UFC® RETURNS TO JAPAN IN 2012
Sep 7, 2011 Comments
Action-Packed Event Slated for Saitama Super Arena on Feb. 26
2012
(PRESS RELEASE) -- After more than a decade, the wait is finally over. The Ultimate Fighting Championship® confirmed at a Tokyo press conference today that 2012 will mark the return of the world famous Octagon® to Japan.
Japan’s Saitama Super Arena will host a blockbuster UFC® event on
February 26, 2012. It will serve as the organization’s first event
in Japan since UFC 29 held in December 2000. It will also serve as
the first UFC event in Japan since the organization was purchased
by Zuffa, LLC in 2001.
“This February, the wait is finally over – the UFC is coming back to Japan,” UFC President Dana White said. “For fans in Japan who’ve never witnessed a UFC event live, this is going to be an incredible experience and one you won’t want to miss. It’s been over 10 years since a UFC event was held in Japan and we’re pumped to bring the fastest-growing sport in the world there once again.”
“Japan has played a huge role in helping get the sport of mixed martial arts to where it is today,” White added. “UFC stars such as Rampage Jackson, Wanderlei Silva, Minotauro Nogueira and Mirko Cro Cop all made names for themselves fighting in PRIDE and dozens more fought in front of the passionate Japanese fans at some point in their careers.
“Japan has also produced world-class fighters such as Yoshihiro Akiyama, Takanori Gomi and Yushin Okami, all of whom have represented their country well in the Octagon, headlining major UFC events all over the globe.”
The full card for the Tokyo event, along with ticket information, will be announced in the coming months. For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit UFC.com. All bouts live and subject to change.
About Ultimate Fighting Championship®
Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® produces over 12 UFC live Pay-Per-View events annually around the world. UFC programming is distributed in the United States on Viacom, Inc.’s Spike TV and on Comcast, Inc.’s VERSUS network. Beginning November 12, 2011 FOX will broadcast four fights annually. In spring 2012, THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER, UFC’s signature weekly reality TV show debuts on FX. Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in over 132 countries and territories, reaching 597 million homes worldwide, in 21 different languages.
UFC® also boasts a powerful presence online, with UFC.com attracting over six million unique visitors per month, while also possessing one of the most powerful social media followings in all of professional sports. To date, UFC has over six million fans on Facebook and over 300,000 followers on Twitter. In addition, UFC President Dana White is one of the most accessible and most followed executives in sports with over 1.5 million followers on Twitter. On January 22, 2011, UFC continued to set trends in social media, becoming the first major sports league to stream live, broadcast quality action on Facebook.
Ancillary businesses include best-selling DVD’s, a bimonthly magazine, the best-selling UFC “Undisputed” videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC Gymâ„¢, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expoâ„¢ festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, and articulated action figures.
In Japan, UFC events and other featuring programming are currently broadcast on the Wowow premium cable channel. In addition, the Hikari TV IP television network airs live and archived UFC bouts, as well as classic fights from the beloved PRIDE® library. UFC information, news and features are available in Japanese via jp.UFC.com, as well as the Official UFC Mobile site in partnership with TV Bank Corp. The UFC mobile site also offers fans across Japan updates, ringtones, wallpapers, fights on demand, and other exciting content.
(PRESS RELEASE) -- After more than a decade, the wait is finally over. The Ultimate Fighting Championship® confirmed at a Tokyo press conference today that 2012 will mark the return of the world famous Octagon® to Japan.
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“This February, the wait is finally over – the UFC is coming back to Japan,” UFC President Dana White said. “For fans in Japan who’ve never witnessed a UFC event live, this is going to be an incredible experience and one you won’t want to miss. It’s been over 10 years since a UFC event was held in Japan and we’re pumped to bring the fastest-growing sport in the world there once again.”
Japan has made an enormous contribution not only to traditional
martial arts by inventing styles like jiu-jitsu, karate and judo,
but also to the sport of mixed martial arts. As well as hosting
four UFC events from 1997 to 2000, the nation of Japan also became
renowned for its incredible live PRIDE FC® shows from 1997 to
2007.
“Japan has played a huge role in helping get the sport of mixed martial arts to where it is today,” White added. “UFC stars such as Rampage Jackson, Wanderlei Silva, Minotauro Nogueira and Mirko Cro Cop all made names for themselves fighting in PRIDE and dozens more fought in front of the passionate Japanese fans at some point in their careers.
“Japan has also produced world-class fighters such as Yoshihiro Akiyama, Takanori Gomi and Yushin Okami, all of whom have represented their country well in the Octagon, headlining major UFC events all over the globe.”
The full card for the Tokyo event, along with ticket information, will be announced in the coming months. For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit UFC.com. All bouts live and subject to change.
About Ultimate Fighting Championship®
Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® produces over 12 UFC live Pay-Per-View events annually around the world. UFC programming is distributed in the United States on Viacom, Inc.’s Spike TV and on Comcast, Inc.’s VERSUS network. Beginning November 12, 2011 FOX will broadcast four fights annually. In spring 2012, THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER, UFC’s signature weekly reality TV show debuts on FX. Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in over 132 countries and territories, reaching 597 million homes worldwide, in 21 different languages.
UFC® also boasts a powerful presence online, with UFC.com attracting over six million unique visitors per month, while also possessing one of the most powerful social media followings in all of professional sports. To date, UFC has over six million fans on Facebook and over 300,000 followers on Twitter. In addition, UFC President Dana White is one of the most accessible and most followed executives in sports with over 1.5 million followers on Twitter. On January 22, 2011, UFC continued to set trends in social media, becoming the first major sports league to stream live, broadcast quality action on Facebook.
Ancillary businesses include best-selling DVD’s, a bimonthly magazine, the best-selling UFC “Undisputed” videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC Gymâ„¢, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expoâ„¢ festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, and articulated action figures.
In Japan, UFC events and other featuring programming are currently broadcast on the Wowow premium cable channel. In addition, the Hikari TV IP television network airs live and archived UFC bouts, as well as classic fights from the beloved PRIDE® library. UFC information, news and features are available in Japanese via jp.UFC.com, as well as the Official UFC Mobile site in partnership with TV Bank Corp. The UFC mobile site also offers fans across Japan updates, ringtones, wallpapers, fights on demand, and other exciting content.
