Bye Bye DREAM Light Heavyweight Tournament

DREAM's previously announced, rumored expected light heavyweight tournament has gone the way of the dodo.

While some are jumping on the cancellation of the tournament as proof that the promotion is in trouble. Let's collectively calm down. The three rumored participants were Renato "Babalu" Sobral, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou and Gegard Mousasi (some expected "King Mo" to get into the pentagon but after his Nashville comment, regarding not getting paid by DREAM on time that seemed like a fleeting hope). A tournament comprised of three fighters who have already fought each other doesn't scream "must see". 

The lack of depth at 205lbs. probably doomed the tournament form the start and Japanese T.V. executives believed that there was little interest in the fight (they are probably right).

That's the real story, not that DREAM is in trouble but the Japanese marketplace is abandoning MMA as a whole. One Japanese photographer told us in Nashville that Japan needs a new Sakuraba...

Instead we get "Kid" Yamamoto fighting at DREAM.14 (in a cage no less!) and "Babalu" fighting Robbie Lawler this June.

Update: DREAM says they are going to try a light heavyweight Prix to begin at DREAM.15 rather than DREAM.14...