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It's OFFICIAL... UFC Ownes Pride
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| It's OFFICIAL... UFC Ownes Pride
- Click HERE to go to the original thread with graphics
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| Salkicksass |
The owners of the Ultimate Fighting Championship scooped up their primary rival Monday, reaching a multimillion-dollar deal to purchase the Japanese-based Pride Fighting Championship.
UFC president Dana White said he and partners Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta formed a new company, Pride Worldwide, that purchased the assets of the Pride FC.
White, who said the deal was completed about 1:30 p.m. PDT Monday, would not reveal the purchase price, but intimated it was an eight-figure deal.
"I don't like to talk about money, but it was a lot of money, I can tell you that," White said by telephone from Japan. "It was a hell of a lot more than Barry Bonds is making."
Bonds, the second-leading home run hitter in baseball history, signed a $15.8 million, one-year deal with the San Francisco Giants in February.
The UFC deal transfers all Pride assets, including fighter contracts, fight video library and trademarks, to the new company. White said he would retain Pride's Japanese employees and that the company's planned April 7 show would go on as planned in Tokyo.
Pride has many of the sport's best fighters, including heavyweight champion Fedor Emialenenko, Wanderlei Silva, Dan Henderson, Shogun Rua, Takanori Gomi and Hayato Sakurai, signed to promotional contracts.
White said Pride would adopt the same rules that are used in the United States and expressed a desire to use the so-called unified rules around the world. Soccer kicks and knees to the head were legal in Pride fights in Japan, but they were outlawed in two shows that were held at the Thomas & Mack Center.
However, White said any fight held with the Pride banner would continue to be in a ring. UFC fights are in a cage.
"This is a sport and we're going to follow the unified rules that were established in New Jersey and then in Nevada," White said. "It's a sport -- mixed martial arts -- and the sport should have the same rules everywhere. As far as I'm concerned, if an organization doesn't follow these rules, it's not MMA. It's something else, but that's not MMA."
White said he will create a "Super Bowl" of MMA that will match the best fighters in Pride against the best in the UFC. White said he hadn't had time to think through the logistics, but said the concept could become the biggest annual event in the sport.
He said he has the option to use Pride fighters in UFC shows if he chooses, but plans to run distinct brands.
"Pride is a powerful brand," White said. "The winners in this are the fans, because they're going to see the question answered. How many times have I heard someone say, 'Pride is better,' or 'UFC is better?' Well, wherever you come down on that, we'll answer the question because we'll make certain we put them in with each other and get an answer."
One of Pride's downfalls in the last year in Japan was the loss of its contract with Fuji TV. White said it was one of the new ownership group's leading priorities to negotiate a new television deal in Japan. |
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| urlocalraiderma |
| WOW the "Super Bowl" idea was called on Bubba's show a few weeks ago. This will be good. I think Dana was listening to Bubba's show. I like the deal and what their going to do about each of them. IU like the idea of if it's Pride it's in a ring and if it's UFC it's in a cage. Now we can see who is the best. I had a feeling UFC was going to buy Pride. Lets just hope Dana doesn't fuck it up. |
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| Salkicksass |
| I wonder if Bubba will discuss this big news on his show today. I would think Brent would say something and hopefully they get some fighters on to discuss their opinions about the new merger. |
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| Slayer |
| Nice! This will be awesome, but I wish they'd use the Octagon in Pride as well. Octagon fights just seem to flow better, the square seems to restrictive. |
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| ripstoke |
| Ferrall is talking about it now. I love it but i don't see much changing maybe some intermixing but most shows will still take place in japan im sure regarding jap fighters. interesting to see cro-cop vs fedor or randy vs fedor in a cage. |
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| Gator_Russ |
The "Super Bowl" idea isn't strictly Bubba's or Dana's or Salkicksass's... Its pretty much an underlying theme that alot of MMA fans have wanted for a long time.
Now its going to come to fruition. Bad ass. :cool: |
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| zanks |
| LHW and HW divisions will be awesome with the crossover fights. |
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| bk0 |
I'm cautiously optimistic. If the Ferittas keep their word and run PRIDE totally separate from UFC, keeping Dana's dirty fingers off of it I think it's not too bad. I'm willing to believe they bought PRIDE for the good of the sport and not just to fleece it of all the good fighters and then let it die. I could be wrong though. If they make this into a WWE fucking bullshit Raw vs ECW gimmick I'll be very sad and pissed off.
The first thing Dana White would do is make some shitty reality show with jabrone C level fighters, give half of them undeserved overly-hyped title shots and then plaster Xyience posters all over everything. |
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| Salkicksass |
Quote: Originally posted by ripstoke
Ferrall is talking about it now. I love it but i don't see much changing maybe some intermixing but most shows will still take place in japan im sure regarding jap fighters. interesting to see cro-cop vs fedor or randy vs fedor in a cage. |
Ferrall is a retard. Why talk all that shit about Matt Hughes on the radio.. Say that shit to his face. Next time he see's Hughes he won't say shit but suck his dick all nice nice.. |
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| Salkicksass |
Quote: Originally posted by bk0
The first thing Dana White would do is make some shitty reality show with jabrone C level fighters, give half of them undeserved overly-hyped title shots and then plaster Xyience posters all over everything. |
C level? Get off the WWF couch and sign up for TUF6. Here is the information and application. http://video.ufc.tv/images/TUF6Application.pdf
Dana White took an almost bankrupt brand and made it the highest PPV show in 2006. Better then Boxing and your Pro Wrestling shows. |
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| bk0 |
I actually love the UFC (and I don't watch pro wrestling, don't know where you got that from) however I think TUF dilutes the competition and cheapens the sport. You saw the Travis Lutter debacle too, right?
Boxing was a great sport 20 years ago, but it's just about dead now. (yeah I actually watched the Klitschko fight recently) |
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| dwntempo |
Its nice to see mainstream media covering MMA... |
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| dwntempo |
Quote: Originally posted by bk0
I actually love the UFC (and I don't watch pro wrestling, don't know where you got that from) however I think TUF dilutes the competition and cheapens the sport. You saw the Travis Lutter debacle too, right?
Boxing was a great sport 20 years ago, but it's just about dead now. (yeah I actually watched the Klitschko fight recently) |
The Lutter thing had nothing to due with Tuf. It was a just a guy, who has had trouble making weight before, flushing his title (and probably his UFC contract) down the toliet.
Tuf is a good concept as well as a way for up and coming fighters to gain exposure. The point is to show developing fighters on their way to the 'big dance'. Tuf is one of the reasons for MMA's surge in popularity.
having to wait 30mins to post each time sucks.... |
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| Salkicksass |
Quote: Originally posted by bk0
I actually love the UFC (and I don't watch pro wrestling, don't know where you got that from) however I think TUF dilutes the competition and cheapens the sport. You saw the Travis Lutter debacle too, right?
Boxing was a great sport 20 years ago, but it's just about dead now. (yeah I actually watched the Klitschko fight recently) |
Probably cause you ripped on Dana, and you compared it to the WWE and ECW crapola.
Lutter is a dumbass. He's a top notch BJJ competitor but he took a dump on TUF and a title shot.
TUF does not cheapen the sport. Everybody has to start somewhere and Dana gave young guys the chance to make it to the big show. It's not easy to get on the show. And when you are on you have to win it to get a contract. You can't tell me that guys like Evans, Sanchez, Griffin, Bisping, Stevenson, Burkman, Quarry, etc. Aren't good fighters?? |
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