Dream's heavyweight fights consisted mostly of freak shows and mismatches in 2009, but Japan's leading MMA promotion is making noises about beefing up its heavyweight division in 2010.Specifically, Dream event producer Keichi Sasahara said after Dynamite 2009 that he hopes to bring in former UFC heavyweight champions Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski, perhaps as soon as Dream's first 2010 show in March.
"Maybe after March, or even for the March event, I'd like to invite them over," Sasahara said, per . "They've never fought in Japan yet, so I'd like for them to make their way over."
Arlovski suffered a pair of brutal knockout losses to Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers in 2009, but he's still a legitimate heavyweight whose skillset makes him a threat to anyone. Sylvia followed up his own loss to Fedor in 2008 with an embarrassing showing in a knockout loss to former boxer Ray Mercer in 2009, but if he gets himself into shape he could still beat just about anyone Dream could throw at him.
A fourth fight between Sylvia and Arlovski is one possibility for Dream, but I'd rather see them take on other opponents. Josh Barnett, Alistair Overeem, Semmy Schilt and Sergei Kharitonov are among the other top heavyweights we may see in Dream in 2010. If Dream wants to, it can move away from the freak show-style bout and move toward offering MMA fans some very good heavyweight alternatives.
Get the latest gear
