With the new that Dream is close to finalizing a deal with HDNet to air six installments of the new japanese fighting organization...you have to ask yourself where that leaves the other Japanese promotion hoping to replace Pride, that being World Victory Road's Sengoku. The idea that makes the most sense would be a partnership/working relationship of some degree with EliteXC. A meeting of the minds would be beneficial to both parties for many reasons.
A working relationship between WVR and Elite would provide Elite with an additional source of programming for their Showtime/ShoXC/CBS/Proelite.com media slots. Adding Sengoku events to the plothora of cards already offered would provide Elite with a prescence on an almost weekly basis on their various properties. Having Sengoku events on their fight card would also boost the bona fides of Elite with hardcore fans. At times their seems a dearth of top shelf talent in the Elite offered cards, introducing Top 5 talents like Josh Barnett and Takanori Gomi would go aways to amending this view.
Working with EliteXC would allow Sengoku a leg up when it comes to using American Based talent, and conversely would allow EliteXC to have a favorable relationship with American Gaijin who may want to fight in the states. American fighters like Josh Barnett and Nick Thompson fight for Sengoku and could be marketed to the American public without the need to have them under contract and on Elite's dime. If these guys decide to comeback stateside Elite would be a natural conduit since they would already have been hyped on Elite show stateside. On the Sengoku side, they could get first dibs on Elite-based talent that is looking internationally. Instead of Elite lightweight eddie alvarez going to Dream's lightweight GP, you could possible see him in Sengoku instead in a match-up with resident superstar Takanori Gomi. Other lightweights like Nick Diaz or Yves Edwards could also be opponents for Gomi, either in Japan or on a stateside card.
EliteXC owns the Korean based fighting org SpiritMC. Increasingly the Japanese fighting market is evolving and spreading through out greater asia. FEG in the past has sought to extend their MMA brands over into the Korean market, using Korean-descent stars like Denis Kang and Akiyama to break the market. They had a Heroes show in Korea this past October and likely will have future Dream cards there. If Sengoku is to have a level playing field with Dream, the Korean market will need to be in Play. Working with Elite's Spirit would allow for an exchange of talent to supplement Sengoku cards and would also provide an in country organization familiar with the intricacies of that particular market.
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