This Day in MMA History (8 April) the End of PRIDE

48 Date (4/8) of 2007 when unbeknownst to fans at the time PRIDE 34 Kamikaze was appropriately named because it would be the last event of the Japanese promotion. The organization was in the midst of being purchased by Zuffa, owners of the UFC when this last show took place a year ago. There was speculation as to what would happen and few thought PRIDE would be dissolved, but eventually that is exactly what happened.

The event, held at the Saitama Super Arena, was exciting to say the least. Filled with eight finishes, the longest lasting only 9:15, it was action packed and featured an interesting mixture of fighters. Eric “Butterbean” Esch the former boxing “King of the four rounders” scored a victory in the second fight due to submission via keylock. Notorious Dutchman Gilbert Yvel who was unable to participate in PRIDE 33 in Las Vegas due to his previous actions, fought cleanly in scoring a TKO. Legend Don Frye was TKO’d by James Thompson. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou continued to shock by KO’ing Ricardo Arona, and the last PRIDE fight saw Jeff Monson submit Kazuyuki Fujita.

This day one year ago symbolizes another shift in the ever changing landscape of the young sport. PRIDE and the UFC were the two premiere promotions. Now there’s just the UFC with others kicking, clawing, and scratching to fill the void left by the demise of PRIDE. Maybe they will maybe they won’t.

One thing is for sure though, we can remember how we jumped from our seats when Sokoudjou KO’d Arona or when Thompson stopped Frye, and it’ll remind us of another shocking fight during one of PRIDE’s other 69 events. And we can smile, because PRIDE was High Octane, brought us cold fury, resulted in Demolition, was Fully Loaded with Dreamers, it was the Real Deal, and it sent us Shockwaves when it ended in Kamikaze-like style on April 8, 2007.