Hero's was a Japanese mixed martial arts promotion operated by Fighting and Entertainment Group, the parent entity behind kickboxing organization K-1. Grown from and branched off of K-1's earlier experiments in MMA, including the K-1 Romanex event and various MMA fights on its regular K-1 kickboxing cards, it held its first show on March 26, 2005. The promotion was handled by former Rings head Akira Maeda. At a press conference on February 13, 2008, FEG announced that they discontinued Hero's and were creating a new mixed martial arts franchise, Dream, in collaboration with former Pride FC executives from Dream Stage Entertainment.
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Although not as popular worldwide as the Ultimate Fighting Championship or the now defunct Pride Fighting Championships, Hero's was very recognizable in the Japanese mixed martial arts scene, thanks in large part to the visibility and resources of FEG and K-1, as well as the demise of Pride FC, and the then lack of UFC coverage for Japanese audiences. Hero's events were sometimes co-sponsored and broadcast on the TBS national television network in Japan.[1] In contrast to PRIDE and the UFC, Hero's promoted only three weight classes: middleweight (-70kg/-154lbs), light heavyweight (-85kg/-187lbs) and heavyweight (+85kg/+187lbs)
On March 27, 2007, FEG (the Fighting Entertainment Group) held a press conference at the Los Angeles Coliseum to announce their first US event which was to be held on June 2, 2007. The show, named K-1 Dynamite!! USA, was a joint operated venture with the newly formed Elite XC, British MMA organization Cage Rage, BoDog Fight and the Korean based Spirit MC. The show was broken down into two parts, with the first part (made up of three fights) being aired for free Showtime and the second part on pay-per-view.
At a press conference on February 13, 2008, FEG announced that they discontinued Hero's and were creating a new mixed martial arts franchise, Dream, in collaboration with former Pride FC executives from Dream Stage Entertainment. In addition to established Hero's stars, (such as Calvancante, Akiyama, and Yamamoto) many other top fighters from around the world (such as Mirko Cro Cop and Shinya Aoki) joined the new promotion.
Many notable mixed martial artists competed in Hero's, including:
| Year | Weight class | Champion | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Middleweight (-154lbs) | Norifumi Yamamoto | Genki Sudo |
| 2006 | Light Heavyweight (-187lbs) | Yoshihiro Akiyama | Melvin Manhoef |
| 2006 | Middleweight (-154lbs) | Gesias Calvancante | Caol Uno |
| 2007 | Middleweight (-154lbs) | Gesias Calvancante | Andre Amade |
| Event | Date | Location | Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hero's 1[2] | March 26, 2005 | Saitama, Japan | Saitama Super Arena | 13,000 |
| Hero's 2 | July 6, 2005 | Tokyo, Japan | Yoyogi National Gymnasium | |
| Hero's 3 | September 7, 2005 | Tokyo, Japan | Ariake Coliseum | |
| Hero's 2005 in Seoul | November 5, 2005 | Seoul, South Korea | Olympic Gymnastics Arena | 7,460 |
| Hero's Lithuania 2005 | November 26, 2005 | Vilnius, Lithuania | Siemens Arena | |
| K-1 PREMIUM 2005 Dynamite!! | December 31, 2005 | Osaka, Japan | Osaka Dome | 53,025 |
| Hero's 4 | March 15, 2006 | Tokyo, Japan | Nippon Budokan | |
| Hero's 5 | May 3, 2006 | Tokyo, Japan | Yoyogi National Gymnasium | |
| Hero's 6 | August 5, 2006 | Tokyo, Japan | Ariake Coliseum | |
| Hero's 7 | October 9, 2006 | Yokohama, Japan | Yokohama Arena | |
| Hero's Lithuania 2006 | November 11, 2006 | Vilnius, Lithuania | Siemens Arena | |
| K-1 PREMIUM 2006 Dynamite!! | December 31, 2006 | Osaka, Japan | Osaka Dome | 51,930 |
| Hero's 8 | March 12, 2007 | Nagoya, Japan | Nippon Gaishi Hall | |
| Dynamite!! USA | June 2, 2007 | Los Angeles, California, USA | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 18,340 |
| Hero's 9: Middleweight Tournament Opening Round | July 16, 2007 | Yokohama, Japan | Yokohama Arena | |
| Hero's 10: Middleweight Tournament Final | September 17, 2007 | Yokohama, Japan | Yokohama Arena | |
| Hero's 2007 in Korea | October 28, 2007 | Seoul, South Korea | Jangchung Gymnasium | |
| Hero's Lithuania 2007 | November 10, 2007 | Vilnius, Lithuania | Siemens Arena | |
| K-1 PREMIUM 2007 Dynamite!! | December 31, 2007 | Osaka, Japan | Osaka Dome | 47,928 |
* Total event number: 19
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