Flying out Saturday morning...can't wait...
PRIDE LAS VEGAS SHOW: OCTOBER 21
Announced Bouts:
-Fedor Emelianenko (#1 Heavyweight in the world)* vs. Mark Coleman
-Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (#2 Light Heavyweight)* vs. Kevin Randleman
-Josh Barnett (#3 Heavyweight)* vs. Pawel Nastula
-Dan Henderson (#5 Middleweight)* vs. Vitor Belfort
-Kazuhiro Nakamura (#10 Light Heavyweight) vs. Travis Galbraith
-Joey Villasenor vs. Robbie Lawler
-Phil Baroni vs. Yosuke Nishijima
-Sean O'Haire vs. Eric "Butterbean" Esch
Fedor in the US
I hope Dana accepted the front row seats that Pride offered him (he said he'd go), since he claims to not know much about Fedor. He needs to see the best fighter in the world first-hand...
Shogun vs Randleman will probably be the best fight as far as matchups go...
Big names like Barnett, Henderson, Belfort, Baroni...but not the greatest matchups. Henderson - Belfort could be good...you never know what you'll get with Belfort...
Pride has definitely had better cards overall this year, but this is the first time Fedor has fought this year, which is enough for me to go.
I just wish I could get there a couple days sooner to watch the free training sessions and the weigh-in...
NSAC won't let them use Pride rules and Pride is choosing to not use elbows, which waters it down a little. Three 5 min rounds instead of a 10 min 1st round like they normally do...
Hunt, Fujita, and Crocop were originally on the card, but Crocop is hurt...Hunt was being forced to fight Esch under boxing rules by the NSAC so he backed out since it wasn't MMA, and I don't know what happened to Fujita. Esch will KO O'Haire with ease...basically a freak fight. Pride trying to appeal to redneck fans with names they know, even though Butterbean is an MMA fighter now. O'Haire is a WWE for the most part (has appeared in K-1). This fight is marketing BS...could do without it.
I'm really curious to see what the fanbase is like. Will they boo the non-US fighters like usually happens in the UFC? Will they boo Fedor?
Could be a historic event as far as the sport goes, or it could be failed and Pride never comes back? We'll see...
This is one of the problems with the Pride fights that I've seen at least. They have better top fighters than UFC, but so many of their fights are completely uncompe ive. I could be wrong, but from what I've seen there are more evenly matched fights in UFC than Pride.
I agree that this card has some un-evenly matched fights on paper, but that's not always the case. Maybe they want some nice KO's for the US fans? I don't know. They could've put together more compe ive matchups on paper at least...I agree 100% with that.
I'm sure if you sat the typical UFC fan down to watch Fedor vs Crocop, Fedor vs Nog (twice), Barnett vs Nog, etc...they'd think they weren't all that great of fights because they went to a decision. People that think that way will never "get" the sport and all of skills involved with being well-rounded. They'd rather see 2 dudes "stand a trade" while getting...
It does happen some in the Pride open weight tourny, but that's what that tourny is about...all weights can enter (even though it's mostly HW's). By the end of the tourny though, you have some awesome fights that more than make up for the any earlier matches that weren't very entertaining. Watch Dan Henderson (MW) vs Big Nog and tell me those mismatch fights can't be exciting (they've fought twice actually). I love seeing a guy step up a weight class (or 2 like Henderson) and see what they can do...
The UFC has mis-matches on paper too...Sherk/Florian, Fisher/Lauzon, Kongo/Marrero...just from UFC 64. , o/Shamrock twice...
Bottom line IMO, I don't think there's much difference between UFC / Pride as far as # of mis-matches goes...
Badass Fedor HL to "Tool"...
http://www.filefactory.com/file/480339/
http://www.dailymotion.com/psykojojo...o-highlight-hl
Video of the Chute Box and Hammerhouse public workout sessions. Shogun didn't do anything. There was a simulated fight between Wand Silva and another Chute Box fighter. Silva said he'll be back in Vegas in Feb after fighting in Japan in Dec. Don't know if that means vs Chuck or in the next Pride US show. Not sure why they're calling him the "Undefeated MW Pride champ"??? Randleman and Coleman goofed around with a simulated fight too.
http://www.sherdog.com/videos/videos.asp?v_id=934
Pictures from fans
http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?t=446110
http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?t=446046
Fedor and Coleman workout session (pictures)
http://www.sherdog.com/news/pictures.asp?n_id=5927
Video - Fedor speaking to the fans (some English)...he looks so uncomfortable.
http://www.sherdog.com/videos/videos.asp?v_id=936
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoEo08fhOos
Recent UFC le fight mis-matches...
Franklin/Quarry
Arlovski/Eilers
Arlovski/Buentello
Hughes/Riggs (supposed to be if Riggs would've made weight)
Throw Hughes/Gracie in there too. Not a le bout but still an absurd mismatch.
butterbean vs o'haire is a huge mismatch
Don't say that!
You'll undermine the worldwide dominance that pride has in some people's minds!!!
Live from Vegas!!
What a freakin' trip...unbelievable. I'll have a full recap of my Forrest Gump-like experience this later week...
Butterbean-O'Haire being on this card has ZERO impact on the overall quality of the Pride org. That fight was all about marketing to the US crowd. Butterbean probably got the biggest ovation, from what was probably the most educated MMA audience the US has seen. I'm sure that Pride's intent was to bring in Butterbean, who IS an MMA fighter now with American Top Team and whose claim to fame is never having been KO'd, in order to draw US fans looking for a name and them have him get KO'd by Mark Hunt. That backfired a little when Hunt wasn't cleared to fight in the US and they had to get a last minute replacement. There was very little booing and no booing of foreign fighters...Baroni was about the only fighter with noticeable boos and it was probably due to his not so tasteful gestures during his intro. No USA USA USA chants. Very few redneck idiots from what I saw (yes, I know I didn't see EVERYBODY there)...that's just my opinion on what I saw.
Yes, he's an MMA fighter now. Yes, he's a SPARE MMA fighter and didn't deserve to be on that card, or in Pride at all. He was a last minute fill-in for Mark Hunt due to Visa problems.
So was it as awesome as it looked on ppv, you lucky bas ?
I figured this would be different from the typical UFC crowd (as far as booing, "USA" chants and so forth. People go to the monthly UFC events now because it's the thing to do and they have nowhere else to go. Pride is not as well known to the general liquored-up public, so the fans are much more likely to be less drunk and more appreciative of the fighters' skill level, regardless of their country of origin
...what was probably the most educated MMA audience the US has seen.
Is that a fact?
Or is this your Opinion Hard Facts?
Leonard, you are one lucky SOB. I really considered heading out there for the show and now I'll always regret not going.
When Fedor came out in the red Sambo gi and the fake snow was falling on him, I mean what can i say? That was just a really cool moment. Damn I wish i would have gone to the show!!!
You're right about the crowd. The fact that they only booed twice during a 4 hour show is amazing in itself.
I don't know...haven't seen the PPVSo was it as awesome as it looked on ppv, you lucky bas ?
I figured this would be different from the typical UFC crowd (as far as booing, "USA" chants and so forth. People go to the monthly UFC events now because it's the thing to do and they have nowhere else to go. Pride is not as well known to the general liquored-up public, so the fans are much more likely to be less drunk and more appreciative of the fighters' skill level, regardless of their country of origin
I knew that reply was coming from you. Of course it's my opinion, but talk to anybody that was there, or read any review of the event, and it IS a FACT that this was a totally different crowd. These fans knew MMA...they weren't there to see 2 guys "stand and trade" like the typical UFC fan.
LOL...if you only knew the luck I ran into
Fedor's entrance was badass (did you notice him trip on the last step? lol). He's officially my favorite athlete in the world...see ya later Dirk!
The Coleman kids moment was very strange and funny to watch on tv. It was like some nightmarish version of Rocky gone terribly wrong. It was funny when Coleman was saying, "This is Fedor. He's a nice guy," as his children screamed in horror at that man who had just destroyed their father.Fedor's entrance was badass (did you notice him trip on the last step? lol). He's officially my favorite athlete in the world...see ya later Dirk!
When I was kid it freaked me to see my dad's face after he shaved his mustache. I can't imagine what it must be like for those kids to see their dad's face after a round and half with Fedor.
LMAO...no kidding!! I'm working on my write-up...give me another day for pics, etc...
dp
Last edited by LEONARD; 01-29-2007 at 04:18 PM.
Leonard,
Those are some of the best pics I've ever seen! Just AWESOME! I can't believe you got the photos with Vanderlei Silva and Fedor! I didn't realize that I'm bigger than Fedor??? How much does he weigh? I'm 6'1", 223 lbs.
Thanks man! It was a blast. We called it a "Forrest Gump-like" experience. We're probably in the background of whatever video they were rolling of the fighters warming up...
He weighed in at 224 lbs...Coleman was the same...
I see Trigg shaved his head again...
Seriously though, I wish I had thought to have you bring me a t-shirt or something
and arms, legs, etc...my brother said his arms were prickley (sp?)...I see Trigg shaved his head again...
Seriously though, I wish I had thought to have you bring me a t-shirt or something
I would've if you would've asked
Jeez, I figured Mr Dio would be in here ripping on me for something by now...
For taking pics?????
Dude, I'm like a Japanese with the digital camera & digital video camera.
I take pics everywhere of everything.
Very nice pics though.
Must've been totally stoked to get in so close to an athlete you like so much.
I do need a trip to Vegas though.
Planning a couple of trips to Dallas for Nov or Dec Cowboy games.
I figured you'd have some comments if I posted pics of myself...nice to see that you didn't...For taking pics????? Dude, I'm like a Japanese with the digital camera & digital video camera. I take pics everywhere of everything.
Very nice pics though. Must've been totally stoked to get in so close to an athlete you like so much.
I do need a trip to Vegas though. Planning a couple of trips to Dallas for Nov or Dec Cowboy games.
It was a killer trip...
I live in Ft Worth and I won't go to Irving for a Cowboys game...what a whippin'
That looks likes the experience of a lifetime! If I were you I would frame the pic with Fedor and display it. I'd do the same thing with the Wandy pic.
How about that Baroni pic though? He DOES look pissed in it. That's pretty funny and a little scary at the same time.
The shot of the empty ring is one that could be framed too.
That's really awesome that you were able to sneak in early for the photo opportunities. I'll have to give that a try whenever I finally make it out to a live event.
Great stuff man. Thanks for sharing.
Yea, I just might have to frame some of those
Nah, Baroni definitely wasn't pissed...it just looks that way...
Definitely plan on going in Feb. If I can make it to that one too, I'll definitely be there early again. And I'll be looking for the same press conference in the same building. Even if I can't get in, I can wait outside for pic opportunities...
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