HDNet Plans for New Year's Still in Flux

With the two pre-eminent Japanese MMA promotions looking to go head to head with their New Year's cards, the American television partner for both, HDNet, is still ironing out what their plans will be for covering the mixed martial arts duel.

At this time the Sengoku card is a solid go for airing on HDNet. The FEG Dyanmite K-1/Dream show is still under negotiations, and it is not clear at this time whether or not that card will be a part of HDNet's coverage. One might recall that Dynamite 2008 did not air on HDNet, and was instead offered as a on online PPV. The contractual language in regards to the Dynamite shows looks to give FEG some wiggle room as to the rights for the New Year's shows. If HDNet is able to secure a deal for Dynamite, the next issue will be which show to carry live and which to air on a tape delay basis. With HDNet using the same broadcasting crew for both shows, running head to head would seem to necessitate one the two shows being offered at a later date.

Here is a quick glance at what is scheduled so far for the two cards:

SENGOKU NEW YEAR'S EVENT: DECEMBER 31 IN TOKYO
location: Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo, Japan

-Satoshi Ishii (0-0) vs. Hidehiko Yoshida (8-7-1)



DYNAMITE!! 2009: DECEMBER 31 IN JAPAN
venue: Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan

Dream Lightweight Championship:
-Shinya Aoki (22-4) vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri (25-5-2)

Super Hulk Openweight Tournament Final:
-Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (7-4) vs. Ikuhisa Minowa (43-30-8)

-Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto (17-2) vs. TBA
-Bob Sapp (10-6-1) vs. TBA
-Tim Sylvia (25-6) vs. TBA
-Kazushi Sakuraba (25-12-1) vs. TBA
-Kiyoshi Tamura (33-13-2) vs. TBA
-Hayato "Mach" Sakurai (35-9-2) vs. TBA
-Hideo Tokoro (23-19-1) vs. TBA
-Hong Man Choi (2-3) vs. TBA


K-1 Rules Bouts:
-Masato vs. TBA

K-1 Koshien (High School) Tournament Finals:
Final: Winner of SF 1 vs. Winner of SF 2
SF 2: Hiroya vs. Masaaki Noiri
SF 1: Katsuki Ishida vs. Shota Shimada