Once upon a time in the land of the rising sun, a fight promotion showcased some of the best mixed martial arts talent on the planet. The fighters were explosive and entertaining and the fights were dynamic and some legendary. Amongst the fighters in the ring was a referee equipped with the fourth factor in the fight which was the infamous penalty card. The yellow card was pulled and awarded to any fighter who was stalling the action and what it represented was a percent of their fight purse being deducted (10% to be exact). In addition, the cards were given out for fouls including any illegal moves or unsportsmanlike conduct. This element of the rules forced fighters to work and to engage no matter their level of exhaustion or tentativeness. Had the infamous cards made their way into the American MMA scene, imagine how the results and the dynamics of fights would have changed. Kalib Starnes would have come out owing the promoters money for his infamous performance against Nate Quarry. Jake Shields' five round leg humping routine against Jason Miller would have been awarded at least one of these beauties. The list could go on, but you get the picture. Lay and prey would have been a much less lucrative option for wrestlers who opt for control over submission prowess or knockout power. The next time you're watching a fighter do his best track star impersonation in the ring or cage, think about what could have been if the yellow rectangle would have made the voyage stateside.
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