UFC 144 in Japan

UFC 144 is less 10 days away. This will be the first time UFC has returned to Japan in 11 years. The last time UFC was in Japan was for UFC 29 on December 16, 2000.

Since then rules have changed, fighters have come and gone but the sport is more popular than ever.

The Saitama Super Arena will be the location of the even held on Sunday, February 26, 2012 just north of Tokyo starting at 9am. It will be aired back in North America at the usual times on the night of Saturday, February 25, 2012.

When I first heard the announcement in 2010 that there was a chance UFC was going to return to Japan, I was so excited. I did not become a fan until I watched a video of Georges St. Pierre fight B.J. Penn in UFC 98 just before UFC 100. I was hooked from that day forward. I've watched all of The Ultimate Fighters. I've watched all UFC fights since UFC 100 and went as far as to become a member of the Fan Club. So when it was officially announced that UFC 144 was going to be in Japan in November 2011, there was no doubt or hesitation about me being there live taking it all in.




The official fight card is as stands (taken from Wikipedia; Official UFC site)

Main card

Official Japanese Poster

• Lightweight Championship bout:  Frankie Edgar (c) vs.  Ben Henderson
• Light Heavyweight bout:  Quinton Jackson vs.  Ryan Bader
• Heavyweight bout:  Mark Hunt vs.  Cheick Kongo
• Welterweight bout:  Yoshihiro Akiyama vs.  Jake Shields
• Middleweight bout:  Yushin Okami vs.  Tim Boetsch
• Featherweight bout:  Hatsu Hioki vs.  Bart Palaszewski
• Lightweight bout:  Anthony Pettis vs.  Joe Lauzon

Preliminary card (FX)

• Lightweight bout:  Takanori Gomi vs.  Eiji Mitsuoka
• Bantamweight bout:  Norifumi Yamamoto vs.  Vaughan Lee
• Middleweight bout:  Riki Fukuda vs.  Steve Cantwell
• Bantamweight bout:  Takeya Mizugaki vs.  Chris Cariaso
• Featherweight bout:  Zhang Tiequan vs.  Issei Tamura

However, this would not be my first encounter of UFC fighters!

One day in August 2010, I went for my first time on to the US Yokosuka Naval Base in Yokosuka, Japan. This was a lucky day as three UFC fighters were in Japan. Those three fighters were Rich Franklin, Joe "Daddy" Stevenson and Dustin Hazelette. We got to one of the gym facilities as they were holding a workshop and was able to see them teaching different grappling moves. After wards, we were able to line up, get their autographs and a picture. All three fighters were very informative and willing to answer any questions you may have came up with. I was a fan of Franklin and Stevenson before this, and after I was a bigger fan of theirs and of Hazelette.

I am hoping that I will have the opportunity at UFC 144 to get some pictures and autographs of other fighters, referees (please let Herb Dean be there!!) and Bruce Buffer. *keeping my fingers crossed*