DREAM Outlook for 2009

by Discman2 on Jan 22, 2009 9:17 PM EST Comment 34 comments

Today DREAM event producer Keiichi Sasahara announced what was to come for DREAM for 2009. Here's the announced schedule, thanks to Nightmare of Battle

DREAM 2009 Schedule

March 8th - DREAM.7 - Saitama Super Arena
April 5th - DREAM.8 - Nippon Gaishi Hall
May - DREAM.9 - Somewhere in Kanto
July - DREAM.10 - Somewhere in Kanto
September - DREAM.11 - Somewhere in Kanto
October - DREAM.12 - Not decided
December 31st - Dynamite!! - Saitama Super Arena

The opening round of the Featherweight Grand Prix will be at DREAM 7 and the conclusion will occur at the September event.

Also announced was the addition of a Welterweight Grand Prix, which is to end in the July event. The Welterweight event will consist of 8 participants.

Sasahara also addressed rumors of Featherweight star Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto missing out on the upcoming Featherweight Grand Prix. He will indeed be participating, although at this point it is not certain whether he will be ready for the opening round. Judging by the way they are spacing out the FW GP they are doing just about everything they can to accomodate the Japanese star. Kid could very well be entering the tournament in the second round which is slated for April.

Also of note is this little tidbit about fighters jumping ship to go to the UFC

...the probability of Schilt, Overeem or CroCop fighting in the UFC is low.

The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Bloody Elbow readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bloody Elbow editors or staff.

11 recs | Comment 34 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Choi'd

Awesome! Thanks again HDNet!

Love these shows, I hope they build some steam this year.

If you're not submitting, you're just rolling around with another guy.

by BJJDenver on Jan 22, 2009 9:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Important info. Rec’d.

by Rundownloser on Jan 22, 2009 9:36 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for this. I was wondering what was happening with DREAM this year.

by SamCupitt on Jan 22, 2009 10:14 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

It should be noted that venues “somewhere in Kanto” include Saitama Super Arena, Yokohama Arena, and Ariake Colosseum, all major venues. DREAM 8 being at Nippon Gaishi Hall is a bit of a surprise; I’m told the capacity there is well under 20,000 spectators. I think it is a smart move, running in Saitama every single time is a bit of overkill, and considering the non-primetime TV coverage, I don’t think every show has to try to live up to the PRIDE scale, so to speak. From what attendance figures I have seen, I think they can pack at 15,000 seat arena and actually have a better fight atmosphere than a 3/4 full Saitama show.

by smoogy on Jan 22, 2009 10:15 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

primetime spot

I skipped over, but its good you mention TV coverage

The May and September events will get a prime time slot on TBS. The rest will be shown late at night.

per the same link.

by Discman2 on Jan 22, 2009 10:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Interesting the WW Grand Prix is not ended on a primetime show.

by iiowyn on Jan 22, 2009 11:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Id imagine because the WW talent is smaller in Dream. I mean for crips sake in the first 6 DREAM events only had 4 total WW fights, 2 involving Sakurai. 1 involving Nick Diaz. And I doubt Diaz will participate because of the EliteXC fiasco.

Their roster is limited because potential fighters are stuck in contract hell with EXC.

by Discman2 on Jan 22, 2009 11:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yep

From what I hear, it will have six non-Japanese entrants. And the Japanese contingent will surely be Sakurai, plus either Hidehiko Hasegawa or Katsuya Inoue.

by smoogy on Jan 23, 2009 12:34 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Didn’t Inoue just drop down to LW earlier this year?

by ilostmydog on Jan 23, 2009 12:46 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Didnt Aoki mention he wouldnt mind going in the welterweight grand prix?

by SamCupitt on Jan 23, 2009 6:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I would say Diaz wouldn't compete for Dream

because of the pay fiasco last time. The Elite XC contract screw up only applies to domestic companies I believe. So any WW’s in Elite that need a payday may be fighting for DREAM

Gimme 1 Round!

by skwirrl on Jan 23, 2009 1:28 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I’m sure Diaz didn’t care about the pay fiasco as he did eventually get paid in full. Not like DREAM shorted him 10k or something.

by AnonymousA on Jan 23, 2009 2:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually, I’m pretty sure he was pissed about having to jump through hoops/wait for his money.

by subo on Jan 23, 2009 4:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He and his camp were pissed enough to make it public on their website.

by ilostmydog on Jan 23, 2009 6:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

But not pissed enough to dispel all rumors of Diaz fighting in DREAM again. Before the New Years Eve shows the Gracie camp said Diaz would likely fight in DREAM at Dynamite!! Maybe they decided to wait for the Welterweight GP.

by AnonymousA on Jan 23, 2009 7:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Now that I actually have HDNet now...

This is great info… thanx for this.

by Gunslinger20 on Jan 23, 2009 7:47 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I love the Grand Prix format.

I would really like to see the Sakurai/Diaz fight I’ve herd tossed around happen, I would love to see Jay Heiron, Paul Daley, John Allesio, Jake Sheilds and Mike Pyle in the GP too, Here’s to hoping Kid gets in the featherweight GP, Chase BeBe is in, Hopefully they can lock up Dinyero and maybe Gilbert Melendez could make his return to 145, He’d probably run the whole thing! Could Caol Uno or Vitor Ribeiro make 145? they would both be interesting additions. Theres also Hioki, Imanari, Mishima, Kadowakiand, Lion Inoue Oh and Hominick may be ready by then? No matter what the FW will be off the hook and if they can fill out the division so will the WW.

YAMATO DAMASHII

by R.T. on Jan 23, 2009 11:56 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Excellent

We also just got HDNet on Cable in Minneapolis, and so far the only thing I’ve watched is Bas being a bumbling idiot.

by Blackout612 on Jan 23, 2009 12:02 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

DREAM and HDNet Deliver

Should be a good 2009 from DREAM and Sengoku.
Hopefully they are able to get some pretty good WW’s for the tourney.

by MMASuPreMaCy on Jan 23, 2009 1:12 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

It’s a good idea for DREAM to split up the opening round of the Featherweight GP. At DREAM.1 they over booked their Lightweight GP and a lot of the match ups were lackluster. Having 8 first round fights at DREAM.7 and 8 first round fights at DREAM.8 gives them room to load up on other fights, while also giving them additional time to round up featherweights.

by AnonymousA on Jan 23, 2009 2:37 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

By which, of course, I mean, 4 fights at each event, not 8.

by AnonymousA on Jan 23, 2009 2:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

That last tidbit is pretty standard fare – it’s sure better than saying ‘we pray every day that these three guys don’t leave for the UFC – especially Overeem, who said he’d be interested for the right contract. Thus, we’ll say it’s low because you don’t know any different.’

by subo on Jan 23, 2009 4:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

He said the same about going to Affliction.
Affliciton wouldn’t have a problem with co-promoting or non-exclusive contracts and he would get a shot to fight fedor.

by MMASuPreMaCy on Jan 23, 2009 5:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually subo, they are all signed to fight for FEG, and aren’t in a position to go to the UFC unless they had their contracts bought out, which is extremely unlikely to happen. For example, K-1 could come out and say they want Anderson Silva in the 2009 GP, but that doesn’t mean he is actually available to compete for them. He is under contract to the UFC.

by smoogy on Jan 23, 2009 5:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I wonder, then, why Dana was so openly courting Overeem, given his longtime stance against fucking with people under contract. Are you saying FEG contracts control who you can fight for when you’re in America?

by subo on Jan 23, 2009 5:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

My understanding

Is that those men are free to fight in the US, or to compete in other martial arts events, but the sticking point is that Dana wouldn’t allow a UFC contract to be similarly open-ended… so Overeem and company can’t sign an exclusive contract in the US with existing obligations overseas. That would entail a breach.

by Blackout612 on Jan 23, 2009 6:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Ah, I see now

Anyone know how much time/how many fights are left on Overeem’s current contract?

by subo on Jan 23, 2009 6:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Two fights.

And as far as Dana courting him openly, I don’t think he particularly gives a fuck. It isn’t like FEG is going to file tampering charges from the other side of the world.

I’m not sure exactly how FEG contracts are structured, but the aren’t open-ended.

by smoogy on Jan 23, 2009 7:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The man does have his own code of conduct, and from Affliction to EXC, I don’t see him trying to get fighters to break contracts – if only so he can take the moral high ground if some other promoter does that to one of his fighters.

by subo on Jan 23, 2009 8:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Allistair has two fights left on his current contract as I understand it. Though Im sure the Dream contract could be bought out but at a very steep price. As for Semmy he’s on bad terms with K1 and they probably wouldnt play the same kind of hardball over his deal.

YAMATO DAMASHII

by R.T. on Jan 23, 2009 8:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs