Pro Elite & Dream Announce Partnership

[smoogy]

Originally Posted by twankydawg

I think the Pride name was tainted at that point. Not to mention the fact that Zuffa isn't a Japanese company so there is no telling how hard it would be for them to incorporate and do business in Japan. It probably wasn't worth the trouble or honestly, they could've bought it with no intent of doing anything but dissolving their biggest rival, and taking their library and fighters for the benefit of the UFC.

Well if they did that, then holding the press conference and making all those promises was a real asshole move on their part, lolol. Yours is the common viewpoint and I'm not saying I know for sure thats not the case, but from speaking to someone closer to the situation it sounds like when the Zuffa brass tried to shop for a TV deal for PRIDE (and tried they did), they didn't get anywhere because nobody wanted to deal with them. Despite the scandal, the brand name still had strength behind it.

[Ubermensch]

Originally Posted by Dork8503

I usually agree with most things you say, but that comment was a dumb ass comment.

I guess the fact that pride was fucked before Zuffa bought it, NOT Dana.

And i would like to know how Dana him self ruined Pride. Also like to know how he ran it into the ground.

Pride lost its contract with One Network because of the Yakuza it is not like its ratings were down when it happened or no other TV offers were on the table arena attendance wasn't down either. Dana took the fighters he liked and dismantled the company. So yea he destroyed it IMO.

[atj-lucko]

Originally Posted by Ubermensch

Pride lost its contract with One Network because of the Yakuza it is not like its ratings were down when it happened or no other TV offers were on the table arena attendance wasn't down either. Dana took the fighters he liked and dismantled the company. So yea he destroyed it IMO.

Wish I could rep you again..

Yeah Dana's Dream(no pun intended) was to kill Pride and he did.
If ever gets the chance to buy EliteXC he will and do the same to it.
WEC was a different story it wasn't a threat to the UFC.

[chungt79]

This ain't rocket science folks. Pride was holding events in the US and they were putting up great shows. After Dana purchased Pride, what happened? You could aruge Pride was heading downwards anyways but who could say that for sure? The fact is, Dana bought Pride and decided to close the organization down.

By the way, why is smoochy an inmate?

------

edit: oh also, what a great news to see two organizations working together. Whatever the reason is for either of them, it can only be good news for the fans.

[Lord Faust]

Originally Posted by chungt79

This ain't rocket science folks. Pride was holding events in the US and they were putting up great shows. After Dana purchased Pride, what happened? You could aruge Pride was heading downwards anyways but who could say that for sure? The fact is, Dana bought Pride and decided to close the organization down.

Pride was dying, financially. They had lost their TV deal due to the Yakuza allegations; that alone poisoned their product in the Japanese market. Yes, Pride put on some amazing fights, there is no denying that. But they were not profitable; otherwise why would DSE have sold the origanization? Imagine the -- no pun intended -- pride-swallowing involved in selling such a highly praised Japanese product to their American rivals?

The UFC bought Pride and, instead of trying to learn how to work within the Japanese business market (which is drastically different than North American business), harvested the fighters they wanted and shut down the organization. Pride was "dead" the moment it was sold to the UFC; they gave up on it and handed it over, for money.

I'm glad they just killed Pride instead of creating a half-assed version of it. Now we can all remember it with good memories of great fights

[chungt79]

Originally Posted by Lord Faust

Pride was dying, financially. They had lost their TV deal due to the Yakuza allegations; that alone poisoned their product in the Japanese market. Yes, Pride put on some amazing fights, there is no denying that. But they were not profitable; otherwise why would DSE have sold the origanization? Imagine the -- no pun intended -- pride-swallowing involved in selling such a highly praised Japanese product to their American rivals?

The UFC bought Pride and, instead of trying to learn how to work within the Japanese business market (which is drastically different than North American business), harvested the fighters they wanted and shut down the organization. Pride was "dead" the moment it was sold to the UFC; they gave up on it and handed it over, for money.

I'm glad they just killed Pride instead of creating a half-assed version of it. Now we can all remember it with good memories of great fights

Pride came to US trying to get piece of American MMA market. Their intention wasn't to whore themselves to Dana White. When you come into a new market, there is always risk involved. When Dana came with money, Pride took money over a risky business move.
Also, what is "harvest"ing of fighter mean in this case? They only got very few of Pride's roster and they havent done much at all in the UFC and a big chunk of Pride's talents are still in Japan with some making a move to the US.
Its obvious Pride wasn't doing well financially but they were planning more shows in the US with hope of eventual profit, but Dana instead bought the organization and closed it down.

[Lord Faust]

Originally Posted by chungt79

Pride came to US trying to get piece of American MMA market. Their intention wasn't to whore themselves to Dana White. When you come into a new market, there is always risk involved. When Dana came with money, Pride took money over a risky business move.
Also, what is "harvest"ing of fighter mean in this case? They only got very few of Pride's roster and they havent done much at all in the UFC and a big chunk of Pride's talents are still in Japan with some making a move to the US.
Its obvious Pride wasn't doing well financially but they were planning more shows in the US with hope of eventual profit, but Dana instead bought the organization and closed it down.

Pride also denied they were being sold, right up until the moment they announced "the UFC bought us".

I wish all the best for Dream, if for no other reason than so people can stop living in the past...

They could have been planning to take over the world for all I care, they still sold their ENTIRE product to the UFC. It's not like they opened up an American division; they went belly-up and cashed out.

Flat-out, Pride was losing money and would have died anyway. K-1 was killing them domestically (running US shows as well as having a Japanese TV deal and basically running the show back home), and their US shows were not profitable ventures.

I can appreciate Pride for the amazing entertainment, but let's not pretend they didn't have business problems.

[Dimson]

Why is everyone saying Dana bought PRIDE? Everyone loves to blame Dana just because he is the president and part owner, very small part at that. So what if they shut down PRIDE or PRIDE just died on it's own. Get over it, PRIDE is gone. It is not coming back. The Dana hate/blaming on this board is getting rediculas.

[Dork8503]

Originally Posted by Dimson

Why is everyone saying Dana bought PRIDE? Everyone loves to blame Dana just because he is the president and part owner, very small part at that. So what if they shut down PRIDE or PRIDE just died on it's own. Get over it, PRIDE is gone. It is not coming back. The Dana hate/blaming on this board is getting rediculas.

Rep'd

What i don't get is why everyone is blaming Dana. Saying Dana bought Pride, Dana did this, Dana did that, its Dana's fault.

First, Dana didn't buy shit.

Second Dana didn't ruin, run down or close Pride.

You actually think Lorenzo and Frank just sat by while Dana grinned and giggled by sabotaging and ruining Pride.

Dana can't do anything without Lorenzo and Frank agreeing to it first. They are the majority owners of Zuffa. Which pretty much means there word is the final say in major decisions. And i would assume that buying and closing Pride is a major decision.

Last i knew Zuffa bought Pride, not Dana White.

[Dimson]

Also anyone who thinks this partnership is bigger for Elite than it is for DREAM is insane. It is way bigger for DREAM because now they get a chance to get their fighters on national t.v. The only thing that helps Elite is they get to share some of the costs for some shows and they can send some of their fighter's to fight in DREAM so they can get more experience.