The Doggy Bag: Deluxe Edition
Dynamite
I know that the theme for Dynamite is Dream against Sengoku and
I like the Aoki vs. Hirota and Kawajiri vs. Yokota fights, but
wouldn't it make more sense for them to do the big Aoki vs.
Kawajiri fight on New Year's Eve, and have different Dream
lightweights fight Hirota and Yokota? -- Chris Gray
Jordan Breen, FightFinder Czar: Like most, I fully sympathize with wanting to see Japan's two top lightweights square off. However, you also have to consider the utilization of resources.
Aoki-Kawajiri would be the most important MMA bout at Dynamite, but despite both being bigger-than-average stars, neither one are major superstars. With the likes of Masato, Tokoro, "Kid" Yamamoto, Yoshida and the MMA debut of Satoshi Ishii, there is a real question as to how "necessary" it is to do an Aoki-Kawajiri bout on New's Years Eve, with several major ratings magnets already in play.
If anything, Aoki-Kawajiri is much more needed for 2010, when Dream does a primetime television card. It certainly won't do major ratings, but it offers a good balance of credible matchmaking and starpower, and would likely produce healthier ratings than some of their 2008 and 2009 main events. The potential for it being an actual attraction only increases if Kawajiri and Aoki can put on quality New Year's Eve performances. Given how much starpower is already in play, and the fact that they may not necessarily have the Sengoku talent at their disposal early next year, I think it's a fairly intelligent choice to keep the bout in their back pocket for 2010.
On top of that, we're now getting two high quality lightweight bouts, instead of one. Yokota is all-purpose tough and though he's unlikely to beat the "Crusher," he'll certainly give him a workout. Meanwhile, Hirota has the blend of defensive grappling and bona fide power that has historically been Aoki's undoing. As seldom as I agree with the promotional tactics of Fighting and Entertainment Group and Real Entertainment, they've got my approval on this one.
Jordan Breen, FightFinder Czar: Like most, I fully sympathize with wanting to see Japan's two top lightweights square off. However, you also have to consider the utilization of resources.
Aoki-Kawajiri would be the most important MMA bout at Dynamite, but despite both being bigger-than-average stars, neither one are major superstars. With the likes of Masato, Tokoro, "Kid" Yamamoto, Yoshida and the MMA debut of Satoshi Ishii, there is a real question as to how "necessary" it is to do an Aoki-Kawajiri bout on New's Years Eve, with several major ratings magnets already in play.
If anything, Aoki-Kawajiri is much more needed for 2010, when Dream does a primetime television card. It certainly won't do major ratings, but it offers a good balance of credible matchmaking and starpower, and would likely produce healthier ratings than some of their 2008 and 2009 main events. The potential for it being an actual attraction only increases if Kawajiri and Aoki can put on quality New Year's Eve performances. Given how much starpower is already in play, and the fact that they may not necessarily have the Sengoku talent at their disposal early next year, I think it's a fairly intelligent choice to keep the bout in their back pocket for 2010.
On top of that, we're now getting two high quality lightweight bouts, instead of one. Yokota is all-purpose tough and though he's unlikely to beat the "Crusher," he'll certainly give him a workout. Meanwhile, Hirota has the blend of defensive grappling and bona fide power that has historically been Aoki's undoing. As seldom as I agree with the promotional tactics of Fighting and Entertainment Group and Real Entertainment, they've got my approval on this one.
