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PRIDE FC: Critical Countdown Preview
By Jade Prout
Courtesy of MMAFighting
"Critical Countdown" is almost upon us, and the card looks very promising. In addition to the 4 Grand Prix elimination matches, there will be 3 additional fights featuring 2 of the biggest names in Japan, as well as a match to determine a #1 Contender for the Middleweight title. Here’s a quick run-down of what’s in store…
KAZUSHI SAKURABA VS ANTONIO "NINO" SCHEMBRI
Sakuraba has announced that he will be retiring from the fight game, although he will apparently take his sweet time doing it; DSE has announced that he will be fighting in next year’s Middleweight Grand Prix. Silva-Sakuraba 4 perhaps? I wouldn’t doubt it. Speculation aside, the first stop on his "Road to Retirement" is a rematch with Schembri, who pounded out a TKO victory over him last March at "Body Blow."
Both men have an opportunity here: Sak wants to prove that the loss was a fluke, and Schembri wants to prove just the opposite. It’s difficult to say who has the advantage; Sakuraba isn’t getting any younger or healthier, but Schembri hasn’t had a fight in the past year. Perhaps the most telling factor in this fight is that "Nino" has been training with Brazil’s Chute Boxe Academy with none other than Wanderlei Silva. With three wins over Sakuraba, Silva has presumably given Schembri ample advice on how to deal with the wily and unpredictable wrestler.
QUINTON "RAMPAGE" JACKSON VS RICARDO ARONA
In a perfect world, this fight would have taken place last year in the first round of the Middleweight Grand Prix, but an untimely ankle injury sidelined Arona at the last minute. "Rampage" had to take on Arona’s teammate, former UFC Middleweight Champion Murilo Bustamante, on very short notice. The judges split 2 to 1, but Jackson walked away with the victory. Now, some 10 months later, Arona has a chance to avenge Busta’s loss, and the winner will face Silva for the Middleweight strap.
Contrast of styles? You better believe it! "Rampage" likes to "slam mother-fuckers" and pound them without mercy, whereas Arona is a more methodical fighter who often seeks to maintain position and ride out the clock to win on points. We could see fireworks, or we could see something more akin to waxworks. One thing is certain; if anyone can inject excitement into a potentially dull fight, it’s "Rampage."
SERGEI KHARITONOV VS SEMMY SCHILT
The most commonly encountered complaint about Kharitonov is that he hasn’t fought any "big names." Is Semmy Schilt big enough for you? Schilt is over 7 feet tall, and with his reach and striking ability, he is a nightmare on his feet for anyone he faces. Sergei is by no means a midget, but he will still be dwarfed by the Dutch giant.
Kharitonov is a Sambo specialist who has shown fearsome striking power and a brand of intensity seldom seen from a Heavyweight. Semmy is certainly no stranger to striking, but is no slouch at submissions, either. Although Schilt won his first-round GP match with an armbar from the bottom, his opponent (UFC veteran Gan McGee) was not the dynamic fighter that Kharitonov can be. Sergei, if on top, will likely explode with punches and make Semmy pay for being on the bottom; but in any other position, it will be an uphill battle for the Russian.
ANTONIO RODRIGO NOGUEIRA VS HEATH HERRING
This is the second of two rematches on this card. In the approximately two and a half years that have passed since their initial meeting at Pride 17, both fighters have stayed busy against top competition, so they can only have improved as fighters in the interim. The result should be an even more exciting fight, with both men looking to take one step closer to the final match.
Nogueira is best known for his incredible submission skills, as well as his boxing prowess and his astounding ability to withstand punishment and still finish strong. Heath is quite possibly the most well rounded Heavyweight on the planet, but he has garnered much of his fame via ground-and-pound. By conventional wisdom, "Minotauro" has the overall advantage in this fight either standing or on the mat, but "The Texas Crazy Horse" should never be underestimated.
MARK HUNT VS HIDEHIKO YOSHIDA
Hunt is a K-1 Kickboxing veteran making his MMA debut, and Yoshida is an Olympic Medallist in Judo who has fought such top-shelf opponents as Royce Gracie and Wanderlei Silva. After witnessing the complete and utter dismantling of his fellow K-1 transplant Stefan "Blitz" Leko by Judo superstar Naoya Ogawa in the first round of the GP, Mark Hunt has to be nervous going into this fight.
This is a classic striker-versus-grappler match. As long as the fighters stay on their feet, Hunt has the clear advantage; as soon as they hit the mat, it’s all Yoshida. We have seen Yoshida last 15 minutes with one of the world’s most brutal strikers in Wanderlei Silva, so we know he has a chin; does Hunt have sufficient training to cope with Yoshida’s takedown ability and submission skills? It seems doubtful, but you never know.
PAULO CESAR SILVA VS NAOYA OGAWA
"Giant" Silva is well over 7 feet tall, making him the only man in Pride’s stable who is able to make Schilt look like an average person. Many were surprised (and perhaps disappointed) not to see him matched with Semmy this round, but DSE apparently wanted to create a "giant-killer" match as a sort of "litmus test" for their newest Judo sensation.
Ogawa claimed his place in Critical Countdown with the aforementioned submission win over Leko in April. Silva also made his way to this event with a submission win, via kimura over the sumo wrestler Henry "Sentoryu" Miller. However, neither Leko nor Miller had ever fought in MMA before; this ought to be a tougher fight for both men. Although Ogawa has the definite edge in skill and experience, Silva’s size is definitely an X-factor. It is also interesting to note that both men have an extensive history in professional wrestling… perhaps Ogawa will leap from the top turnbuckle!
EMELIANENKO FEDOR VS KEVIN RANDLEMAN
Kevin, a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, gave us what was quite possibly the upset of the year when he knocked out Mirko "CroCop" Filipovic in the first round of the GP. Now, he faces an even more formidable challenge in Fedor, the man who has punched, kicked, slammed, pounded and subbed his way to his present place at #1 in the Heavyweight scene. Could Kevin be the one to finally knock Fedor from his pedestal?
Although Fedor is the heavy favorite to win, Randleman has a huge emotional investment in this fight. Fedor beat Kevin’s friend and training partner Mark Coleman at Total Elimination 2004, so Kevin will want to settle the score. On top of that, Randleman’s father just recently passed away, and Kevin has dedicated this fight to the loving memory of the man who raised him. Expect him to come out guns blazing and showing no fear.
Who will advance to the final four? Who will compete for the title of Grand Prix Champion? Who will be Silva’s next challenger for the Middleweight gold? Will Bas return to ringside and save us from Matt Hume and his fondness for stopwatches? We’ll just have to wait and see.
PRIDE FC: CRITICAL COUNTDOWN 2004 airs in North America on iNDEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH NETWORK, UrbanXtra, TVN1, VU!, and Viewer’s Choice Canada on Sunday, June 20th at 9:00pm EST.
By Jade Prout
Courtesy of MMAFighting
"Critical Countdown" is almost upon us, and the card looks very promising. In addition to the 4 Grand Prix elimination matches, there will be 3 additional fights featuring 2 of the biggest names in Japan, as well as a match to determine a #1 Contender for the Middleweight title. Here’s a quick run-down of what’s in store…
KAZUSHI SAKURABA VS ANTONIO "NINO" SCHEMBRI
Sakuraba has announced that he will be retiring from the fight game, although he will apparently take his sweet time doing it; DSE has announced that he will be fighting in next year’s Middleweight Grand Prix. Silva-Sakuraba 4 perhaps? I wouldn’t doubt it. Speculation aside, the first stop on his "Road to Retirement" is a rematch with Schembri, who pounded out a TKO victory over him last March at "Body Blow."
Both men have an opportunity here: Sak wants to prove that the loss was a fluke, and Schembri wants to prove just the opposite. It’s difficult to say who has the advantage; Sakuraba isn’t getting any younger or healthier, but Schembri hasn’t had a fight in the past year. Perhaps the most telling factor in this fight is that "Nino" has been training with Brazil’s Chute Boxe Academy with none other than Wanderlei Silva. With three wins over Sakuraba, Silva has presumably given Schembri ample advice on how to deal with the wily and unpredictable wrestler.
QUINTON "RAMPAGE" JACKSON VS RICARDO ARONA
In a perfect world, this fight would have taken place last year in the first round of the Middleweight Grand Prix, but an untimely ankle injury sidelined Arona at the last minute. "Rampage" had to take on Arona’s teammate, former UFC Middleweight Champion Murilo Bustamante, on very short notice. The judges split 2 to 1, but Jackson walked away with the victory. Now, some 10 months later, Arona has a chance to avenge Busta’s loss, and the winner will face Silva for the Middleweight strap.
Contrast of styles? You better believe it! "Rampage" likes to "slam mother-fuckers" and pound them without mercy, whereas Arona is a more methodical fighter who often seeks to maintain position and ride out the clock to win on points. We could see fireworks, or we could see something more akin to waxworks. One thing is certain; if anyone can inject excitement into a potentially dull fight, it’s "Rampage."
SERGEI KHARITONOV VS SEMMY SCHILT
The most commonly encountered complaint about Kharitonov is that he hasn’t fought any "big names." Is Semmy Schilt big enough for you? Schilt is over 7 feet tall, and with his reach and striking ability, he is a nightmare on his feet for anyone he faces. Sergei is by no means a midget, but he will still be dwarfed by the Dutch giant.
Kharitonov is a Sambo specialist who has shown fearsome striking power and a brand of intensity seldom seen from a Heavyweight. Semmy is certainly no stranger to striking, but is no slouch at submissions, either. Although Schilt won his first-round GP match with an armbar from the bottom, his opponent (UFC veteran Gan McGee) was not the dynamic fighter that Kharitonov can be. Sergei, if on top, will likely explode with punches and make Semmy pay for being on the bottom; but in any other position, it will be an uphill battle for the Russian.
ANTONIO RODRIGO NOGUEIRA VS HEATH HERRING
This is the second of two rematches on this card. In the approximately two and a half years that have passed since their initial meeting at Pride 17, both fighters have stayed busy against top competition, so they can only have improved as fighters in the interim. The result should be an even more exciting fight, with both men looking to take one step closer to the final match.
Nogueira is best known for his incredible submission skills, as well as his boxing prowess and his astounding ability to withstand punishment and still finish strong. Heath is quite possibly the most well rounded Heavyweight on the planet, but he has garnered much of his fame via ground-and-pound. By conventional wisdom, "Minotauro" has the overall advantage in this fight either standing or on the mat, but "The Texas Crazy Horse" should never be underestimated.
MARK HUNT VS HIDEHIKO YOSHIDA
Hunt is a K-1 Kickboxing veteran making his MMA debut, and Yoshida is an Olympic Medallist in Judo who has fought such top-shelf opponents as Royce Gracie and Wanderlei Silva. After witnessing the complete and utter dismantling of his fellow K-1 transplant Stefan "Blitz" Leko by Judo superstar Naoya Ogawa in the first round of the GP, Mark Hunt has to be nervous going into this fight.
This is a classic striker-versus-grappler match. As long as the fighters stay on their feet, Hunt has the clear advantage; as soon as they hit the mat, it’s all Yoshida. We have seen Yoshida last 15 minutes with one of the world’s most brutal strikers in Wanderlei Silva, so we know he has a chin; does Hunt have sufficient training to cope with Yoshida’s takedown ability and submission skills? It seems doubtful, but you never know.
PAULO CESAR SILVA VS NAOYA OGAWA
"Giant" Silva is well over 7 feet tall, making him the only man in Pride’s stable who is able to make Schilt look like an average person. Many were surprised (and perhaps disappointed) not to see him matched with Semmy this round, but DSE apparently wanted to create a "giant-killer" match as a sort of "litmus test" for their newest Judo sensation.
Ogawa claimed his place in Critical Countdown with the aforementioned submission win over Leko in April. Silva also made his way to this event with a submission win, via kimura over the sumo wrestler Henry "Sentoryu" Miller. However, neither Leko nor Miller had ever fought in MMA before; this ought to be a tougher fight for both men. Although Ogawa has the definite edge in skill and experience, Silva’s size is definitely an X-factor. It is also interesting to note that both men have an extensive history in professional wrestling… perhaps Ogawa will leap from the top turnbuckle!
EMELIANENKO FEDOR VS KEVIN RANDLEMAN
Kevin, a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, gave us what was quite possibly the upset of the year when he knocked out Mirko "CroCop" Filipovic in the first round of the GP. Now, he faces an even more formidable challenge in Fedor, the man who has punched, kicked, slammed, pounded and subbed his way to his present place at #1 in the Heavyweight scene. Could Kevin be the one to finally knock Fedor from his pedestal?
Although Fedor is the heavy favorite to win, Randleman has a huge emotional investment in this fight. Fedor beat Kevin’s friend and training partner Mark Coleman at Total Elimination 2004, so Kevin will want to settle the score. On top of that, Randleman’s father just recently passed away, and Kevin has dedicated this fight to the loving memory of the man who raised him. Expect him to come out guns blazing and showing no fear.
Who will advance to the final four? Who will compete for the title of Grand Prix Champion? Who will be Silva’s next challenger for the Middleweight gold? Will Bas return to ringside and save us from Matt Hume and his fondness for stopwatches? We’ll just have to wait and see.
PRIDE FC: CRITICAL COUNTDOWN 2004 airs in North America on iNDEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH NETWORK, UrbanXtra, TVN1, VU!, and Viewer’s Choice Canada on Sunday, June 20th at 9:00pm EST.
