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Pride Fighters moving to the UFC

598 views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  sk double i 
#1 ·
I believe the biggest factor in the lackluster results of several of the Pride fighters in the UFC (and my fear for Fedor, albeit the sheer awesomeness that he is) is the transition not to the cage or the different rules but the five minute rounds.

I hear of the UFC fighters running 5-10 miles a day and that is ideal for Pride, but training for burst -- recovery -- burst I think is something that is not being given due respect. Quite a while back with Rich Franklin's All-Access you saw his focus on one minute recovery time and how much he could lower his heart rate.

I hope Fedor if/when he makes the move to the UFC trains not to fight, but to fight in a fighting competition as there looks to be a huge distinction. I believe that Pride maintained the purity of fighting more than the UFC, but the UFC generates better athletes.

I firmly believe that training is precisely why Forrest wanted Shogun for that first fight, it was the best time to beat him.

Quinton Jackson has shown a HUGE improvement in his conditioning over his debute with Eastman.

Heath Herring has shown improvement since his terrible debute

Shogun continued to fade as Forrest continued with his crazy lovable punch-drunk juggernaut approach

Cro-cop's fights don't really apply, the first one wasn't a good match, the second was too short, and any fight involving a rib injury and getting tagged that many times in the tenders is impossible to reflect your cardio

Anderson Silva, we haven't seen him in the late rounds yet but I suspect his cardio is solid with his current training for UFC venue and probably before.

Henderson looked good, Rampage just looked great that night.

I bet Nog will improve greatly in his next fights in the UFC.

Great bunch of guys, I think there is also some UFC jitters that tax them even more in the first round and then they don't have the recovery training to keep up with experienced UFC fighters. I hope Wanderlei trains for recovery and brings the pain to the UFC, regardless of who he fights.
 
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#2 ·
I really don't think we should look for reasons why 'PRIDE' fighters have had lackluster performances. The bottom line really is, they know what they are getting into, they should have the funds to get the best training possible. And if they come into the fight unprepared then that is their fault and no-one elses. We shouldn't have the mentality of 'they lost because of...'

They are professional fighters and if they aren't prepared for a different environment then they shouldn't have signed the contract.
 
#3 ·
its totally true, people think that its harder to go 10 minutes straight rather than 2-5 minutes rounds with a break. its a different type of training which involves a lot more anarobic work than someone training for longetivity.
 
#4 ·
I agree on your breakdown. Only CroCop and Shogun looked under prepared, everyone else has either been great or ok and will in most likelyhood improve with more fights (basically the norm).

I don't think you should worry about Wanderlei or Fedor. Fedor is like Randy, he always has a good gameplan and he's a training machine. I've never seen Wanderlei underprepared. When he's beaten he's beaten fair and sqaure by a better fighter on the night (and that sure as hell isn't often).
 
#5 ·
I wasn't looking to make excuses for them, they are professionals. I was just hoping for some of your thoughts on to why we have seen the UFC vs Pride unfold as it has. I had looked forward to the integration of Pride and the UFC for so long I want to see all the fighters on both sides shine.
 
#6 ·
Biowza said:
I really don't think we should look for reasons why 'PRIDE' fighters have had lackluster performances. The bottom line really is, they know what they are getting into, they should have the funds to get the best training possible. And if they come into the fight unprepared then that is their fault and no-one elses. We shouldn't have the mentality of 'they lost because of...'

They are professional fighters and if they aren't prepared for a different environment then they shouldn't have signed the contract.
I don't agree with this because I think you are confusing an attempt to argue out the reasoning behind the pride fighters lackluster performances, with excuses.

Isn't that what we do here on this forum in the first place? We sit around and talk about why people lost, why they'll win, and why they should have won/lost.

To sit back and say that we shouldn't ask why they are looking subpar takes away any kind of intellectual analysis. Don't confuse an attempt for understanding, with making excuses.
 
#7 ·
I totally agree. Fighting in a cage, is completely different than fighting in a ring. Everything from being able to trap your opponent in corners, to pressing people against the fense in the clinch, to using it to when you're on the ground to push/climb up and get off your back and so much more. It's a completely different fight with different rules and if you are not used to it, it is a huge disadvantage. I'm not making excuses. Just trying to make it clear, that when pride guys get used to this type of fight, they will dominate. haha

I dont think the rounds has anything to do with anything. That's just a silly excuse.
 
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