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PRIDE vs. UFC heading toward all-out war
By Stephan | July 10, 2006
I didn’t make this title up, this comes from this article on the PRIDE web site.
Well, if you missed Saturday’s UFC, the big news, Wanderlei Silva is to fight Chuck Liddell! Apparently Chuck has been asking for this matchup.
So, I wasn’t exactly sure why Wanderlei Silva was wearing a Pride shirt. I didnt hear through the screaming whether he was joining the UFC. In fact, this is a one time event. Wow, this is so exciting! Next, lets bring Fedor to clean up that boring Heavyweight division. There are many more dream matches possible!
This is a great development in between Pride and UFC (Couture had wanted this too), and it sounds like it may happen more in the future.
Imo this could be embarrassing for the UFC. The difference between talent (and pay) could be displayed. I really like both organization, but believe Pride has greater fighters specially in the two higher divisions. No sure? watch Rampage vs Liddell, or Wanderlei Silva vs Arona, or many of the great Pride fights. Liddell better work on his cardio and takedown defense (without using the fence).
Here’s the full translation of the Pride Release (thanks to Bush Hog in the UG):
Powder keg Situation at UFC with Silva and Chuck Liddell! Fujita to Participate in the November UFC?
The undisputed Pride middleweight champion, Wanderlei Silva, made an appearance at the UFC, which took place July 8th in the US! Why did Silva step inside the octagon of the UFC, the largest MMA event in the US and competitor of Pride? (subtitle text)A big surprise that would suddenly rock the MMA world occurred after the Ken Shamrock & Tito Ortiz match. The man that the UFC’s Dana White beckoned to the Octagon with the words, “I’d like to introduce a friend of mine” was none other than the reigning undisputed Pride middleweight champion Wanderlei Silva. The entire stadium erupted in loud cheers as Silva unexpectedly entered the octagon.
Silva took the mike and said to UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell, who had been saying for some time that he wants to fight Wanderlei, “Fighting is my job. I want to fight the best match. That is why I have come here. I want to accept the fight with Chuck. Chuck come out here!”, emphasizing his readiness to accept Chuck’s challenge. Liddell himself came into the octagon and the two faced off in an intense staredown.
Then Dana White stated “If Chuck beats Babalu at UFC 62, these two champions will fight at the UFC in November”.
At this announcement, it’s a sure thing the two fighters’ camps will begin moving toward making this fight happen. The first clash in history between Pride’s current champ and UFC’s current champ is now close to being realized. A great war, unprecedented in history is beginning, with the US as the stage.
Moreover, Sakakibara, who accompanied Silva to the UFC, said “Wanderlei’s participation in the UFC signals the ‘all-out war’ between us at Pride and the UFC”. And the big surprises continued.
It seems that participation of Fujita in the November UFC is also being planned. If it turns out that Fujita, Pride’s heavyweight fighter and a representative of Japan, enters the UFC, one can well imagine the multiple dreamcard matches possible.
Pride has dropped the bombshell counterattack which will blow away all the recent negativity. Who will claim victory in this great war? Pride? UFC? ——
The rest is the comment from Sakakibara. He says his and Vanderlei’s purpose in coming to the UFC is to take Chuck’s belt and make Silva the “first Pride/UFC double champion in history”. He also says a UFC fighter may take part in Pride’s 10/21 show in Las Vegas. And he comments on plans for Fujita to also take part in the Nov UFC. He says that more suprises await.
Topics: MMA, PRIDE, Stephan Marceau, UFC | 12 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
“The entire stadium erupted in loud cheers as Silva unexpectedly entered the octagon.”
😀
Good news but I think Babalu has a good chance to defeat Liddell.
Yeah…if Babalu can get Chuck to the mat. Chuck seems to be an underdog every time he steps into the Octagon, I mean atleast as far as the “forum experts” go. And yet Chuck dominates every time. I’m sure Chuck could sign to fight Rashad Evans and everyone would be like “Derr…Evans has a real shot at beating him”. Give me a break.
Providing that Wandy is healthy, we will see Chuck vs Wandy in November.
I just have a comment in regards to the July 8th pay per view event. I feel that the UFC is becoming like WWF/WWE or whatever you want to call the fake bs. I mean I haven’t before seen such BS in my life. the Shamrock, Ortiz fight was BS. Having Lidell enter the ring to stear at Silva. That is pure wwf, wwe style. I have to say up to that moment in the event I had my wonders. Once I saw that I felt this “crap” is rigged. To the UFC I say that Dana White was the worst thing that could have happened to the sport. He did good by publicizing the events. now however I feel by the looks of the fights that they are rigging the fights. and not fighthing to stay on top but fighting for the pay check and taking it easy on the way. I have seen much better organized fights in the fighting bars in Iowa.
They need to make it like it was “back in the day”. But, for now, I have to turn my attention to only pride fighters as that is where the true “fighting” is.
To the UFC I hope that you start to realize you turning in to the fake wrestling section for me. Keep it real… At least Ortiz and Shamrock truely hate each other. or they are good at making it look that way. The Lidell/ Silva face off was pure piss. if it were ortiz or shamrock they would have had people in the middle calming the down.
I have been aruing about who would win between Chuck and Silva with a friend of mine for a year. When they announced it, I was astonished. Everyone that was there exchanged high fives! It was almost worth the 39.95 just to hear that anouncment. I would love to see a “Super Bowl” type of event each year where each Organization went against the other fighter for fighter. They could split the PPV money, and alternate between UFC rules and Pride Rules. Kinda like MLB does with American and National leauges. This would be a dream come true!
Chuck’s cardio is much improved, and I give him a lot of credit for his cardio/strategy in the 2nd Jeremy Horn fight. That said, Wanderlei is a beast and I hope he takes this.
Phil Baroni is now also reported to fight on the November card, so I guess it will be an entire Pride vs UFC PPV.
Silva will destroy chuck. Silva is a machine. the only thing which goes against silva is the rules change. however I don’t think he will need the soccer kicks. he will be too fast and aggressive for chuck
CHUCK WILL TAKE BABULU OUT IN THE SECOND ROUND AT THE LATEST. SILVA WE WILL SEE, BUT I LIKE THE MATCH UP, I WILL BE THE ONLY GUY OUT HERE TO STILL PUT MY MONEY ON CHUCK
I would make it an even fight in the Octagon but Silva a -150 favorite in Pride. Hopefully Chuck gets by Babalu uninjured. Sobral is no joke and will be tough to beat. Hey Zack, when is intalment 22 coming? It’s been a while since your last show.
We’re aiming to have a new show shortly. Rob has been busy doing various non-MMA activities, so thankfully we’ll settle everything down and get back into a routine. Promise!
Based on the article from Pride, it seems like they are approaching this just liike any other “interpromotional war” type of scenario. They could benefit greatly in the U.S. if Silva were to beat Liddell. But how is any of this going to benefit Pride’s live attendance in Japan?
Also, the wording in the translation is very interesting… “He says his and Vanderlei’s purpose in coming to the UFC is to take Chuck’s belt and make Silva the “first Pride/UFC double champion in history.'”
That wording just indicates that Wanderlei could be a double champion, but it doesn’t say anything about Wanderlei’s Pride belt being on the line in the UFC.
Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves guys…everyone is talking about Chuck coming out uninjured in the upcoming PPV…but I worry more about Silva getting hurt against Cro Cop, Barnett, or Antonio. Sure would be a pisser to get my hopes up for this fight, and then be let down by some jackass injury!