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PRIDE/DSE Planning To Hold Openweight Tournament For 2006!
By Adam Underhill | December 30, 2005
Last Monday (12/26) PRIDE General Manager Nobuhiko Takada revealed the idea of holding an Openweight grand prix next year, to finally determine who the best fighter in the world really is.
“Next year, our goal is to host an Open-Weight GP. For a long time, everyone has wanted to see this. Just get rid of this concept of weight class and decide who truly is the best. We need to prepare to host this.”
Takada hinted that DSE are offering the winners of the Light, Welter, Middle, and Heavyweight GPs (respectively) a spot in the Openweight grand prix to determine who indeed is the best all-round fighter in the world. He mentioned that the Openweight may only be held once every four years to add spectacle and prestige to the event, much like the Olympic Games or the World Cup.
The winner of Naoya Ogawa vs. Hidehiko Yoshida tomorrow night will get a spot in the Openweight grand prix according to Takada.
Topics: Adam Underhill, MMA, PRIDE | 5 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
I think they should go away from the tournament format completely for a few years. The concept is watered down and has lost its special status.
I’m in!!!! Well, not yet but I would do it.
I agree with Luke though from a fans perspective, but from a fighter$ per$pective I like the PRIDE tournament$.
Jo$h
Maybe we’re still hanging on to the early 90’s ultimate fighting era by using these tournament concepts still in modern-day MMA. In my honest opinion I think the tournament format is what is keeping MMA back from being accepted by the general public. Sure, there are lots of other factors that are contributing to this, but to me a fight tournament is very old hat.
For the fighters, the tournament format must be very exciting and probably more appealing to them than a one-fight night. I don’t think it’s doing any favours in terms of attracting new fans.
All right!! Josh Barnett is here!! Yeah, I think Pride has to tone down on the tournaments. I don’t know if this tournament is such a good idea. We all know Fedor will win it. Even if he gets injured in a fight or during training, he will do the tournament and win it.
There is nothing more dramatic than a tournament and tournaments create stars. An open weight tournament though is a very, very bad idea. The level is a lot higher than it was 13 years ago, 20lbs+ makes all the difference. Wanderlei, Henderson and Yoshida would get slaughtered if they had to face Fedor, Kharitonov or Nog.