Pride 34
| Industry | Mixed martial arts promotion |
|---|---|
| Defunct | 2007 |
| Fate | Ceased operations after acquisition by Dream Stage Entertainment |
| Headquarters | Saitama , Japan |
Pride 34: Kamikaze represented a mixed martial arts competition organized by Pride Fighting Championships on April 8, 2007, taking place at the Saitama Super Arena located in Saitama, Japan.
Background
This event marked the last Pride show promoted by Dream Stage Entertainment prior to the company's acquisition (refer to Pride Worldwide). Shortly after this event, the organization ceased operations.
Negotiations were underway for Wanderlei Silva and Mauricio Rua to fight; however, neither athlete appeared on the card. Silva was unable to compete due to a medical suspension imposed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Although there was consideration to lift this suspension early if a Japanese physician approved, such clearance was never granted.
Gilbert Yvel was originally matched against Bazigit Atajev, but Atajev withdrew because of an internal health issue.
A notable "surprise announcement" from Nobuyuki Sakakibara included the unexpected return of Kazushi Sakuraba, who had departed from Pride almost a year earlier to join rival promotion Hero's. Together with Kiyoshi Tamura, Sakuraba hinted at a possible future contest within Pride. While Sakuraba initially aimed to face either Silva or Tamura during this event, neither bout came to fruition; Tamura eventually met Sakuraba at Dynamite!! 2008.
See also
- Pride Fighting Championships
- List of Pride Fighting Championships champions
- List of Pride Fighting events
- 2007 in Pride FC