DREAM’s inaugural event didn’t bring home the bacon. In fact, Zach Arnold reported that DREAM only received an 8.9% rating on TBS in Japan, which translates to second to last in the ratings in that timeframe for that evening. In laymen’s terms, DREAM wasn’t successful, and the matchups didn’t draw in the Japanese fanbase at all. There is hope on the horizon for hardcore fans and for the casual Japanese fanbase with DREAM's second event.
DREAM 2 will feature a Middleweight Grand Prix opening round that has confirmed ten fighters with one being confirmed today. Kazushi Sakuraba, Masakatsu Funaki, Yoon Dong Sik, Yoshihiro Akiyama, Minowaman, Denis Kang, Shungo Oyama, Kin Taiei, Kiyoshi Tamura, and recently added Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza. Hardcore fans will be interested in seeing Dong, Akiyama, and Kang in action as well as the abilities of Souza against upper level talent. The Japanese fanbase will likely be interested in Sakuraba, Funaki, and Tamura’s presence in the Grand Prix. It should bode well for their ratings potential and will hopefully cause a significant increase.
The rumor mill has been churning with regards to Sakuraba making statements that he will likely not compete in the tournament due to a scab on his leg that continues to bleed. He did mention that he would fight in April though, so we could see him in one of the superfights on the card.
Zelg Galesic is probably another Middleweight who will be signed on for the event, but there are still roughly 6 spots left to be filled. It’ll be interesting who they will pick up, but for the sake of speculation and wishful thinking, Matt Lindland should be allowed to head overseas. I’d love to see how he could possibly do against some of the talent in the MW GP.
As a hardcore fan, I’m sold on watching this event at the wee morning hours of a Saturday, but will it actually produce the ratings on TBS in Japan? World Victory Road just recently signed on with FujiTV, so the ratings war between both promotions looks to have begun. With the current lineup for the Middleweight tournament and possibly adding some more names to the mix with some up-and-coming talent, the MW GP could be a ratings boost for DREAM. Nonetheless, the hardcore fans will definitely be looking forward to this one, and HDNet is rumored to be close to a deal to bring it to U.S. fans as well.