Earlier this week we implored newbie MMA fans to check out Spike’s “Best of Pride” series, as a good way to get up to speed on Takanori Gomi; the former Pride champion and dude that is fighting Kenny Florian on March 31st. If you read MMA Fix regularly then you also know we miss the good ole ‘Pride days’, back when Wanderlei Silva was stomping out opponents like a sh-t-bag on fire…
Anyways, for new fans to the sport that are checking out action from Pride for the first time, you’ve probably come to the stunned realization that yup, ‘ultimate fighting’ in Japan is a little different than what you see in the UFC. On his personal blog recently, UFC color man and comedian Joe Rogan wrote an interesting post about Pride rules, not just about the fact that they allowed foot stomps to the head etc, but also how the organization judged fights; here’s a sample:
What they were allowed to do however, is stomp each other in the head while they’re down and soccer kick each other in the face while they’re down. THAT is some pretty brutal shit, and there’s something about that added element of danger that just cranks the dial up on the excitement meter considerably when you’re watching it.
Check out the rest here.