Yoshihiro Akiyama Highlight

UFC 100 will see the promotional debut of one of Zuffa’s biggest ever MMA signings. The funny part is almost no one watching will care. Yoshihiro Akiyama is the definition of “big in Japan” and unlike Spinal Tap, he doesn’t have a decade’s worth of hits here statewide.

He’s easily the most popular Japanese fighter to fight in the U.S. for an American promotion in the history of modern MMA. Dave Meltzer explains:

“… Akiyama is, with the exception of only Kid Yamamoto, the biggest television ratings draw of Japanese MMA fighters, he is also hated in the country.”

Akiyama has a strange dichotomy, because as much as he’s hated in Japan, he’s loved in South Korea, as the country’s current martial arts hero. At this point there are no plans to run live events in South Korea, but UFC does have television in that country and Akiyama on its roster greatly bolsters its standing.

As our own Luke Thomas said at the time of Akiyama’s signing, this isn’t about the U.S. audience. Akiyama is a Trojan Horse to help the UFC sneak into the Japanese market. He’s also a huge draw in South Korea (we’ll get to why in a minute), where the UFC has been making serious headway. If Akiyama can string together a series of wins and earn a title shot, don’t be shocked if the UFC suddenly gets serious about putting on a show in South Korea or Japan.

Meltzer also worries that Akiyama has never recovered from a KO via illegal kick to the face:

“After Akiyama was knocked out cold on December 31, 2007, by Kazuo Misaki, he has not been the same fighter. He is slower to react, which is the kiss of death against top competition. Fighting Entertainment Group, the promotion behind K-1 in Japan, was well aware of this, putting him against two non-fighters in his only matches this past year. Unless his reflexes suddenly snap back to pre-knockout levels, UFC is paying big money for a fighter who may very well be shot.”

The UFC is putting that proposition to the test immediately.

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