Pride the Real Deal (Results)

Pride comes to America (Spoilers)

Pride = the UFC in Japan. Well, after the UFC has been doing so well lately as the American audience continues to embrace this modern day gladiator combat as a legitimate sport, Pride has decided to try their show out in the US to get a piece of the pie. 

Anyway… if you are hoping to catch a PPV replay, then don’t this blog any further as it contains the fight results. 

First fight was… Joey "Dreamsmasher" Villasenor (USA) VS. "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (USA)

This fight ends early in the 1st round after some brief standing exchanges. Lawler hits a flying knee that essentially KO’s Joey and Lawler quickly finishes him. Wow! Great knee!

Next fight was… Kazuhiro Nakamura (Japan) v. Travis Galbraith (USA)

Galbraith took this fight on short notice, Nak was originally to fight Marvin Eastman. Round 1 has both fighters striking it out, Nak get’s the better blows in, they go to the ground and grapple a bit round ends w/Nak having more shots landed and some grappling reversals. Round 2 has both swinging for the fences, most missing, they clinch, Nak lands a knee to the face, drops Galbraith to his knees. Nak circles and ends it w/strikes, ref stops in Round 2. 

Next fight was … Phil "New York Badass" Baroni (USA) VS. Yosuke Nishijima (Japan)

Yosuke comes out swinging, Baroni ducks opening right and goes for double leg takedown, nails it. Get’s top position and does some transitions from side control, half-guard, side control, while going for a few subs and mixing it up w/some punches from the top. Finally finds the Kimura from side mount again, locks it in and torques it. Yosuke refuses to tap, Ref stops it. 

Actually, Yosuke may have been tapping if you look at his right arm in the gif and notice the slight movement of the shoulder/head. Looks painful enough for me to tap. Ouch!

Up next was… "Dangerous" Dan Henderson (USA) VS. Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort (USA)

Round 1, they mix it up w/some strikes, Dan nails a takedown and lands more punches, and is more aggressive. Round 2 show Vitor tired and jumping to guard. Dan lands some punches while in guard. Round 3, Vitor jumped guard again, it ends. Judges give it to Dan. No gifs of fight that I could find. But apparently Chuck Norris, the man, the myth, the legend was there. 

Next fight… Sean Ohaire (USA) VS. Eric "Butterbean" Esch (USA)

Round 1… Sean comes out kicking, no real effect, eats some heavy right hands while doing so. Sean clinches w/Bean… not a bright move, KO. See for yourself.

Next up… Josh "The Baby-faced Assassin" Barnett (USA) VS. Pawel Nastula (Poland)

Round 1… sloppy punches from both, they clinch, sloppy grappling, they trade positions. Josh gets the takedown. Round 2, they come out swinging, mostly missing. Round 2, they exchange some punches, clinch, go to the ground Nastula on top, Josh reverses and goes for a toe-hold Nastula taps immediately. 

Next up was… Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (Brazil) VS. Kevin "The Monster" Randleman (USA)

Round 1… Randleman shoots immediately for the takedown, Shogun get’s half-guard. Sweeps Kevin for the foot lock, transitions from a toe-hold to kneebar… Kevin taps. Kevin is a strong/explosive wrestler but needs to learn some sub defense. Geesh! 

Main Event… Fedor Emelianenko (Japan) VS. Mark "The Hammer" Coleman (USA)

Round 1… Coleman tries for takedown after takedown, he’s being rocked w/punches the whole time. He gets one takedown, Fedor get’s up against the ring post and stands, Coleman eats heavy leather. Round 2, Coleman desperate for a takedown, lands a punch shoots for a double, after some sprawl from Fedor, he gets the takedown, Fedor looks to sweep from open guard, goes for armbar, nails it, Coleman taps. 

 Wow, Coleman had his kids there. Those post fight punches were weird. 

Wow!  I always goof up posting the gifs.  Word auto-formats the links and underlines them, which throws off the blog recognition, so I have to edit them... anyway... they should work now.