Dynamite!! USA

Background

The event featured the MMA debut of former professional wrestler Brock Lesnar and the anticipated rematch between Royce Gracie and Kazushi Sakuraba. The show also featured the MMA debut of NFL wide receiver Johnnie Morton.

The event was aired in two parts in the United States, with three preliminary bouts airing for free on Showtime and a main fight card shown on pay-per-view. In Japan, the card was aired as a two-hour edited broadcast on TBS on June 4, 2007. A condensed one-hour version of the entire event was broadcast on Showtime June 9, 2007. The Pay Per View cost viewers $29.95

Controversy

Pre-fight problems

The event encountered numerous problems and controversies even before it began. FEG had difficulties obtaining a promoter's license, and was only granted a temporary one by the California State Athletic Commission eight days before the event.

Popular South Korean fighter Hong-Man Choi, initially scheduled to fight Brock Lesnar, was denied a license to fight in the state roughly a week and a half before the event for medical reasons (later reported to be a tumor on his pituitary gland). K-1 continued to advertise a Lesnar vs. Choi bout up until the day of the fight, despite knowing that it would not occur.

An originally announced women's bout featuring Jan Finney vs. Gina Carano was canceled on May 16, 2007, when Carano withdrew due to illness.

Antônio Silva was also removed from the card due to an undisclosed medical condition, and was replaced by Tim Persey.

An announced match between Ray Sefo and Marvin Eastman was dropped from the card with no explanation given.

Attendance and live gate

On June 7, 2007, the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) announced that 42,757 tickets were distributed for the event – something promoters say validated the claim of having the largest attendance for a Mixed Martial Arts event in North America (a record previously held by UFC 68). The paid gate for the event was $2,545,590. However, the promoters of the event paid $2,342,500 of that to buy 39,083 tickets to its own event. The final verified paid attendance number for K-1 Dynamite stands at 3,674 which generated $203,090 in revenue.

Post-fight

Fighter Tim Percy tested positive for methamphetamines after his fight, and was suspended by the CSAC.{{cite web|url=http://www.sherdog.com/news/news.asp?n_id=7836

Results

|Heavyweight |Brock Lesnar |def. |Kim Min-soo |TKO (submission to punches) |1 |1:09 | |Catchweight (188 lbs) |Royce Gracie |def. |Kazushi Sakuraba |Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–28) |3 |5:00 |Gracie tested positive for banned substances post-fight. |Lightweight |Hideo Tokoro |def. |Brad Pickett |Submission (armbar) |1 |2:41 | |Catchweight (192 lbs) |Yoon Dong-sik |def. |Melvin Manhoef |Submission (armbar) |2 |1:17 | |Super Heavyweight |Mighty Siliga |def. |Ruben Villareal |TKO (punches) |1 |1:33 | |Catchweight (213 lbs) |Bernard Ackah |def. |Johnnie Morton |KO (punch) |1 |0:38 |Morton tested positive for banned substances post-fight. |Welterweight |Jake Shields |def. |Ido Pariente |Submission (rear-naked choke) |1 |2:06 | |Catchweight (160 lbs) |Gesias Cavalcante |def. |Nam Phan |TKO (punches) |1 |0:26 | |Heavyweight |Jonathan Wiezorek |def. |Tim Persey |TKO (punches) |2 |0:50 |Persey tested positive for banned substances post-fight. |Lightweight |Katsuhiko Nagata |def. |Isaiah Hill |Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 30–27) |3 |5:00 |

Purses

The overall disclosed fighter payroll for the event was $1,057,500.

References

References

1. link. (2007-06-10)
2. "Pay-per-view : MMAPayout.com: The Business of MMA".
3. (2006-09-16). "– K-1 EVENT TO PREMIERE IN U.S. WITH 1-MONTH DELAY {{!}} MMAWeekly.com".
4. [http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-08-2007/0004583688&EDATE= Press Release, GRACIE-SAKURABA REMATCH AMONG KEY BOUTS ON STAR-STUDDED DYNAMITE!! USA FIGHT CARD], FEG, INC. [Last retrieved May 27, 2007]
5. [http://www.sherdog.com/news/news.asp?n_id=7660 Article, CSAC Grants FEG License, Saku Status Uncertain], Sherdog.com [Last retrieved May 27, 2007]
6. [http://www.sherdog.com/news/news.asp?n_id=7629 Article, Report: CSAC Denies Hong Man Choi], Sherdog.com [Last retrieved May 27, 2007]
7. [https://sports.yahoo.com/box/news;_ylt=AkiCvrRJ6oEpVm_1hSVZGX.UxLYF?slug=ki-choilicense052207&prov=yhoo&type=lgns Choi's license denial jeopardizes MMA card – Boxing – Yahoo! Sports]
8. "CARANO SIDELINED, "DYNAMITE" LOSES FEMALE DRAW". [[The Fight Network.
9. [http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-mma9jun09,1,7259399.story?coll=&ctrack=1&cset=true Article, Lance Pugmire [Last retrieved June 9, 2007]]
10. [http://www.sherdog.com/news/news.asp?n_id=7893 Morton Tests Positive for Steroids]
11. [http://www.sherdog.com/news/news.asp?n_id=7908 Gracie Fails Drug Test, Suspended]
12. "K-1 HERO'S - DYNAMITE!! USA". sherdog.com.
13. "K-1 DYNAMITE FIGHTER SALARIES". MMA Weekly.