With a post PRIDE world a reality, many companies are trying to step up to the plate and maybe fill a void that PRIDE left with it’s demise this year. Gary Shaw and Elite XC seem to be buying up every promotion for sale, K-1 seems rather fine with being a default option in Japan and M-1 global seems to be promising but of course with time we’ll surely know. With the recent announcement of their debut “Sengoku” show, I began pondering the question that all of us broken hearted MMA fans are thinking, Where does that leave the newly formed World Victory Road? Do they float around in obscurity or are they a force to be reckoned with?
This week World Victory Road announced 2 new participants in their upcoming show, SHOOTO 83 kg. World Champion, Siyar Bahadurzada, and Cage Rage veteran, Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos. Bahadurzada was recently crowned Champion at SHOOTO: Back To Our Roots 4 in the currently lackluster 83 kg. division, while “Cyborg” is well known for his ultra aggressive Chute Boxe style of fighting, which was displayed in what is questionably one of the best fights in Cage Rage history, when he took on Dutch Powerhouse and at that time Cage Rage Light Heavyweight Champion, Melvin Manhoef.
These 2 men will join 4 other individuals scheduled to fight on March 5th at the Yoyogi National Stadium. The other scheduled participants are 1992 Judo Olympic Gold Medalist Hidehiko Yoshida, 2000 Judo Olympic Gold Medalist Makoto Takimoto, Pancrase stud Ryo Kawamura, and Tournament of J 2 time Champion and Grabaka Dojo founder Sanae Kikuta.
My 1st impression of the announced names seems rather strange. Strange in the sense that these are fighters who I believe appeal mostly to the Japanese and Japanese MMA lovers and not necessarily anyone outside of that classification. Sure there is months before this card happens but with Yarennoka!! and UFC 79 putting it all out on display, this card fails in comparison by a long shot. To add to the general appearance of the card, they also announced the rules fighters would abide by, which include no soccer kicks or stomps and elbows to head of an opponent.
Also, their weight classes are structured kind of oddly: Heavyweight = 205+ lbs., Light Heavyweight = 205 lbs., Middleweight = 183 lbs., Welterweight = 167 lbs., Lightweight = 150 lbs., and Featherweight = 132 lbs. This too can be a bit confusing considering they follow a typical SHOOTO style weight classes but have that weird 150 lbs. division which is great for guys at 145 lbs. not necessarily having to kill themselves to make weight but really isolate ALOT more 155 lbs. fighters and makes them go way too high up in weight class. This comes as a shock to me considering Takanori Gomi was a name that supposedly was in heavy talks with the organization but weight limits can be amended so there’s not too much to worry about for those Hardcore Gomi fans (Me).
Personally, I find it really hard to warm up to the idea that World Victory Road will ever even come remotely close to filling a void. Unappealing names and most likely unappealing fights, with the exception of seeing Kawamura vs. Bahadurzada or Cyborg duke it out with anyone, seem to be very possible. With Sengoku 4 months away, cards will fall into place and who knows maybe this card can fill up with some great talent by then but who knows really? I guess time will eventually tell us who will be the next big thing but at the rate things are going, Sadly, it might be a long time.
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