A legendary event in Japan, PRIDE fighting matches the world's elite fighters in competitions of honor and art. Imagine Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner versus kick boxer, Judo specialist versus wrestler. . .this is PRIDE Fighting. Each match is the culmination of years of training by these athletes, the finest representatives of their martial art who not only compete for victory, but also to defend their fighting style! From big-time knockouts to punishing submissions, you don't want to miss the drama, spectacle and excitement of PRIDE Fighting!
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: PRIDE's Swan Song? Comment: PRIDE 34: KAMIKAZE was PRIDE's bow-out as one of the premier MMA organizations in the world. Recently bought out by the rival UFC, its best fighters have been cherry-picked by that organization, its website is now a shill for UFC/WEC propaganda, and it may never host another event. However, during its glory days it was (for my money) the best mixed martial arts organization in the world, and while this was far from its best card, it featured some very entertaining bouts. The lineup was:
Yoshiro Nakao vs. Edson Drago
Butterbean vs. Zuluzhino
Makoto Mahimota vs. Zelg Galesic
Gilbert Yvel vs. Akira Shoji
Don "the Predator" Frye vs. James Thompson
Shinya Aoki vs Brian Lo-A-Njoe
Ricardo Arona vs Sokoudjou
Kazuyuki Fujita vs Jeff Monson
Some people criticized the card as lacking in big names. Not sure what the hell they're talking about, because Gilbert Yvel, Don Frye, James Thompson, Ricardo Arona, Sokoudjou, Fujita and Monson are all either world-class or in the general vicinity thereof. It's true Frye, a former UFC champion, is long in the tooth, but he and fellow tough-b*stard Thompson conspired to put on the best fight of the night, a brutal slugfest that started during the staredown and went full-speed until the stoppage conclusion.
I hope PRIDE oneday manages to re-emerge in something resembling its old form, but if it doesn't, wars like the afformentioned Frye - Thompson and knockouts like the one that ended Arona - Sokoudjou will make me remember it fondly.
