PRIDE Fighting Championships

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Image:Pride fc logo.jpg

PRIDE Fighting Championships (PRIDE or PRIDE FC for short) was a mixed martial arts organization based in Japan. Its inaugural event was held at the Tokyo Dome on October 11, 1997. PRIDE held more than sixty mixed martial arts events. As formerly one of the most popular MMA organizations in the world, PRIDE broadcasted to about 40 countries worldwide. PRIDE also held the largest live MMA event audience record of over 70,000 people at the PRIDE and K-1 co-production, Shockwave/Dynamite, held in August 2002, as well as the audience record of over 67,450 people at the PRIDE Final Conflict 2003.

In March 2007, Dream Stage Entertainment sold PRIDE to Lorenzo Fertitta and Frank Fertitta III, co-owners of Zuffa, which own rival promotion the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). While remaining legally separate entities with separate managements, the two promotions were to cooperate in a manner akin to the AFL-NFL merger. However, such an arrangement did not materialize, and in October 2007, PRIDE Worldwide's Japanese staff was laid off, marking the end of the organization as an active fight promoter. PRIDE for the longest time was conisdered the NFL of the mixed martial arts world and was known for always putting on the best fights with best fighters. Many UFC stars had competed in PRIDE with varied degrees of success such as;

PRIDE Weightclasses

Lightweight- 163 Pounds (although many fighters weighted in between 155-170 pounds)

Welterweight- 183 Pounds

Middleweight- 205 Pounds

Heavyweight- 205+ pounds


Weight classes were to be realigned in 2006, after the proposed LWGP


Lightweight- 157 pounds

Super Lightweight- 172 pounds

Welterweight- 183 pounds

Middleweight- 205 pounds

Heavyweight- 250 pounds

Super Heavyweight- 250+ pounds

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