Steven Marrocco of MMAJunkie is reporting that Dream has postponed its scheduled April date in South Korea, what would have been Dream 14, due to the lack of a credible main event.
DREAM.14 has been canceled and may be rescheduled this fall.
Multiple sources have informed MMAjunkie.com that the event, set for April 24 at Jangchung Gym in Seoul, South Korea, has been scratched due to the absence of a TV broadcast deal in Asia.
According to Korea-based MMA Web site MFight (via Japanese MMA Web siteNightmareofBattle.com), several of the event’s proposed headliners – including Hong Man Choi and Denis Kang – were unable to participate in the event. With no bankable stars to sell the fight, DREAM’s promotion company, Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG), pulled the plug.
Payout Perspective:
The cancellation isn’t necessarily a reflection of Dream as a whole, but rather Dream’s current brand equity in South Korea. The promotion has yet to build enough of a reputation that it can sell with its existing crop of stars and without the reliance on known Korean commodities.
Bloodyelbow made an interesting observation the other day, commenting that the UFC’s acquisition of Yoshihiro Akiyama is perhaps more valuable in what it takes away from the competition than what it actually gives them inside the cage.
Although I’ve openly been critical of the slow pace at which the UFC is giving fights to Akiyama, I have to admit the signing is definitely a win for the UFC if only for defensive purposes. By signing Akiyama, they robbed DREAM of one of the biggest stars of Japanese and South Korean mma.
And when they weaken Japan’s biggest promotion, it means they prevent the re-emergence of a true international rival like PRIDE who was able to out compete them for a number of top fighters for many years — Wanderlei Silva, Shogun Rua, the Nogueira brothers, Takanori Gomi and especially Fedor Emelianenko.
That would seem to the case right now – as certainly Akiyama would be the perfect main event attraction for Dream – but if the UFC ever does move forward with an event in Japan or Korea, Akiyama will play a significant role in that pursuit as well.
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