PRIDE Year-in-Review

[AboveAverage484 0]

This is my list of Pride's year-end top 10:

 

10. Alistair Overeem - Was tough against Lidell, but still needs a win over a top 10 opponent to become a true contender.

 

9. Anderson Silva - Tough loss against Takase is almost negated by his vicious KO of Carlos Newton. May not be back in Pride though, becuase of falling-out with Chute Boxe.

 

8. Chuck Liddell - Toughed it out for the UFC in the Pride GP beating Overeem, but was pretty average looking against Rampage. Look for him to make a return this year, possibly against Silva.

 

7. Hidehiko Yoshida - Proved the naysayers (me included) wrong, as he beat a game Kiyoshi Tamura and then hung on for the decision against Silva. Needs to face top 10 opposition to prove his worth this year.

 

6. Kazushi Sakuraba - Return was soured by Elvis, and then again by Silva. Beat Randleman with a textbook armlock, which sets up possible matches against Henderson and Bustamante. Sweet.

 

5. Mirko Filipovic - Blew away the competion all year until he came to Nogueira. Was actually blowing him away until Nog exposed his subpar ground game. Should be right back in it in time for the HW GP, though.

 

4. Wanderlei Silva - After a long layoff healing his bum knee, Wandy returned with a vengeance beating two more Japanese fighters and savaging Rampage in the MW GP Finals. One has to wonder what he would have done against a fresh Rampage.

 

3. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira - Came back in spectacular fashion against Cro Cop, after subpar performances against Fedor and Ricco. A rejuvenated Nog could spell trouble for the HW division contenders this year.

 

2. Fedor Emelianenko - Destroyed Nog, Fujita, and Goodridge this year, but a thumb injury put him on the sidelines before his much anticipated matchup with Cro Cop. Will be fighting Nog in February for the title, so he will be tested immediately upon his return.

 

1. Quinton Jackson - Beat three of the best fighters in the world in Liddell, Busta, and Randleman, and beat a game veteran in Mikhail Illoukhine. Was controlling the Silva fight before the standup. Look for big things this year from Rampage, with a possible rematch with Silva in the making. Only fighter to fight and win in all Pride events this year.

 

Favorite matches:

 

1. Fedor vs. Fujita (Pride 26)

2. Tamura vs. Yoshida (Total Elimination)

3. Silva vs. Yoshida (Final Conflict)

4. Liddell vs. Overeem (Total Elimination)

5. Jackson vs. Illoukhine (Pride 26)

6. A.Silva vs. Takase (Pride 26)

7. Nogueira vs. Cro Cop (Final Conflict)

8. Jackson vs. Bustamante (Total Elimination)

9. Fedor vs. Goodridge (Total Elimination)

10. Cro Cop vs. Herring (Pride 26)

 

Sorry, RRR, no Nog vs. Fedor

Too much dominance by Fedor, his destruction of Gary was much more fun

 

This year:

Expect Pride to rise to new heights this year. Every single event this year was WELL worth 30 dollars and with lots of big matches already on the horizon for next year (Fedor/Nog, Silva/Rampage, Silva/Yoshida, Saku/Hendo, Saku/Busta, Busta/Hendo rematch, Hendo/Silva, Yoshida/top contenders) its mindboggling just thinking about it. And don't forget the HW GP, and Pride's first American show, not to mention Couture wanting a piece of Silva to unify the belts! Yep, things are definitely looking up next year.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

I'm going to write a year-in-review in the next few weeks, but there won't be any harm in doin a lil bit here

 

Top 10 Fighters

 

1. Fedor Emelianenko

 

He destroyed Noguiera - the #1 heavyweight in the world and probably the top fighter 2 years running. That counts BIG TIME. His work against Fujita and Goodridge was also impressive (his recovery and finish of Fujita, his utter dominance against Big Daddy).

 

2. Wanderlei Silva

 

Winner of the 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix, beat top contender Quinton Jackson in the finals.

 

3. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson

 

Beat Kevin Randleman, Beat Bustamante, Beat Liddell. If he wasn't beaten by Silva, he'd be #2.

 

4. Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera

 

Triumphantly beat Cro Cop. In both of my Top 2 MOTYCs. His showing against Ricco was subpar, but that last match put him back in the race.

 

5. Mirko Cro Cop

 

Destroyed everyone who got in the ring with him (including Nogueira). Very impressive. But he lost when he got put up against a Top 5 fighter.

 

6. Hidehiko Yoshida

 

Just cause he made me go INSANE during his fight with Wanderlei. Great performance. He took some SICK shots in that fight and took it to a decision. That's impressive.

 

7. Dan Henderson

 

Beat Bustamante in under a minute even when he wasn't at 100%. He only had two fights this year but looked impressive in both.

 

8. Daiju Takase

 

Beat a seemingly unstoppable Anderson Silva with one of the sweetest triangle chokes I've ever seen. Lost at Bushido. His initial win is still impressive enough to put him up here.

 

9. Kazuyuki Fujita

 

Did the most damage I've seen to Fedor, saved Pride 26 (which wasn't a bad show by any stretch, but I wouldn't say it was exciting - this fight was exciting), and that's enough to make it to my top ten.

 

10. Chuck Liddell

 

I so didn't want to put Chucky in here because he's had a dismal 2003 - but he took a beating against Overeem and came through, and he made it to the semi-finals... he didn't tap against Quinton either... huzzah.

 

I didn't put Sakuraba up there cause he lost to Schembri, I didn't put Schembri up there cause he got lucky against Saku and lost to Hamanaka. I didn't put Hamanaka up there because he lost against Ryan Gracie, and I didn't put Ryan up there cause he only fought once.

 

Top Ten Fights

 

1. Noguiera vs. Cro Cop (Final Conflict)

 

This fight was EPIC. The layers and story involved in this match were greater than anything done in PRO WRESTLING this year - and it's not even worked.

 

2. Fedor vs. Noguiera (Pride 25)

 

This is probably my *favourite* fight, but I conceed that Noguiera/Cro Cop was better. The first time I saw this fight, I wasn't paying attention and was still reeling from Rampage/Silvas encounter. I was talkin to my buddy throughout and it basically appeared to be a regular GnP. I had completely underestimated Fedor and had not seen his bout vs. Herring (I did see him vs. Shilt, which didn't help matters). I rewatched this fight and it was like an epiphany. The commentary also helped make this match, as Bas and Stephen were peaking at this show and in this fight. Fedors GnP was sublime and his submission defense was spectacular. I've since seen this fight about 8 times and it never grows old. I've made a highlight video out of it, I've written essays on it, I love this fight. Once you get into the rivalry between the Brazilian Top Team and the Russian Top Team, a whole new level gets opened up. The differences between both men, how they both don't look like fighters, the struggle of Nogueira... it's just brilliant.

 

3. Silva vs. Yoshida (Final Conflict)

 

No fight this year has made me go insane like this one. Couture/Ortiz made me go nuts, but not nearly to this level. I was on my feet for the majority of it, I had to get a drink of water between rounds, I was close to pulling my hair out.

 

4. Fedor vs. Fujita (Pride 26)

 

This was short, but was pure ACTION. Fujita is the underdog. Fedor underestimates him. The Champ gets rocked. Fedor composes himself. Fedor makes Fujita pay. Short, Simple and oh yeah, SWEET!

 

5. Silva vs. Rampage (Final Conflict)

 

The knees at the end. That alone makes this fight and puts it in the top 5. That's the weapon Rampage used to beat Randleman, Illoukhine, and it helped him get the win over Busta. Silva was being doubted because he had an easy road. Their encounter at Pride 25. Rampages dominance over the division. All of this came together in this one fight. And here's the thing... I look forward to the rematch even more.

 

6. Liddell vs. Overeem (Total Elimination)

 

More non-stop action. Great finish, quick pace. Nothing more to say

 

7. Rampage vs. Liddell (Final Conflict)

 

This was a more technical stand up fight. Some really good stuff in this and Quinton shows he's one of the best stand-up fighters in the game. The finish was just brutal.

 

8. Shoji vs. Steibling (Pride 25)

 

An AWESOME 2nd round. Back-and-Forth, some really exciting stuff. Shoji shouldn't have won but his speech at the end made me not care.

 

9. T.O. Noguiera vs. Nakamura (Pride 25)

 

Fuck all yall, Nakamura roolz. This was a niftly lil match with Yoshida's pupil debuting and looking like a vet. The Other Noguiera did well and the finish was inspirational... as in, it inspires me to not try and finish with a rear naked, but rather, with an armbar from that position

 

10. Cro Cop vs. Vovchanchyn (Total Elimination)

 

Tiiiiiiiiiimmmmbeeeeeeeeeerr!

 

Best Shows

 

1. Final Conflict

 

Let's see... *4* Top Ten fights along with THE FOTY... Great, Great, GREAT show.

 

2. Pride 25: Body Blow

 

I love this show. Quadros and Rutten fucking OWN SHIT in this. The Jackson/Silva encounter, Fedor/Noguiera, and a solid undercard featuring 2 of my Top 10 fights alon with a HILARIOUS Jackson interview... this shit owns.

 

3. Total Elimination 2003

 

How fucking insane is a year when THIS is #3???

 

4. Pride 26: Bad to the Bone

 

This was the first PRIDE show that I actually bought rather than used a cable box for - maybe that's why I'm a lil down on it. It just wasn't as good as the other shows this year... I should watch it again... how fucking insane is it when THIS show is the "worst"??

 

** I haven't seen BUSHIDO - I heard Newton vs. Renzo is a FOTYC.**

 

Overall, this was an awesome year not only for PRIDE (but especially for PRIDE) but for MMA as well. There were 3 potential "Best card Ever" this year from Pride alone (UFC 43 and 44 were awesome as well), which -to me- makes this the best year I've seen in MMA... and I am almost SURE that next year will be better.