The Weekly Wrap: Oct. 10 - Oct. 16

Japan NYE Show Booked

Dream and K-1 promoters made official K-1 “Premium 2009 Dynamite,” the traditional Japanese New Year’s Eve show. The event will take place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

Not many fights have been announced. The final of the Dream Super Hulk tournament between Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou and Ikuhisa Minowa is expected to be on the docket, as well as the retirement bout of one of the great 154-pound kickboxers in history, K-1 legend Masato Kobayashi, possibly against Andy Souwer. Shinya Aoki vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri also seems likely.

Unlike last year, the event will air live in the United States on HDNet. In Japan, it airs as a live primetime network television special that has drawn some of the largest audiences ever for televised MMA fights. The rival Sengoku Raiden Championships promotion is also believed to be working on a New Year’s Eve event, possibly headlined by Olympic gold medalist Satoshi Ishii’s MMA debut against Hidehiko Yoshida.