DREAM Makes MMA Debut - Bodog Odds

This Saturday will be the first show put on by new MMA organization DREAM. This Japanese fighting organization was put together by members of K-1 and former PRIDE officials. The event will take place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

THE DREAM BEGINS

After PRIDE was bought out by Zuffa (owners of the UFC), a New Year’s Eve show was put on as a way to say goodbye to the fans. However, Japanese fans went wild for the event and weren’t particularly pleased by the intrusion of Zuffa. The show was a major financial success, enough so that those involved decided to put together a new organization.

Things got off on the right foot with an announcement that DREAM had signed Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic. The “Croatian Sensation” had just been released from his large UFC contract, and they smartly snatched up the popular European fighter. It was also confirmed that former PRIDE heavyweight champ Fedor Emelianenko would fight on their cards.

First up, DREAM will hold two 16-man grand prix events to crown their middleweight and lightweight champions. Saturday’s event will focus on lightweights and is titled, appropriately enough, Dream -1.

The main event will feature Mirko Filipovic taking on Tatsuya Mizuno. The rest of the matches on the card will be part of the lightweight tournament.

As you might expect, those groovy bastards over at Bodog are offering odds on all the tournament matches. If you‘re a real MMA fan, feel free to visit their site, register, and lay down a few wagers.

DREAM 1 - BODOG ODDS

Hayato “Mach” Sakurai (-800) vs. Hidetaka Monma (+500)

Gesias “JZ” Calvancante (-175) vs. Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki (+145)

Tatsuya “Crusher” Kawajiri (-850) vs. Kultar “Black Mamba” Gill (+550)

“The Endless Warrior” Mitsuhiro Ishida (-1100) vs. Bu Kyung Jung (+600)

Luiz Buscape Firmino (-240) vs. Kazuyuki Miyata (+190)

Andre Dida Amade (-135) vs. Eddie Alvarez (+105)

Artur Oumakhanov (-185) vs. Katsuhiko Nagata (+155)

Joachim “Hellboy” Hansen (-200) vs. Kotetsu Boku (+160)

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DREAM Makes MMA Debut - Bodog Odds