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PRIDE Otoko Matsuri 2006
By Zach Arnold | November 15, 2006
Fighters announced today (who will participate on the 12/31 Saitama Super Arena show): Emelianenko Fedor, Mark Hunt, Mirko Cro Cop, Josh Barnett, Vanderlei Silva, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Hidehiko Yoshida, Kazuyuki Fujita, Takanori Gomi, Mauricio Shogun, and Dan Henderson.
Tickets go on sale this Sunday starting at 10 AM.
Topics: All Topics, Japan, Media, MMA, PRIDE, Zach Arnold | 10 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Now let’s watch as the forums are flooded with comments from people who assume that Fedor will face Mirko just because they’re both listed, even though Mirkos recent foot surgery makes it uncertain whether he will actually be fit for fight (or has there been an update on that?). I predict the following match-ups:
Fedor – Shogun (non-title match perhaps? Would be unfair to give shogun title shot)
Mirko – Mark Hunt (re-match)
Josh – Big Nog (re-match)
Wanderlei – Kazuyuki Fujita (re-match)
Because really, the only one deserving a title shot against Fedor is Mirko, and it’s been rumoured and hinted at for some time that this might be held off until the next Vegas event. So instead of giving it to someone Mirko beat to get first in line, they give Fedor to Shogun. But that would also give fuel to people saying Fedor is being given too easy opponents. It’s time Fedor gets a proper test again, but that test pretty much MUST be Mirko now, which might not happen until February.
Mirko lost against Hunt so he will be interested in settling that, and the same goes for big nog and josh. Mirko won’t be facing Josh for a fourth time.
As for Wanderlei, he could be up against Hidehiko Yoshida as well – it’s hard to tell. Perhaps it’ll be Yoshida vs Shogun, but then who gets Fedor? Fujita? That’d be messed up, and then who would Wanderlei get? naaah, I’ll stick to my prediction above.
…I’ll make a second post, quoting user SuperGNP on the sherdog forum:
“å‡ºå ´äºˆå®šé¸æ‰‹ means these are the possible names, but not confirmed.”
So let’s not get too excited (and I guess I was right about CroCop not necessarily being fit for fight).
Josh Barnett should not be on this card. The shape he is in I would not fancy him v Nog. Josh should rest up till Febuary.
Not to rag on Pride or anything, but they were also announcing Mirko and Silva for their USA show, and that never happened. Go check out Nokaut.com forums where half of Mirko’s training squad posts, and they’ll all tell you flat out Mirko is NOT fighting on NYE.
If Ukiro is right it looks like Pride is running into one of my knocks on the UFC, that being re-match happy. They always come up with fresh meat though so I’m not too worried.
pride does this same thing before every event or atleast lately they have have.all these same fighters were listed at the real deal,shockwave and feb. they just list all of thier top fighters
I want some gomi vs ishida action.
Barnett should rest up.
Hopefully we don’t see yoshida fedor. Cause I like yoshida…
But agreed with all above posters, pride always posts a bunch of names just to tweak the hell out of it.
i have serious doubts about them having all these great fights in vegas it seems like a very long shot.fedor and crocop both want to be 100% healthy and says they wont fight otherwise well thier vegas card is only 6 weeks i believe from shockwave.pride uses the same guys for every show just about.people talk about how thin the ufc’s roster is but man pride needs to start bring along some new,fresh talent im tired of seeing wand getting beatup by hw’s and fedor fighting cans.
“fightlinker.com Says:
November 16th, 2006 at 7:04 am
Not to rag on Pride or anything, but they were also announcing Mirko and Silva for their USA show, and that never happened. Go check out Nokaut.com forums where half of Mirko’s training squad posts, and they’ll all tell you flat out Mirko is NOT fighting on NYE.”
Mirko IS fighting on NYE. Go check out Nokaut.com forums where half of Mirko’s training squad posts, and they’ll all tell you flat out Mirko IS fighting on NYE.
Al Yu … you are correct, and I am wrong. See what happens when I don’t keep on top of things for a week!
According to Nokaut and Crocop’s teammates, Mirko will be fighting on NYE, no opponent decided.