[div class=”notice” class2=”icon”]The following is from an article on MMA-Japan, part of the MiddleEasy Network.[/div]
For all intents and purpose, the K-1 Grand Prix is off this year unless someone pulls a magical rabbit out of a hat and turns it into sixteen kickboxers and a few sponsors. This is the first harsh reminder since the collapse of PrideFC that the state of combat sports in Japan is dismal. Dynamite!! 2010 happened in the final hour and ended up being as fun as ever, having the same aura that the NYE shows normally do, granted a much smaller crowd. Dynamite!! 2009 was likely the last big hurrah for a while until equilibrium is found and things can progress along at a pace that is acceptable for the environment in which they operate in.
The X-factor in Dynamite!! happening this year is the promotional company, Real Entertainment. This is what DREAM has that K-1 doesn’t. If these guys want to have a New Years show, they can make it happen and they have forged alliances with the likes of Bellator and would likely do so with M-1 Global if need be. The old power brokers from the PrideFC days are alive and well – they have not left the game in the least bit and if they want a show on December 31st, they will have one.
