Sengoku Confirms 2009 Featherweight Grand Prix; DREAM Allegedly Still Stiffing Fighters

Great news for those of us who enjoy watching small men do battle:

In the latest GONGKAKU magazine there are a couple of interviews. One with FEG president Tanigawa and one with WVR PR Takahiro Kokuho.

. . .

Kokuho said that starting in March of 2009, a SENGOKU Featherweight GP will commence. DREAM is also holding a Featherweight GP next year, but the difference is that DREAM’s will be at 63 kg while SENGOKU’s will be at 65 kg.

Though World Victory Road's Sengoku events have yet to see any featherweight action, the domestic pool of talent alone from which they'll be able to draw is undeniably deep (no pun intended). Take all the attention paid of late to WEC 145'ers, add two high-profile tourneys in Japan next year, and the featherweight class is starting to look like something that could be of interest to more than just a "hardcore" audience. Even my boss - a casual fan in the truest sense of the word - asked me a few weeks before WEC 36 about "that awesome little dude who beats everyone up."

And speaking of the former WEC champ, undefeated Urijah Faber training partner Joseph Benavidez has become the latest fighter to levy a complaint against DREAM parent company Fighting & Entertainment Group. Benavidez's manager, Jeff Meyer, made the following statement:

Our company manages undefeated bantamweight, Joseph Benavidez (8-0). In June 2008, Joseph signed a two fight deal with DREAM. He was to fight Kid Yamamoto at DREAM 5 on July 21, 2008.

Kid was subsequently injured and Joseph fought Junya Kudo instead. Per the terms of Joseph's contract, he was to be paid within two weeks of the bout via wire transfer. The transfer did not occur on time.

In the later part of August and early September, our company sent several demands for payment. DREAM provided no response to our demands whatsoever. Finally, about 30 days after the agreed due date, the payment was made with no explanation as to the delay.

Benavidez is a strong, strong prospect in the bantam/feather division. I'd looked forward to seeing him take part in the DREAM tournament, and possibly breaking out in the same way Eddie Alvarez did in the LWGP. However Meyer says that the deal with FEG has been terminated, and Benavidez is set to join Faber in the WEC, taking on Danny Martinez at WEC 37 on December 3rd.

UPDATE [from Luke Thomas]: Edits made to PR director's name for World Victory Road.