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« | Home | »

PRIDE and WWE doing business together?

By Stephan | November 17, 2006

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Comment from Zach: Only WWE.com could find a way to have the phrases Big Dick Johnson and Let’s Go to Prison on their news page when talking about PRIDE. The Underground Forum and Sherdog threads about this developing story.

By Stephan Marceau

This is getting interesting (or may be getting interesting), not sure that Zach will like this, check this out at WWE.com.

Earlier today, WWE.com learned that WWE officials and members of the group PRIDE had a meeting scheduled this morning at WWE global headquarters in Stamford, Conn. The meeting would focus on the possibility of the two groups doing some form of business together in the future.

World Wrestling Entertainment is a multimedia conglomerate with a presence in films, music, and sports-entertainment around the world. Known for its unique brand of competition, PRIDE is a major championship mixed martial arts organization based in Japan.

I don’t know much about wrestling, but they have definitely lost viewership to Zuffa (and merchandising). Evolution about to happen perhaps?

Topics: All Topics, MMA, PRIDE, Stephan Marceau, WWE | 45 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

45 Responses to “PRIDE and WWE doing business together?”

  1. I don’t know whether to be terrified or excited. With the WWE brand and marketing muscle behind PRIDE, they could finally get the attention from North America they need to be a serious contender here. This opens up a lot of questions as to how the two companies could work together and what PRIDE would have to give in terms of finances and control to the WWE in order to make this deal happen.

  2. BSP says:

    This is intriguing, indeed. If, as rumored, Vince McMahon wants to get into the MMA world, partnering with the already-established PRIDE would be a good move. If PRIDE can somehow use WWE’s U.S. popularity to get onto mainstream U.S. tv, they could certainly give the UFC a run for their money in this market.

    Of course, all of this would depend upon McMahon controlling his tendencies toward megalomania. But if he can do that, this could be a very profitable partnership.

  3. JThue says:

    Holy crap. Reading the headline I expected a new speculation/rumour-piece, but this is straight from the freaking horse’s mouth. This is getting seriously interesting right about now!

  4. TorontoMike says:

    Wonder how many times Dana’s used the “F-word” in the last half hour.

  5. iain says:

    Man, this will be interesting. I am still scared of percieved association of MMA and fake wrestling(fine, sports entertainement) in the eyes of the mainstream.

    Still pretty interesting.

  6. BSP says:

    “Wonder how many times Dana’s used the “F-word” in the last half hour.”

    Best line I’ve read all day.

  7. Zeppelin says:

    While the addition of funds from the deep pockets of WWE and the marketing muscle, I think it’s a risky thing for Pride. To be tied even in an ancillary way to pro-wrestling could result in the non-hardcore fans doubting the legitimacy of the fighters. If McMahon wants to fund Pride, then thats great, but I doubt he will limit himself to that capacity and will no doubt try to “brand” Pride with his signature style and push WWE talent into events. So more of people like Sean O’Haire. Ugh. More freakshow matches.

    On the positive side, Pride’s presentation meshes well with WWE’s, both being very slick.

    At this point, I’m more scared of Pride disappearing off of the face of Earth and us never getting to watch talented non-US fighters like Noguiera or Gomi just because they don’t fit in with UFC’s “All American good ol boy” marketing and can’t speak English well.

  8. Japanime says:

    lol.

    Zach can eat a fat dick! We all know he is praying for PRIDE to go out of business because he’s a loser with no life.

  9. Stephan says:

    “At this point, I’m more scared of Pride disappearing off of the face of Earth and us never getting to watch talented non-US fighters like Noguiera or Gomi just because they don’t fit in with UFC’s “All American good ol boy” marketing and can’t speak English well.”

    My feelings exactly!

  10. Mr1000Cent says:

    Yes, but Pride also has Hustle. From a pro wrestling stand point I see something inter-promotional between those two company’s happening that way, then trying to explain to the larger WWE audience in North America why they are showing real fights from Pride FC and Pride Bushido that make the WWE’s “worked” pro wrestling matches look like a joke.

    I know I have that problem when I’m over my UFC fan, neighbor’s house, and TNA comes on after the Ultimate Fighter or UFC Unleashed, and he and his friends see the “fake wrestlers” (that’s probably the nicest way to put it) show up on his TV. It’s a bad scene (well for SpikeTV’s viewer ratings), with him usually changing the channel.

    I know a WWE fan that is an insane, well, what the Internet writers would call, a mark. And being this stereotypical action figure collecting, pro wrestler shrine creating fan, he never got into the concept of MMA. But then again he probably hasn’t seen a good MMA show or PPV either. So the question would be IMO, what would happen if the WWE markets this joint venture with Pride wrong, and show the pro wrestling fans a bunch of classic Pride FC fights? Could that kill off a fan base of WWE pro wrestling fans that never seen or barely heard of the sport of MMA?

  11. Will Ziacoma says:

    Partnering? Who wants to bet that these meetings are more about WWE purchasing Pride than partnering with them. When is the last time Vince McMahon partnered with anyone on a new venture? If Vince truly wants to get involved in MMA what better is there to do it? He gets the brand and more importantly the talent. Sprinkle in some of the WWE marketing resources and you have an incredibly formidable competitor to the UFC.

  12. Kevin says:

    “When is the last time Vince McMahon partnered with anyone on a new venture?”
    um, NBC, for the XFL?

  13. Zach Arnold says:

    Right now, my stance is look at this as nothing more than window dressing. Remember, WWE publicized a meeting with Simon Inoki of New Japan several months ago. And nothing resulted from it.

    It’s basically WWE looking to generate web traffic and get ahead of those dirty, evil sheet writers and gossip web sites.

    What a bailout financially it would be for WWE to save PRIDE, however.

  14. WWE saving Pride? Bahahaha…Vince would just figure out a way to mess it up.

  15. Zack says:

    Definitely the most interesting news in a LONG time. Crazy stuff out of left field. This & the Showtime deal in the same week are HUGE stories

  16. GassedOut says:

    “WWE saving Pride? Bahahaha…Vince would just figure out a way to mess it up. ”

    You know, I’m willing to bet that VMac or Shane-o-Mac would have a hard time resisting the temptation to have the fights pre-arranged. That right there would cause lost viewers…

    As for Dana’s use of the F-Word…ain’t nothing new there…my guess is that he’s going to adopt a wait and see posture about it.

  17. PizzaChef says:

    Yes we ALL KNOW that Zach hates PRIDE and wants it to die and that he LOVES Dana White and wants to marry him.

    Seriously though. I’m terrified about this. And I thought things wouldn’t get worse. Remember that Vince tried to buy UFC but decided against it cause it was a huge risk at the time?

    If he tries to buy out PRIDE, he would have direct competition with the UFC…But imagine him trying to run PRIDE ugh….With his “UFC should fix matches to put over younger talent” crap. Ugh. Vince do that with your own WRESTLING federation first please. You know, follow your own advice.

    To end this note: If PRIDE gets bought out by WWE or does a business partnership with them, let’s just hope they don’t do a Katie Vick angle with Fedor.

    Update: I don’t see the story on the WWE main page. Taken down?

  18. Zach Arnold says:

    Pizza – it was taken down.

    This is embarassing. This is not the kind of association PRIDE needs in America. If it happens, Jeff’s fear will come true (and one that Dave Doyle talked about on our show three weeks ago) – that any association of MMA to pro-wrestling in America will kill the credibility of the industry.

    Unbelievable.

  19. Ray says:

    This is the worst move ever!!! money in exchange of credibility.
    Unbelievable!!! I love pride!!! Don´t destroy the sport!!!

  20. Mike says:

    Watch WWE get involved in MMA … then watch MMA’s mainstream media credibility that took a decade to build up vanish overnight.

  21. JThue says:

    It’s up again now, but the more updates to come later part has been removed.

    UFC is pretty much the only MMA-organization in the States desperately trying to distance themselves from pro-wrestling now, so whether or not being associated with WWE would be a bad thing for PRIDE remains to be seen. It certainly wouldn’t hurt their business in Japan, which no one has mentioned.

    BTW, did the american MMA-audience run away from UFC when they put on the most pro-wrestling’ishly built match in their history last month? Uhm, no.

    But really, quit the jumping to conclusions here people. This could be anything from a video game deal, to WWE taking over Hustle, to WWE simply buing stock in PRIDE, to having to do with exchange of announcers, etc; etc; etc. The ONLY thing we know right now is that WWE decided to post this on their main page and that the story states the meeting was about a potential business relationship at whatever level. The ONLY thing we know is that it’s an eye-catching and interesting story.

  22. Preach says:

    Japanime: Isn’t there a convention or something where you can dress up like a cat or Sailor Moon and continually use the word “kawaii”, and just leave the grown-ups on this site alone ?

    Your otaku-self may try to project it’s own mental and sexual shortcomings and defects on Zach, but i bet he’s not losing any sleep over it.

    But now back to the topic: Just like Zach said, it’s not the first time someone from Japan met up with a WWE-Official and nothing ever came of it. If i had to take a wild guess i’d say that Bob Sapp has signed with WWE (as has been rumored for some time now), and Pride wants to borrow him, in order to spice up their NYE-show. I just don’t see a real mutual working-relationship in the foreseeable future. Vince’s ego, his will to control things, is just too big, for him to just “partner up”. It’s either his way, or no way. I don’t think that he’d settle for less than a 51% stake in Pride. Vince just being a minority owner? No chance in hell!

  23. PizzaChef says:

    Preach: Or him being a fanboy for the shitty American version of Naruto and him screaming out “BELIEVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!” in his mom’s basement. 😉

    JThue: If you are referring to Ortiz vs. Shamrock 3. You really can’t call it pro wrsetling style cause Ortiz and Shamrock had legitamite (spelling?) hatred for each other….But the end of the fight on the other hand….That is transparent. No one knows if that is real or just an act or not. So…It’s not really that much like Pro Wrestling.

  24. The Gaijin says:

    Personally I’m surprised at a lot of people on this board not looking at this situation for what it is. Likely the fact that DSE and WWE are talking about something to do with their related wrestling ventures.

    Zach, I’m PERSONALLY surprised at you for neglecting to mention this given your “expertise” on puro in Japan and not coming out and saying the its likely some joint venture b/w Hustle and WWE not WWE and Pride. Say what people will about you having some bias, but I think its irresponsible for you to not bring this up and to be like the rest of the sheep who take it at face value and say Pride MMA = WWE soon or whatever rhetoric they’re spouting.

    If anything WWE is trying to drum up some controversy about them throwing their hat into mma, when in all likelihood all they are doing is something like talking about joint shows in Japan with Hustle or N/A shows. Hustle for one thing is Japan’s only real current “sportz entertainment” wrestling promotion.

  25. The Gaijin says:

    Zach:

    My apologies – I don’t know how to edit, but I must have missed it while scrolling earlier and have just now seen it.

    Where you did speak about this being window dressing – so I withdraw my comments on that part of my diatribe. However dont you think this *IS* if anything more talks for Hustle/WWE than PRIDE/WWE?

  26. Zach Arnold says:

    Zach, I’m PERSONALLY surprised at you for neglecting to mention this given your “expertise” on puro in Japan and not coming out and saying the its likely some joint venture b/w Hustle and WWE not WWE and Pride. Say what people will about you having some bias, but I think its irresponsible for you to not bring this up and to be like the rest of the sheep who take it at face value and say Pride MMA = WWE soon or whatever rhetoric they’re spouting.

    Before the Las Vegas show, Mauro Ranallo said that WWE (Shane McMahon) was supposed to appear at the LV event. It was clear that WWE’s intentions were MMA first, wrestling second.

    In Japan, it’s much easier on a cultural level for PRIDE to lay out differences for wrestling and MMA. In America, PRIDE being attached to WWE certainly could mean big money, but it could also be a big credibility killer.

    I’m sure that if WWE signs Bob Sapp, PRIDE will try to get Sapp’s services through this kind of exchange.

  27. Preach says:

    Pizza: Yeah, he’s definetely the type of guy that sneaks up on other people and tries the “Thousand years of pain”…

    The Gaijin: If the meeting had been about Hustle, don’t you think they would’ve written “DSE”, “Dream Stage Entertainment” or “Hustle” on the WWE website instead of “PRIDE is a major championship mixed martial arts organization” ?

  28. The Gaijin says:

    I must have missed Ranallo’s comments on that one…that does definately give a lot more credence to that argument.

    I fully agree with you on the rest as well – I was just under the impression WWE was trying to gain steam from its DSE talks to *hint* mma/wrestling crossing paths – but as “desperate” as PRIDE/DSE seems to be…this is not the right avenue.

    Do you think that DSE does not realize the cultural differences when considering these deals?
    It certainly seemed so when they were planning Real Deal – where they tried to apply: American vs. Superstar – and figured the US audience would want to see them fight, whether they stood a realistic chance or not. I realize they were likely also trying to provide a showcase to those unfamiliar with the product, but it seems as though they think they can market identically in JPN and NA.

    For one thing, I don’t think they would clamour to see a gold medalist (i.e. Ogawa/US counterpart) fight on a big show just b/c they were a gold medalist.

  29. The Gaijin says:

    Preach: yes I see your point. However I’m not about to put it passed WWE to put that on their front page to attract web traffic only to later pull the “bait and switch” that it was PRIDE’s parent company DSE they were actually talking to.

    In reality they WERE talking with DSE, the parent company of PRIDE and can thus not be called liars should it materialize that the discussions were merely about Hustle.

    I just don’t accept things at face value b/c they were published on the interweb…especially a pro wrestling website.

  30. The Gaijin says:

    Preach: I see your point however I’m not about to put it past WWE and VKM to say that on their website in order to attract badly desired publicity and web traffic.

    DSE is PRIDE’s parent company – so in all likelihood the people that run PRIDE (DSE’s men) are in fact meeting with WWE. However its also likely it could end up materializing the Hustle and WWE have some sort of working agreement and the WWE can shrug and say – “Hey! its not a lie we met with the head’s of PRIDE, who also run DSE who also run Hustle – so it was all legit.”

    I’m sorry but I don’t always take things I read on the intraweb at face value…especially not a pro wrestling website.

  31. The Gaijin says:

    Preach: I see your point however I’m not about to put it past WWE and VKM to say that on their website in order to attract badly desired publicity and web traffic.

    DSE is PRIDE’s parent company – so in all likelihood the people that run PRIDE (DSE’s men) are in fact meeting with WWE. However its also likely it could end up materializing the Hustle and WWE have some sort of working agreement and the WWE can shrug and say – “Hey! its not a lie we met with the head’s of PRIDE, who also run DSE who also run Hustle – so it was all legit.”

    I’m sorry but I don’t always take things I read on the intraweb at face value…especially not a pro wrestling website.

    p.s. Zach – isn’t it a tad heavy handed to start filtering my comments b/c I made one statement about you not saying something…when legitimately you never once mentioned anything about the possibility of Hustle. So much for lack of censorship.

  32. The Gaijin says:

    Preach: I’d love to reply but now I’m apparently being filtered and my comments removed.

    Thanks Zach – didn’t realize criticisms and opinions were bannable offence!

  33. Royal B. says:

    I think posting about meeting with PRIDE was to just get a rise out of Dana. Their version of “keeping him on his toes”?

    I’m curious though. Could we see something like a UFC/TNA partnership where even though they’re two different things, they both give each other a little ad time as well as a mention of their big events from time to time?

  34. The Gaijin says:

    Anyways…

    Preach: While I see your point, I dont for one second put it past WWE and VKM to overexaggerate their position or the reasons for their meeting.

    These guys are the king of “bait and switch” and could easily argue that while they said they met with the head guys from PRIDE, those are also the same people who head DSE and thus their other subsidiary organization Hustle. There’s nothing saying that when something materializes its not a working agreement b/w Hustle/WWE in JPN and NA and WWE can say “Hey – we weren’t lying when we said we met with the heads of PRIDE b/c they are also the heads of Hustle.”

    I just don’t take everything I read on the interweb at face value – especially NOT from a pro wrestling website.

    I guess we’ll see how this all shakes out in the end…however it’s pretty silly that some people *cough*cough* that are supposed to be experts on the business failed to mention that as a possibility in any way, regardless of other things.

  35. Preach says:

    Seriously kids, is there nothing else you can do, apart from whining and complaining? Because that’s exactly what you’re doing 90% of the time, and even if, and that’s a big IF, you come up with something at least halfway useful or interesting, you’ll negate what you just wrote by calling Zach or the other posters names. This isn’t Sherdog or the Underground, where you can just live up to your homophobia by calling someone who doesn’t share your opinion a f*g or a “romo”, or lamenting that the UFC caters to white trash redneck hicks, while at the same time using exactly the type of gutter talk these “rednecks” allegedly use.

  36. Preach says:

    Gaijin: Of course the WWE could spin things “their” way, but then again, they could’ve also worked the Simon Inoki-story into their favor, by just stating that they met with “Inoki”. That could’ve been interpreted by various sites that they met up with Antonio, which surely would’ve made for some better headlines than “just” a meeting with NJPW’s president Simon. Just like you said, if the truth had come out they could’ve just said that they only stated that they talked with “Inoki”, but not which one. But honestly, i don’t think that Vince aims for such a kind of cheap heat, at least not on the Internet, since not too many people read their statements/news concerning “company stuff”.

    We’ll see if there’ll be a follow-up to the story, or if it’ll just fade away without a conclusion.

  37. Zach Arnold says:

    p.s. Zach – isn’t it a tad heavy handed to start filtering my comments b/c I made one statement about you not saying something…when legitimately you never once mentioned anything about the possibility of Hustle. So much for lack of censorship.

    I know that there is this image that I hover over the web site 24/7, but the fact is that I’ve been gone for the past three hours (including on the phone with Luke, Mr. Roadblock, and others discussing various MMA stories).

    There’s a very simple explanation as to why your replies didn’t show up at once. They were caught in the spam filter. I’ve repeatedly said on this site in the past that if you post under multiple aliases and you use fake e-mail addresses, the spam filter will always catch your replies and put them into trash. I have to go into the trash folder and restore your replies before they get deleted.

    You posted replies under The Gaijin and Redneck Mafia, and then used 4 different variations of fake Hotmail addresses.

  38. Japanime says:

    Looks like PRIDE is taking over the world and UFC is still doing shows in Hard Rock Hotel.

    Sorry Zach!! LOL

  39. Royal B. says:

    Does anyone find it funny that this information is in the “Wasteland” section of Sherdog?

  40. Chuck says:

    I just thought of something. Wasn’t U-STYLE under DSE up to last year or so? Any way, this is pretty messed up. If WWE and PRIDE do partner up, then maybe we can see Dana White finally put his ego aside and join up with TNA? And to Zeppellin. PRIDE was founded through pro wrestling roots. Many folks pretty much do consider PRIDE as an extension of UWFi. You know, like how PANCRASE is an extention of Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi.

  41. The Gaijin says:

    Actually they are all real and legitimate hotmail addresses. I didnt realize that it for some reason saved one name on my computer when I posted and wasnt really keeping track of the name i used….im not a huge poster on the boards.

    Sorry to ruffle your feathers…but when I make a post, then it gets taken down *magically* (I’m sure by your spam filter *wink*) and won’t allow me to make any more posts to reply to comments, I take that as being censored.

    And the fact that you say I used 4 emails (in fact it was 2 – I used my other LEGITIMATE email after you stopped allowing me to post with my other one) AND know the two different names I used…says to me that YOU or someone who works with/for YOU – was overseeing the comments.

    Why would it “delete” my replies? Isn’t a message board set up so that people can post comments, then reply to other comments? I posted EVERY comment on this thread with the same name and email address until suddenly it wouldnt allow my post, conveniently after you’d replied to it and then pulled it off the board.

    Whatever bro, you’re getting way to pick and touchy about *any* criticism that comes your way – get a grip.

  42. Zach Arnold says:

    Why would it “delete” my replies? Isn’t a message board set up so that people can post comments, then reply to other comments? I posted EVERY comment on this thread with the same name and email address until suddenly it wouldnt allow my post, conveniently after you’d replied to it and then pulled it off the board.

    Ask some of your fellow commenters here, who also find their replies put into an automatic spam filter. It happens. When I go to restore any comments put into the spam filter, it shows your name and the e-mail address you entered into the box.

  43. The Gaijin says:

    Preach: At the time they were talking with (Simon) Inoki had not (Antonio) Inoki ceased to have any ties to NJPW??

    Im pretty sure that was the case, so it really wouldn’t have made sense for them to claim “Inoki” because the only “Inoki” working for NJPW at the time was Simon Inoki.

    Anyways, its neither here nor there in the grand scheme of things and I guess just like Cartman we’ll have to be patient and wait and see unless we want to freeze ourselves or something.

  44. JThue says:

    Pizza: There was real distain between Ortiz and Shamrock heading into their first match. From there on it may or may not have been personal anymore. The staged confrontations and promo-hype for their second and third fights were straight out of the pro-wrestling playbook, and it’s not like this isn’t something UFC does with other fights as well(just look at them milking the GSP statement towards Hughes after the Penn-fight). The scenes after Ortiz – Shamrock III clearly showed that by fight time the hatred was a work. Dana White doesn’t mind putting wrestling-ways to use in UFC, he just makes sure not to get directly associated with- or acknowledge pro-wrestling.

  45. Mike says:

    Gaijin, it’s Zach’s board. If you don’t like his rules why don’t you start your own f-ing site? No one owes you anything.