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Tito Ortiz: Put boxing match with Dana on PPV
By Zach Arnold | October 5, 2006
Dave Doyle at Fox Sports has a very good interview/article piece on Tito Ortiz. Dave also gives his thoughts on the promoting styles of both UFC & PRIDE:
UFC models itself after boxing promotions. PRIDE’s roots trace back to pro wrestling. Rarely has this been more obvious than in the buildup to PRIDE’s The Real Deal on Oct. 21. The show features quite possibly the greatest volume of star power ever assembled on a North American MMA show.
That’s best star power. Not best matchups.
Thus far, the announced card comes off like the highest-priced taping of Superstars of Wrestling ever, with fights designed to showcase individual fighters rather than to offer top-notch elite matches like those given to Japanese fans at the Open Weight Grand Prix. Fedor Emelianenko vs. a 41-year old Mark Coleman isn’t all that different than Ortiz-Shamrock. Then you have carnival acts like a Mike Tyson appearance and a match featuring Butterbean.
PRIDE has also employed some of the oldest-school tricks in the pro wrestling promotional playbook by constantly grandstanding the UFC, trying to make a splash against the established brand name. And they’re smart to do it, because Dana White seems to grab at the bait every time it is set, including a satellite radio verbal dust-up with a PRIDE announcer a couple weeks back.
Topics: All Topics, Media, MMA, PRIDE, UFC, Zach Arnold | 9 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Well this guy is clearly anti-PRIDE like you are, Zach. Since when has PRIDE been anything like, or associated heavily with, pro wrestlers and/or pro wrestling? Crazy-talk.
Pride does have a history with pro wrestling since many pro wrestlers have fought in pride and some of the math outcomes have been predetermined ( any match Nobuhiko Tokada won including Mark Coleman). Having said that Pride is still the best MMA show around and has much better fighter than UFC. When Dana White takes his hands, name and face off everything he thinks he can make a dollar on , the UFC can return to the glory days when the organization was respected.
That’s japanese pro wrestling they are refering to dumbass.
Ever heard of a guy named Sakuraba?
“Since when has PRIDE been anything like, or associated heavily with, pro wrestlers and/or pro wrestling?”
I should assume you’re a troll for asking something so obvious.
But for those playing at home, PRIDE has been associated with pro-wrestling since PRIDE 1, when the main event was Rickson Gracie vs. professional wrestler Nobuhiko Takada.That same Takada is currently PRIDE’s #2 executive and at the same time performing at a cartoonish WWE-like wrestling promotion (HUSTLE).
I still find it funny that someone from FOX Sports is putting the mouth on it’s own product.
I was being sarcastic. Apologies.
The UFC is so much like boxing that the president will be boxing one of his employees.
But what I want to know, if Pride has it’s roots with pro wrestling, when is the world going to see the first ever MMA tag team match? :D.
Mr1000Cent:
ZST back in 2004 I believe. Correct me if I’m wrong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwBzDhm5feg