Former Pride FC boss Nobuyuki Sakakibara delves into the details of his new promotion, signing Fedor Emelianenko and his interest in extending an invitation to Vladimir Putin for the NYE show.
Between 1997 and 2007, Pride Fighting Championships was an undeniable force in mixed martial arts. The promotion's inception came about as an excuse to match Gracie family champion Rickson Gracie and famous Japanese pro-wrestler Nobuhiko Takada. Eventually, the promotion became on of the largest sporting entities in Japan and an international thorn in the UFC's backside until 2006.
In 2015, Pride FC is no more.