DREAM (mixed martial arts)

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DREAM
Type Private
Founded February 13th, 2008
Founder Sadaharu Tanigawa (President of FEG)
Headquarters Flag of JapanTokyo, Japan
Key people Keiichi Sasahara, Head and Matchmaker
Daisuke Sato, Productions Director
Industry Mixed martial arts promotion
Parent Fighting and Entertainment Group
Website http://www.dreamofficial.com

DREAM is a mixed martial arts organization promoted by Fighting and Entertainment Group and co-produced with the former PRIDE executives from Dream Stage Entertainment. It is the sister promotion of K-1 kick boxing. DREAM replaced FEG's previous-run mixed martial arts fight series, HERO'S. The series has many of the elaborate production values of PRIDE FC, including popular former PRIDE FC fight introducer, Lenne Hardt. In America, the promotion is aired on Mark Cuban's HDNet.[1]


Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Pride FC's buyout and Yarennoka!

After the Zuffa buy out of PRIDE FC, the former Dream Stage Entertainment executives put on a collaborative New Years Eve mixed martial arts show with Shooto, M-1 Global, and the Fight Entertainment group, called Yarennoka!. This show was intended to be a farewell show of PRIDE FC. However, due to its large success and petitioning by Japanese MMA fans, the FEG and the former DSE staff decided to combine their efforts and form a new Japanese promotion.

[edit] HERO's dissolution and DREAM's emergence

Their new promotion was confirmed on February 13th, 2008 at a press conference. As part of the new promotion, FEG's HERO's was dissolved. However, HERO's fighters signed with FEG were confirmed to be part of the new DREAM Brand. In addition to the former HERO's stars, surprise guest (and PRIDE FC 2006 Open Weight Grand Prix champion) Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipović announced he joined the organization. Another notable announcement was DREAM's confirmed partnership with M-1 Global. DREAM confirmed that M-1 Global will allow the last Heavyweight Champion of PRIDE FC (and the winner of the 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix), Fedor Emelianenko, to fight in their events. Fedor Emelianenko was present at the DREAM press conference to promote the alliance between the two shows.[2] (Emelianenko's future with the company became unclear on March 7, 2008 due to a contractual dispute with the M1 Global organization [3])[4] [5]

[edit] Partnership with HDNet

On May 2, 2008 DREAM aired for the first time outside of Japan on HDNet. On the first night DREAM.1 was aired. On May 3, 2008 DREAM.2 aired. Also on May 11, 2008 DREAM.3 along with all future DREAM events will be airing on HDNet as a part of the network's HdNet Fights series.

[edit] Partnership with EliteXC

On May 10th, 2008 DREAM announced a working partnership with US promotion EliteXC. The two groups intend to share fighters (Eddie Alvarez and Nick Diaz have both already participated in DREAM events) and eventually co-promote shows.[4]

[edit] Rules

[edit] Weight Classes

DREAM has 6 weight classes. Unlike HERO's, each weight class will have a champion with a defendable title.[6]

  • 67kg/145lbs - Featherweight (effective at DREAM.3)
  • 70kg/154lbs - Lightweight
  • 76kg/168lbs - Welterweight
  • 84kg/185lbs - Middleweight
  • 93kg/205lbs - Light Heavyweight
  • +93.1kg/+205lbs - Heavyweight

[edit] Round Length

  • 10 Minute First Round
  • 5 Minute Second Round

[edit] Judging

  • Fights will be judged in their entirety by three judges, not on a round by round 10-point must basis (more common to North American promotions).
  • A winner will always be declared, draws are not possible.

[edit] Fouls and Violations

  • Stomps and soccer kicks to the head of a grounded opponent are not allowed (unless both fighers are on the ground), but they are allowed to the rest of the body.
  • Elbows to the head are not allowed (neither in standing or ground position).
  • If there is a 15 kg or more weight difference between the fighters, knees to the head of a grounded opponent are not allowed.
  • Ground position in DREAM means a three point position (both feet and one hand). So for example, if a fighter has both knees and one hand on the floor, then no kicks to the head are allowed. (This rule was put in place to avoid ambiguous cases for soccer kicks, much like what occurred during the Misaki vs. Akiyama fight at Yarennoka) [7]

[edit] Tournament Substitutions

  • In case of No Contest, the fighter who can continue will go through to the next round, if neither fighter is able to contine the promoter will choose a fighter to go through.
  • In case of injury, the fighter who can continue will go through to the next round, if neither fighter is able to contine the promoter will choose a fighter to go through.[8]

[edit] Notable Fighters

[edit] Events

[9]

Date Event Location Venue Attendance
03/15/2008 DREAM.1 Lightweight Grandprix 2008 1st Round Flag of Japan Saitama, Japan Saitama Super Arena 19,120
04/29/2008 DREAM.2 Middleweight Grandprix 2008 1st Round Flag of Japan Saitama, Japan Saitama Super Arena 21,397
05/11/2008 DREAM.3 Lightweight Grandprix 2008 2nd Round Flag of Japan Saitama, Japan Saitama Super Arena 21,789
06/15/2008 DREAM.4 Middleweight Grandprix 2008 2nd Round Flag of Japan Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan Yokohama Arena
07/21/2008 DREAM.5 Lightweight Grandprix 2008 Final Flag of Japan Osaka, Japan Osaka-jo Hall
09/23/2008 DREAM.6 Middleweight Grandprix 2008 Final Flag of Japan Saitama, Japan Saitama Super Arena

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ FEG and DSE Combine to Create “DREAM” - MMA on Tap
  2. ^ ‘Dream’ Come True? New Promotion Announced
  3. ^ Fedor’s Free Agency Fallout
  4. ^ a b Dream Pulled from Primetime TV. Sherdog (2008). Retrieved on 2008-04-24.
  5. ^ FEG: Dream Not Pulled from Primetime. Sherdog (2008). Retrieved on 2008-04-28.
  6. ^ ‘Dream’ Come True? New Promotion Announced
  7. ^ Nightmare Of Battle
  8. ^ Japan MMA
  9. ^ スポーツナビ｜格闘技｜新格闘技イベント「DREAM」誕生！ ミルコの参戦も決定 3.15さいたまで旗揚げ、総勢23選手が会見に出席
v • d • e
Professional mixed martial arts organizations
North American promotions:
Asian promotions:
DREAM • WVR • Shooto • ZST • DEEP • Spirit MC • Pancrase • Cage Force • Art of War (China) • Smackgirl • URCC
European promotions:
Defunct promotions:
Cage Fury FC • PRIDE FC • IVC • RINGS • WFA • UFO • HERO'S • BodogFight
Sanctioning bodies and networks:
Shooto • International Sport Combat Federation • WWCN • North American Boxing Council • Japan Mixed Martial Arts Federation • WAMMA
v • d • e
DREAM events
Main events
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