Rampage/Wand pride question

[aashmore]

I have been trying to watch all of the old pride fights, and while watching Rampage vs Randleman they mentioned that it was a #1 contender fight and the winner would get the shot at Wand.

Rampage got a shot but it wasn't until after he made it to the tournament final in 2003.

I tried to look it up but couldn't find anything. Was there a reason he didn't get a title shot before? I'm not super familiar with how pride did their title fights but why didn't he get a shot outside of the tournament?

 

[BRASIL WAND]

He didn't get an immediate shot at Wandy because the 03 GP happened.



I.e. it was their inaugural tourney for their MW division(203lbs and under).




So they bracketed as follows:


Rampage vs Bustamante(BJJ legend founder of BTT)

Overeem vs Chuck

Yoshida(Judo Olympian)vs Tamura

Wand vs Sakuraba 3

 

[Substance Abuse]

Poor Sakuraba.

 

[moreorless87]

Rampage/Busta was actually sposed to be Rampage/Arona before the latter was injuried.

 

[BRASIL WAND]

Rampage/Busta was actually sposed to be Rampage/Arona before the latter was injuried.

This is true.


Bustamante btw is probably the most underrated fighter in MMA history. Dudes been robbed more than a white guy in Harlem lol.

Dunno why decisions never shook out his way... he arguably beat Chuck, Rampage, and Hendo (in their rematch) and never got the nod.

 

[SavageAngel]

I REMEMBER!!!! They were doing the fight, but they couldn't manage Wand and Rampage outside of the GP which got really positive response from the fans. So they batched Wand and Rampage in the GP and it became the best GP ever.

Also Rampage wouldn't agree to the fight so close to the GP. SO they made Rampage fight some nobody in the event that would have been done the Wand vs Rampage fight.

 

[aashmore]

I REMEMBER!!!! They were doing the fight, but they couldn't manage Wand and Rampage outside of the GP which got really positive response from the fans. So they batched Wand and Rampage in the GP and it became the best GP ever.

Also Rampage wouldn't agree to the fight so close to the GP. SO they made Rampage fight some nobody in the event that would have been done the Wand vs Rampage fight.

That explains why he has a fight against Mikhail Ilyuhkin. So basically he said screw it and decided to just enter the GP and go for the title shot that way? Pretty badass