The New Pride? What will change? How will Pride make it in America?

[Dominus]

How will Pride make it in America? Will there be a moment like “Griffen vs Bonner” that will grab the average American's attention?

Do you think that Pride will get a Reality show? Will Pride find a network like Spike?

What will it take for Pride to become as big as the UFC in America?


It will be interesting to see how much the PPV's change. Who will be in the brodcast chairs? What type of camera angles will they use? Will it look totally different?

[Matt Boone]

I'm sure Zuffa will make sure to promote the product properly for the U.S. audience. No one knows the market better than their company right now. I'm sure they'll secure TV in no time, surely better than heavily edited mainly-standup fights from PRIDE's yesteryear on FSN in late-night timeslots. I wouldn't doubt if Zuffa mixed and matched to make sure there's at least one or two fighters recognizable to UFC-only fans on PRIDE cards they promote, so that they can draw in from the vein of their audience while introducing them to a different roster and (if kept anything similar to the original PRIDE, which is probably doubtful :-/) different product. I'm quite sure PRIDE isn't going the reality show route, but if they do it's an insanely bad idea. The majority of their fighters don't speak english, and I can't imagine and all-non english speaking reality cast lol. It'll be a different production crew and set-up for show, so camera angles and broadcasters will likely change, but who did they even have on the way out for DSE? Trigg (who was still trying to fill Bas Rutten's shoes) and some new guy trying to fill in for Ranallo, who years later was still trying to fill in for Stephen Quadros. So that part shouldn't matter much. It will still be a ring, so we're safe there. UFC rules though, so say goodbye to stomps and knees to the head on the ground. But PRIDE did 2 shows like that already, the second of which even the hardest of hardcore fans rank up there among the best PRIDE shows ever. I'm pretty confident in how Zuffa will handle the PRIDE product.

[Dominus]

I am looking forward to a fresh new announce team. Pride will need two people who can hype up Pride and it's roster. I would say that I'd like to see Rogan there with a different sidekick. Rogan is a true fan and it would be interesting to see him call a Pride PPV.

I also don't want to see a reality show for Pride, but I bet you might see some Pride guys on TUF. I would assume HW and LHW might be coming up next season, might be some mid level Pride guys thrown in the mix.

When will the next Pride PPV be? Will we see a new face then, or just a quick freshen up?

[dagreat1]

Originally Posted by Dominus

How will Pride make it in America? Will there be a moment like “Griffen vs Bonner” that will grab the average American's attention?

Shogun vs Lil Nog
Fedor vs Cro Cop
Gomi vs Diaz
Wanderlei vs Hunt
Barnett vs Big Nog I and II
Hansen vs Azeredo

Those were all Bonner vs Forrest type fights with the only difference being, ALL of those other fighters are World Class and Bonner and Griffin are... well... Not.

You will see what PRIDE fighters bring in competition come UFC 70, as long as AA does his part and doesn't get subbed quickly.

WAR Werdum.

Zuffa will market it and get a TV deal for it and it will be fine. However no knees to the head of a downed opponent, no stomps, soccer kicks, no more grand prix', no more 10 minute first rounds, bye bye production, a lot of the fighters hate dana White and Zuffa, it will be very interesting to say the least how UFC 2.0/PRIDE FC continues conducting business.

[Robthom]

I think pride should just stay the Japanese branch of Zuffa. Why would Zuffa want to compete Pride with UFC in the US. Mabey in the PPV arena, but not for live tickets.
Plus it retains the mystique for cross promotions having Pride be a shadowy Japanese rival, just like it does for "UFC assasins" coming to pride in japan.

[dagreat1]

Originally Posted by Robthom

I think pride should just stay the Japanese branch of Zuffa. Why would Zuffa want to compete Pride with UFC in the US. Mabey in the PPV arena, but not for live tickets.
Plus it retains the mystique for cross promotions having Pride be a shadowy Japanese rival, just like it does for "UFC assasins" coming to pride in japan.

Yes excatly, and that is how they will keep it, but the rules are being altered to a self proclaimed "unified" set and the production will surely suffer because I just can;t see Zuffa being willing to spend the $200,000 - $250,000 it costs for production for a single PRIDE show when UFC production runs at about $50,000 - $75,000 per show.

[joeyt]

Originally Posted by Robthom

I think pride should just stay the Japanese branch of Zuffa. Why would Zuffa want to compete Pride with UFC in the US. Mabey in the PPV arena, but not for live tickets.
Plus it retains the mystique for cross promotions having Pride be a shadowy Japanese rival, just like it does for "UFC assasins" coming to pride in japan.

Why in the world would Pride and UFC being competing for live tickets? They're not going to schedule shows on the same night. And if you keep Pride as the "shadowy Japanese rival" then you're losing out on possible PPV buys in the U.S.

Personally, I think Pride will do very well in America no matter what the production budget is. Great fighters make great fights, Pride will be showcased in America it's just a matter of time.

[dagreat1]

Originally Posted by joeyt

Why in the world would Pride and UFC being competing for live tickets? They're not going to schedule shows on the same night. And if you keep Pride as the "shadowy Japanese rival" then you're losing out on possible PPV buys in the U.S.

Personally, I think Pride will do very well in America no matter what the production budget is. Great fighters make great fights, Pride will be showcased in America it's just a matter of time.

I think it will do well in America regardless of production value as well but only because the casual American fans will never have been spoiled with phenomenal production and will be used to the crappy purple lighting used in the UFC. But for those that are used to PRIDE being the big stage that resembles an olympic event and puts MMA on a pedistal like it deserves to be, will all be let down by a huge cut back in production.

Obviously the quality of fighters is everyone's top priority but it is also a package deal where if any portion of it is lost or cut back, as a whole it will suffer.

A big part of the reason everyone wanted to be fighting in PRIDE was the big stage, it makes them feel like their part of something incredibly prestigious and it made them fight with more purpose and heart.

It's liek working an office job and making the same pay as a co-worker with the same exact position however you're in a cubicle and he or she has their own office.

[joeyt]

Originally Posted by dagreat1

I think it will do well in America regardless of production value as well but only because the casual American fans will never have been spoiled with phenomenal production and will be used to the crappy purple lighting used in the UFC. But for those that are used to PRIDE being the big stage that resembles an olympic event and puts MMA on a pedistal like it deserves to be, will all be let down by a huge cut back in production.

Obviously the quality of fighters is everyone's top priority but it is also a package deal where if any portion of it is lost or cut back, as a whole it will suffer.

A big part of the reason everyone wanted to be fighting in PRIDE was the big stage, it makes them feel like their part of something incredibly prestigious and it made them fight with more purpose and heart.

It's liek working an office job and making the same pay as a co-worker with the same exact position however you're in a cubicle and he or she has their own office.

I guess I'm okay with it as long as we're all in cubicles and not the janitor's closet like UFC 1.

And I couldn't agree more about the purple lights. Seriously, purple?