The Weekly Wrap: Nov. 21 - Nov. 27

Sengoku v. Dream on NYE

Fighting Entertainment Group announced in a press conference this week that main Sengoku sponsor Don Quijote will work with Dream on their “Dynamite!” event on New Year’s Eve in Saitama, Japan. The announcement means several “Sengoku v. Dream” matches could be promoted on the 18- or 19-match mega card, but not that the Sengoku promotion is closing.

FEG’s longstanding sponsorship agreement with the Fields video game company is said to be in jeopardy, while Sengoku was planning it’s own New Year’s Eve event but had difficulty securing a strong television slot, reportedly causing reservations from its own lead sponsor. The Sengoku-Dream talks began in October, according to FEG head Sadaharu Tanigawa. Sengoku is expected to hold another event in March, according to officials at the press conference.

No inter-promotional fights were officially announced, though anywhere from five to seven are planned. There were mixed signals about whether Sengoku’s planned Dec. 31 main event, featuring Olympic gold medalists Hidehiko Yoshida vs. Satoshi Ishii, was locked down for the show.

Sengoku announced the dismissal of Takahiro Kokuho, the public face of the company on Thursday. The move is significant because Kokuho heads J-Rock, the management outfit that represents Sengoku top star Hidehiko Yoshida, Michihiro Omigawa and others. The dismissal could represent a barrier to bringing those fighters into the FEG fold. A Don Quijote employee will take over in the public relations role.