1. Pride Fighting Championships (1997-2007)
Pride was the granddaddy of them all, the pinnacle of a now-past era that elevated spectacle and presentation to the forefront. Huge paydays, huge personalities and huge crowds made Pride something special, and MMA has never again reached the heights to which the promotion ascended during its run. It still holds the record for attendance, routinely drew live audiences of more than 40,000 fans, and its 2002 “Shockwave” show drew more than 90,000. The UFC today, despite its multiple broadcast platforms and pay-per-view numbers, would kill for those kinds of gate numbers.
Pride was something fundamentally different than the modern UFC, and its time has come and gone. It nevertheless remains the home to some of the greatest fights in the sport’s history and is remembered fondly by all who followed it.
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