Yen-Hur: Zuffa brings the UFC to Japanese subscription television

by Jesse Holland on Oct 14, 2008 12:16 AM EDT

Here today, Baragon tomorrow.

Zuffa has confirmed reports of its long-anticipated return to Japanese television after signing a new two-year contract with WOWOW, Japan's premiere commercial satellite television broadcaster since 1991.

WOWOW was home to more than 50 UFC shows from 2001 to 2007 and boasts a viewership of more than 2.4 million.

Starting with UFC 89: Bisping vs. Leben, WOWOW will continue to telecast all upcoming UFC pay-per-view events on a short delay, with most or all beginning at 12 Midnight JST.

From UFC President Dana White:

"The Japanese market has always been important to the UFC, and we want to bring MMA and all of its biggest stars back to Japan. We are thrilled to be back with WOWOW."

Whether or not this new agreement is in conjunction with a rumored Japanese invasion at some point in 2009 remains to be seen.

While on the surface a UFC presence may appear detrimental to struggling promotions like DREAM and Sengoku, it could actually be of benefit if the UFC events are able to stimulate a renewed interest in mixed martial arts.

Who knows, maybe it even gets us one step closer to signing Japanese stars like Takanori Gomi and Kid Yamamoto.

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Comments

Gimme some Aioki too!

by TabascoSAUCE on Oct 14, 2008 12:37 AM EDT reply actions

Yeah, but besides him, kid and especially Gomi, I really don’t care to see anyone else. Maybe a time machine for Sakuraba, but for the most part the Japanese fighters would get killed in the UFC.

by naturalshadow on Oct 14, 2008 3:05 AM EDT up reply actions

mexi~

i am hurt over the fact that we have been fighting alot lately

u know u r the prez of my fan~club but i feel like

if this keeps going on?

i WILL have to demote u to lesser status.

i dont want to do it cause we r good friends and all’

but business is business u know?

anyways i am here to offer a truce.

here is a drawing i sketched out on the plane just for u.

do u accept the truce?
     _
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     {. . }
      |~| <—-stinky~fingers
      ||
     /| |\
    / | | \ _
      |____|_ | . |
      | ____|| ) | <—-mexicutioner
      | {}{} \ (|
      | ^ | \|_
      | | |
      | | |
      | | |
      |_ |_ |_
                         \ \

by stinky~fingers on Oct 14, 2008 8:28 AM EDT up reply actions

whoops~

that one looks wrong.

this one should look better.
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mexi~

i am hurt over the fact that we have been fighting alot lately

u know u r the prez of my fan~club but i feel like

if this keeps going on?

i WILL have to demote u to lesser status.

i dont want to do it cause we r good friends and all’

but business is business u know?

anyways i am here to offer a truce.

here is a drawing i sketched out on the plane just for u.

do u accept the truce?
     _
    ||_
     {. . }
      |~| <—-stinky~fingers
      ||
     /| |\
    / | | \ _
      |____|_ | . |
      | ____|| ) | <—-mexicutioner
      | {}{} \ (|
      | ^ | \|_
      | | |
      | | |
      | | |
      |_ |_ |_
                         \ \

by stinky~fingers on Oct 14, 2008 8:28 AM EDT up reply actions

````

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`<—-mexicutioner `
`|`{}{}`

`\ \

the one above is more of the picasso of this art.

this is the original^^

by stinky~fingers on Oct 14, 2008 9:07 AM EDT up reply actions

WOWOWO……uh huh

by Jizzo on Oct 14, 2008 12:53 AM EDT reply actions

too bad absolutely no one watches pay-per-view in Japan.

by Bill Maher on Oct 14, 2008 12:53 AM EDT reply actions

WOWOW isn’t PPV. It is a monthly subscription channel like HBO.

by mike on Oct 14, 2008 11:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Actually WOWOW isn’t PPV, it is just a monthly subscription channel costing about 30 USD a month. The tend to edit the UFC shows a bit, emphasizing undercards with Japanese fighters and interspersing commentary with Japanese fighters and some cute announcer. They even sometimes cut out boring parts of main card fights! You lose your Joe Rogen too :-(

by Mike on Oct 14, 2008 11:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Hmmm… it will be interesting to find out what % of the Japanese market on WOWOW will buy PPV and if it will be enough to sustain future business.

by THORAZINE on Oct 14, 2008 1:12 AM EDT reply actions

THats a great point THorazine. It will be very interesting to see what kind success the UFC has in Japan. Keep your fingers crossed because if the UFC can sell some ppv’s over their then it has a chance of holding successful events in the land of the rising sun, which would allow the UFC to pay the high price tags that accompany top japanese fighters like:

Gomi
Sakuraba (I know he is getting old but so what)
Kid

by john on Oct 14, 2008 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions

it would be even better if dana and CO. open Pride back up that will put the nail in the japenese competition for sure

I mean they own the rights to PRIDE why not make some money off of that purchase they made

by dia mette on Oct 14, 2008 1:21 AM EDT reply actions

thats a really good point but i dont think it would be the same for the hardcore japanese fan now dana is the boss

by ukmma on Oct 14, 2008 8:33 AM EDT up reply actions

having the ufc on ppv as compared to them actually having an org there is 2 totally different ballgames. the yakuza(mafia) is too influential over there. the japanese mafia is one of the biggest reasons why pride folded in the 1rst place and why the ufc hasnt done much business there.

by b.w. on Oct 14, 2008 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions

That’s what’s up UFC. Let them view it on TV before you come to them. Should build up the suspense. UFC GOING GLOBAL BABY!

by RyanHobbs on Oct 14, 2008 3:05 AM EDT reply actions

GOD i want to see Kid Yamamoto head to WEC and whoop fabers ass! Hope Gomi isnt a stupid shit doh and join the ufc he needs to go to dream with the rest of the top LW’s!

by Khaos_Warrior on Oct 14, 2008 3:32 AM EDT reply actions