"surprise statement coming from a Pro fighter."
Why's that? Maybe, just maybe he doesn't like the short notice or the local fighter favoritism or the rules? I don't maybe he's not a Mercenary like most Americans would have us believe about the fighters.
I do not mind the ring, botht he cage and the ring have their good points and bad points. I happen to agree with soccer kicks and stomps as it makes the fight more entertaining and realistic. It also keeps the fight moving and also keeps fighters on their feet more which is what the casual fan seems to enjoy the most. These guys are professionals, I do not agree with soccer kicks and stomps in amature shows as the skill level is not high enough for the fighters to avoid getting themselves into those positions.
To answer the point of the post, I do not think that the UFC is afraid of the competition, but they wree trying to do everything they could to keep Pride from getting their way. Its what I would do. The UFC in America is here to stay, that doesn't mean that the UFC still shouldn't do everything it can to screw over the Pride. Its business, I am sure Pride would do the same if the UFC tried to make a serious move to Japan.
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Well, the Pride higher ups are just as bull-headed. They want all mma to have universal rules- Pride rules.
They were up against a wall. UFC's been around and fought for legitimacy in the system for years, so that is what Pride was up against; UFC is the main organization legislators had to look at and compare against.
Yeah, UFC is a bit of a monopoly in the US, but that is only because they have been more savvy promotionwise (aside from being a real origin point for mma).
ttt
scandalous zuffa. just scandalous.
the sport could grow so much if they cooperated.
UFC is a joke.
btw good post john kerry about UFC japan. Pride did not try to stop UFC japan... Pride needs to get more machiavellian.. too many gentleman's agreements in japanese business.
Why is there still this perception that the UFC had to work so hard to get sanctioned?
Anyone ever entertain the thought that the reason Zuffa bought the UFC in the first place was because sanctioning was a forgone conclusion??? Lorenzo Fertitta was on the Nevada State Athletic Commission... Hello!?
Worked hard to get sanctioned my ass. Whatever work was done was all theater I'm sure. No way would they buy a failing business like the UFC unless they already knew it could be sanctioned ahead of time.
It was a damn good business move, obviously, but I don't think it was anywhere near as risky as some people believe.
I also think it is BS that Zuffa would undermine them- shame on you!
WTF? Ken testified against them too? Isn't he fighting on the next PRIDE show? What a whore
just from a casual fan's point of view, I think that they should be able to knee and kick on the ground. I am sure that the fighters are vulnerable while on the ground, but it is a a fight! -which has brutal contact sometimes. I also don't really understand the big deal with punches to the back of the head? -is this some sort of a greater injury risk?
ttt
Why are you accepting shootfightermike's comments at face value?
Was there some source that I missed?
Not saying that Zuffa didn't do what mike is alledging but how come he isn't answering that question?
Why should Pride be allowed to come over here and use looser rules than everyone else?
shut up sticky!
zuffa did it, you know it!
now we get no pride in the usa!
Rings are very safe though!
"how can you not love soccer kicks and stomps?"
Dude, that is what I am saying, how can you be a mma fan and not like soccer kicks and stomps to the dome?
"Why should Pride be allowed to come over here and use looser rules than everyone else?"
They have superior fighters and more $$.
Pride should have to follow the same rules the UFC does. If they don't want to they should stay in japan.
Some of you guys do not seem to have a clue as to the level of politics stacked against UFC through the mid to late 90's. If you followed the sport closely in that time period through when Zuffa took over, you would not be whining about anything UFC is doing to hold Pride and its rules out of the states, if they are in fact doing anything.
The bottom line is it is practically a miracle that the sport even exists in this country on the level at which it does today. SEG Sports was about as successful at dealing with the politics at the end of their run as Frank Trigg has been at ecscaping the rear naked choke. Zuffa had to work very carefully and systematically to get this sport to where it is today in this country.
The sport went from having a PPV universe consisting of basically sattelite owners to universal acceptance. The sport went from having little or no state regulatory sancioning to having sancioning in the most important states in the country. The sport went from being in small arenas in areas of the country that you simply could not draw decent numbers to holding events at the most prestigeous arenas in Las Vegas, the fight capital of the world.
To make a long story short, it would be a tragedy if Pride were to come into this country after all the careful work Zuffa did with the athletic commissions to get this sport to where it is accepted as it is today, and screw all that up by allowing soccer kicks and a couple other brutal techniques that are likely to start the next political uprising against the sport. If you were involved in or followed the sport in the early days, you would never be voicing this opinion.
this sux.
But it is all business for the ufc and zuffa. all for the dollar.
hell, they try to keep local run shows from using a cage without getting paid.
of course they are going to try to keep pride out. pride would kill them in the u.s. market, imo, if more people saw it.