how good were the top pride guys?

[margaret thatcher]

a lot of them didnt do great in the ufc /other usa mma orgs(anderson obvious exception) , or at least never reached comparable height. but at the same time, a lot of them came to the ufc late in their careers


were they just not good enough, and possibly overhyped in pride, or was it a case of being past their best by the time the ufc really took off?

fedor
cro cop
wandy
rua
nog
etc

[gilgamesh]

Fedor never came to the UFC and didn't fight for many years when Pride ended. He's probably the best MMA fighter ever. Or certainly close to it.

Wanderlei was phenomenal in Pride. He was definitely past his prime when he came to the UFC because he beat some of the guys he'd lose to in UFC or toward the end of Pride.

Pride's the best MMA organization ever. One of the best Combat Sports promotions ever period.

[HomicideHenry]

I think it's accurate to say that at that time the best MMA fighters in the world were not necessarily in the UFC but were at PRIDE, as the UFC was still kinda competing with other MMA organizations in the United States at the time and was still trying to get over as an actual sport rather than some gimmick.

Pride started in 1996 and went out of business in 2007, and as a reference point Brock Lesnar would not become the UFC champion until 2008. Furthermore, Fedor wouldn't lose until 2010, so in the minds of many people the real heavyweight champion of MMA wasn't even in the UFC.

When Fabricio Werdum beat him, and then lost to Alistair Overeem, and in turn Overeem went to the UFC and defeated Lesnar in 2011--- you can make the argument that the Pride lineal title merged with the UFC lineal title.

That being said the match that everybody wanted to see between Fedor and Lesnar falls squarely on the shoulders of Dana White and his broken promises of wanting to have the best fighters on the planet facing each other--- because he sure didn't come up with good enough money to try to get the man everybody thought was the true heavyweight MMA champion.

Jesus Christ Almighty God bless you all

[Baby Face Finster]

Fedor never came to the UFC and didn't fight for many years when Pride ended. He's probably the best MMA fighter ever. Or certainly close to it.

Wanderlei was phenomenal in Pride. He was definitely past his prime when he came to the UFC because he beat some of the guys he'd lose to in UFC or toward the end of Pride.

Pride's the best MMA organization ever. One of the best Combat Sports promotions ever period.

I kind of agree on the first point though the longevity of UFC has now put the UFC over it. I concur wholeheartedly with your second assertion.

[gilgamesh]

Fedor never came to the UFC and didn't fight for many years when Pride ended. He's probably the best MMA fighter ever. Or certainly close to it.

Wanderlei was phenomenal in Pride. He was definitely past his prime when he came to the UFC because he beat some of the guys he'd lose to in UFC or toward the end of Pride.

Pride's the best MMA organization ever. One of the best Combat Sports promotions ever period.

I kind of agree on the first point though the longevity of UFC has now put the UFC over it. I concur wholeheartedly with your second assertion.

Pride had at least 10 events that were better than any UFC card there's ever been. Pride is still better, longevity or no.

[Wee Tommy]

a lot of them didnt do great in the ufc /other usa mma orgs(anderson obvious exception) , or at least never reached comparable height. but at the same time, a lot of them came to the ufc late in their careers


were they just not good enough, and possibly overhyped in pride, or was it a case of being past their best by the time the ufc really took off?

fedor
cro cop
wandy
rua
nog
etc

They were juiced to the gills in Pride, testing for steroids was non existent. They did test for recreational drugs. Most of the Pride guys had their day by the time they came to the UFC.

[Baby Face Finster]

a lot of them didnt do great in the ufc /other usa mma orgs(anderson obvious exception) , or at least never reached comparable height. but at the same time, a lot of them came to the ufc late in their careers


were they just not good enough, and possibly overhyped in pride, or was it a case of being past their best by the time the ufc really took off?

fedor
cro cop
wandy
rua
nog
etc

They were juiced to the gills in Pride, testing for steroids was non existent. They did test for recreational drugs. Most of the Pride guys had their day by the time they came to the UFC.

I remember when Rampage came over to the UFC and brutalized Liddell.

It must be noted that Anderson Silva was first in Pride and then came to the UFC.

[Wee Tommy]

a lot of them didnt do great in the ufc /other usa mma orgs(anderson obvious exception) , or at least never reached comparable height. but at the same time, a lot of them came to the ufc late in their careers


were they just not good enough, and possibly overhyped in pride, or was it a case of being past their best by the time the ufc really took off?

fedor
cro cop
wandy
rua
nog
etc

They were juiced to the gills in Pride, testing for steroids was non existent. They did test for recreational drugs. Most of the Pride guys had their day by the time they came to the UFC.

I remember when Rampage came over to the UFC and brutalized Liddell.

It must be noted that Anderson Silva was first in Pride and then came to the UFC.

Rampage had already beaten him in Pride years previously.

[Baby Face Finster]

They were juiced to the gills in Pride, testing for steroids was non existent. They did test for recreational drugs. Most of the Pride guys had their day by the time they came to the UFC.

I remember when Rampage came over to the UFC and brutalized Liddell.

It must be noted that Anderson Silva was first in Pride and then came to the UFC.

Rampage had already beaten him in Pride years previously.

I know but Rampage beat him again when he reached his peak in the UFC.

[Crease]

In it's hay day, Pride has the best fighters in the world in their prime battling each other.

By the time the UFC bought it over and (some of) the Pride Champions came over they were older and jaded...

[JxhDel.]

They were the top MMA guys for sure between 2000 and 2005, unfortunately they entered UFC at the worst moment for them.