American fans will get a chance to see DREAM's first live effort since the devastating earthquake in Japan.
HDNet CEO Andrew Simon today told MMAjunkie.com (
http://www.mmajunkie.com) that "DREAM.17: Fight for Japan," which takes place Sunday at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, is set to broadcast on HDNet via tape delay.
The event airs next Friday, June 3, at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
HDNet has long been the stateside broadcast partner of the Japanese promotion, though its broadcast plans for DREAM.17 had remained unknown until now.
DREAM.17, which serves as a fundraiser to benefit victims of the earthquake and tsunami, hosts the first round of the 2011 Japan Cup Bantamweight tournament.
Additionally, a bout between DREAM lightweight champion Shinya Aoki and Rich Clementi is featured, though it's unclear whether Aoki's title is on the line.
The full DREAM.17 card includes:
Uyenoyama/Yamamoto winner vs. Maeda/Tokoro winner (Japan bantamweight-tourney semifinal)
Fujiwara/Imanari winner vs. Osawa/Otsuka winner (Japan bantamweight-tourney semifinal)
Shinya Aoki vs. Rich Clementi
Katsunori Kikuno vs. Daisuke Nakamura
Akiyo "Wicky" Nishiura vs. Caol Uno
Takeshi Inoue vs. Koichiro Matsumoto
Joachim Hansen vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida
Kenji Osawa vs. Takafumi Otsuka (Japan bantamweight-tourney first round)
Keisuke Fujiwara vs. Masakazu Imanari (Japan bantamweight-tourney first round)
Yoshiro Maeda vs. Hideo Tokoro (Japan bantamweight-tourney first round)
Yusaku Nakamura vs. Atsushi Yamamoto (Japan bantamweight-tourney first round)