Pride Fighters Getting Owned in UFC

There was a very interesting post put on the website www.sherdog.com.
It started as not bashing former Pride fighters but the reality is, for the most part, the Pride fighters are having a hard time finding success in the UFC.

The discussion began as to what the problem was. People suggested that the transition to the cage was the difference. Others suggested that because elbow strikes were allowed in UFC and knees to a downed opponent are not allowed, they had to alter game plans.

There was talk that any mid-carder in the now defunct Pride FC would walk through anyone in the UFC and be a champion. Well, with the exception of Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson, Pride fighters are finding out that the UFC has some tough guys out there.

My take is there are a number of things going on. For one, Pride FC didn't have the strict drug testing policy that the UFC adheres to. Have you noticed that most of these former Pride fighters are having problems due to their cardio? They're all gassing out in the second round.

Cardio has nothing to do with the cage, elbow strikes, and knees to a downed opponent. It points to the fact the former Pride fighters maybe had a little help in the testosterone department in Japan where the drug testing was extremely lenient. It might not have been testosterone but that little 'something' that helped them heal better and get them over the hump.

Remember, most Pride fights had a 10 minute first round and then sometimes 2 subsequent 5 minute rounds. So why are they gassed out after the first 5 minute round of a UFC fight? The cage? Elbows? Absolutely not.

The current UFC fighters have been used to strict drug testing and have been training naturally for cardio so there's no change for them. I don't care how good of a fighter you are, if you're gassed out and the guy you're fighting still has a full tank, you're in trouble. That's what has been happening to these Pride FC fighters.

The UFC has most of the best fighters in the world so for people to still claim that the Pride fighters would walk through them is ludicrous. Once the Pride fighters get their conditioning back up to an elite level the proper way and not by a substance that can get them over the edge, they should start seeing more success. Stop blaming the cage, stop talking about banning elbows, and give the UFC fighters a little bit of props.

This won't change the debate much but until the former Pride fighters start seeing a little success and stop gassing out, the records pretty much speak for themselves.