PRIDE in USA, October 21st!

[v.2 0]

Meltz says that Barnett has yet to get his piss test through the proper channels.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

It's nothing of Josh's doing it's the labs taking their sweet-ass time. If the results aren't in by 9 a.m tommorow the fight is off.

 

Have I already mentioned that no LW's on this card is retarded? I know they're supposed to be Bushido-exclusive for the most part but you'd think that PRIDE would want to show Americans that they have been on the LW tip long before UFC wanted to bring back the division.

 

And yes, I know UFC originally had a LW division before PRIDE did.

[AboveAverage484 0]

If Barnett doesn't fight than this show will be complete ass; his matchup is the most interesting. Fujita beating O'Haire in a squash doesn't pique my interest in this show at all. At least Hunt/Butterbean had a train-wreck type of feel to it.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Butterbean/Cabbage from ROTR earlier this year was a ton of fun, fuck the haters. 'Bean was hitting some body shots that would've disemboweled a lesser man.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

As of this moment, here is how things stand for the two Pride matches on Saturday night in Las Vegas that are in question.

 

Results have still not come in for either of the two drug tests that Josh Barnett has taken over the past five days. Both labs are aware they have until 10 a.m. to confirm Barnett as testing clean or he won't be allowed to fight former judo gold medalist Pawel Nastula.

 

Mark Hunt is in Australia and Pride officials are hopeful his visa situation will be cleared up. They are running low on time. He will have to get into the country and have all medicals and forms done by 9 a.m. tomorrow or he won't be able to fight Butterbean in what would be a boxing match.

 

As noted all week, former WWE wrestler Sean O'Haire is cleared and ready to go. Also, getting medicals done in Las Vegas at this moment in 2000 Olympic gold medalist Rulon Gardner. This is a shock since Gardner has said he would never fight in Pride, and if there was any chance of it happening, they should have made it happen and have advertised it.

 

As of this moment:

 

If Barnett doesn't get cleared, Nastula would face O'Haire.

 

If Hunt's visa issues aren't cleared up, Butterbean now would most likely face Gardner in an MMA match, but that isn't definite as Pride hasn't made the final call. Gardner is obviously a far greater expense as a sub, and with no publicity, you are deriving no benefit financially from what would have to be well into six figures for a sub.

 

If both Barnett and Hunt can't fight, then Nastula vs. O'Haire and Buttebean vs. Gardner, both under MMA rules, is what will happen.

 

From Meltzer.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Hunt is out, Barnett is good to go. Butterbean vs Sean O'Haire under MMA rules is the replacement.

[Guest Connzilla]

The Last time Butterbean fought a wrestler the wrestler had to flee to Japan, this time Butterbean will follow this wrestler back to japan because Dream Stage Entertainment is thier and they pay the bills.

[Hawkius Maximus 0]

Pretty decent show. Nothing 100% blow away, but good stuff.

 

PRIDE landed a fucking right hook by having Silva come out and call out Chuck. I dunno how UFC counters it. They can't act like it didn't happen, they can't make excuses, and they can't have Liddell call Silva out. All those options will make UFC and Liddell look weak/scared. They have to pretty much accept PRIDE's terms now to save face.

 

Beyond that, the storyline of the main event was dramatic. And kudos to Fedor for carrying Coleman to something halfway decent. It's pretty obvious he could have killed Coleman dead any time he wanted, but for the sake of Coleman's image (Their good friends) and for the storyline, Fedor carried Coleman along to a second rounder.

 

Too bad Fedor's defination of carrying someone is making them look like someone took a fucking axe to their face. The only thing was the part with the kids was exploitive, but if they were going for a "rocky" type feel, then they succeeded.

 

The other major issue was there were alllloot of empty seats, and the commentary fucking blew tonight. One of the worst I've heard from PRIDE in sometime. That third dude offered NOTHING at all.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Anything with Dana White? I heard he was suppose to be at the show today.

[AboveAverage484 0]

Not as bad as I expected, entertaining enough I guess and I suppose it served it's purpose to the American audience. Wonder how the whole Silva/Chuck/Dana/DSE deal will work out. Fedor's "business as usual" expression when armbarring Coleman was great. Kevin is psycho for staying in that kneebar that long. Nastula keeps impressing against tough competition. Baroni did the smart thing and won. Henderson and Belfort both gassed pretty quickly, and 30-24?!, what the FUCK was that?

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Isn't Baroni suppose to fight Frank Shamrock before the end of the year?

 

I'll actually be cheering for Baroni for once if it happens.

[v.2 0]

Pretty decent show. Nothing 100% blow away, but good stuff.

 

PRIDE landed a fucking right hook by having Silva come out and call out Chuck. I dunno how UFC counters it. They can't act like it didn't happen, they can't make excuses, and they can't have Liddell call Silva out. All those options will make UFC and Liddell look weak/scared. They have to pretty much accept PRIDE's terms now to save face.

 

Why? PRIDE's audience in the US is such a minority, even among the low-end of the TUF viewing audience.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

The Good

 

- Lawler's flying knee to start things off

 

- Nakamura being super-fucking-over, way more then expected. Judo throw!!~

 

- Hendo/Vitor was passable enough to not be terrible but it's been said before, Vitor is one of the most frustrating fighters to watch. He was broken before shit even began.

 

- Barnett/Pawel wasn't terrible and we got a cool sub finish.

 

- Shogun/Randleman for a fight that was only a takedown and some submission transfers felt fucking epic, like Austin getting caught in the sharpshooter or Angle refusing to let go of the ankle lock. Siiiiiiick kneebar at the end and I imagine once The Hammer licks his wounds Shogun will get his revenge.

 

- Speaking of epic, Fedor/Coleman told an awesome story with Coleman being relentless for the takedown and Fedor hurting him the fuck up each and every time he tried. Fedor had to work a bit harder for the armbar this time but the result was the same. The post-fight shit with Coleman and his daughters had me almost pissing my pants in laughter, 'specially when he introduced them to Fedor.

 

The Not-So-Good

 

- Butterbean/O'Haire has no point on this card so fuck it.

 

- Baroni deprives us of a decent slugfest by taking the fight right to the ground so fuck him. Buh-bye Nishijima. When Baroni can submit you (even if he didn't tap) it's time to head back to the drawing board or, better yet, the boxing ring.

 

- Who was the third guy on commentary and what was his purpose? They had quite a few dead-air moments and people can say what they want about Goldie and Rogan but they don't pull that shit.

 

- Why was the almost hour-long intermission nescessary?

 

Overall a good show, way better then I'm sure the pundits were thinking. UFC's response to Wandy bitch-slapipng Chuck in his own backyard will be interesting.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Why would the NSAC allow Pride to use kicks and knees on the ground but not UFC?

[Lord of The Curry 0]

The main reason why they didn't allow elbows for this show because they didn't want Coleman cut-stopping his way to victory.

[I like Forums 0]

I dunno how UFC counters it. They can't act like it didn't happen, they can't make excuses, and they can't have Liddell call Silva out. All those options will make UFC and Liddell look weak/scared. They have to pretty much accept PRIDE's terms now to save face.

 

I say have Chuck show up, meet Wandy in the ring and hand him a UFC contract and tell him if he's so tough and wants to fight so badly he should sign it. Right then, right there.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

So long as both of them are champs that fight is not going to happen. PRIDE's best hope is a Tito victory (OMG LOLZ) or Cro-Cop moving down to 205 and kicking Silvas head off again.

[Hawkius Maximus 0]

There's enough hardcore MMA fans that saw or heard about that challenge, that UFC can't just ignore it. Doesn't help that PRIDE's coming back in Feb for another show in Las Vegas where Silva will defend the MW title, hence Silva saying "In Feb". If it doesn't happen then, then PRIDE will run UFC down so badly, once again on live PPV. There's a big difference between snide comments, and flat out saying "HEY! YOU'RE A FUCKING PUSSY!" on live PPV. I dunno WHAT UFC does now. Ignoring it may make them look weak, but it might be the best course of action right now.

 

After last nights show, I don't think it'll be long before PRIDE gets a significant TV deal in America. MMA is hot right now, and PRIDE is the only promotion in the world that rivals, or beats UFC. Problem is, I have NO faith in the American office whatsoever. The FSN show is so bad. The Japanese office would have to step in and make it not fucking suck. The Fedor/Coleman stuff from last night was likely 100% the Japanese office, and it had the best storyline of the night. Go figure.

 

Hearing Dana's reaction probably woulda been fucking awesome though.

[AboveAverage484 0]

So long as both of them are champs that fight is not going to happen. PRIDE's best hope is a Tito victory (OMG LOLZ) or Cro-Cop moving down to 205 and kicking Silvas head off again.

 

Of course if Tito wins, that will lessen the aura surrounding the match

[v.2 0]

MMAWeekly has learned that Vitor Belfort and Pawel Nastula tested positive for banned substances after their respective fights on Pride's "Real Deal" card this past Saturday night in Las Vegas, Nevada.

 

The Nevada State Athletic Commission has confirmed that Nastula tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone, while Belfort tested positive for the banned substance 4-hydroxytestosterone, which is also banned in Major League Baseball and other sports.

 

All of the other fighters who were drug-tested on the Pride card passed their drug tests.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Clearly somebody did the "Hey, look over there!" trick and switched Pawel and Barnetts piss.

[Lei Tong 0]

Barnett's test actually showed comparatively small amounts of testosterone, because he is in fact a giant vagina.