The first event to showcase the new deal will take place March 31, 2012. That show, expected to take place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, is set to be named "One FC/Dream in Singapore."
"I am thrilled by this partnership," Victor Cui, CEO and owner of One FC, said in a press release about the semi-merger. "Japan has the highest level of MMA fighters in Asia due to its long history in the sport. Dream is the most prestigious event in Japan. With this partnership, One Fighting Championship and Dream will continue to showcase the most exciting fights between the best fighters in Asia. I am truly excited by the potential of this partnership to create new opportunities for fighters, gyms, sponsors, advertisers and media partners."
One FC is a new kid on the block in the Asian MMA scene, launching over the summer with its first event held this past September. Dream, based in Tokyo, is a Japanese MMA standard. The successor to PRIDE (started by some of the same backers of the now-defunct UFC competitor) burst onto the scene in 2008 and promoted 19 events so far. This deal is a sign that Japanese MMA is not as badly hurt as some MMA experts are speculating.
The coordinated efforts on behalf of these entities is made all the more urgent due to the recent push by top-tier MMA leagues like the UFC and Bellator Fighting Championships. For example, the UFC's latest blockbuster broadcasting deal with FOX was reportedly worth over $100 million. Despite a sour UFC on FOX debut event featuring about a minute of action between heavyweights Junior Dos Santos and Cain Velasquez, that network deal can still catapult the league and the sport of MMA toward more mainstream acceptance. Dream will benefit from the residual effects of the greater worldwide exposure to MMA, and this new parter agreement helps put them in a position to appeal to a wider audience. Bellator's also growing rapidly after getting a huge investor lined up to build the company into a powerhouse that could someday rival the UFC. Viacom, a media conglomerate worth billions, recently formalized an ownership arrangement with the league. Though it's not yet clear how much actual capital will be put into the operation by Viacom, the company's television broadcast power and ownership of Paramount Pictures will also be key in promoting the league and the sport of MMA.
Dream is obviously taking a hint from these other powerhouse leagues and taking steps to strengthen their brand. The anticipated growth of the sport encourages conglomeration, and Dream and One FC are getting together at just the right time. The UFC is poised to return to Japan on February 26th, 2012 just as One FC and Dream are consolidating and creating these crucial alliances across the Asian region. One FC is building tremendous momentum with an aggressive push to make similar deals with all the major promotions in Asia. The resulting One FC Network plans to hold around 50 shows in 2012. MMA in the area will surely benefit from these smart business moves to keep the various organizations afloat and successful in the face of serious competition for global market share.
