DREAM - Starts March 15th - JP Fitness Forums

Chiron · 02-23-2008, 08:52 PM

The people from DSE (The ones that owned PRIDE) and K-1, after the success of Yarrenoka, have gotten together again. They dissolved K-1's MMA org HEROES and made this new org. M-1 and Shooto are in on it again also.

They're going to have a LW and WW tournament to determine the champs at those weight classes. So far these are the guys participating in the LW tournament:

Shinya Aoki
"JZ" Calvancanti
Andrea Dida
Mitsuhiro Ishida
Tatsuya Kawajiri
Caol Uno
Joachim Hansen
Gilbert Melendez
Luiz Buscape
Artur Oumakhanov
Koutetsu Boku
Jung Bu-Kyung
Kazuyuki Miyata

I highlighted the guys in bold because many MMA rankings have them listed in the top ten LW's. So it looks like it should be a really good tournament.

Other fighters that have been confirmed to be fighting for DREAM:

Fedor Emelianenko
Kazushi Sakuraba
Yoshihiro Akiyama
Norifumo Yamamoto
Sergei Kharitonov
Mirko Crocop
Hayato Sakurai
Ikuhisa Minowa
Denis Kang
Melvin Manhoef
Royce Gracie

You read that right. Mirko Crocop is back fighting in Japan. Apparently the UFC and he came to an agreement about his contract where he is going back to Japan to fight. He said he is fighting 3 fights for DREAM, including a possible rematch with Fedor, and then he plans to go back to the UFC to get revenge on those who beat him in the cage and shut up the internet fans that doubt him (seriously he said that lol).

Crocop and Kang have said that Matt Lindland, Mark Hunt and Josh Barnett will be fighting in DREAM also but there's no official word on that so at this point it's just a rumor. Right now those rumors seem weak though as Josh Barnett has a fight scheduled with the new Japanese org World Victory Road. That fight is scheduled for March 5th against Hidehiko Yoshida. Takanori Gomi is also fighting for WVR that same night against Duane Ludwig.

The dates for the DREAM Lightweight tournament are:
March 15th - Round 1
May 11th - Round 2
July 21st - Finals

The dates for the DREAM Middleweight tournament are:
April 29th - Round 1
Mid-June - Round 2
End of September - Finals

Waittz · 02-23-2008, 09:29 PM

So Cro cop gets his butt whooped in the UFC then jumps ship?

Chiron · 02-23-2008, 09:40 PM

Yup, something like that. It seems he and Dana White mutually agreed that he'd leave the UFC. Apparently there was a clause in his contract where the UFC could restructure his salary if he lost two fights in a row. Although Dana did say he'd welcome him back after his fights in DREAM (I'm assuming that's if he goes on a win streak).

Irishdazza · 02-24-2008, 06:06 AM

Hope he can get his head straight in Japan - but ould rather he didn't fight Fedor till he has redeemed himself in the UFC!

Jeez could you imagine if he beat Fedor after losing to Gonzaga and Kongo!?!??!

kuri · 02-24-2008, 09:41 AM

I really don't care who wins or loses but just love that these orgs are working together to make the fights we wanna see. And damn if that isn't a great roster!

No doubt the production will be top notch and, in my opinion, just more fun to watch. Maybe it's because I lived there and saw many events but theres that lack of cheese factor that makes them better.

Hoping JZ comes into his fight with Aoki healthy this time. My friend Mac will be flying down to Brazil to train him I imagine - I'll try to get some inside intel at the gym for you guys today

Waittz · 02-24-2008, 02:07 PM

Im with you kuri, they do need to work together. I still dont understand why we will never see a coture vs fedor.

kuri · 02-24-2008, 07:50 PM

I think we will se Couture and Fedor, it's just a matter of time.

Talked to Mac at the gym today and he'll be training a few guys on the card down at BTT in Florida. Apparently Kawajiri may fight Black Mamba (Kultar Gill), but it's not signed yet.

Chiron · 02-24-2008, 11:39 PM

Apparently Mark Cuban is trying to get this on HDNet. That would be sweet.

kuri · 03-16-2008, 09:08 PM

Have you guys watched the fights yet?

All of them are up at dailymotion.

Joachim Hansen is a madman. In a good way

Chiron · 03-19-2008, 12:52 AM

Ya, I watched them the day after the event. There were a few good fights. I was a bit disappointed by the performances overall but the org as a whole has a lot of potential. Aoki vs JZ was such a disappointment ending like that. And I'm more convinced than ever there need to be some rule tweaks in MMA. One cannot rightly call Ishida a "fighter". He's a wrestler pure and simple. I consider that guy to be the ultimate LnPer. I don't know what else to call it when 75% of a guys wins come by decision.

It was cool to see Hansen saying "Hit me!" and coming after his opponent. Gotta love that guy. Sakurai lookd pretty good too.