March 15th: at Toki Messe, Niigata

This was supposed to be a "skirmish" since the real K-1 MMA is scheduled to begin on May 22nd at Saitama Super Arena, but this very first K-1 event held in Niigata prefecture undoubtedly was the turning point of K-1's 11-year history.

Finally, the official K-1 MMA rules and K-1 MMA open finger gloves were revealed.
The TBS (Channel 6 - Tokyo Broadcasting System) occupied almost half of its two-hour live broadcast with K-1 MMA fights instead of regular K-1 bouts.
Even Bob Sapp, by utilizing his well-known comic personality, in the introduction video played in the arena prior to his entrance, emphasized on how "usui! (thin)" MMA gloves are compared to the standard boxing or K-1 gloves.
In addition to this, a very popular pro-wrestler named Steve Williams was making his MMA debut in Niigata, which is the birthplace of Giant Baba, a late legendary pro-wrestler who founded AJPW (All Japan Pro-wrestling), on this 10th anniversary year since his death, Williams, a popular wrestler of AJPW, at age 45, stepped into the world of real fighting for the first time in his professional career.

Indeed the people of Niigata had more than enough reasons to go bananas that night, but 10,000-plus spectators gathered in Toki Messe Convention Center - the largest convention facility in Niigata built last year as a part of the riverside redevelopment project around famous Bandai Bridge- seemed puzzled, not exactly knowing how to react to the entire picture.
It was not because of, as the Japanese put it, a "hard to digest" ending in the main bout of the evening. The unfamiliar picture was in fact, MMA fighting.

Sure the crowd couldn't quite figure out how they were supposed to react to such an abrupt ending.
Dolgorsuren Sumiyabazar controlled most of the first round using his excellent balance acquired from Mongolian Sumo and freestyle wrestling, but suddenly, the fight was over during the intermission. Sumiyabazar injured his hip joint.
Everyone in Toki Messe was disappointed because they all wanted to see an exciting and entertaining fight from Sapp, probably the biggest name in MMA besides Kazushi Sakuraba. (Of course, in terms of the Japanese market) The ending however was far from what they'd expected but again, the Sapp – Sumiyabazar fight was not the cause of this scruple, hesitant, and almost indecisive-type of negative energy I felt from the spectators.

The people in that long slender prefecture facing the Japan Sea are generally known for being on the conservative end but it doesn't mean the fans of Niigata weren't looking to get excited.
They just didn't know how.

For most people in Japan, K-1 is a sport known for "one shot KO" just like other striking sports such as boxing or Karate.
K-1 gained its enormous popularity in Japan because of the vicious fists of Cikatic, Bernardo, LeBanner, Sefo, Hunt or the devastating kicks of Aerts, Hug, and Filho. I am not taking anything away from the only four-time K-1 GP champion but if everyone fought tactical fights like Ernesto Hoost does, I believe K-1 would have never achieved the popularity they have today. The spectators are attracted to simple, lucid, and a shocking finishes and that has been the trademark of K-1.
I wouldn't call it as far as shock value effect but the public gets the thrill from the KO scene.

Ask hostesses in Ropponggi. Invite them to go see a K-1 event with you, and 99% of the time, with dark-blue eye shadow and bright red lips, she will ask, "do you think there's gonna be lots of KO's tonight?"
Now K-1 is playing a different game, and most fans at Toki Messe, that night, simply weren't prepared to see highly tactical martial arts competition, a grappling game.

The crowd was extremely quiet.
I'm sure most K-1 fans has seen MMA fights in the past but obviously, it doesn't mean they watch MMA in the same way they observe K-1 fights. Most die-hard K-1 fans might even consider two men fighting on the ground boring and prefer watching only standing bouts. Who knows? Just like the artwork in public view, by Daniel Buren and Cai Guo-Qiang, down the riverside walk.
Some may even ask, "What is so good about this?"

April 6th: The Announcement

J-Rock, the production company that magaes Hidehiko Yoshida, officially announced his decision of not entering this year's PRIDE GP.
According to the statement released by J-Rock, since Yoshida did not win the middleweight tournament last year and is a still feeling sour with his performance against Royce Gracie on New Year's Eve, he needs to refocus on "bigger goal" and, step by step, would like to move towards it.
I wonder what he meant by "bigger goal?"

April 7th: at Saitama Super Arena

The biggest news of the opening round was NOT about defending champ Masato and the K-1 World MAX 2002 winner Albert Kraus barely passing the first round.
It was that B.J. Penn stepped into the K-1 ring for the first time in his career.
He only came to say hi, gave flowers to Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto, didn't fight or anything, but expressed his strong desire to participate in the first K-1 MMA event coming up on May 22nd. He even designated his opponent. Genki Sudo, the Neo Samurai.

What great taste, B.J.
(He seems to know exactly what fans would be thrilled to see)
Ever since he shocked the world by taking the UFC welterweight title away from Matt Hughes, he knew he became one of the most valuable commodities in the world of MMA, and it seems like he did what every professional athlete should do. Stepping up to the bigger stage and looking to receive bigger fight money and a rock star type of treatment.
Yes nothing is official but the fact B.J. actually stepped into the K-1 ring is a clear message that something was agreed behind closed doors.
Penn vs. Sudo.
Sounds like a UFC fight card but now this dream match might happen in K-1 MMA instead.
I wonder why?

April 8th: Press Conference in Los Angeles

This was supposed to happen at 2 p.m. but FEG officially postponed it just after 3 p.m. the day before.
Almost every media in Japan was buzzing about this because Mike Tyson was supposed to make an announcement regarding his K-1 appearance.
Despite the signature-gathering campaign by FEG asking the government to grant a special visa allowing Tyson to enter Japan, it still seems like the possibility of him fighting in Japan is less than Roman Polanski coming back to the United States.
Which leaves only one place for Tyson to dance in the K-1 ring and that would be in America, therefore, many Japanese media thought this press conference was to announce Tyson fighting in K-1 Las Vegas this summer.

FEG however postponed it for a week.
According to Sadaharu Tanigawa, who heads FEG in Japan, the reason for this is, "Tyson's lawyer requested to postpone it because most media in the states will be in Las Vegas to cover the Klitschko fight so they won't be able to attend the press conference in Los Angeles."
Tanigawa also assured the media by stating that Mike Tyson and FEG have already agreed on terms and conditions so this postponement is not because of a delay in contract negotiation.

He assured us.
Well, maybe he was assuring himself.
He might be thinking, "I have to lock in Tyson so he can be the main attraction in K-1 while Bob Sapp and fighters coming from the Inoki route can build the fan base for K-1 MMA."
Yes FEG does have a contract with Mike Tyson but remember, from the moment he came into the K-1 ring, he has been talking of Marquis of Queensbury.
Which means, I believe, he is only willing to do a boxing fight.
He is not willing to take kicks to the legs or knees to the face.
I wouldn't blame him, because he still is the biggest name in fight sports and it really doesn't make sense for him to "cross over" at this point of his career.
So, I wonder, what kind of agreement FEG and Tyson have reached?
Mike Tyson might have a better shot doing MMA with special rules like what Cro-Cop used to do when he fought fighters like Wanderlei Silva or Nobuhiko Takada.
No "Stop, Don't Move" rules and just break faster on the ground.
Sounds more suitable for Tyson who seems equipped with more than enough street experience.

April 9th: Rumors

DSE held a press conference and announced four additional fighters for the PRIDE GP opening round.
Ron Waterman, Murilo Ninja, Kevin Randleman and Yoshiki Takahashi of Pancrase.
Then we still wonder, "Where are the Japanese stars?"

Yoshiki Takahashi definitely is one of the star fighters from Pancrase but he is not really identifiable within the so-called general public.
Actually, there are only two Japanese fighters at the same level of celebrity status as, let's say, filmmaker / comedian Takeshi Kitano (a.k.a. Beat Takeshi), they are Kazushi Sakuraba and Hidehiko Yoshida.

Although Yoshida has already made a decision of not entering this year's GP, every MMA fan in Japan is still hoping for the miracle. Some however pointed out that Yoshida also could be talking to FEG about the possibility of switching over to K-1 MMA.
Considering the fact that Master Ishii was the one who initially convinced Yoshida to step into the professional ring, in the first Dynamite! (a.k.a. Shockwave), I wouldn't be surprised if Yoshida decided to go K-1 MMA.

As far as Sakuraba, he probably will stick to his own weight class so the possibility of him entering this tournament is quite slim, I believe.

FEG however, still needs that Japanese star in K-1 MMA.
We can expect Inoki to bringing in fighters like Fujita and Lyoto into K-1 MMA but none of them has the same popularity as Yoshida, who now stars in a very popular beer commercial in Japan.
Just as Masaaki Satake carried the early K-1, Japanese star fighters are necessary for success in the Japanese market.
FEG, at this point, is far behind in this category especially in the heavyweight division but they actually have tons of Japanese stars in the middle – lightweight category. That maybe is the reason why they've invited B.J. Penn to the K-1 World Max.
Masato, Sudo, Yamamoto, Murahama, etc.
B.J. fighting any of them can be an instant dream match.
Depends on Yoshida's decision, FEG might start thinking, middleweights.