When Pride conquered UFC, and the end of the first MMA Golden Age

sadclown

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From the dark age, MMA emerged in the early 2000s, thus began a golden age, which lasted until the late 2000s, when a new generation of fighters emerged and got the better of the legends of the golden age.

Some say it's a natural process. The old declined, the new eclipsed -- such is the natural order of the universe. Others say "EXPOSED!" "CANS!" such is the stupidity on internet forums.

During the golden age, two organizations rivaled against each other, Japan's Pride and the US's UFC. It was always a heated debate on sherdog back in those days, which organization had better fighters.

In the heavies, Pride boasted the like of Fedor, Big Nog and Crocop - the big three, the holy trinity. UFC had Tim Sylvia, Arlovski, Randy and Mir as their top dawgs.

In the light heavies, we saw Pride's Silva, Lil Nog, Shogun, Arona, Saku, Rampage and others. In the UFC, there was Tito, Chuck and again, Randy.

In the first head-to-head combat, Chuck went over to Japan and destroyed Mezner and Overreem, aiming at eventually beating Silva, proving once and for all UFC's superiority. But alas, it wasn't meant to be as he was ravaged by Rampage.

When UFC bought Pride, we finally get to see these legends head to head. It was sort of a moot point, because by then they were all "UFC fighters" anyway, but regardless, the debate of Pride versus UFC continued.

The result, we all know. Big Nog defeated Sylvia to become UFC interim champ. He also beat Randy. But Lost to Mir twice. Crocop meanwhile also lost to Mir. But then Mir lost to Overreem. Those were the battles confined to the UFC.

More intriguing was when Sylvia and Arlovski finally challenged the Last Emperor that is Fedor, outside of the UFC. They were both finished in the first round.

Put the above together, other than Mir's performance, it is safe to say, Pride heavies conquered UFC heavies.

In the LHW, Tito was beaten by Lil Nog. Chuck was knocked out by Rampage and Shogun, but he did gained an important consolation. In the head to head with Silva, UFC's #1 LHW versus Pride's #1 LHW, Chuck won a decision. Meanwhile, Forest beat Shogun, the the latter got his revenge.

Put the above all together, perhaps it's wise to say the Pride had the advantage.

Hence, head-to-head, fighers-to-fighters, pimps-to-pimps, playas-to-playas, legends-to-legends, Pride conquered the UFC in a fist-fight, but UFC conquered Pride in a financial battle.

But of course, since these legends have either retired or still pushing on unwisely as the careers wind down, to the typical sherdoggers, it's "Exoposed!" "Cans!"

Why? Because unlike Gary Goodridge, your average sherdoggers need not get punched in the head by the best fighers in the world for a decade to get brain damage.

They are naturally born stupid.

witness the TL, DR.
 
I remember. Mostly true, but you left out some important facts. Shogun getting owned by Forrest and Crocop getting owned by everyone. Gonzaga took a lot out of the guy and the knee injuries ruined Shogun, but no doubt they clearly weren't leaps and bounds above everyone like we thought.

Fedor proved he was #1, Nog proved he was #2 of that era.
 
I remember. Mostly true, but you left out some important facts. Shogun getting owned by Forrest and Crocop getting owned by everyone. Gonzaga took a lot out of the guy and the knee injuries ruined Shogun, but no doubt they clearly weren't leaps and bounds above everyone like we thought.

Fedor proved he was #1, Nog proved he was #2 of that era.


i did included shogun getting owed by forest, also getting revenged.

didn't include gonzaga or others, because here we discuss fighters from the golden age era --- not the new generation.

if we include the new generation, then of course all these legends are getting knocked out left, right and center.
 
Ah well, didn't see that part, Anyway, yeah, MMA has gone downhill... that's for sure.
 
Silly thread, but Yes! We all miss PRIDE!



[YT]ABT_WdWIET0[/YT]
 
That was a lot to read so I kinda didn't.

Didn't pride hand pick the winners to their important fights?
 
Not a bad read, TS. But you forgot the Bushido rise of the lower weights in Japan. Bushido 9 is still the best overall-quality of a PPV I have ever witnessed.

Sakurai, Hendo, Gomi, Pulver, Kawajiri, Filho, Azeredo, Hansen, Edwards, Gono, Chonan, Minowa, Baroni, Bustamante, Suda, Krazyhorse, Mishima..... What a stacked f#cking card.
 
One of the biggest shames is that we never got to see the Lightweight Grand Prix with Matt Hughes, or the Wandy vs Randy match.

That would have been one hell of a crazy fuckin tournament, and one hell of a bout.

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Pretty sure they did. They got called on it all the time. They were proud that towards the end they only fixed like 2-3% of them.

Most fixes are pretty easy to catch. Coleman vs Takada? Fix. Henderson vs Wandy? Not a fix. Arona vs Sakuraba? Not a fix. Fujita vs Coleman..... likely a fix.


Yup, sorry your fanboy mentality can't open your eyes and mind to the obvious truth

Your hate-blinders are making you look stupid.
 
Pretty sure a few fighters have come forward and admitted to fight fixing. Pride did start as a pro-wrestling inspired organization after all.

People should read up on Enson Inoue's book. It's a great read that documented the amount of influence the yakuza had over Pride.
 
lol At the people who still, after all this time, can't admit how awesome Pride was.
 
Pretty sure they did. They got called on it all the time. They were proud that towards the end they only fixed like 2-3% of them.

takada versus coleman was likely fixed.

rampage has said they tried to offer him to lose, but he didn't take.

possibly 2-3% like you said... similar to the early days of UFC.

but over all and by enlarge, fights were legit
 
takada versus coleman was likely fixed.

rampage has said they tried to offer him to lose, but he didn't take.

possibly 2-3% like you said... similar to the early days of UFC.

but over all and by enlarge, fights were legit

You talking about the Saku/Rampage fight?

Pretty sure he said they offered him a bonus to grapple with him, not to "lose".
 
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