PRIDE will now be run under the name PRIDE Worldwide Holdings LLC. And because the UFC and PRIDE will continue to be operated independently, the anticipation for annual cross-promotion superfights should continue to build. Surely, we’ll see some organization hopping for certain fighters, but my gut reaction leads me to believe that each organization’s champions will likely stay put for now.
“What we’re going to see, finally, is the SuperBowl of mixed martial arts,” White said during Tuesday’s press conference. “We can finally line up all the guys in all the different weight classes to fight each other and see who the best in the world is.”
From what I’ve read over the past few days, the “MMA SuperBowl” (a name that will never happen because of trademark issues with the NFL) will likely happen once a year. Although each organization’s champions will likely be the centerpieces of the event, non-title-holders could also create some intriguing matches. After all, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic isn’t a UFC champion (yet), but PRIDE has a handful of top heavyweights that could present some spectacular matchups.
The first cross-promotion event could happen as soon as this year, but no date has yet been set. PRIDE will operate under their new ownership within two weeks, and you’d have to think that the MMA SuperBowl idea would have to be a primary concern.
So what about a location?
It appears each organization will rotate hosting duties. Although PRIDE will expand its American presence under the Fertittas, the organization will maintain its Japanese roots. The UFC will likely host a show in the U.S., PRIDE will host it the following year in Japan, and so on. It’s assumed a ring will be used in Japan and an Octagon in the U.S., and each event will use the hosting organization’s specific rules.
Again, no event or specific details are yet set in stone, but the wheels are in motion.
No matter what you think about the sale of PRIDE, fight fans should win in the long run. The dream matchups we’ve all discussed and debated and begged for should come true — every year.
And very soon, we should know which fighters are, in fact, the best in the world."
Coś mi się wydaje, że może się to skończyć jak tutaj:
Oby nie
Zmieniony przez - wally w dniu 2007-03-29 14:14:55
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