The day after DSE announced Naoya Ogawa vs. Hidehiko Yoshida, Fuji Television started to place this sign in front of their sports anchors in its prime time news.

"XX Days Till Ogawa vs. Yoshida!"

This sign, aired every night by Japan's leading national station, says it all about the fans' perception in that country.
The December 31st 2005 show is now all about Ogawa and Yoshida. Nothing else.

"In MMA, all you have to do is to fight, win and go home. Well, that's a walk. On top of all that, I value in pleasing spectators."
Ogawa from the beginning always kept the same attitude.
"It's not only about winning or losing. I am looking at it dimensionally. That's why I belong to a different category."

In the second encounter with Wanderlei Silva, Yoshida proved that he can actually strike, but not good enough to knock the opponent out.

When Ogawa was in the judo world, winning was mandatory because he was a prodigy, Japan's bright hope, ever since he captured the world title at age nineteen, he always fought for the country. He was undoubtedly a genius in judo and that unfortunately created an environment where he wasn't allowed to just enjoy the sport itself.
He climbed up the ladder too fast, too quickly so he just didn't, or couldn't make the time to discover the joy of judo.
Ogawa himself has said more than a few times that when he look back at the judo years, "It wasn't all that fun."

Now Ogawa is a full-blown pro-wrestler but his style has no glimpse of MMA - its quite theatrical, slapstick comedy like show. But fans know that he has got a sharp dagger hidden inside the sleeve that can be drawn anytime he wishes. After all, he is a three-time world judo champion and Olympic Silver Medallist. In addition, he knows how to play the role that can excite fans, particularly Japanese pro-wrestling fans, and Ogawa is a regular on TV variety shows in that country so he is a magnet that can attract the attentions of the general public to MMA, perhaps to PRIDE.

On December 19th, Hidehiko Yoshida finally began a psychological warfare. At the charity golf event held in Oak Village Golf Club in Ichihara City Chiba prefecture, Yoshida declared that he is the one who belongs to the red corner on New Year's Eve.
Normally, a fighter with a higher status and with a better record comes in later, from the red corner, "This is not that 'Hustle' show and when you think of whose home turf we are fighting on, it should be obvious."
Yoshida was vocal about this issue. Even though Ogawa is an older member of the club, Yoshida showed his determination to insist on the red corner.

DSE, the promoter of PRIDE, at this point doesn't know how to deal with this matter. According to Japanese sports newspaper, a PR person from DSE stated, "If this was in a Judo match then Ogawa would be considered to be in a higher status but in MMA........... We are going to talk to both sides about it till the day of the fight if it's necessary. This is a difficult problem."

Ogawa value in pleasing spectators. It's almost like, he fights because he wants to grab the microphone and do his performance.

On this day, Yoshida enjoyed his day off participating in the golf event "I am in good condition now. I just have to be careful of injury."
Also, a Japanese newspaper reported that his management company commented on a gi issue, "Essentially, he will wear a gi but to respond to the course of the fight, there is a possibility he might take it off."

Yoshida once said in the TV interview, "I am not in the world of Harlequinade" talking about his opponent on New Year's Eve.
He is proud to be in the world of real fights. That's why he is persistent in this fight about such things as a gi and the red corner.
On the other side, Ogawa is proud to be in the world of show business and he is only talking philosophy.

This match-up, for Japanese fans, is not just about a battle of two popular Japanese fighters or deciding on who is the best out of judo. It is the collision of two polar opposite philosophies.
Yes, this is also a battle of pro-wrestling based MMA fans and fight-sport-fans-turned MMA fans. From the hardcore fight fans' point of view that 'Hustle! Hustle!' crap by Ogawa is the most ugly display in the history of MMA but for MMA fans who also watch pro-wrestling, Ogawa is their biggest hero.
For Japanese sports fans, this one is just way more than a regular MMA or PRIDE fight. It seems though it is way beyond two men fighting in the ring but in the end, it is going to be about what is going to happen in the ring.

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