Pride wants to destroy the UFC [Forum Archive]

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Pride DSE president Sakakibara is gunning for the UFC in a big way according to Tokyo Sports newspaper in Japan. Sakakibara’s goal is to bring his show and fighters to America and takeover the UFC. This takeover plan involves his aim to take all the UFC belts and a supershow or an MMA superbowl of sorts.

The first part of this takeover plan that was disclosed to Tokyo Sports is to happen in November at UFC 65 when Wanderlei Silva fights the UFC’s Chuck Liddell. And as Pres. Sakakibara puts it his fighters will “devour” all the UFC athletes.

On July 8th Sakakibara and Wanderlei Silva attended UFC 61 and the Pride president was impressed with the MMA fervor. But, he said that he wasn’t going to stand idly by as the sport grows in America. He is going to put on a MMA superbowl next summer with plans to hold it in a football stadium. He said that whichever stadium they use it will have a capacity of over 60,000, and if they seat fans on the field it will be over 100,000. Sakakibara is confident with the MMA zeal in America that the stadium will be packed to capacity and that it will even surpass the attendance of the 2002 Dynamite show that was jointly promoted by Pride and K-1.

Not only does Sakakibara plan on using a stadium to host his supershow but he mentioned the possibility of using a ring and a cage in the same event. Using the ring for round one, the cage for round two, and the ring for round three. Or vice versa. That way the Pride or UFC fighters can’t have an excuse about what they fought in.

But Sakakibara realizes that “ it will be a fierce battle between the promoters.” And, he even expects that the UFC may storm the Pride show in Las Vegas on October 21st. But, his plan is to take all of the UFC belts, as Sakakibara said,” not just Silva alone, but Fedor, Yoshida, Fujita, and Gomi. I’m going to send these guys into the octagon to devour them first.” Starting this Fall, Sakakibara said Pride will start sending fighters to take the UFC titles, and then deliver the finishing blow at the MMA superbowl. Sakakibara stated, “If we take the titles, the UFC will have nowhere to run.”

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“THE REAL DEAL” COMING TO LAS VEGAS From Dream Stage Entertainment
August 3, 2006
TOKYO, Japan –
PRIDE FIGHTING is proud to announce its first ever show on American soil, “THE REAL DEAL”! The event will take place on SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21st at the THOMAS & MACK CENTER in LAS VEGAS, NEVADA.
Possible participants include PRIDE Fighting Heavyweight Champion FEDOR EMELINANENKO, “THE NEW YORK BAD ASS” PHIL BARONI, KEVIN “THE MONSTER” RANDLEMAN, MIRKO “CRO COP” FILIPOVIC, MAURICIO “SHOGUN” RUA, KAZUYUKI “IRONHEAD” FUJITA, MARK “THE HAMMER” COLEMAN, and other PRIDE Fighting superstars! (Fighters and card subject to change.)
PRIDEFC.COM mailing list members will have the exclusive privilege to purchase tickets two weeks before they are made available to the general public. Event tickets will be available on a first come first serve basis, meaning PRIDEFC.COM mailing list members will have access to the best seats before the general public. Ticket prices will range from $50, $100, $300, $500 and $700.
Ticket sales for members will begin on August 7th, upon the emailing of an exclusive newsletter, which will contain a link to a hidden page that can only be accessed by PRIDEFC.COM members. A secret password will be issued to allow members to enter the special shopping site to purchase their tickets. Also, members must first register with the PRIDEFC.COM shopping site in order to be eligible to purchase items on the site. This chance to purchase pre-sale tickets is a limited time offer and only available for one week, from August 8th @ 10am (Pacific time) to August 14th @ midnight (Pacific time).
Remember, seats to THE REAL DEAL will be issued on a first come first serve basis so if you’re not already a member, then sign up!
As an added bonus, all PRIDEFC.COM members who purchase tickets through this offer will receive free an exclusive PRIDE FC WRISTBAND (previously only available in Japan).
DATES TO REMEMBER:
August 8: Ticket Release Date for Members (starts at 10:00 am Pacific Time)
August 16: Media day 1 in Los Angeles
August 17: Media day 2 in Las Vegas
August 19: Meet and greet session with fighters in Los Angeles (Open to Public)
August 20: Tickets go on sale to general public
Scheduled Participants for Media and Meet and Greet Days: Fedor Emelianenko, Mauricio Shogun, Phil Baroni, Kevin Randleman, Josh Barnett and Mark Coleman

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Originally Posted by Double D

I think its fantastic and about time. But in order for Pride fighters to take UFC belts they would have to compete in the octagon before going into a ring. And in my opinion I think that they should have to defend them in an octagon beings it is a UFC belt. If I was Dana White I would make all fighters sign contracts before fighting in the UFC stating they would have to defend their belt in the UFC under their sanctions and in no way could they defend it away from the UFC, and it that way the UFC reaps all the benfits.