PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix 2005: Possibly the Best 16-Man Field Ever Assembled
Conclusion:
Apr 20, 2005
One could hardly ask for a more stacked field of competitors to vie
for a title. The favorites are obvious, but anything can happen in
a tournament. Thankfully, we have no rematches in the first round.
I have a feeling the quarterfinals will have more than one if
possible. It is getting harder and harder to choose where to put
your hard earned dollars for PPV these days. Seeing such a great
field assembled in Japan makes you want to see Zuffa dust off that
Ultimate Ultimate Tournament of Champions concept that was shelved
after ’96 so we can have some fun in this country too! It would be
difficult for a card like this to disappoint and personally I
expect to be riveted by the top-shelf talent. Enjoy the fights! I
know I will.
To recap, my picks are:
Sakuraba def. Yoon TKO R1
Nakamura def. Randleman submission R1
Arona def. Lister submission R1
Overeem def. Belfort TKO R1
Vovchanchyn def. Kondo KO R1
Henderson def. Nogueira decision R3
Rua def. Jackson KO R1
Silva def. Yoshida KO R1
PFC/DOWN THE ROAD Quarterfinal match-up scenarios:
Sakuraba-Henderson: Henderson has always wanted this bout and only so many fighters will get the chance before Sak retires. It should’ve happened years ago and for it to happen now, with a spot in the tournament on the line, would be an ideal scenario.
Henderson-Rua: This one has pain written all over it. What a tough call. I could see Henderson schooling the kid but I could also see “Shogun” putting Dan’s lights out with some crazy knee strike to the head. Given the history between Henderson and Chute Boxe, this one warrants serious consideration.
Rua-Arona: Talk about two completely different fighters. Arona would want to slow it down on the ground and Rua would want to separate and land strikes to Ricardo’s face. Who would dictate the pace of this one?
Vovchanchyn-Overeem: Two guys who love to mix it up on the feet. However, I see Igor taking this to the mat early. He’s only about 5’8” or 5’9” battling Overeem’s 6’5” frame. That’s a tall order (no pun intended) to stay on the feet for too long.
Vovchanchyn-Silva: I’ve always wanted to see this one. The crowd would go absolutely crazy during the stare down. And with Igor dropping to middleweight (205 pounds), he’s faster than before but carries less weight behind the punches. Could be the most interesting bout of all the match-ups mentioned.
Overeem-Nakamura: Nakamura would be hard to handle on the ground as Nogueira can attest to. Will he be able to avoid those big knees to the face in the clinch long enough to throw him to the mat? Size is a factor as well. Few people in this division are as long as Overeem. But as mentioned in previous scenarios, is there any appeal to a match-up between these two?
Silva-Nakamura: Not a cakewalk for Silva, but it would be very deflating to Yoshida if he and his protégé were taken out by the reigning champ. The Japanese fans would probably love that angle too.
To recap, my picks are:
Advertisement
Nakamura def. Randleman submission R1
Arona def. Lister submission R1
Overeem def. Belfort TKO R1
Vovchanchyn def. Kondo KO R1
Henderson def. Nogueira decision R3
Rua def. Jackson KO R1
Silva def. Yoshida KO R1
PFC/DOWN THE ROAD Quarterfinal match-up scenarios:
Sakuraba-Arona: Hopefully Sakuraba would keep this one interesting.
At least Sak would be able to depend more on his grappling skills
due to Arona’s style. Is this bout appealing to the PFC big wigs?
Probably not. They want to see Sak beaten and bloody.
Sakuraba-Henderson: Henderson has always wanted this bout and only so many fighters will get the chance before Sak retires. It should’ve happened years ago and for it to happen now, with a spot in the tournament on the line, would be an ideal scenario.
Henderson-Rua: This one has pain written all over it. What a tough call. I could see Henderson schooling the kid but I could also see “Shogun” putting Dan’s lights out with some crazy knee strike to the head. Given the history between Henderson and Chute Boxe, this one warrants serious consideration.
Rua-Arona: Talk about two completely different fighters. Arona would want to slow it down on the ground and Rua would want to separate and land strikes to Ricardo’s face. Who would dictate the pace of this one?
Vovchanchyn-Overeem: Two guys who love to mix it up on the feet. However, I see Igor taking this to the mat early. He’s only about 5’8” or 5’9” battling Overeem’s 6’5” frame. That’s a tall order (no pun intended) to stay on the feet for too long.
Vovchanchyn-Silva: I’ve always wanted to see this one. The crowd would go absolutely crazy during the stare down. And with Igor dropping to middleweight (205 pounds), he’s faster than before but carries less weight behind the punches. Could be the most interesting bout of all the match-ups mentioned.
Overeem-Nakamura: Nakamura would be hard to handle on the ground as Nogueira can attest to. Will he be able to avoid those big knees to the face in the clinch long enough to throw him to the mat? Size is a factor as well. Few people in this division are as long as Overeem. But as mentioned in previous scenarios, is there any appeal to a match-up between these two?
Silva-Nakamura: Not a cakewalk for Silva, but it would be very deflating to Yoshida if he and his protégé were taken out by the reigning champ. The Japanese fans would probably love that angle too.
