Product Details

• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Vidmark / Trimark
• VHS Release Date: January 16, 2001
• Run Time: 115 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 1573624136
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #57,150 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

The first Ultimate Fighting Championship ever held overseas, in Yokohama, Japan. Two championship bouts round out the evening when Frank Shamrock battles Olympic Gold Medalist Kevin Jackson to crown the 1st Middleweight UFC Champ, and Randy Couture challenges defending UFC champion Maurice Smith in the Heavyweight Championship bout.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A little bit of bad, a little bit of good., August 8, 2000

By 

greverio "greverio" (Centreville, Virginia United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ufc: Ultimate Japan [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The UFC's first show in Japan proves to be memorable for some and forgettable to others. A return to where martial arts was known to have started, UFC-Japan was experimental, with some good and some bad moments.

The night began with a heavyweight 4-man tournament. Tank Abbott(again), BJJ fighter Conan Silvera, Pro-Wrestler Yoji Anjo, and Submissions fighter Kazushi Sakuraba would battle in this strange tournament. The Conan vs. Sakuraba fight(s), would tell the tale of this tourney. A bad call by the ref, and a victorious 185 pound heavyweight is all that could be said.

Interesting enough, 3 individual fights(superfights) were on tap on top of the tourney. Vitor Belfort would make his return (after being crushed by Randy Couture), and fight vet. Joe Charles in a different style. The second fight would crown the first ever Middleweight Champion. Favorite Kevin Jackson would battle against Frank Shamrock. Jackson being undefeated, and dominated everyone put before him was the expected winner. Little was really known about Shamrock's MMA fighting. He was a former King of Pancrase, which meant he was a good grappler, but everything else was a question mark. The fight would be a classic, DO NOT BLINK. The final fight was for the Heavyweight Championship, pitting Maurice Smith against Randy Couture. Smith had shown his abilities against a great wrestler(Mark Coleman), but how would he do against a smart fighter in Couture. A very technical fight, with a little controversy.

The show was by many a little crazy, but the audience was anything but. It is a tad strange to see a MMA card with no hootin' 'n hollerin' crowd. The Japanese respect the fighters and the fight, their silence is a show of respect towards both. They hardly ever boo, and should be looked at and emulated.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Quite Boring - collectors item?, October 25, 1999

By 

Ogawa Believer (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ufc: Ultimate Japan [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Courture's conservative offense, Vitor's bad conditioning, McCarthy's safety-for-fighters consicious call, and promoter's lack of preparation for NOT having an alternate in the heavy weight tournament makes this one the worst UFC ever. However, for true NHB fan, this one is still worth a buy because this is the first and the only Octagon appearance of "may-be-the-best-fighter-in-the-world-today" Kazushi Sakuraba. This is the man who comfortably defeated Belfort, Newton, and Braga, The only undefeated man in the NHB world other than Rickson Gracie. Some says the reason for Frank Shamrock's departure from UFC is his strong desire to fight Sakuraba in PRIDE events. So this video has great potential to be a collectors item in ten, twenty years!!!

3.0 out of 5 stars Ultimate Silence, February 23, 2002

By 

Jason Seely (LACA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ufc: Ultimate Japan [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The octagon is surounded by pure blackness, you can't see the crowd. When the fighters are fighting there are hardly any cheers because of the japanese tradition of respect for the fighters. The first match pits bad boy Tank Abbott against japanese wrestler Yoji Anjo, classic Tank. Conan Silvera and Kazushi Sakuraba are stopped by a bad call and later fight again and the bad call is avenged. Frank Shamrock's UFC debut against Kevin Jackson answers all the questions wheter he can fight in MMA competition. Vitor Belfort shows a different fighting style in his superfight proving he not just a striker. The final match shows defending champion Maurice Smith take on Greco Roman wrestler Randy Couture, slow paced match only shows the true science of the ground attack. All in all a good 3 stars. The only bad reviews you see are the ones who don't understand the technique involved in fighting, it's not all punches and kick's!