Media Rickson on Saku, Don Fry on drug testing, Bas on fixed fights (Pride)

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Video link at the bottom

Dark Side of the Cage: Pride FC (pt.1)

Personally, I've found the episodes underwhelming so far, but this is the best one yet. I won't post detailed cliffs so as not to spoil it for anyone. But here are some nice features of this episode for those on the fence about watching:

Goes back to the origins of Pride (the 93-94 tournaments, the MMA vs. wrestling battle for audiences, etc.)
Interviews with Rickson, Bas, Don Frye and Goodrich

Goes into the yakuza aspect, very openly but not in huge detail
Figthers talk about the drug testing thing (or lack thereof)

Fighters mention the fixed fights of the early days and why it was needed

Goes into why certain fighters needed to be pushed to the forefront

Sakuraba is given his proper due (including by Rickson himself)

Things that could have been better:

More details on the yakuza involvement (which families, tied to which corporations, etc...all info that local Japanese journalists would have known)

Show us the Anjo tape!!!! Rickson refuses (and explains why) but one of the Japanese MMA journalists who saw it backs up the facts

The reenactments are poorly done and don't add any value. They should stick to real footage.

Apparently this episode was Part 1 and it covers Pride up to the changeover (aka the CEO being suicided). There is another part coming.

For a documentary by a company calling itself "Vice", could it be more real and in-depth? Surely. But it's a step up from all the previous episodes. It's a good bit of history for newbies and some nostalgia for the OGs.

Watch the episode here
FYI the YouTube versions were taken down so this is an alternative link.
 
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If you want some more details, i recommend checking the book PRIDE secret files
It tells some stories at the time like the background of Cro Cop x Heath Herring, Shinya Aoki's refusal do sign with UFC and a lot more stuff

I believe there's also a sherdog thread on this forum about it.
 
Mi just get di history lessons from di Old Heads pon 6ixdog 👴👵🗣️📠 Nick Diaz an Diego Sanchez episodes was booty no disrespect 💯👎 series seems half-assed and rushes thru di subject matter 🚅📚😕

like bro Robin Black's hype video fi di Diaz episode was better den di actual episode LMFAOLL
 
the video is private :(
Yeah somehow it’s now been set to private. Hopefully another one will be uploaded. Alternatively it’s on the usual streaming sites.
 
The tdlr: every episode so far has been pretty bad indeed. This one is better but not perfect. Worth a watch to hear from Rickson, Don Frye, etc.
 
If you want some more details, i recommend checking the book PRIDE secret files
It tells some stories at the time like the background of Cro Cop x Heath Herring, Shinya Aoki's refusal do sign with UFC and a lot more stuff

I believe there's also a sherdog thread on this forum about it.
Good call. Thread and book here
 
Well look what you did you posted to us titans and Dana took the video down.
 
These are tame entry level stuff because they will burn bridges (for future seasons).

Show is okay, but we would assume season 2 will be better than season 1... But who knows.

Dark side of the ring is better, but it's easier with Vince downfall into a psycho rapist, the deaths of legends, and so on.

Dark side of the cage has more living people, some still in power, some still in business, fewer notable legend deaths, Yakuza aren't going to let interviews on vice slide for certain people, ufc aren't going to let interviews slide, and so on.

Seems like Robin Black is riding a fine line, playing the game, not pushing buttons.

UFC doesn't want a "dark side" exposed.
Even the history of Pride.

A small amount of controversy is good,
But an episode about Dana slapping his wife, fucking ring girls, gambling addictions, being a piece of shit to fighters, media, companies,
is definitely pushing it.

Let alone the Yakuza being taunted / exposed.
 
These are tame entry level stuff because they will burn bridges (for future seasons).

Show is okay, but we would assume season 2 will be better than season 1... But who knows.

Dark side of the ring is better, but it's easier with Vince downfall into a psycho rapist, the deaths of legends, and so on.

Dark side of the cage has more living people, some still in power, some still in business, fewer notable legend deaths, Yakuza aren't going to let interviews on vice slide for certain people, ufc aren't going to let interviews slide, and so on.

Seems like Robin Black is riding a fine line, playing the game, not pushing buttons.

UFC doesn't want a "dark side" exposed.
Even the history of Pride.

A small amount of controversy is good,
But an episode about Dana slapping his wife, fucking ring girls, gambling addictions, being a piece of shit to fighters, media, companies,
is definitely pushing it.

Let alone the Yakuza being taunted / exposed.
Excellent points. That’s precisely why none of the content was earth-shattering.

For me the main enjoyment in this episode was seeing new interviews with legends, even with no new info.

Same with the Nick episode, it was useful to see him…it gives perspective on growing old as a fighter.

Don, Rickson, Nick, Bas…all different possibles avenues and outcomes into older age and post-fight life.
 
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