Fighting and Entertainment Group
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Combat sports promotion |
| Founded | September 3, 2003 |
| Founder | Sadaharu Tanikawa |
| Defunct | May 16, 2012 |
| Fate | Declared bankrupt |
| Successor | Barbizon Co. Ltd. (ownership of K-1 transferred) |
| Headquarters | Tokyo , Japan |
Key people | Sadaharu Tanikawa (final president) |
| Products | Mixed martial arts events, Kickboxing events |
Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG) was recognized as Japan's foremost promoter of combat sports, having been founded on September 3, 2003. The final individual to hold the presidency was Sadaharu Tanikawa. FEG operated as the parent organization behind the now-defunct mixed martial arts series Dream and was previously the largest global promoter of kickboxing events through K-1.
The creation of FEG occurred following the arrest of K-1's founder, Kazuyoshi Ishii, on charges related to money laundering. Sadaharu Tanikawa, a sports journalist and close associate of Ishii, took over leadership and established FEG as a holding entity for K-1. Over time, the company expanded its portfolio to include additional events such as MMA promotions Rumble on the Rock, Hero's, and Dream, alongside collaborative productions with Dream Stage Entertainment, the parent company of PRIDE Fighting Championships.
Financial crisis
After hosting the Dream event Dynamite!! 2010 on December 31, 2010, Tanikawa announced that FEG would undergo a three-month break to reorganize, with plans to resume operations in spring 2011.
In January 2011, Tanikawa expressed that "the current course is that FEG will die," which intensified uncertainty regarding the organization's viability. Mike Kogan from FEG USA commented that without swift investment from backers, the company’s survival was unlikely due to depleted goodwill.
On July 28, 2011, ownership of K-1 and most associated trademarks was transferred by FEG to Barbizon Co. Ltd., a Japanese real estate enterprise.
FEG was officially declared bankrupt by Tanikawa on May 16, 2012.
See also
- Articles with short description
- Entertainment companies of Japan
- Mass media companies based in Tokyo
- Entertainment companies established in 2003
- Japanese companies established in 2003
- Mass media companies established in 2003
- Entertainment companies disestablished in 2012
- Japanese companies disestablished in 2012
- Mass media companies disestablished in 2012