In what way should I digest Pride Fighting?

[Rampage_Jackson]

Yeah the first events are rough but man when you get to the legendary events its so worth it to know the backstories and previous history.

my favorite fighter of those early events was Akira Shoji. Very appropriately nicknamed Mr Pride. I think he fought on like 9 of the first 12 Pride cards. Showed insane toughness against guys like Igor and Guy Metzger. The epitome of a dawg

 

[Substance Abuse]

Can we ban this retread yet? Lol

 

[10000yearsold]

However ya want to. I mean when I got into pride o had to order the vhs online. My first one was Sakuraba vs Gracie no time limit in the tournament Coleman won against Vovchanchyn..

After than I just kinda followed Sakuraba in his journey of chasing Wanderlei.

They were all kinda great.
The MW tournament that Shogun won as the dark horse is incredible.

I hated Arona. Especially his fight with wand and the one where he’s trying to toe kick Sakuraba’s eye out

 

[KDR by RNC]

my favorite fighter of those early events was Akira Shoji. Very appropriately nicknamed Mr Pride. I think he fought on like 9 of the first 12 Pride cards. Showed insane toughness against guys like Igor and Guy Metzger. The epitome of a dawg

Igor was such a dawggggg

 

[Romulas]

I’ve mainly only watched UFC/Bellator fights

I mean should I go card by card ? There is also a best of pride series on fight pass.

Does anyone know where I can watch like Pride backstage promos and press conferences or anything besides just the fights themselves?

Or is that stuff all contained within the main card presentation?

I asked because with the UFC there are weigh in shows, press conferences, vlogs etc

I want to know the backstory of the fights and the shit talking the fighters did to each other and their mentality before fights.

Appreciate the responses!

Also double points if you can help me with WEC too… wonder if those are on fight pass?

I would try to watch them in order. The entire events were masterpieces from a production standpoint.

I really the opening performances and theme song.

 

[Rampage_Jackson]

Igor was such a dawggggg

an underrated legend. His early bareknuckle highlights are the best

 

[Senbonzakura]

Start with Pride Total Elimination 2003. Just about every fight has UFC and MMA legends fighting on the card.

Then move to the Pride Shockwave and Bushido collections so on and so forth

 

[Kinniku]

The first open weight GP is a good start

 

[DougieJones]

thru ur eye and earballs

 

[Zanmato]

In the eyes, through the brain and into the heart.

Honestly I don't know if it will be the same. Like my attachment to it is also rooted in it being something I was waiting for and watching at the time. Being young and finding it exciting reading about it and talking about it in the moment. The excitement of following developing careers etc.

Also as there was very few cards on at the time the excitement of having something new and well produced and huge feeling to share with your friends who had never even heard of this before and that shared shock at the added brutality it could have..

Years later when there is much more MMA, and all those stories are written and you are watching fights where you already know the outcomes of (or at least minimally you can work it out in context of what you know of their win-loss record and achievements discussed in later UFC careers etc). It kind of robs the fights of the drama that made them great, imo. I think it might be interesting and hope you like it but I don't know if you would get the same feeling as when people are boring your ears off online about how great Pride was lol

 

[cburm]

Man pride was the best if it was still around I'd watch that over UFC any day.

 

[10000yearsold]

O crocops owgp too… prequels by the nog fight
, where he fights aleks and Barnett

And then the fedor collection up to the crocop fight

And werdum’s emergence vs nog

 

[dipstickjimmy]

Usually with a 6-pack of Asahi

This is the Asahi HQ in Toyko. The building is designed to look like a beer and the top has a restaurant/bar (the foam at the top). This is the Super Size Asahi I had up top with a view of Toyko last year when I visited a friend working for Honda.

 

[KDR by RNC]

Wipe me down!!!

 

[Tayski]

Watch all Pride events in order and if you like striking also watch every k-1 and k-1 max events from the first ever tournament to about 2012. You're in for a treat.

 

[Rod Farva]

pride 25: body blow
Fedor fights Big Nog

 

[Joe_Armstrong]

I started a while ago watching every events, but man there was a lot of random unknown japanese wrestlers fighting in there before Sakuraba.

Yamamoto vs Cro Cp was very entertaining.
The guy really taunted CC and paid for it

 

[IDGETKTFO]

Start with the one where Phil Baroni was a commentator. I think Aoki was fighting in that one.

 

[IDGETKTFO]

Start with the one where Phil Baroni was a commentator. I think Aoki was fighting in that one.

My bad, it was Dong Sik Yoon, not Aoki.