What is the realistic future for Japanese MMA?

Over the many years of mixed-martial arts, Japan has been a major influence in the growth of the sport internationally and a reasonable alternative to major American promotions keeping fighters in stringent contracts. However, there have been quite a few fatal blows to the Japanese MMA scene (along with portions of their economy), and I think it is time to really stare down the barrel of the gun and see if there isn’t a last-ditch effort to save a great form of entertainment from going the way of the buffalo.
The first major hardship that Japanese MMA had to endure was the Zuffa buyout of the PRIDE organization in March of 2007. This was actually not a significant drawback to the Japanese MMA promotions however, because most of the people who worked with PRIDE and former Japanese MMA promotion Hero’s combined to rebrand the exact same product (minus a few big name fighters such as Dan Henderson and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson) into another promotion later that year known as DREAM. It is a series of twisted affairs between some major international fight promotions (for example, allegations of gang-related negotiation), but, suffice it to say, in co-ordination with K-1 Kick Boxing and Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG) executives, there was now a new player in Japanese MMA with almost the exact same production company behind it.
I have to reference this specific event to point out that, unlike their American counterparts, the major players in Japanese MMA are willing to work TOGETHER collectively to better their independent companies.
Fast forward a few years, and we come to a rival faction of Japanese MMA known as Sengoku that crops up in the growing belly of a robust Japanese MMA market. Though Sengoku: World Victory Road was established at the same time (end of 2007) as DREAM, it was not backed by any of the major players in Japanese MMA. It built it’s promotion essentially from the ground up. Kudos to Sengoku. The only problem was that (much like Strikeforce in America) its roster was very limited and marketing was very tough. So, when the two new promotions merged with each other for the Dynamite 2009 event (with the help of K-1), it was a pretty big deal for Sengoku.  Heck, it was a pretty big deal in the world of mixed-martial arts. This event came at just the right time too, because there was major criticism coming from all over the world about the quality of fighters and fights that came out of Japanese MMA. All that negativity was squashed for this one night. The fights delivered some exciting action that night.
We start to see how working together with each other, Japanese MMA has made its way through some pretty tough times. However, more bad news came quickly for Japanese MMA. After a full year of Japanese-import fighters being brought to the shores of America and, in a large majority, being soundly defeated, the impressiveness of the Japanese MMA scene was starting to fizzle. Shinya Aoki claimed in his pre-fight interviews for his Strikeforce debut against Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez that if he were to lose the fight, it might signal the end of Japanese MMA. What were his exact words?
“If I lose this fight, MMA in Japan is over. Japan will become a colony of the USA.”
Unfortunately for all the hype and help from his Japanese team, he was thoroughly defeated as Melendez outwrestled and out struck Aoki for 5 full rounds to win a unanimous decision victory. This was April 2010. After this, many Japanese promoters and fighters kept their collective heads down a bit to put it in a good way.  Both DREAM and Sengoku went on with 4-5 more fight cards each in 2010, but, at the end of the year, they decided not to band together for a New Year’s Eve show as is a custom in Japan. Instead, Sengoku made a fight on Dec. 30, 2010, and DREAM took the NYE show. Neither went over with great reviews even though there were many intriguing moments in both shows.

Here’s where it goes really wrong. After two months of head scratching and planning, a huge and unfortunate blow was struck as a tsunami ravaged the Japanese coastal cities and the economy of Japan on March 10, 2011. In the wake of this disaster, Sengoku was hit with a bombshell announcement from their major sponsor Don Quixote. Sengoku was told that the sponsorship would not be renewed on March 12, 2011. This effectively put Sengoku out of business. There may still be hope, but, as of this writing, Sengoku has no prospective future.
The very same day that Sengoku was put out on their butts, Zuffa announced that they had made the necessary arrangements to purchase their only competition, Strikeforce. This was a tough pill to swallow for many people in the Japanese MMA scene, because Strikeforce was a bit of the “gateway” partner for Japanese MMA into America. The main reason for this partnership was Strikeforce CEO, Scott Coker. Coker had worked with Japanese promotions and had good relations with other international combat sport companies such as M-1 Global and K-1. This news of the buyout basically closed the door on Japanese MMA when it was probably in its time of most need. Zuffa has claimed that Strikeforce will run its business as it had before, but it is hard to see the Zuffa company helping its competition overseas.
DREAM has officially announced a new event that will take place in Saitama on May 29, 2011, but it may take some help from their brothers from the fallen Sengoku and a possible partnership (that still supposedly exists) with Strikeforce to help lift the promotion back to its feet. The real problem lies in the fact that the will of the Japanese MMA promotions have been tested so many times, that it may be time they all decide it’s finally over and bid adieu to the world-wide MMA community. It’s been a long run for these companies and their executives, but how much hardship can they really withstand?
I know a lot of people will probably comment on the testament of the Japanese heart as they rebounded from the atrocities of WWII to become such a rich and powerful nation. However, that was because they HAD to. There was no other choice but to put their best foot forward. MMA is a form of entertainment, and it is not a necessity by any means.
The sensible conclusion to all of this information might be that Japanese MMA is absolutely relegated to a sideshow forever more, a relic in the rear-view mirror of future MMA generations. When the world turns its back on something, it really is a hard thing to turn around. Without the best showing in their history at the May 29^th event, DREAM will undoubtedly fold under the weight of trying to keep the ship afloat in Japan.
What are the other options? Well, honestly, it is all up to the fans. If the “Japan-o-philes” really appreciate their foreign MMA, then they need to absolutely support this May 29^th event. That may mean shelling out some extra money to upgrade cable/satellite service, a possible pay-per-view expense (depending if DREAM can pull that off), a lot of posting, a lot of chatter, and a ton of support. Let the voices of the masses be heard. If not, lay to waste the fantastic fights that could be to come and keep them only as memories. If Kazushi Sakaraba can withstand the test of time to put his body on the line for his fans, then maybe it’s time his fans do something in return.