Kakuto DREAMERS

* Season 1
* Season 2

**Kakuto DREAMERS** (格闘 DREAMERS; *Fighting DREAMERS*) is a program following the **FIGHTER BATTLE AUDITION** (FBA) held by LDH JAPAN for professional fighters.

It is broadcasted exclusively on ABEMA and navigated by members of GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE and THE RAMPAGE from EXILE TRIBE.

The program currently has two seasons, with the first season airing from March 13 to May 15, 2021, and the second season airing from February 12 to April 16, 2022.

## Description

This audition is part of the "Martial Artist Cultivation Project" initiated by EXILE HIRO.

It is a new project by LDH martial arts, a subsidiary of LDH which is engaged in developing training gyms and martial arts events, to recruit and cultivate martial arts fighter who pursue their dreams.

Led by Takaya Hiroyuki, a mixed martial artist affiliated with LDH and former DREAM featherweight world champion, and Okami Yushin, who was the first Japanese to challenge for the title in the world's top mixed martial arts organization UFC. The program focuses on young people who have ambitions to become world champions and dream of making it big as professional fighters, and follows them closely until they win contracts with LDH martial arts as professional fighters.

* Season 1
* Season 2

Among the contestants, there are those who grew up suffering from domestic violence from their fathers, those who competed for a spot in the Tokyo Olympics in wrestling, those who won six high school boxing titles, and those who won the national rugby tournament. These athletes, full of potential, will be called "DREAMERS" in the program, and the process of these "DREAMERS" winning the program and getting contracts with LDH martial arts is closely followed.

To launch this program, auditions for the participation were held, and over 200 applications poured in. Ultimately, 52 members were selected through a practical skill screening and interviews for the program.

During the last episode on May 15, 2021, two winners were revealed and five other fighters who did not pass were given tentative contracts. Furthermore, a second season of the audition program was announced, with the recruitment for participants starting on the same day.
In the first episode, the first screening of 25 carefully selected contestants out of about 200 applications was broadcasted. Among them are the younger brother of Usami Sho Patrick, a two-time runner-up in the All Japan Wrestling Championships, a wrestler who won a bronze medal at the World Wrestling Championships and more. The first round of auditions had been held in August of 2021, and included interviews and practical tests.

## Cast

* Season 1
* Season 2

* Navigators
	+ Kazuhara Ryuto
	+ Shirahama Alan
	+ Sekiguchi Mandy
	+ RIKU
	+ LIKIYA
	+ Zin
	+ Kamiya Kenta
	+ Takechi Kaisei
* General Manager - Takaya Hiroyuki
* Head Coach - Okami Yushin
* Contestants

- Navigators
	* Kazuhara Ryuto
	* Shirahama Alan
	* Sekiguchi Mandy
	* Zin
	* RIKU
	* Takechi Kaisei

- General Manager - Takaya Hiroyuki

- Head Coach - Okami Yushin

- Contestants

## Winners

Season 1
* Nakamura Rinya
* Usami Sho Patrick

Season 2
*TBA*

## Network

* Season 1
* Season 2

* ABEMA - Start: 2021.03.13 (Saturday), every Saturday from 21:00 - 21:30 JST \*extended by 15 minutes for the first episode only \*last episode from 20:30 - 22:00 JST

- ABEMA - Start: 2022.02.12 (Saturday), every Saturday from 22:00 - 22:45 JST

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 https://times.abema.tv/fight/news-article/8649328
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://spice.eplus.jp/articles/283998
3. ↑ https://poundstorm.ldhmartialarts.co.jp/news\_topics/posts/83
4. ↑ https://www.cinemacafe.net/article/2021/04/16/72370.html
5. ↑ https://www.tokyoheadline.com/553136/2/
6. ↑ https://thetv.jp/news/detail/1071204/p2/
7. ↑ https://efight.jp/news-20220212\_941727
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 https://www.tokyoheadline.com/553136/

## External Links

* Official Website
* ABEMA Channel: Season 1 | Season 2
* Official Twitter
* Official Instagram