M-1 Global has teamed up with former PrideFC and Dream Stage Entertainment representatives to set up the traditional New Years Eve mixed martial arts event that Japan is used to watching every year. The Japanese MMA event will be called "Yarennoka!" and it will be aired on SkyPerfecTV PPV in Japan.
The event will take place on December 31, 2007 at the Saitama Super Arena located in Saitama, Japan. The venue will look to fill the entire 37,000 seat capacity as the event will feature fighters like Fedor Emelianenko who is loved by many in Japan and is considered the #1 heavyweight in the world today. Other fighters rumored on the card include Fedor’s brother Aleksander Emelianenko, EliteXC’s current lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez, Ricardo Arona,
Hayato Sakurai, Shinya Aoki, Mitsuhiro Ishida,
Kazuo Misaki, Joachim Hansen, Luiz Azeredo,
Hidehiko Hasegawa and
Tatsuya Kawajiri.
Fedor Emelianenko had promised Japan that he would do his best to bring about a New Years Eve event that he has traditionally been a part of for years. He held a conference not too long ago regarding this matter and confirmed that he would indeed be participating in the Yarennoka! event after he was given permission by the current organization he is a part of (M-1 Global).
Here’s the direct link to the upcoming event