Pride Fighting Championships
| Company type | Mixed martial arts promotion |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports entertainment |
| Founded | 1997-10-11 |
| Founder | Nobuyuki Sakakibara, Naoto Morishita, Hiromichi Momose |
| Fate | Acquired by Zuffa in 2007; ceased operations same year |
| Headquarters | Tokyo , Japan |
Area served | Worldwide (approx. 40 countries) |
Key people | Nobuyuki Sakakibara (president), Nobuhiko Takada (general manager) |
| Products | Mixed martial arts events and promotions |
| Owner | Dream Stage Entertainment (until 2007), then Zuffa |
| Parent | Dream Stage Entertainment (until 2007), then Pride FC Worldwide Holdings, LLC |
PRIDE Fighting Championships (commonly known as Pride or Pride FC, originally established as KRS-Pride) was a Japanese organization specializing in mixed martial arts promotions. Its first event was hosted at the Tokyo Dome on October 11, 1997. Over its tenure, Pride organized more than sixty MMA shows, reaching audiences in approximately 40 countries. The promotion was managed by the holding firm Dream Stage Entertainment (DSE).
For around ten years, PRIDE ranked among the premier MMA entities worldwide. It aired events through Japanese pay-per-view platforms and free television, attracting millions of viewers and staging large-scale stadium gatherings. Remarkably, it set an attendance record of 91,107 spectators during the co-hosted Shockwave/Dynamite event in August 2002, and drew over 67,450 fans at Pride Final Conflict 2003.
The inception of PRIDE in 1997 aimed to showcase a bout between Nobuhiko Takada, a leading figure in Shoot wrestling, and Rickson Gracie, a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu practitioner from the renowned Gracie family. The debut event attracted 40,000 attendees and garnered substantial media coverage. At a time when UFC was facing difficulties, PRIDE rapidly emerged as the dominant MMA promotion.
Rooted in Japanese professional wrestling traditions, PRIDE emphasized dramatic presentation and entertainment value. Events were distinguished by elaborate fighter introductions and ceremonial openings. The organization maintained few weight divisions except for title fights and Grand Prix tournaments, often pairing competitors with significant size disparities, including "technique versus size" novelty matchups. The Grand Prix tournaments were structured as single-elimination contests held within one evening.
PRIDE's regulations allowed more techniques than the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, permitting actions such as soccer kicks, stomps, knees to grounded opponents, head-spiking body slams, and a variety of fighting gear including wrestling shoes and keikogi. Competitions took place inside a boxing-style ring featuring ropes, with rounds consisting of an initial ten-minute period followed by two five-minute intervals.
In 2006, Dream Stage Entertainment encountered financial difficulties following revelations of connections to the yakuza, leading to the loss of major Japanese broadcast deals. By March 2007, DSE sold PRIDE to Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta of Zuffa, then proprietors of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Although plans existed for synergy similar to the AFL-NFL merger, these did not come to fruition. By October 2007, PRIDE’s Japanese personnel were dismissed, marking the end of its events. Many top fighters transitioned into the UFC roster.
After PRIDE ceased operations, former employees collaborated with K-1’s parent company to establish DREAM in February 2008. In 2015, Nobuyuki Sakakibara, one of PRIDE’s founders, initiated Rizin Fighting Federation in Japan with comparable objectives and a philosophy reminiscent of PRIDE.
Early years (1997–1999)
The roots of Pride trace back to Japanese Puroresu and the "Strong-style" wrestling pioneered by Antonio Inoki during the 1970s through New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). Inoki fused elements of Karate with Catch-As-Catch-Can wrestling to develop a realistic combat approach that emphasized both striking and grappling techniques delivered with full contact. He advocated for wrestling as a genuine combat sport by organizing hybrid matches against practitioners from disciplines such as judo, kickboxing, sumo, and karate. One prominent example was his 1976 bout against boxing legend Muhammad Ali which concluded in a draw.
Motivated by these inter-discipline contests, Inoki’s followers founded the Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF), promoting realistic yet scripted shoot wrestling matches. This evolved into UWFi in 1991 and grew into a leading Japanese promotion with Nobuhiko Takada as its marquee athlete. Concurrently, other MMA organizations emerged: Shooto (established in 1985 by Satoru Sayama), Pancrase (founded in 1993 by Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki), Vale Tudo Japan (1994), and Kingdom (1997), all contributing to Japan’s MMA scene. Pride also drew inspiration from the swift ascent of K-1 kickboxing known for its exciting tournament format.
The launch of Pride Fighting Championships in 1997 was designed to stage a match between Nobuhiko Takada and Rickson Gracie—a Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion who had gained prominence in Japan through victories at Vale Tudo Japan events and defeating UWFi wrestler Yoji Anjo. The inaugural Tokyo Dome event attracted an audience of 47,000 fans along with extensive media attention. Organized by Hiromichi Momose, Naoto Morishita, and Nobuyuki Sakakibara under KRS (Kakutougi Revolutionary Spirits), its success led to regular scheduling and a rematch between Takada and Gracie in 1998. Amid competition with K-1’s popularity surge, Pride secured monthly broadcasts on Fuji Television alongside pay-per-view distribution via SKY PerfecTV. Following its fourth event, Dream Stage Entertainment—formed by members of KRS—assumed control and rebranded the series as Pride Fighting Championships with Morishita appointed chairman.
Pride Grand Prix, Bushido, and Continued Growth (2000–2006)
In 2000, Pride initiated its inaugural Pride Grand Prix, an openweight competition conducted in two stages to crown the "world's top fighter." The initial phase featured sixteen participants, with half progressing to the finals held three months afterward. This concluding event marked Pride's first broadcast in the United States, where American contender Mark Coleman triumphed over Igor Vovchanchyn. The organization’s popularity in the US surged, bolstered by a highlights agreement with Fox Sports Networks and consistent DVD releases covering current and previous events not originally aired outside Japan. English-language commentary was delivered by Stephen Quadros or Mauro Ranallo, complemented by expert insights from Bas Rutten or Frank Trigg.
In August 2002, Pride collaborated with Japan’s leading kickboxing entity K-1 to present Shockwave (referred to as Pride/K-1 Dynamite!! domestically), drawing an audience exceeding 71,000 spectators. On January 13, 2003, Pride encountered executive upheaval following the suicide of DSE president Naoto Morishita. Nobuyuki Sakakibara stepped into the presidential role, later joined by Takada as general manager. During this period, reports emerged suggesting that Fedor Emelianenko was pressured to renew his contract with Pride.
That same year, Pride launched the Bushido series, spotlighting lighter weight divisions—specifically lightweights and welterweights—with faster-paced contests structured as one ten-minute round followed by a five-minute round. The series introduced a "yellow card" penalty system that deducted prize money for fighters who stalled.
Also in 2003, Pride reinstated its tournament format with a middleweight grand prix spanning two events: Pride Total Elimination 2003 and Final Conflict 2003. In 2004, this was expanded to three events by adding Critical Countdown 2004. Subsequent annual tournaments included heavyweight in 2004, middleweight in 2005, and openweight in 2006.
Decline (2006–2007)
In 2006, DSE aimed to feature Pride alongside the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), North America’s premier MMA promotion, incorporating fighters such as Wanderlei Silva and Kazuyuki Fujita into a UFC card in November. Nevertheless, UFC president Dana White expressed doubts regarding a Silva vs. Chuck Liddell matchup due to challenges negotiating with Japanese counterparts, highlighting unsuccessful attempts at fighter exchanges between Zuffa and DSE.
Despite these hurdles, Pride continued to thrive by hosting approximately ten events annually and surpassed rival K-1’s attendance at the New Year’s Eve Pride Shockwave 2005 event. On October 21, 2006, Pride staged its first event on US soil, Pride 32: The Real Deal, which drew an audience of 11,727 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Paradise, Nevada.
On June 5, 2006, Fuji Network ended its television contract with Pride due to a violation by DSE, leaving SKY PerfecTV as the sole Japanese broadcaster via pay-per-view. This loss significantly impacted Pride’s revenue stream and jeopardized its financial viability. Although media outlets speculated about Dream’s alleged yakuza connections, DSE affirmed plans to continue operations, including holding Pride 33: Second Coming in Las Vegas on February 24, 2007.
Later in 2006, DSE hinted at organizing a Mike Tyson boxing match against a Pride fighter during the New Year’s Eve show. Due to Tyson’s criminal record preventing him from competing in Japan, the bout was expected to take place abroad and be broadcast live from Saitama Super Arena; however, the fight ultimately did not materialize.
On November 29, 2006, Pride announced the discontinuation of its Bushido series to merge lighter weight category bouts into its main events. It also declared that future Grand Prix tournaments would follow an annual schedule rotating every four years among weight classes. Plans for a lightweight Grand Prix were subsequently abandoned.
Purchase by Zuffa (2007)
On March 27, 2007, Pride executives Nobuyuki Sakakibara and Nobuhiko Takada revealed that Lorenzo Fertitta, co-owner of Zuffa and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), had acquired all Pride Fighting Championships assets from Dream Stage Entertainment in a transaction valued at approximately USD $65 million. This purchase encompassed Pride's video archives and fighter contracts, which were managed under the newly formed entity Pride FC Worldwide Holdings, LLC. Fertitta intended to keep Pride operating independently from Zuffa’s UFC and WEC brands, allowing for occasional crossover events featuring athletes from both promotions.
Despite these initial plans, Zuffa representative Dana White later expressed an aim to integrate Pride’s premier fighters into the UFC roster rather than sustain Pride as a standalone promotion. Following the completion of the sale on May 25, 2007, White voiced doubts about resurrecting Pride in Japan due to challenges in securing broadcast agreements and local opposition.
On October 4, 2007, Pride Worldwide shut down its Japanese office, leading to the dismissal of 20 employees who had remained after Dream Stage Entertainment ceased operations.
Video
The concluding Pride events have been issued on DVD under the Pride Worldwide brand.
Classic Pride matches are showcased in Best of Pride Fighting Championships, which debuted on January 15, 2010, on Spike TV and is hosted by Kenda Perez.
Video games
Pride Fighting Championships produced two officially licensed video games and was also included in a 2012 UFC title.
- Pride FC: Fighting Championships, developed by Anchor Inc. and published by THQ for the PlayStation 2, launched in early 2003 across Japan, North America, and Europe; it earned a Metacritic rating of 73/100.
- PrideGP Grand Prix 2003, developed and released by Capcom exclusively for PlayStation 2 in November 2003, was available only in Japan.
- Additionally, Pride was featured in UFC Undisputed 3, which incorporated main Pride event regulations, included 33 Pride fighters, featured commentary by Bas Rutten and Stephen Quadros, with Lenne Hardt and Kei Grant serving as ring announcers.
Rules
Pride's regulations[1] differed between its main events and Bushido series; the Bushido events were discontinued by late 2006.[2]
Match duration
Initially, Pride matches consisted of three rounds: a first round lasting 10 minutes followed by two subsequent rounds of five minutes each, separated by two-minute breaks. For U.S. events regulated by the NSAC, non-title fights were structured as three five-minute rounds, while title bouts extended to five five-minute rounds; both formats included one-minute intermissions.
Grand Prix matches conducted two rounds on the same evening: a first round of ten minutes followed by a five-minute second round, with two-minute intervals between rounds.
Weight divisions
Pride Fighting Championships generally did not enforce strict weight divisions except for championship contests and Grand Prix tournaments, where weight classes were applied to determine top competitors.
| Weight class | Maximum weight | Introduced |
|---|---|---|
| Template:Rh|Lightweight | 73 kg (161 lb) | 2004 |
| Template:Rh|Welterweight | 83 kg (183 lb) | 2004 |
| Template:Rh|Middleweight | 93 kg (205 lb) | 2000 |
| Template:Rh|Heavyweight | Unlimited | 2000 |
| Template:Rh|Openweight | No weight limits | 1997 |
Ring
Pride utilized a square ring measuring 7 m (23 ft) on each side, constructed with five ropes. This same ring design was also employed during Pride: Bushido events.
Attire
Competitors were allowed some freedom in their choice of clothing but were mandated to wear open-finger gloves, mouthguards, and protective cups. The use of tape, gi tops or pants, wrestling shoes, kneepads, elbow or ankle supports, and masks was permitted only with the referee's consent.
Victory
A match could conclude by one of the following outcomes:
- Submission – when a fighter taps out or verbally concedes
- Technical submission – resulting from unconsciousness or injury caused by a submission hold
- Knockout – loss of consciousness or inability to continue after a legal strike
- Technical knockout – stoppage initiated by the referee, ringside doctor, or corner surrender
- Decision – judges evaluated the entire fight (round-by-round scoring was not used except in U.S. events), with draws disallowed. Judging criteria emphasized attempts to finish the fight, inflicted damage, control, takedowns, aggression, and weight differences when equal to or exceeding 10 kg (22 lb)
- Disqualification – issued following warnings (yellow or green cards) for illegal conduct or rule breaches; immediate disqualification applied for substance use such as Vaseline
- No contest – declared due to mutual rule violations or accidental illegal actions causing an early stoppage
Fouls
The Pride Fighting Championships identified these actions as fouls:
- Head butting
- Eye gouging
- Pulling hair
- Biting
- Fish hooking
- Groin strikes
- Blows to the back of the head (excluding sides and areas near ears)
- Small joint manipulation (gripping fewer than four fingers or toes)
- Elbow strikes aimed at the head and face
- Deliberately throwing an opponent out of the ring
- Exiting the ring intentionally
- Grabbing or hanging limbs on the ropes
- Stomps, kicks, and knees targeting the head of a grounded opponent (applicable only in U.S. events)
If a fighter sustained an injury due to an illegal move, the referee and ringside physician could halt the fight to allow recovery. The contest would then restart from the exact position prior to stoppage. Severe injuries caused by fouls led to immediate disqualification of the offending competitor.
Match conduct
- When fighters were close to falling out of the ring or became entangled in the ropes, referees paused action, repositioned both fighters centrally while maintaining their relative positions, and then resumed the bout.
- To penalize inactivity, referees issued penalty cards; each card—whether a warning or penalty—resulted in a 10% deduction from the fighter’s purse to discourage stalling tactics.
Matches between fighters of different weight classes
In situations where there were considerable weight disparities, lighter fighters could choose whether to allow knees or kicks to the face from the "four points" position under these conditions:
- Middleweights differing by at least 10 kg (22 lb)
- Middleweight versus heavyweight with a difference of 10 kg (22 lb) or more
- Heavyweights differing by 15 kg (33 lb) or greater
Pride Bushido
PRIDE BUSHIDO was a tournament series featuring a unique rule set inspired by the samurai code "Bushido," focusing on warrior ethics. It incorporated flexible formats such as team competitions and "Challenge Matches" designed for up-and-coming fighters. Key distinctions from main Pride events included:
- Bouts consisted of two rounds: a 10-minute first round followed by a 5-minute second round; breaks between rounds lasted two minutes
- Challenge Matches featured two five-minute rounds separated by two-minute intervals
- Red cards replaced yellow cards; each red card imposed a 10% purse penalty without leading to disqualification regardless of quantity. Red cards were issued for:
- Stalling or failing to engage offensively
- Lack of effort to finish or inflict damage on the opponent
- Holding an opponent to create a stalemate situation
Distinctions from the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts
Certain jurisdictions mandate that MMA competitions adhere to the Mixed Martial Arts Unified Rules of Combat, initially formulated by the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board and subsequently adopted by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for event sanctioning.
Pride's regulations exhibited several key deviations:
- Permitted kicking and knees to the head of a downed opponent, actions forbidden under the unified rules.
- Allowed stomping on the head of a downed adversary, which is disallowed in unified regulations.
- Sanctioned spiking (piledriving) an opponent onto the mat targeting head or neck areas, considered illegal under unified rules.
- Banned elbow strikes to the head, whereas unified rules permit elbows except for direct downward (12-6) strikes.
- Featured an initial round lasting ten minutes with two-minute intervals between rounds; unified rules restrict rounds to five minutes with one-minute breaks.
- Employed judging based on the entire fight rather than the ten-point must scoring system required by unified rules.
Following the Fertitta brothers’ acquisition of Pride on March 27, 2007, they declared that upcoming events would conform to unified rules—removing features such as 10-minute rounds, ground knees, stomps, and other distinctions—although no subsequent Pride events were held under these revised regulations.
Pride events
The opening of Pride events typically featured the theme PRIDE, composed by Yasuharu Takanashi, with bouts concluding to the tune of Victory, also composed by Takanashi. Beyond its primary numbered shows, Pride organized various event series designed to cater to different audiences and objectives.
Pride Grand Prix
The Pride Grand Prix (GP) tournaments awarded both financial rewards and championship belts to winners; however, these belts were symbolic and not subject to defense. Notably, at Shockwave 2005, Pride crowned its first welterweight and lightweight champions alongside tournament victors. These competitions attracted numerous past and future champions.
The inaugural Grand Prix took place in 2000 as an openweight contest without weight restrictions, conducted over two events: Pride Grand Prix 2000 Opening Round featuring initial bouts and Pride Grand Prix 2000 Finals encompassing quarter-finals through finals.
The GP series resumed in 2003 with a middleweight tournament staged across two cards: Total Elimination 2003 for first-round matches and Final Conflict 2003 for semi-finals and final. Subsequent middleweight, heavyweight, and openweight tournaments expanded into three events by incorporating Critical Countdown for second-round fights. Both Critical Countdown and Final Conflict combined Grand Prix fixtures with non-Grand Prix bouts.
In 2007, Pride announced plans to hold one Grand Prix annually, rotating through its four established weight divisions.
Match Format
Apart from the first Grand Prix in 2000, single-elimination tournament matches adhered to the customary Pride or Pride Bushido regulations. Events spanning two rounds consisted of an initial 10-minute round, followed by a two-minute interval, and concluded with a five-minute final round.
Notable Variations
During the 2000 Finals, a distinctive 90-minute contest took place between Kazushi Sakuraba and Royce Gracie. Gracie insisted on no judges or round restrictions, a condition Sakuraba accepted. After the full duration, Gracie’s corner conceded due to injury to his leg. Sakuraba advanced but subsequently retired after a fifteen-minute opening round against finalist Igor Vovchanchyn, citing fatigue.
Tournament Overview
Pride Bushido Series
October 2003 marked the debut of the "Bushido" series by Pride, emphasizing lighter weight categories—specifically lightweight (73 kg) and welterweight (83 kg). After the thirteenth Bushido event, these divisions were merged into Pride’s main event lineup.
In 2005, Pride Bushido organized Grand Prix tournaments for welterweight and lightweight classes, each featuring two brackets of eight competitors. The quarterfinals and semifinals were contested at Pride Bushido 9, with the finals held during Pride Shockwave 2005, where champions were crowned. Subsequently, a sixteen-man welterweight Grand Prix occurred in 2006.
Pride The Best
The year 2002 saw the introduction of The Best, a series spotlighting up-and-coming talent within an eight-sided ring enclosed by ropes. Although only three events were held before its conclusion, this format laid the groundwork for what became Pride Bushido.
Last Titleholders
Following Zuffa LLC’s acquisition of Pride, efforts were made to consolidate Pride’s middleweight and welterweight championships with Zuffa’s light-heavyweight (205 lbs) and middleweight (185 lbs) belts. Dan Henderson, who possessed both middleweight and welterweight titles at the time of purchase, was defeated in unification matches by Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson (September 2007) and Anderson Silva (March 2008).
The champions listed below held their titles as of April 8, 2007—the date of Pride FC's final promoted event.
Weight Classes
| Division | Maximum Weight | Titleholder | Crowned Since | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavyweight | No limit | Template:Country data RUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall Fedor Emelianenko | March 16, 2003 | 3 |
| Middleweight | 93 kg (205 lb) | United States Dan Henderson | February 24, 2007 | 0 |
| Welterweight | 83 kg (183 lb) | United States Dan Henderson | December 31, 2005 | 0 |
| Lightweight | 73 kg (161 lb) | Template:Country data JPNTemplate:Namespace detect showall Takanori Gomi | December 31, 2005 | 1 |
Tournament Champions
An asterisk (*) denotes that the tournament also served as a title bout.
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Prominent Competitors
The fighters listed below have either secured championship belts, triumphed in tournaments, or ranked among the elite contenders in Pride, frequently competing in multiple weight categories.
Heavyweight
- Fedor Emelianenko – final holder of the Pride FC Heavyweight title, victor of the 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix, undefeated throughout his Pride career
- Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira – inaugural Pride FC Heavyweight Champion and Interim titleholder, runner-up in the 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix, former UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion
- Mirko Filipović – winner of the 2006 Openweight Grand Prix, contender for the Heavyweight title in 2005, K-1 World Grand Prix champion in 2012, ex-IGF Heavyweight Champion, and champion of Rizin FF's 2016 Openweight Grand Prix
- Mark Coleman – champion of the 2000 Openweight Grand Prix and former UFC Heavyweight Champion
- Josh Barnett – runner-up in the 2006 Openweight Grand Prix and former UFC Heavyweight Champion
- Igor Vovchanchyn – finalist in the 2000 Openweight Grand Prix
- Ken Shamrock – winner of the 2000 Superfight and former UFC Superfight Champion
- Kevin Randleman – ex-UFC Heavyweight Champion
- Sergei Kharitonov – semifinalist in the 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix
- Mark Hunt – contender for the Heavyweight title in 2006 and K-1 World Grand Prix champion in 2001
- Semmy Schilt – four-time K-1 World Grand Prix winner, former K-1 Super Heavyweight Champion, and current Glory Heavyweight Champion
- Don Frye – champion of UFC 8 and Ultimate Ultimate tournaments in 1996
- Kazuyuki Fujita – semifinalist at the 2000 Openweight Grand Prix
- Fabrício Werdum – former UFC Heavyweight Champion
Middleweight
- Wanderlei Silva – the inaugural Pride FC Middleweight Champion and victor of the 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix; holds the records for the highest number of wins, title defenses, bouts, and knockouts in Pride history
- Mauricio "Shogun" Rua – winner of the 2005 Middleweight Grand Prix and ex-UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
- Quinton "Rampage" Jackson – runner-up in the 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix, contender for the 2004 Middleweight Title, and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
- Kazushi Sakuraba – semi-finalist in the 2000 Openweight Grand Prix, challenger for the 2001 Middleweight Title, and champion of the UFC Japan Heavyweight Tournament
- Ricardo Arona – runner-up in the 2005 Middleweight Grand Prix
- Kiyoshi Tamura – contender for the 2002 Middleweight Title
- Royce Gracie – champion of UFC One, Two, and Four
- Alistair Overeem – semi-finalist in the 2005 Middleweight Grand Prix; previous Dream and Strikeforce heavyweight titleholder; 2010 K-1 World Grand Prix winner
- Hidehiko Yoshida – Olympic Judo gold medalist in 1992 and semi-finalist in the 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix
- Anderson Silva – former Shooto Middleweight titleholder, final Cage Rage Middleweight Champion, and ex-UFC Middleweight Champion
- Murilo Rua – previous Elite XC Middleweight Champion
- Chuck Liddell – reached semi-finals in the 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
- Hiromitsu Kanehara – challenger for the 2002 Middleweight Title
- Kazuhiro Nakamura – quarter-finalist in the 2005 Middleweight Grand Prix
- Vitor Belfort – participant in the 2005 Middleweight Grand Prix and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
Welterweight
- Dan Henderson (champion of Pride FC’s 2005 Welterweight Grand Prix, last to hold Pride FC Welterweight and Middleweight titles, and final Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion)
- Carlos Newton (ex-UFC Welterweight Champion)
- Kazuo Misaki (winner of Pride FC’s 2006 Welterweight Grand Prix)
- Murilo Bustamante (runner-up in Pride FC’s 2005 Welterweight Grand Prix and former UFC Middleweight Champion)
- Denis Kang (second place in Pride FC’s 2006 Welterweight Grand Prix)
- Paulo Filho (former WEC Middleweight Champion and finalist in Pride FC’s 2006 Welterweight Grand Prix; replaced by Kazuo Misaki due to injury)
- Ikuhisa Minowa (semi-finalist in Pride FC’s 2005 Welterweight Grand Prix)
- Akihiro Gono (reached semi-finals in both Pride FC’s 2005 and 2006 Welterweight Grand Prix)
- Gegard Mousasi (Bellator Middleweight Champion; ex-Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion; former Dream Light Heavyweight and Middleweight Champion; winner of the 2010 DREAM Light Heavyweight Grand Prix and 2008 Dream Middleweight Grand Prix)
- Hector Lombard (former Bellator Middleweight titleholder)
Lightweight
- Takanori Gomi (the sole Pride FC Lightweight Champion and victor of the 2005 Lightweight Grand Prix)
- Hayato Sakurai (runner-up in Pride FC’s 2005 Lightweight Grand Prix and former Shooto Middleweight Champion)
- Marcus Aurélio (challenger for Pride FC’s 2006 Lightweight Title)
- Joachim Hansen (semi-finalist in Pride FC’s 2005 Lightweight Grand Prix; former Shooto Welterweight and Dream Lightweight Champion)
- Luiz Azeredo (semi-finalist in the 2005 Lightweight Grand Prix)
- Shinya Aoki (former One Fighting Championship Lightweight Champion, Dream Lightweight Champion, and Shooto Welterweight Champion)
- Jens Pulver (ex-UFC Lightweight Champion)
- Tatsuya Kawajiri (former Shooto Welterweight Champion)
- Gilbert Melendez (previous Strikeforce and WEC Lightweight titleholder)
- Daisuke Nakamura (former Deep Lightweight Champion)
- Nick Diaz (ex-Strikeforce Welterweight Champion)
See also
- List of Pride events
- List of Pride champions
- List of Pride FC fighters
- List of male mixed martial artists
- Yarennoka
External links
- Articles with short description
- Pages with broken file links
- Pride Fighting Championships
- Zuffa
- Mixed martial arts in Japan
- Sports organizations of Japan
- Sports organizations established in 1997
- Organizations disestablished in 2007
- 1997 establishments in Japan
- 2007 disestablishments in Japan
- Defunct brands
- Defunct mixed martial arts promotions
- Yakuza
- Pages with reference errors