served as a primary feeder show for PRIDE. The absence of Saeki and/or DEEP could be a considerable blow to Dream Stage Entertainment.
DEEP's corpulent commander has been chided by the press and his contemporaries for his physique and health in the past, most notably last year when after being announced as Dream Stage Entertainment's Public Relations Officer PRIDE General Director Nobuhiko Takada (Pictures) stated in reference to Saeki's new position: "My worry is that he is only going to get fatter and develop diabetes."
Tension builds between Wajyutsu and Kurofune?
While we don't often associate inter-gym animosity with the Japanese MMA scene, there are indeed rumblings of mounting tensions between the Wajyutsu Keisyukai network and Team Kurofune.
The Wajyutsu Keisyukai network is comprised of nearly two dozen gyms in Japan, and is virtually homologous with the MMA promotion Greatest Common Multiple and its subsidiaries such as Demolition, Demolition of Octagon Gear, and others.
The WK Network is home to a wide array of top fighters, such as Caol Uno (Pictures), Yushin Okami (Pictures), Hidetaka Monma (Pictures) and Kenji Osawa (Pictures), among others, who compete many of Japan's top organizations including GCM events, HERO's, Shooto, Pancrase and Smackgirl.
Team Kurofune is not so much a "team" per se, so much as a loosely knit union of fighters who refine their striking skills at JB SPORTS CLUB under boxing trainer Takeshi Yamada. Yamada is perhaps best recognized to most MMA fans as the corner man accompanying Tatsuya Kawajiri (Pictures) to the ring at PRIDE Bushido 12 wearing sunglasses and sporting a chonmage hairdo. Among those who train striking under Yamada are the aforementioned Kawajiri, Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures), Kenji Osawa (Pictures) and Hidetaka Monma (Pictures).
According to sources close to Wajyutsu Keisyukai, some higher-ups in the WK Network have developed animosity toward Yamada and Team Kurofune over WK fighters such as Monma and Osawa training at JB SPORTS CLUB, and their association with Team Kurofune. These persons from WK are angered at Wajyutsu fighters seemingly "representing" another team that is in no way affiliated with the Wajyutsu Keisyukai Network.
The July edition of Japanese combat sports magazine GONG Kakutougi featured a "team photograph" of fighters who regularly train at JB SPORTS CLUB, falling under the loose banner of Team Kurofune, which included Wajyutsu fighters Osawa and Monma. In addition, WK have reportedly been upset with JB SPORTS CLUB's Web site linking the site of Wajyutsu Keisyukai Monma Dojo the WK-affiliate headed by Monma.
While full details on Wajyutsu Keisyukai's beef with JB SPORTS CLUB and Team Kurofune is scant, many fans have criticized WK's position as petty, and have opined that officials in the WK Network have become arrogant as a result of the clout the network possesses in the Japanese MMA scene.
"The main event that wasn't" may be for 10/14 Shooto
The next big endeavor for Sustain, Shooto’s leading promoter, will be the October 14 super-card at Pacifico Yokohama's National Convention Center in Kanagawa. There is much speculation that the headliner will be a rematch between Joachim Hansen (Pictures) and Tatsuya Kawajiri (Pictures) for Kawajiri's Shooto world 154-pound title.
The two originally met on February 17 at Shooto's The Victory Of The Truth, but the bout had gone only eight seconds when an errant kick from the challenger Hansen caught Kawajiri in the groin, sending him crumpled to the mat in pain. Kawajiri couldn't continue and Hansen was disqualified as a result of the illegal blow, leaving unfinished business between the two.
The latest edition of SHOOTO NEWS stated that promoters hoped to feature a blockbuster match, likely a Shooto world title fight, for the October 14 card, and teased a possible rematch between Hansen and Kawajiri due to the circumstances that their February bout ended under.
If Hansen and Kawajiri are to rematch in October, it will likely be announced this coming Friday at Shooto's Korakuen Hall card. In the event that Kawajiri-Hansen II doesn't happen on October 14, it may happen this December or early in 2007, as Hansen has told people that a rematch with Kawajiri was in the works for late this year.
Other possible headliners for the October 14 card could see Shooto 123-pound world champion Mamoru Yamaguchi (Pictures) or 143-pound world champion "Lion" Takeshi Inoue (Pictures) defend their titles. While there is not necessarily a clear-cut challenger for Inoue's title, Mamoru's next title defense will more than likely be against Masatoshi Abe (Pictures).
