What PRIDE fighters in their prime could compete in todays game?

Threetrees

He/Him
@plutonium
Joined
Aug 28, 2009
Messages
50,337
Reaction score
4,919
Who are these PRIDE fighters who can be transplanted from 2004 to 2018 and still compete in todays game?

I think a fair few, assuming they could get by USADA

Fedor for sure, I don’t think he’d beat Cormier but I could see him smoking Stipe on the right night and obviously he’d be the favorite over every other HW except maybe a healthy Cain and Werdum from a couple years ago (when Werdum was beating the fuck out of people on the feet). Fedor vs Overeem would be an exceptional fight.
Given the state of the LHW division Fedor could make some noise there too, but I think he’d get molly wopped by DC and Jon Jones

CroCop at his best had very good TDD and is still one of the 5 or 6 best pure athletes to ever fight at HW. Those liver kicks, left uppercuts, and counter straight lefts would all still translate to todays game

I don’t think Nog would transplant. HIs offensive boxing was very good, but defensively he relied on his chin and despite his BJJ cried I don’t think he’s taking a lot of guys down at HW.

At LHW
I think Rampage and Prime Shogun would still fight their way to title shots. Rampage in Pride >>>> Rampage in UFC, don’t @ me - he used his wrestling so much more before that little snake in the grass Ibarra convinced him to only punch and roll.
I think Wandy’s brawling could be fun, but I think he gets hit too much. Hendo at his best would still be decisioning the best of them. And LHW is very weak. They, again, all get beat by Jones and DC


What guys do you think could be plucked out of the golden age of PRIDE and still compete? How far has the game advanced for the big guys?
I think the smaller guys have advanced an absurd amount, I can’t see the good LWs of the past competing with teh best of the best right now with only a couple exceptions. Same with those little guys.
 
Most of their top HWs and 205ers for sure, LHW and HW sucks now. Their best LWs would do well at LW too but I don't think any of them would win the title and LW has actually improved overall since 2007 while LHW and HW have regressed overall.

HWs: Fedor, Big Nog, Werdum, Aleksander, Cro Cop, Barnett, Sergei, Overeem, Coleman, Fujita, Schlit(last 3 wouldn't do as well)

LHW: Wanderlei, Shogun, Lil Nog, Arona, Overeem, Rampage, Igor, Henderson, Randleman

MW: Henderson, Kang, Misaki, Sakuraba, Ninja, Filho, Bustamante, Akiyama

LW: Gomi, Sakurai, Kawajiri, Hansen, Azeredo, Edwards, Aoki, JZ(not pride but he mostly fought in Japan)

I'm sure there's more i'm forgetting that would be competitive with the top 20 or better.

Edit: since TS said all JMMA I have added some from the 2002-2007 era.
 
Last edited:
All of the top guys at HW and LHW would be competitive today. Fuck, Kharitonov looked awesome in his last fight, and Crocop is on a massive win streak.

Lighter weights are a different story. I don't believe prime Gomi or Sakurai would be anywhere close to title contention today.
 
Most of their top HWs and 205ers for sure, LHW and HW sucks now. Their best LWs would do well at LW too but I don't think any of them would win the title and LW has actually improved overall since 2007 while LHW and HW have regressed overall.
Who are you thinking of as the best LWs?

I mean I’m thinking Kid, Hellboy, Gomi, Prime Crusher, Sakurai and I can’t see any of them competing

The LWs are just so much bigger, not to mention they’re all absurdly well rounded

Edit; I should mention when I think of lighter weights I’m thinking of all JMMA orgs not just PRIDE around the 2002-2007 type era
 
Fedor
Nog
Cro Cop
Barnett
Werdum
Sergei

Would all be in the mix for sure

Rampage
Wand
Shogun
Arona
Lil Nog
Hendo

Would all be top 10. Just below Jones and probably DC.

Gomi

Sakuraba at WW or MW would be able to compete.
 
HW is so weak that I say pretty much any HW fighter who ever picked up a win in Pride.
 
Gay Pride has been doing well recently, and with this new administration White Pride is on the rise as well.
 
Bob Sapp
LA Giant
Zuluzinho
Sentoryu
Giant Silva
 
Fedor
Nog
Cro Cop
Barnett
Werdum
Sergei

Would all be in the mix for sure

Rampage
Wand
Shogun
Arona
Lil Nog
Hendo

Would all be top 10. Just below Jones and probably DC.

Gomi

Sakuraba at WW or MW would be able to compete.

You honestly think Arona would be competitive with Gus?
 
You honestly think Arona would be competitive with Gus?

Maybe not Gus in particular but Arona would 100% be a top 10 LHW today. I meant all those Pride LHWs would be in the mix. Not that they would all beat Gus. But they probably wouldn't beat DC and Jones. Top 3 would be their highest probably. But all would be top 10.
 
Maybe not Gus in particular but Arona would 100% be a top 10 LHW today. I meant all those Pride LHWs would be in the mix. Not that they would all beat Gus. But they probably wouldn't beat DC and Jones.
Oh okay.
I agree, but that’s largely a function of LHW being so absurdly weak

I think they’re all a solid tier below Gus, Jones and DC though. Like easily I don’t think it’s close. With the exception of Prime Rampage and Prime Shogun, but they’re both only close to Gus - Jones and DC are lapping those dudes easily imho.
 
Pride version of Bob Sapp dominates the current UFC Heavyweight roster - FACT.
 
A lot of the Heavy Weights would be fine - cro cop, fedor, Sergei, Nog would all be near the top.

At LW - Shogun, Rampage, Arona, Wand would be in the mix. Also, would they be allowed the same tainted supplements as Jon?
 
HW is pretty weak. I could see Igor KO'ing the black beasts and N'gannous of the world.
 
Oh okay.
I agree, but that’s largely a function of LHW being so absurdly weak

I think they’re all a solid tier below Gus, Jones and DC though. Like easily I don’t think it’s close. With the exception of Prime Rampage and Prime Shogun, but they’re both only close to Gus - Jones and DC are lapping those dudes easily imho.

You could be right. I think Arona and Rampage in prime could do quite well against DC. Hard to tell. LHW is so shit. DC is clearly better than most but not Jones. There's not a lot of elite LHWs he has been able to beat because there aren't many elite LHWs now.
 
Back
Top