Sherdog.com Preview: PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix Critical Countdown

PRIDE’s celebrated middleweight tournament continues and the eight survivors square off to see who makes a run for the title at the end of August.

The second round match-ups feature some intriguing scraps, including a “Brazil vs. Brazil” battle as Chute Boxe and Brazilian Top Team meet. In what has the looks to be a grappling fan’s dream, Sakuraba and Arona will finally lock up. And one of the more exciting non-tournament bouts sees two big-time strikers looking to bring the pain as Kharitonov and Rizzo meet on Japanese soil.

The entire card breaks down as follows:

Submission wrestler Kiyoshi Tamura of the U-File Camp meets Olympic judoka Makoto Takimoto of Yoshida Dojo.

Submission wrestler Kazushi Sakuraba of Takada Dojo confronts BJJ black belt Ricardo Arona of the Brazilian Top Team.

Alistair Overeem of Team Golden Glory tangles with freelance Combat Sambo fighter Igor Vovchanchyn.

Sergei Kharitonov of the Russian Top Team rumbles with Brazilian Muay Thai fighter Pedro Rizzo of the Ruas Vale Tudo Team.

Muay Thai fighter Mauricio Rua of the Chute Boxe Academy goes toe-to-toe with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira of the Brazilian Top Team.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira of the Brazilian Top Team challenges Olympic Judo Gold Medalist and Polish sensation Pawel Nastula.

Chute Boxe fighter and current PFC middleweight champion Wanderlei Silva takes on judoka Kazuhiro Nakamura of the Yoshida Dojo.

Croatian kickboxer Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic of Team Cro Cop battles Russian striker Ibragim Magomedov of the Red Devil Fight Club.