Satoshi Ishii’s Debut Fight; Hidehiko Yoshida on NYE
Posted by Dave Walsh on September 14th, 2009
The debut of Satoshi Ishii, Beijing 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist at heavyweight for Judo in Mixed Martial Arts is official. He’ll make his debut on the World Victory Road: Sengoku New Year’s Eve special against other former Japanese national hero and Olympic Judoka, Hidehiko Yoshida. While the date is not set in stone yet, watch for it to be on the 31st or the 3rd.
If on the 31st, it is a bold move, competing with a possible DREAM/K-1 Dynamite! show and the other array of Japanese entertainment that happens on New Years Eve. NYE in Japan is a big deal for television, with combat sports formerly being some of the main attractions. Dating back to the wrestling boom days up until about the death of PRIDE, there has always been an attraction to ring in the new year, but eventually, as Japan is a fad-based culture, it wore off.
The Japanese audiences have lots of choices when it comes to programming on New Years Eve, and most are simply looking to watch what will be the most-talked about program. It will take a lot for MMA to become this most-talked about program again, is Ishii the man to bring this change? On top of that, Sengoku is generally very careful when it comes to prospects, and are throwing Ishii immediately into the fire against a veteran, which smells of desperation. Yoshida’s debut was against a fellow Judoka as well, the man we know and love, Don Frye.