PRIDE sale is official!! [Archive]

Kamatari

28th May 2007, 04:07 PM

Dave@wrestlingobserver.com

Dana White confirmed at the press conference after UFC's PPV the Josh Gross article from Thursday that Lorenzo & Frank Fertitta's purchase of the Pride Fighting Championships officially went through late Thursday.

White, who had been out of the country the past several weeks, said working on getting the top fighters from Pride into the UFC mix and how things would be handled would be his major priority in between the various shows over the next ten days.

He said to expect major announcements at that time. Originally, when the press conference was held in Japan, it was announced Pride and UFC would be kept as separate entities with their own basic flavor, Pride in the ring and UFC in the cage. They would maintain their individual champions but once a year there would be Super Bowl matches.

That plan has changed, as White is working on bringing all of the Pride major names to the U.S. as part of UFC. Besides the Quinton Jackson vs. Dan Henderson match, he also talked about finally making the Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva match. No date is scheduled for either match but preliminary talk was that one or the other could take place in September in London, England or Anaheim, California.

http://www.wrestlingobserver.com/wo/news/headlines/default.asp?aID=19680

tiefling

28th May 2007, 04:09 PM

miscmisc

28th May 2007, 04:16 PM

I beat you by like 10 minutes, mate. :)

Kamatari

28th May 2007, 04:24 PM

I beat you by like 10 minutes, mate. :)
HUH? LOL. When I clicked your link it took me to an article I read a couple of days ago.

miscmisc

28th May 2007, 04:40 PM

HUH? LOL. When I clicked your link it took me to an article I read a couple of days ago.

Yes, I totally screwed it up, but fixed it now. An edit doesn't change the date and time, so at least on paper, I still beat you, hehe. :)

Anyway, a mod will merge the threads.

On that Wrestling Observer piece, well, it's still disconcertingly vague. "That plan has changed" to what? was my initial reaction.

miscmisc

28th May 2007, 04:42 PM

The funny thing is, the deal is done after almost all the top fighters are gone. What we have intact are the divisions with the smaller guys, so will we see PRIDE reborn as a variation of Bushido? I know I wouldn't mind it.

Sorry, the link I gave first was wrong.

Anyway, if PRIDE=Bushido, it will just be a glorified DEEP. No decent TV deal for sure.

Kamatari

28th May 2007, 04:46 PM

Yes, I totally screwed it up
*Poses* For the rest I agree with your post.

Chewbaca Joe

28th May 2007, 05:33 PM

So have you guys all lost interest in PRIDE now?

Pretty much. It's over with. Pepsi may as well have bought Coke.

Grant Ellis

28th May 2007, 06:07 PM

Pretty much. It's over with. Pepsi may as well have bought Coke.

PEPSI TAKE OVER COKE??? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Chewbaca Joe

28th May 2007, 06:14 PM

I had to make it sound as dramatic as possible.

sandrey1

28th May 2007, 06:18 PM

majorcunningham

28th May 2007, 06:52 PM

If he brings all the big names from Pride to UFC, Pride is oficailly dead. But it doesn't make sence to me cause UFC will have too many guys in every weightclass wich mean someone alot of fighters will fight only once a year.

Hopefully it'll just mean more shows.

im more concerned that we'll never get to see butt scooters getin their faces stomped on again. damn those ufc rules..

EckY

28th May 2007, 07:41 PM

Meltzer is speculating with a lot of that from what Dana said at the press conference.

He did allude to Wanderlei vs Chuck and did mention London as a possible place for Chuck's next fight, however there was no mention of plans changing. He still talked about getting PRIDE up and running and when asked about GPs he said he was not really a fan of them but they did well in Japan, and that over the next couple of weeks he has some free time and that is his main priority.

I think the plan is to get the big name PRIDE guys known to the average UFC fan to try and get PRIDE a foothold in the US market, I don't think he will just up route every top fighter and plant them in UFC permanently.

ANdYX

28th May 2007, 08:37 PM

I love Pride, damn they got a good history with some of the best fights ever..but why don't they just make UFC Japan? Pride will run out of the talent man..

sandrey1

28th May 2007, 08:54 PM

Hopefully it'll just mean more shows.

im more concerned that we'll never get to see butt scooters getin their faces stomped on again. damn those ufc rules..

I will miss stomps but not as hard as knees on the ground. I think knees on the ground + elbows is the best set of rulles

( o Y o )

28th May 2007, 09:01 PM

It is going to be a watered down PRIDE with none of the ticket.ratings grabbing fight. With none of the Fedor/Mirko types left, I don't think they'll ever get a TV deal as good as they had, and they will not be able to compete with FEG.

( o Y o )

28th May 2007, 09:04 PM

merged.

Shiruba

28th May 2007, 09:19 PM

I'm gonna miss the GP's. Right now in the UFC and many other org's it's just new contender, fight against champion, new contender, fight against champion etc.

There will be nothing special like a GP. It might work now that new fighters are coming in, but in a few years it will get old.

sNk

28th May 2007, 09:33 PM

I'm missing Pride already...

Body_Shots

28th May 2007, 11:19 PM

From the Wrestling Observer (http://www.wrestlingobserver.com/wo/news/headlines/default.asp?aID=19692).
--I want to clarify some stuff that's on the web attributed to me that Pride is done. That is not the case. Dana White said that over the next two weeks he was going to sort out the Pride situation and probably make some announcements at that point. As far as what happens and when it happens is anyone's guess. White indicated the goal was to get Pride back on Japanese TV and up and running.

Kayo

29th May 2007, 01:38 AM

*sheds tear*

Kamatari

29th May 2007, 08:29 PM

White’s comments concerning the Pride fighters and what he plans to do with them indicate that many of Pride's top fighters will be assimilated into the UFC. White said, "We’re going to have them all. We’re going to have them all. At the end of the day, if you want to fight the best fighters in the world, if you want to cement your place in history... and at the end of the day, the money is great, all that stuff is good, but for me I’m one of those types of people... it’s all about cementing your place in history. Who is the greatest fighter in every weight division? It’s here. It’s in the UFC. They’re all going to be here."

http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=4029&zoneid=2

Bushido Deluxe is gonna be off the hook.

( o Y o )

29th May 2007, 10:04 PM

^ that is taken word for word from the post fight conference.

Cracked_Knuckle

30th May 2007, 02:10 AM

Me is :(

Cracked_Knuckle

2nd June 2007, 03:20 AM

I seen Zack is saying all the DSE staff are getting fired now too.

timmothy84

2nd June 2007, 04:33 AM

What about the super heavyweights, that weigh over 265? They wont be able to fight in the UFC. Are they just out of luck. I love BUTTERBEAN!

Cracked_Knuckle

6th June 2007, 01:40 AM

I guess they outta luck bro. No more Hunt too :(

( o Y o )

23rd July 2007, 01:40 PM

http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/07/23/monday-mundane-syringes-for-everyone/#comment-31890

So Dana says it "may" be back in 2008.

Too little and waaaaaaaaaaaay too late.

tiefling

23rd July 2007, 01:44 PM

I'm sure all the fighters would love to sit out until 2008. If it happens in 2008 it will be UFC Japan with UFC fighters only.

( o Y o )

23rd July 2007, 09:29 PM

I'm sure all the fighters would love to sit out until 2008. If it happens in 2008 it will be UFC Japan with UFC fighters only.

So sadly true. I wonder if Shaw isn't trying to grab some of the guys like Kawajiri etc.

ilostmydog

23rd July 2007, 09:49 PM

The problem with some of these Japanese fighters is that they are sitting back and waiting for Joe Silva to contact them. The guys that are getting into the UFC (Kotani, K-Taro, Hironaka, Okami, Mishima, etc.) are the ones who have either contacted the UFC/Joe Silva directly, or have managers who have done that for them. It's a terrible way to recruit fighters on the UFC/Joe Silva's part, but it doesn't look like it's going to change anytime soon. Still, I wish that some of these guys would realize this and get their name to Joe Silva. Maybe then we'd see guys like Ishida and Kawajiri banging around in the UFC, instead of lame-ass Kotani and washed-up Mishima.

Freezing_Moon

23rd July 2007, 11:41 PM

lame-ass Kotani?!?!?!? Well yeah, maybe.

But anyway, I think this 2008 thing is ALMOST a blessing. I have a feeling that left for that long the Pride brand may somehow take care of itself. Zuffa have shown that resurrecting Pride isn't a priority, which shows other companies and promoters in Japan that they still have time and a reason to act. There are a hundred ways this may resolve itself. After a couple more months, people will SORELY miss Pride in Japan, and a UFC-rules version would never have filled the whole.

aubtin

23rd July 2007, 11:53 PM

lame-ass Kotani

I actually like Kotani, and he put in a good showing against an impressive Tavares.

loreia

24th July 2007, 07:16 AM

I guess they outta luck bro. No more Hunt too :(
Hunt needs to start fighting, in K-1, HERO's, UFC, wherever....
He is fun to watch, somebody sign this guy dammit !!!!!!!

Caesar

24th July 2007, 02:03 PM

Hunt needs to start fighting, in K-1, HERO's, UFC, wherever....
He is fun to watch, somebody sign this guy dammit !!!!!!!

I've said it before, but if Hunt goes back to fight in K-1, I will LOSE MY SHIT!
No. 1 contender to put Semmy on his backside and keep him there :)

( o Y o )

25th July 2007, 08:07 AM

But anyway, I think this 2008 thing is ALMOST a blessing. I have a feeling that left for that long the Pride brand may somehow take care of itself. Zuffa have shown that resurrecting Pride isn't a priority, which shows other companies and promoters in Japan that they still have time and a reason to act. There are a hundred ways this may resolve itself. After a couple more months, people will SORELY miss Pride in Japan, and a UFC-rules version would never have filled the whole.

You could be on to something. And if the revival of Akiyama and lack of KID and/or any new local star development from FEG starts getting fans further upset, then a UFC rules PRIDE could almost be looked at as something of a saviour.

I really doubt it though. lol

I just cannot get over the fact not only are they not doing anything here (in Japan), but they have also totally cut off the locals from watching UFC too.

And yeah, I want to see Hunt back with FEG....though I like him in MMA more than K-1 these days.

miscmisc

25th July 2007, 08:16 AM

And yeah, I want to see Hunt back with FEG....though I like him in MMA more than K-1 these days.

Hunt said in the latest kamiro interview that he would never go back to K-1.

But then, an interview on a Japanese magazine sometimes means bugger all, so we'll see.

( o Y o )

25th July 2007, 08:21 AM

Hunt said in the latest kamiro interview that he would never go back to K-1.

But then, an interview on a Japanese magazine sometimes means bugger all, so we'll see.

But Hunt is a purse fighter. The money I heard he demanded after winning the GP was totally rediculas at the time. These days though things have changed, and paydays are better. He evidentally lives from purse to purse so I would think FEG looks better to him than, say Cage Rage.

I guess Strikeforce/EliteXC is his only other option, if they are interested in him.

EckY

25th July 2007, 12:46 PM

I don't understand who wouldn't be interested in Hunt, he is one of the most exciting HWs around.

( o Y o )

25th July 2007, 12:54 PM

But he knows/thinks he knows what he is worth....and he IS worth it in japan.....in the US though he would not bring in enough ticket payers to pay his purse I don't think

EckY

25th July 2007, 01:01 PM

Very true, but the way EXC are throwing money around to guys like Sokoudjou, you would think Hunt could get a bone too.

( o Y o )

25th July 2007, 01:07 PM

Very true.....and Carter and the guy that recently beat him would be fun to watch.

Caesar

25th July 2007, 02:31 PM

Hunt said in the latest kamiro interview that he would never go back to K-1.

But then, an interview on a Japanese magazine sometimes means bugger all, so we'll see.

Realizing that I'm drifting off topic to address my Hunt fan-boy agenda, but was there any mention of why miscmisc? Hunt being a man of very few words at the best of times I know...was it just money like ( o Y o ) suggested, or is he a full MMA convert now (stopping short of asking you to translate the whole article in your answer :) )?