FEG declares war on UFC; gets new finanical backers

[SHOGUN]

DREAM and K-1 promoter FEG announced Friday that it is entering a partnership with Shanghai-based investment bank PUJI Capital that could be worth 20 billion yen ($230 million).

K-1 President Sadaharu Tanikawa stressed that FEG had not been sold and in fact it will now be setting its sights much higher.

"This is a declaration of war against the WWE and UFC. From Asia, we will take the world," Tanikawa stated.

Tanikawa admitted that expansion to American soil would be futile at this stage and under the watchful eye of K-1 creator Kazuyoshi Ishii, they will set their sights on the rest of the world.

"Mr. Ishii is completely supporting us. We won't stand a chance in the American market so we will spread to the rest of the world."

Tanikawa stated that changes should start from 2011 and that Japanese events will continue with K-1 on Fuji TV and DREAM and K-1 MAX on TBS. PUJI will not be involved with the day to day operations regarding the actual promotions but will instead be in charge of fund raising and leading the global expansion. and have forecast that they will gather 20 billion yen ($230 million).

A call for a drastic change in Japanese MMA has been needed since the collapse of PRIDE, even Tanikawa admitted himself.

"When K-1 and PRIDE were competing against each other, 80% of the martial arts market was in Japan. It is now the opposite and Japan is only 20%. We were worried that Japan would be left behind if we let this continue, it is unacceptable. We needed to change our business model."

"We've let Dana White get a lead on us. Before (Shinya) Aoki beats (Gilbert) Melendez, we must win as promoters."

DREAM EP Keiichi Sasahara, FEG's Korean representative and PUJI representative Michael Chen outlined the plan for global expansion but predictably sights are set firmly on Asia initially with Europe to follow with the US market described as too developed and not lucrative.

I hope it works out.

 

[1ke]

The Japs taking over the world? I can dig it...at least they know whos feet not to step on.

But what would the best fighter in Japan be here? Is it sexyyama? Could they compete like they wanted to if they cant touch the US?

 

[EmpireWF]

lol

They get some money and they immediately call out Vince McMahon (who likely doesn't even know what DREAM is or that it exists) and Dana White (who is so stubborn and competitive, he knows Japanese MMA cannot hurt the UFC anywhere but in Japan).

But I hope they get their shit together and at least keep things interesting.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I love how they go out of their way to call out Vince & Dana, then say doing business in America isn't something they are interested in. Tremendous.

But seriously, if FEG has new money marks behind them, this is great news for Jap MMA. But don't wake sleeping bears and call out the last two guys on the planet you would want want to piss off and make things personal with...even though that's just typical Jap grandstanding, they say that stuuff to grab tabloid headlines.

 

[CrimsonGhost56]

gonna be great when melendez beats down aoki again

 

[SHOGUN]

Just to be clear, FEG aren’t receiving the amount of money in the 2nd article directly. PUJI says their aim is to raise that amount in the first three years of the project. If that means that they’ll raise that money through the project or by themselves I’m not sure of.

However, PUJI are currently in negotiations to add the following two partners:

Shanghai Media Group (SMG): The number one media management business in China.
Infront Sports & Media: Main office in Switzerland. Top 3 international sports marketing enterprise. They fix televising rights licenses for the FIFA world cup for example.

http://nightmareofbattle.com/?p=3068

If PUJI can secure those partners...

:fuckyeah:

 

[Rush]

Anybody notice all chinese investors all look the damn same?

I hope they add competition because then UFC will step their shit up.

 

[SHOGUN]

The money isn't coming.

While we're on the topic of Japan, all signs point to DREAM being in need of critical help in order to continue in 2011. Apparently PUJI hasn't attracted enough lucarative investors to keep the organization 'above water'. Things are looking bleak for DREAM and there's a good chance that we may never see a DREAM 17.

http://middleeasy.com/index.php?opt...the-sunday-morning-rumor-mill&catid=37:rumors

 

[CrimsonGhost56]

peace out DREAM. is Sengoku still gonna stick around?

 

[SHOGUN]

peace out DREAM. is Sengoku still gonna stick around?

Yeah. They'll still be around, but I doubt they'll absorb many of the fighters from DREAM. Probably a few B-level guys.

 

[EmpireWF]