The End of Sengoku?

It looks like Sengoku (World Victory Road) might be going under! They have lost their biggest sponsor. I read a while ago that they would be cancelling their December show and Co-Promoting with Dream. I read more on this today and it looks like Ishii and the other Gold medalist Judoka will make their debut on NYE in a Sengoku/Dream/K-1 (With the possibility of Strikeforce fighers) event which is Rumoured to have 19 fights on the card! Cant wait for this!!!

Some Sengoku fighers have left or signed contracts elsewhere... King Mo, Antonio Silva and Roger Gracie were all Sengoku fighers that have signed with Strikeforce. It looks like Dream and Strikeforce are set to Absorb their roster which means Shit news for UFC because its going to strengthen both rosters.

The Article I read said HDNet shows it in the states, Im going to have to see if I can find a quality stream even if I pay a few quid for it, It could be the biggest event of the year, Shame Fedor is out though!

I think this is a rare occasion where an organization going under is good news. I think this strengthens Dream/Strikeforce and helps them stack up better against the evil empire.

yeah mate for sure, Sengoku had a few good fighers and they will really strengthen the Dream/Strikeforce alliance. Its now getting to the Stage were its UFC vs Everyone else!

Exactly. But Strikeforce/Dream will have the Asian market and with Fedor they can look to stage a show in Russia which would be huge. So the UFC will have their work cut out!

A big part of it is that apparently they're losing sponsorship from their main sponsor Don Quijote (big chain store in Japan) and they haven't got a network TV showcase for Ishii.

I'm actually quite surprised by Don Quijote pulling out, they seemed really into supporting MMA, they brought out Pancrase's debt for example. And they have really deep pockets. I actually thought Sengoku had a better shot at long term survival than Dream, because Dream's survival depends so much on the ratings they pull on TBS.

Ultimately, this should strengthen Dream. Ishii will draw heavy interest and only help build on their steadily improving ratings.

An alliance of Strikeforce and Dream is a really good viable alternative to provide real top level MMA consistently outside the UFC.

Ishii could well end up fighting in Strikeforce? The heavyweight scene really seems to be happening there but perhaps they will build him up in Japan for a bit first? There always the option of a Strikeforce figher coming to Dream for his fight after NYE... Roger Gracie vs Ishii anyone?

I think its looking like UFC will have the biggest compeition on their hands since Pride, All the other Major MMA companies combined and with K-1 fighers under the same banner they really could have a strong rival. Like you say MMA in Japan is huge and its not a market UFC will crack or overtake Dream. As Long as M-1 Global dont fuck things up and demand stadiums to be built in the name of Fedor they should all do well out of this!

And if they play it smart and don't try and over stretch themselves, they can put on events that are consistantly stronger than what the UFC are offering. If they were to put on 5 really good cards each per year they could get the most out of their combined roster and with only 10 cards to fill they wouldn't need a roster like the UFC so they can have less fighters but offer the fighters they do have better contracts. I think that Strikeforce have put on 3 great events this year(Fedor-Roger, Diaz-Shamrock, Lawlor-Shields) and one very good one(Cyborg-Carano) and the line up for Evolution is looking good so far.

If they continue to do the same their future is very bright.

And Ben, Ishii vs Gracie is a great call!

I think Ishii would be exclusively used in Japan, for a few years atleast, he's worth so much more to Dream than he is to Strikeforce.

The thing about the MMA market in Japan is that when it's popular there, it gets a level of attention that organisations in America can't dream of. They've had events get a 20% share of everyone viewing TV in Japan. I think some fights in Pride had like 30 million people watch them. Japan has quite an obsessive fad orientated culture, if Dream can spark interest in MMA again, the rewards could be huge.

I think Fedor-Barnett will be held in Japan when it happens. It's a massive fight over there. Even bigger than it would in the US.

Anfields5thKing wrote:I think Fedor-Barnett will be held in Japan when it happens. It's a massive fight over there. Even bigger than it would in the US.

That would be ideal. I think Strikeforce probably view it as quite a risky fight to promote, given Barnett's past history. No pesky athletic commissions in Japan...

I think this NYE event really is going to spark interest Dream 12 seemed to go down well all round the world and with Strikeforce and American fighers involved I hope the event gets the attention it diserves.

Agree Ishii doesnt needs rushed into anything but neither does Gracie, maby in a year or 2... I wonder who Gracie will Debut for Strikeforce against? Ive had no word on an opponent. I also wonder when were going to hear about strikeforces two signings? Did it say anywere that they were both heavys or did we assume? Cant remember off hand but if they arent both heavys, Arlovski and Hendo are my calls!

Imagine if his Dream/Strikeforce alliance really took off and UFC sent fighers to compere elsewere again! I wonder if it will ever happen or did sending Liddell to Pride put them off? Then sent Houston Alexander to fight outside the UFC recently...

Yeah Fedor vs Barnett in Japan for Sure, they are both much bigger names in Japan, Barnett needs to get other Ideas though, Fedor is fairly busy with Werdum and Overeem to worry about, Barnett needs to go after another fight... When is the result of his hearing? This coming week I think?

Barnett reportedly doesn't much like the guys who run Dream. Somewhat annoyingly, I can kind of see him monkeying around in Pancrase and doing pro-wrestling whilst waiting for a fight with Fedor. The latest steroid test result has really scuppered his prospects of being big in the US I think. I'd like to see him fight Sylvia or Kharitonov.

He said he wanted a fight with Valuev! Thats the sort of thing you cant expect from him! I dont know wether he wants an MMA career full time anymore, I can see him doing just what you said although you wonder if he clears his name in this hearing you wonder wether UFC would be keen to sign him? I think he would fit into their Hw Devision nicley, A fight Rematch with Nog maby? fighting an up and commer in Cain or the winner of JDS vs Gonzaga would both be credible number 1 contender fights?

UFC are going to need something drastic because their Hw devision is in a bit of a state with Nog being Sick and Lesnar being out for a long long time. Barnett vs Cain or Carwin for an Interim Tilte? I actually think Barnett vs Mir would make for a very good fight. But really it depends on wether he is happy doing his own thing in Japan.

I find it quite hard to imagine Barnett going to the UFC, which is a big shame because all the fights you mention are great fights for him. However I think the UFC probably regards him as more trouble/salary than he's worth. Both because of the risk that he'll test positive, the money he'll want, and his general personality would rub Dana the wrong way. I don't particularly think Barnett wants to deal with the UFC either. I think he's probably quite awkward to deal with, if he doesn't like the staff of a promotion or the way they do business, I don't think he'd compromise, even if it means just messing around in Pancrase/pro wrestling.

Hornbuckle vs Zaromski anyone?
Blagoi Ivanov vs Fedor?
And oh yes, Ishii versus Roger Gracie!

The DREAM light weight roster would be well padded out and the combined welter weight roster between Sengoku, DREAM and Strikeforce would look awesome.

The only gap I see on the horizon is the light heavy weight divison but with organisations based in two continents and with Sengoku's history of looking at European fighters I'm sure new up and comers will soon appear. Eventually, the UFC's marquee divison will get old and they won't hold the strangehold at that weight.

The Lhw devision isnt really what it once was, Rampage is gone, Hendo is gone. Liddell is all but done, Apparently so is Couture after that performance and Wanderlei has cut to 185...

There isnt the tallent there once was but There isnt a huge amount of tallent outside the UFC, Mousasi, Babalu, Arona, Soku (Filho if he fights at 205) not a lot of top flight tallent but as you said there could be up an commers on the horizon.

http://mmarecap.com/news/Fedor_Emelianenko_Vs_Josh_Barnett_Likely_In_DREAM-536

Ever since the fold of Affliction, mixed martial arts fans have been wondering if the bout between #1 ranked heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko (31-1) and top five contender Josh Barnett (24-5) would ever take place. Sources close to DREAM have informed MMA Recap (http://www.mmarecap.com) that Barnett will sign with DREAM and that Strikeforce and M-1 will indeed cross promote with FEG to deliver the epic matchup we’ve all been waiting for.



The bout between Fedor and Barnett is tentatively scheduled for February of 2010, but no official date has been confirmed.



Emelianenko and Barnett were originally supposed to fight at "Affliction: Trilogy" on August 1, 2009, but Barnett tested positive for steroids during a pre-fight drug test and the entire event was scrapped.



Josh Barnett has not seen action since facing Gilbert Yvel at “Affliction: Day of Reckoning”, where he defeated Yvel via technical knock out in round 3. Look for Barnett to try to make this a technical fight, and utilize his tremendous grappling skills.

Fedor Emelianenko last saw action when he defeated dangerous striker Brett Rogers via technical knock out in round two. Emelianenko will undoubtedly be the favorite in this fight, and for good reason. However, stylistically this is the toughest opponent Fedor has seen in some time. Look for Fedor to be patient and use a mix of his strikes and takedowns to stifle Barnett until he finds a huge opening that he can capitalize on.

Stay tuned to MMA Recap for more information as the fight develops.

Holy Shit this is good news Barnett back in action against Fedor! Great to hear! What event is in Feburary though? Ill add it to the calendar.