For the first time since the birth of the Japanese Grand Prix Freestyle Fighting Tournament, there will be an entry fee for the combatants to secure their spot. Following months of varied delays and postponements due to a variety of reasons—including issues with fighters’ visas, reports of underground fighting, fixed fights and more—the Committee has brought upon this announcement.
“We have gone above and beyond to bring this tournament into fruition, and have dealt with one obstacle after another,” said Sadahura Takinawa, President of the Japanese Grand Prix Freestyle Fighting Tournament. “After exploring various options to eradicate these ongoing issues involving our international fighters, we have decided that the best course of action is to issue an entry fee so that the fighters will have to put money out of their pockets to reserve their spot within the tournament, and to show that they are serious and ready for competition. To ensure the fighters will take this seriously, the entry fee will be a substantial amount, though we cannot disclose the specific number at this time. We will continue with this tournament as one of the most highly regarded fighting competitions in the world, and will not tolerate the ongoing disgrace that some of the fighters have bestowed upon it. This fee will go into effect immediately, and any fighters’ who are unable to meet the financial obligations will be forced to withdraw their name from the competition.”
Since last summer the Committee has been anxious to get the tournament underway, but has been forced to acknowledge various problems surrounding the fighters involved.
“Our Committee Chair has been anxious to sound the gong to get this started, and has been nothing short of disgusted at the progression of the drama,” said Takinawa. “We have dealt with such lies, ongoing accusations, and deceit from fighters who are regarded as world champions, and it has left a bad taste in our mouths. Issuing this entry fee was a last resort, but a necessary one.”
The Committee has gone on to announce the entry deadline fee for the fighters to reserve their spot is March 15, and upon all of the fighters paying their way, each combatant will have 30 days to prepare for the tournament, and will need to be in Tokyo within two weeks of the deadline.
This unique tournament is one of a kind, as it encompasses all of the diversified martial arts and boxing disciplines across the world, and brings the most elite fighters in each discipline together to compete in a winner take all, single elimination tournament with the grand prize being the purse of $1 million and eligibility to fight in any tournament worldwide.
