UFC Expansion Watch: South Korea or Japan?

by Luke Thomas on Feb 25, 2009 11:32 AM EST in MMA News

Zach Arnold believes the real significance behind the Akiyama signing is a play for the South Korean market. To wit:

UFC could run a spot show in Japan, certainly. But as WWE found out, the marketplace right now for the fight game (pro-wrestling, MMA, etc.) in Japan is really on life support. K-1 does well for their core product, but that’s it. That’s the whole ballgame. Even when the Japanese market was strong 3-4 years ago, it was nearly impossible for a foreigner to jump into the scene there. Now with a weak market and the same politics, it’s nearly impossible for a long-term play there. South Korea’s the real market at stake here for UFC.

Interesting note: Jordan Breen tells me he's got a long piece coming out on Sherdog soon that details why South Korea is the better choice for penetration than Japan if you're Zuffa.

Tweet Comment 15 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Jordan Breen tells me he’s got a long piece coming out on Sherdog soon that details why South Korea is the better choice for penetration than Japan

That’s what she said!

Seriously, does S. Korea have any of the same anti-UFC feelings that Japan supposedly does? And if S. Korea welcomes it, does it make it more likely that Japan would also? Speaking to the competition between nations.

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

by BJJDenver on Feb 25, 2009 11:37 AM EST reply actions

didnt they say they were going to Korea and other asian countries to make the japan move easier?

http://weoweoweo.deviantart.com/

by Anton Tabuena on Feb 25, 2009 11:38 AM EST reply actions

Of course

But the devil is in the details.

by Luke Thomas on Feb 25, 2009 11:39 AM EST up reply actions

If Akiyama is their last major Asian signing for awhile, I’d be much more inclined on an event in Seoul in 2009. Not only is their U.S. personnel there, but it’s a pretty great city for the demographic they are shooting for and it’ll push the Korean vs. Japanese matchups.

Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com

by Leland Roling on Feb 25, 2009 11:43 AM EST up reply actions

I don’t know… I understand the appeal. Akiyama is a draw by far there, Kang is somewhat of a draw there, and they could leverage the Japan vs. Korea matchups with some of the Japanese fighters that they have as well, but it seems to me that Dana White is in love with trying to penetrate the impossible Japanese market.

Zach Arnold makes a good point that K-1 really is the only game in town, but Sengoku is doing a masterful job of building their product. DREAM isn’t as appealing as it should be because of the matchups actually appealing to hardcore fans, but it isn’t dead weight. But he’s right, K-1 is the whole ballgame in my mind.

Korea does have a bit more exposure to the UFC as well. I can remember a few times seeing S. Korean television pirating UFC broadcasts and showing it on nationalized networks, so it’s definitely known there.

I still think this is a stretch, but it’s definitely possible.

Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com

by Leland Roling on Feb 25, 2009 11:40 AM EST reply actions

can i make a joke about Asian penetration here? or has that been done already?

by bobthewriter on Feb 25, 2009 11:53 AM EST reply actions

Phillipines

What happened to the Phillipines? I could have sworn that was the UFC’s next Asian adventure. Oh well, that means less Brandon Vera … woot! I swear the UFC could announce it’s headed anywhere and it wouldn’t be shocking. Australia 2010? Moscow, Mumbai 2011? Johannesburg, Paris, Jerusalem 2012?

It looked originally like they wanted the Japanese market but now we’re hearing South Korea. Until, I see them announce a physical show it’s just one big masquerade guessing game.

by Sokonojudo on Feb 25, 2009 12:54 PM EST reply actions

Totally Agree

South Korea is the smart play, and moves like DHK, Kang, and Akiyama clearly show that’s the direction they’re headed in.

When I lived in Seoul, K-1, PRIDE, and old UFCs were on TV every night starting at about 11. Real hunger for fight sport there.

Although detractors decry (MMA) as a brutal, bloody form of human cockfighting, aficionados know it is a brutal, bloody, totally fucking awesome form of human cockfighting. -The Onion

by The Kittitas Kid on Feb 25, 2009 1:11 PM EST reply actions

Agreed… the more I think about this, the more I like the idea.

Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com

by Leland Roling on Feb 25, 2009 1:41 PM EST up reply actions

Which is why I said in the UFC Signs Akiyama post that UFC signing Akiyama made just as much if not more sense for going to Korea.

by MMASuPreMaCy on Feb 25, 2009 1:43 PM EST up reply actions

I still think Japan is a long way from happening, if at all, and to an uncertain degree.

They could slowly start to penetrate the market late this year, but holding a show in Japan this year or next still seems far fetched to me.

by MMASuPreMaCy on Feb 25, 2009 1:46 PM EST up reply actions

Maybe there is some sort of proof of concept in all of this. Success in the Korean market could make a push to proving to Japanese sponsors and networks of possible success, but I’m a bit hesistant to think that’s possible.

This is definitely a multi-faceted concept to understand, especially when Japan is so different.

Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com

by Leland Roling on Feb 25, 2009 1:58 PM EST up reply actions