Nobody is going to argue that HDNet still has a way to go with the live production, but your criticisms of DREAM itself are way off

Seriously, I’m drinking it up and it tastes goooooooood!

Does it bring back feelings of Pride? Of course, but what is wrong with that?

The theatrics are fun. Better than UFC, but not as over the top as the K1 Dynamite crapfest in LA.

The fights are good. Sure they don’t have many of the big name UFC American recognized, TUF is the best type of fighters, but they do have legit top guys that most mma fans know of.

The announcers aren’t bad. Bas is better than Trigg and Rice is pedestrian, but no matter who it is, someone will be bitching about them. And damn, we get the screaming lady back!!

There is just something about the production style that makes it present mma as a legit, more mainstream sport than what American shows do. Maybe it is because Japan accepts it as such, I don’t know, but I do know it is a good thing.

I’m not one of the Pride/dream/EXC/Anything is better than the UFC or vice versa guys. It is just great to have more, good mma available to us fans. And to me, different productions, rules, styles and fighting platforms, are a good thing. i don’t love the cage and I don’t love the ring, but I do love the variety.

You can easily identify those with too much emotional involvement with DREAM though, and every time I’ve ever made a negative comment about how dream is run, people get up in arms like I insulted their mother.

I just wish people would take an objective standpoint.

Has DREAM lived up to the accolades their fanboys have heaped on them? Nope.

Has DREAM put together all the best matches people want to see? Well, as best they can, maybe.

Will DREAM get better? One would assume so. It’s too soon to be calling anything by DREAM great. They’ve got potential, and they’re still finding their formula. Can’t people just say the card was great for only their 3rd show? can’t they make a concession that it’s not the greatest thing to happen to mma since JiuJitsu? The cries of greatness are just so disproportionate to their achievments. As disproportionate as the level of emotional fanboy attacks.

Personally, I like Sam’s writing. He’s one of the more reliable writers in the blogosphere, and even when I disagree with his opinions, I still take them as the opinion of someone who has a more extensive history with mma than I have.

Why do so manycommenters come across as thinking they know more than the bloggers who make this thier occupation? these guys live and breath mma, not just one organization.

Since his name was brought up… Kenny Rice doesn’t belong on TV. From Inside MMA, to announcing MMA events, to whatever else he’s done. He sucks.

He seems like an ok guy, but he is loathsome as a sports announcer. Doesn’t anyone else think so?

Stephen Quadros was a little goofy sometimes, but he and Bas had good chemistry. Kenny is just creepy. His jokes aren’t funny and when he says stupid stuff that causes those uncomfortable silences on Inside MMA, Bas’s personality, and cutting away to new sections and b-roll are the only things saving him from what would be in the old days a big hook coming in from off-stage, yanking him off by the neck.

I like Inside MMA, and I like Bas Rutten, but Cubes needs to find someone other than “uncle Fester” as HDNet’s staple MMA announcer.

Quick Q. Am I wrong in guessing that your article is based on the 5 hour live broadcast at 3am (EST)?

I DVR’d the 3.5 hour “Encore presentation” and though some of the flaws you indicated were present (esp. re: Hellboy v Alvarez). However, I think the pace was much better than you seemed to indicate in your write-up (surely due to good editing).

Keep up the great work. Always a pleasure reading your entries!

- AG

I’ve followed the Japanese MMA scene long enough to know not to buy into attendance figures as a gauge of success.

Regardless of whether the event was successful or not, there were a lot of aspects of the show I didn’t enjoy. That’s my opinion. Deal with it.

Maybe try reading mmamanjapan.blogspot.com for a better feeling of how Dream is doing in Japan, instead of making crap up. BTW, they sold out the 22,000 seat arena last night, that doesn’t sound too bad. (especially considering the high ticket prices in Japan as well, VIP $1000usd, reserve seats $300usd, lower bowl $170 usd, upper bowl $70 usd.) UFC 81 couldn’t even sell more than 8000 tickets last time it was in Las Vegas WITH Brock lesnar headlining.

Yeah, Alvalez vs, Hansen was great. but other fights? seriously i almost fell asleep during … oops.

As a Sport event, i prefer MFC16`s broadcasting one day b4 of Dream3 on HDnetGiFGTS. it was tight and sick. Didnt know fighters nameson it, but i could enjoy most of fights. Never got bored except semi-… oops.

Plus the DREAM promotion is pushing Mayhem in wrong way in Japanese. They dont show his that famous, funny and hilarious character. and contrast with hard and agressive fight style with them. They are trying to make Mayhem as like a “Phsycho” “Lunatic” ” Violent” fighter.

can u believe they are translating the word “Mayhem” to Japanese ” Hakai” which means destruction in English? i know “Mayhem” has several meanings in each contexts but… . i see those guys of DREAM see Japanese are so easy and dumb. They think Japanese fans dont understand other languages, never watch fights at oversea countries, NEVER read English site or MySpace.

Scr*w them. They havent learned anything from falling down of PRIDE. They are just fishy Businessmen.

Uno vs. Ishida is a good fight in Japan. But it’s not main event caliber for a promotion that is the biggest in Japan right now. Barnett vs. Yoshida was a bigger main event, and that was on a WVR show.

“Also, Dream is a Japanese product…made for the Japanese…not for MMA fans in the US…try to remember that…”

I am remembering that, and the ratings in TBS have not been good.

Also, Dream is a Japanese product…made for the Japanese…not for MMA fans in the US…try to remember that…