Every media that came to the press conference knew that the main strategy here is, creating a "clean" public image and ultimately nail the national TV licensing deal because its the only way of survival for the mega MMA promotion in Japan.

On October 15th, at Tokyo Prince Hotel, the beginning of a new promotional company, World Victory Road, Inc. (WVR) was announced as well as the founding of a sanctioning body named Japan Mixed Martial Arts Federation. (JMM)

FILA vice chairman and the chairman of Japan Wrestling Federation Tomiaki Fukuda will get another "chairman" position in this new sanctioning body. The vice chairman is going to be chairman Takao Yasuda of Don Quijote, Japan's largest chain discount store, and the president of Kinoshita Group, Naoya Kinoshita will serve as the administrative director. There are seven other JMM board members such as pro-wrestler turned Senator Hiroshi Hase, former WBA light-flyweight world champion Yoko Gushiken, the director of Japan Women's Wrestling Federation Shigeo Kinase, and the board members appointed Yukihiko Inoue, a former commissioner of Tokyo Metropolitan Police, as the JMM commissioner. Inoue was the man in charge of the investigation of Aum Shinrikyo, the cult group that gained international notoriety in 1995, when it carried out a Sarin gas attack in the Tokyo subways.

"MMA of Japanese origin will be gone if this continues. Everyone interested in this matter has to get together here." President Kinoshita explained with both Fukuda and Yasuda on his side. FILA and Japan Wrestling Association formed an alliance with PRIDE back on New Year's Eve 2004 and Don Quijote, ever since the cancellation of Fuji Television broadcasting, has been the one of the main sponsors of PRIDE. Therefore the situation here is sort of like old PRIDE supporters joined, shook hands, and began a new project.

Kinoshita also revealed that the new MMA show by WVR is on its way, "For the fans that are waiting (for the big MMA event), we wanted to let them know that we are moving, that is why we are having this press conference." The name of this new event is undecided at this point because "We are looking to create an event with the fans and the media." WVR is now accepting ideas for the event name on their home page.

This whole thing does look very impressive. The top executives of so-called "generally well known top-ranked corporations" along with politicians and ex-world champion were listed as the officers of JMM and on top of this, a former deputy secretary of Finance Ministry, a former credit manager of Tokyo Internal Revenue Service, a former bureau manager of board of education, and four other equally "respected persons in public positions" are the board members of this JMM commission. Everything seems to be not only legitimate but also very high scale. And this press conference was covered by Nihon Keizai Shinbun (Japan Economic Newspaper) so the first step towards getting accepted by the public and national TV stations were cleared. After all, in a country like Japan where the majority of the population assumes that TV programing is for free, the market there does not to rely on PPV sales. Being recognized by the public as a legitimate, fair, and clean organization is mandatory to even thinking about getting on the public air. After the PRIDE scandal, this type of "grand stand" was just necessary.

However there is one discrepancy in this entire picture because President Kinoshita is also the head of WVR and funding of JMM activities are going to be provided by WVR. This means that JMM is a sanctioning body that is supposed to be in a neutral position in a sport of Mixed Martial Arts but it is solely funded and supported by a single privately owned promotional company ran by the same man sitting on the board of JMM’s commission as the administrative director. In addition to this, the major question here is, if this sanctioning body is in a neutral position for the entire Japanese Mixed Martial Arts community then where are K-1 HERO'S, Pancrase, DEEP, Shooto and the others? They are no longer a part of the Japanese Mixed Martial Arts?

Two days after this press conference, on the 17th, DEEP head Shigeru Saeki commented in regards to this JMM, "Yesterday, (Sadaharu) Tanikawa-san (K-1 / FEG President) also said it and I must say the same here, I don't understand the purpose of this federation. I didn't get a call from them. I don't know any of these (JMM) members so I can't even go and consult with them." Regarding the commission founded with JMM, "I don't understand if this is just a commission for the event promoted by WVR or indies like us are also part of this or not." Then Saeki also shared his thoughts on a unified sanctioning body, "I think unified rules are impossible. To emphasize its own 'color' of each promotions, I think it is better if rules are various. Presently there are lack of referees and ring doctors in Japanese MMA so it costs a lot to arrange for them. So if the commission can arrange for them that would be very helpful."

At the press conference held on the 15th, Don Quijote Chairman Yasuda said, "MMA is not truly established in this country. Although it is a real fight the general media and NHK (government owned station) doesn’t cover the sport. In fact PRIDE no longer promotes any more shows therefore many fighters are still up in the air. The justice without a power is ineffective. I am a complete stranger to the Mixed Martial Arts community but I think I can contribute my mite to the industry."

Yasuda is a known as a "pure fan of MMA" in Japan's economic world. Let's hope this passionate statement by him will lead to the better future of Japanese MMA and the establishment of a truly unified sanctioning body of the entire Japanese MMA community instead of just another commission controlled by the promoter.