Fedor is First Step to Helping Revive Japanese MMA Scene

Japanese fans love Fedor Emelianenko, as the Russian fighter bounces back from a three-fight losing streak in Strikeforce.  In doing so, Fedor can also help give JMMA a desperate spark needed to help rejuvenate a nation with a faltering MMA scene.

Hans Thompson, HDNet commentator, noted that the most recent DREAM fight on New Year’s Eve didn’t have the same flare as past events.

I would say that it didn’t have quite the luster that even last year’s event – which was a relatively small event – because although there were a lot of good fighters, a lot of them had been fighting on Dream events all year long. I didn’t have big expectations for the card, but it turned out to be an entertaining – if not long – night of fights.

In terms in size of the live audience, it looks the same as it did last year, but the absence of a major TV deal is a big obstacle for them. I think if they can get that sorted out, it will change the scale of the NYE shows and they might approach the scale of the shows in the past. But it’s a big if.”

JMMA is said to be dying — and it’s honestly very hard to argue against that — but DREAM has continued to do its best to keep things going. However, as MMA begins to explode in China, Singapore, and other parts of Asia in 2012, there is a good chance some of that will trickle back to Japan.

In addition to keeping its current stars active and successful, the next generation of Japanese fighters must begin to take the reigns.  We’ll see if changes can be made in 2012, as Japanese MMA fighters and promoters seek methods to