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Mauro Ranallo leaves PRIDE
By Zach Arnold | November 9, 2006
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The Fight Network reports that announcer Mauro Ranallo has left PRIDE in what Loretta Hunt indicates is a “re-organization of PRIDE’s Los Angeles offices in the coming weeks.”
Fight Report: PRIDE’s ship continues to sink as Ranallo bails out
MMA Toronto: Mauro Ranallo gone from PRIDE
On October 22nd, the day after PRIDE’s Las Vegas event, PRIDE boss Nobuyuki Sakakibara stated on November 10th there would be an announcement in regards to PRIDE’s attempts to get on free network television in Japan for New Year’s Eve. This date was long-circled by many Japanese fight fans as an important date to find out whether or not PRIDE would rebound by getting a new TV deal. It’s November 10th right now, and there is no TV deal announced. This is called losing face, and in Japanese business culture losing face is a big deal. The five major free TV networks (TBS, Nippon TV, Fuji TV, TV-Asahi, and TV-Tokyo) are finalizing plans now for their New Year’s Eve programming. The longer any sort of announcement by PRIDE is delayed, the less likely it is they will be back on Japanese television.
“If they don’t get a deal for New Year’s Eve, it is a terrible sign for the organization.” — Dave Meltzer, 11/2/2006
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