Aoki’s Win Good for International Push
Jason Probst Apr 11, 2011
Was
Shinya
Aoki’s quick submission of Lyle Beerbohm good for MMA in Japan?
| Sherdog.com
Every time an international fighter wins on a big show in the States, it creates a ripple effect in his or her home country and helps the sport grow. In places like Sweden or other countries where MMA is just registering on the radar, it can be a huge boost.
Ironically, Japan, once the Mecca of MMA’s best offerings and much of its talent, has fallen on hard times of late when its best have crossed the Atlantic to perform before U.S. crowds. In the salad days of Pride Fighting Championships, Japanese fighters were often David taking on a gaijin Goliath, if they were not battling each other in epic duels. But their success of late in the UFC and Strikeforce has been spotty.
Kazushi Sakuraba does not live here anymore, but it is nice to see his brethren show the “budo” that makes so many Japanese fighters such a joy to watch.
Jason Probst can be reached at [email protected], and at www.twitter.com/jasonprobst.
