The White Cage. It is a structure that has never been seen before in mainstream Japanese mixed martial arts and for the first time ever, DREAM will be using this interestingly named battlefield for their upcoming MMA event, DREAM.12.

Who would ever thought that someday, a cage will be used as the battlefield for a mainstream Japanese MMA promotion? Looking back over the years, the ring has played an important role in shaping the identity of Japanese MMA. Promotions like Shooto, ZST, Pancrase and RINGS have consistently been using the four-sided ring with ropes and both PRIDE and HERO’S, two of the top MMA promotions in the past, have been loyal users of the ring. One question does remain though: Why have rings been used all this while instead of cages?

For me personally, I’ve always been a strong supporter of the ring over the cage. The reason for this was due to people stereotyping cagefighting as a form of bloodsport or as former American presidential candidate Senator John McCain has called it “human cockfighting”. As such, this was not a good way of promoting the sport of mixed martial arts to a large audience and at one point, Senator McCain campaigned for a complete ban of the UFC. Unfortunately, while McCain’s campaign was successful, the UFC was able to find its way back in the sporting world thanks to a set of rules and regulations for MMA after cooperating with several sport athletic commissions throughout the country, thus giving birth to the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts.

Meanwhile, things were going smoothly over in the Land of the Rising Sun. Dating back to the days of Shooto, Pancrase and even the UWF-I, shootfights have traditionally taken place in rings and while modern day Japanese promotions such as Cage Force and recently, DEEP, use a cage, rings have been such a vital part in Japanese MMA that it is a must to use them in every Japanese MMA promotion. In the case of FEG’s Dynamite!! events, it is easier for them to use a ring as their fights consist of K-1 and MMA rules.

However, cages have since been favored by a lot of fighters and fans alike. One of the cons of the ring is that sometimes, fighters get tangled up in the ropes while fighting on the ground and as a result, the referee would have to reposition the fighters in the center of the ring and most of the time, it is an awkward feeling for both fighters, especially when the dominant fighter had a distinct advantage over the opponent prior to the repositioning. I’m not so sure if this term is ever used in Singapore, but to us Malaysians, this is truly indeed a “potong stim” moment.

Now, for one night only (and probably in the years to come since FEG is planning on making the White Cage an annual thing), the White Cage will make its mark in mainstream Japanese MMA. Unlike typical eight-sided and circular cages, the White Cage is six-sided, the reason being that, according to DREAM Executive Producer Keichi Sasahara, “I don’t think that an eight-sided cage is the global standard.” With that in mind comes this unique structure that will surround the fighters who dare step into the White Cage to do battle.

Along with the White Cage comes a great card that is sure to please every MMA aficionado out there. There’s a lightweight attraction featuring the Japanese return of the 2008 DREAM Lightweight GP Tournament Semi-Finalist and the first and current Bellator Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez taking on the grim-looking Katsunori Kikuno. There will be a battle of pro-wrestlers as Katsuyori Shibata takes on Tokimitsu Ishizawa, who usually competes in pro-wrestling under a mask as the devious Kendo Kashin. Kazushi Sakuraba will also be in action when he takes on Zelg Galesic and the current DREAM Welterweight Champion Marius Zaromskis will be taking on Myeon Ho Bae. The evening will be capped off with a huge heavyweight main event when Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem makes his Japanese MMA return since the controversial fight against Mirko Filipovic at DREAM.6 when he takes on former PRIDE fighter James Thompson who is making his DREAM debut after competing for SENGOKU and EliteXC last year.

There’s no telling what is in store for us as we get set to enter the White Cage at DREAM.12. With the event emanating from the Osaka-Jo Hall in Osaka, Japan this coming Sunday, the emperors of bygone days will tremble in fear when their kingdom is invaded by the modern day warriors of DREAM as they set to do battle in one of the most historic nights in Japanese MMA!