Does Japanese MMA Die Out With A Whimper or With An Earthquake?

An estimated $100 billion to $500 billion of wealth globally was destroyed by the earthquake that rocked Japan last week.  While the exact extent of the financial damage is ultimately unknown, since the spread of losses depends on whether the damaged assets were owned by domestic or global investors, it doesn't take a genius to see that eventually this will hit the pocket books of the Japanese government, the businesses, and ultimately the Japanese people. 

Financially, the Japanese government had massive debt and deficit before the quake even hit.  Now?  The government will have to find ways to fund significant rebuilding programs - some of which can be done with the help of foreign governments and investors.  Ultimately, how does this effect Japanese MMA?  This may be the death nail, that's how.

Some of the financing of the rebuilding efforts by the government will probably be done through various policy options that the government has due to the large net savings the Japanese people as a nation have.  This isn't some minor event; this is a massive natural disaster that will effect every Japanese citizen one way or another.  Specifically their spending decisions.

Which brings us to the Japanese MMA scene that lacks credibility and is seen as corrupt after the downfall of PRIDE.  You have promotions like Dream failing to pay fighters on time, or at all, and you have a domestic MMA scene that is struggling to produce new stars as old stars lose and/or get older.  (Did I say struggling?  I meant not producing any new stars.) On top of that, if you add the earthquake that not only shook Japan, but may have shaken the Japanese psyche, you have to figure that this will negatively effect what remains of Japan's willingness to spend money on MMA. 

Japanese MMA has been hurting for some time now.  It's like watching a family member who has been sick for a long time, with the only question of death being when, not if.  This earthquake may finally cause the book to close on MMA in Japan.  At the very least, you have to figure a resurgence is out of the question now for the forseable future.