Pride Shockwave 2 Preview

ANJO: Yoji Anjo was a Team Kingdom wrestler (along with Sakuraba, Kanehara, Matsui, Takayama, Yamamoto and others) and is a three-time UFC veteran. The strange thing about this relatively unaccomplished fighter is he has fought some good people. He met David Abbott in Ultimate Japan 1 and broke Abbott’s hand with his face, keeping “Tank” from meeting Sakuraba in what surely would’ve been a classic. Anjo faced Murilo Bustamante in the Brazilian’s UFC debut. He lasted a round before being submitted and then he turned up once more at UFC 29. This time it was Matt Lindland’s debut and the Team Quest wrestler finished Anjo with strikes in less than three minutes. Anjo also faced UFC veteran Sean Alvarez in a show called U-Japan. It was an event full of UFC regulars and the knock off even featured a rare sight in Japanese MMA — a cage. After a 34-minute snoozer, Anjo tapped from strikes.

GRACIE: Carlos “Carlinhos” Gracie black belt Ryan Gracie is 4-2 in MMA and has fought exclusively for the PFC since 2000. He trains in New York with his brother Renzo. Prior to his first appearance in Pride, little was known about Ryan other than some interesting stories and a video clip that circulated involving he and a fighter named “Tico,” who “lost” a chunk of his ear.

Ryan made his debut at Pride 10 against Tokimitsu Ishizawa and dismantled the Japanese wrestler in just over two minutes. Gracie lost the rematch due to injury, but Ishizawa was getting the best of him in that bout. Tokimitsu took the bout very seriously and stated he would retire from MMA if he did not win. Ryan faced the then unstoppable Kazushi Sakuraba at Pride 12 and lost a decision. Some fans may remember Ryan came to ring covered in blue tape and required a special one-round bout.

In his return to action at Pride 22, Ryan dominated Japanese striker Shungo Oyama and stopped him with a vicious armbar that looked like it almost made Oyama pass out. Ryan was back on top. He knocked out Kazuhiro Hamanaka with a kick at Pride Bushido 1 and won a very questionable decision over Ikuhisa Minowa at Pride Bushido 3 (ok, plain and simple, he lost).

MY PICK: Before I answer, the question has to be asked: What is the point of this? Are we trying to tie this back to the little known closed-door dojo bout between Anjo and Rickson Gracie way back before to Pride 1? Sorry to dip my toe in your champagne fountain guys, but most people don’t even know enough about that fight to reference it. Those that do don’t care. I’m going with Gracie. If he ever hopes to fight again he can’t afford to lose to this guy. Gracie by TKO in the first round.