Report: PRIDE FC CEO says sale is pending

by MMAmania.com on Mar 22, 2007 9:19 PM EDT Comment 27 comments

PRIDE FC President and CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara had a sit down with select employees recently, informing them that the organization was in the process of being sold to the Fertittas and their jobs were safe, according to Dave Meltzer at WrestlingObserver.com.

Sakakibara, however, will no longer stay with the Japanese mixed martial arts promotion.

Here's the full snip:

"Nobuyuki Sakakibara yesterday told several members of the U.S. Pride staff that the company is in the process of being sold to Lorenzo & Frank Fertitta. He said the agreement in principal is done but there are still some minor points to be worked out and the contract is not signed. Sakakibara said he would be leaving the company but that everyone would be keeping their jobs. The company would be operated separately from UFC, but obviously UFC could use any Pride fighter for a big match that it needed."

Meltzer's report comes on the heels of other reputable sources, including Sherdog.com and MMAWeekly.com, claiming that a $65 million deal has been struck with the majority owners of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Keep in mind, nothing has been signed or confirmed 100 percent -- it's all speculation at this point.

Really, really well-informed speculation.

These reports fly in the face of recent statements from PRIDE FC officials who have been adamant that a sale is not pending.

However, several sources have Sakakibara in Las Vegas right now, lending more credibility to the truth behind-the-scenes details.

With PRIDE FC and the UFC running on parallel tracks possibly under Fertitta ownership, it looks like the brothers plan to keep both organizations separate. But it would be foolish to think that at some point the two wouldn't overlap.

Imagine the possibilities.

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Comments

This deal happened as soon as PRIDE was booted from their Japanese TV deal. How long can one live without lungs?

by ajadoniz on Mar 22, 2007 9:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

great post, thanks for the update

by titojr. on Mar 22, 2007 9:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It’s bullshit!

by Jerry Millen on Mar 22, 2007 10:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You can’t be real. Theres no way you/he would subject yourself to what you’d endure here. If its really you…your still an asshole. TTB

by Tommy on Mar 22, 2007 10:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I’m waiting for another headline that reads “Pride FC CEO says sale pending is BS” and that Pride FC is officially going to team-based competition with the IFL as a template. LMFAO.

by [w153r] on Mar 22, 2007 10:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It might as well happen now. Everyone knows that this shit is inevitable. There must be one super-league with all of the best athletes. Thats how every other sport works.

by Mahde on Mar 22, 2007 10:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

If it does happen,it will be great for mma fans so the fights that everybody wants to see we can see them and if it dosen’t happen who guves a fuck cause if the money is ru=ight for a pride vs ufc it will happen just no time this year early next mark my word holla.

by cheeks on Mar 23, 2007 12:14 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It might as well happen now. Everyone knows that this shit is inevitable. There must be one super-league with all of the best athletes. Thats how every other sport works.

Actually no – thats not how any other sport works. Every other sport that has a large dominant league (NBA, NFL, etc) is an organization that consists of free agents. What this means is: the NFL has no power over the players. The people with real power are the club owners and the NFL is basically just a framework to allow them to compete against each other.

So to tranfer this system to MMA the UFC and PrideFC would have to sign contracts with Chute Box, Team Quest, Miletich Fighting Camp and so on. Then each signed team would have to try to get the best fighters they can get and it would be competitive again. Don’t get me wrong – it wouldn’t be like in the IFL. Its still Fighter vs. Fighter, but the payday is channeled thru the teams, so the teams get a cut of the money and try to give their fighters the best support they can in return.

This would be a win-win situation if UFC and Pride really had to merge at one point and the fighters would lose all leverage this way in contract discussions.

by YouTapped on Mar 23, 2007 3:30 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

What loser posted a comment under tha name Jerry Millen. Talking about wanting attention. If it is you why are you coming on a UFC blog.

by jason bang on Mar 23, 2007 8:25 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Gary Millen is an idiot. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it now. He’s been kept in the dark by Pride management about this entire deal, as I’ve stated before, and he’s made a fool of himself in public and in the media by shooting off his mouth about shit he knows nothing about. Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

by Dana White on Mar 23, 2007 8:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I volunteer to fight jerry millen for 250,000$ and I promise I won’t train for it.

by wildbill on Mar 23, 2007 9:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Perhaps this deal could be seen as similar to the NFL-AFL merger. There you had two popular leagues that also had different rules. The NFL and AFL were able to adopt each others rules and have a unified champion each year. Given the Athletic commission requirements, it may be hard to have unified rules but I’m sure something could be worked out to deliver a unified champion. Perhaps they could trade the championship site between USA and Japan every other year.

by Andy on Mar 23, 2007 10:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Id like to see Dana White kick the shit out of Millen, then maybe Fishman too….i think two seperate orgs is fine, some people, specially Japanese, want Pride over there, they like the ring, and the head stomps and shit..personally I think head stomp and soccer kicks are ridiculous, so I wouldnt mind seeing those go..and I prefer the cage, so i will still watch ufc more, but still would love to see some dream fights

by MMA Dude on Mar 23, 2007 10:49 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I really want this to happen, but my gut keeps telling me that this is an elaborate April Fool’s joke set up between the 2 companies. If it is, I know I won’t be laughing.

by noel on Mar 23, 2007 11:33 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

If what Nobuyuki Sakakibara says is true, and the sale is pending and that all the jobs are safe… does this mean that Jerry Millen wont be fired the seconds the Fertitta brothers wont be canning his ass the second the get control? sheads a tear Oh well maybe he will piss someone off… and get worked over. Hell I would do it myself if I could get the chance that guys an ahole.

by Steve on Mar 23, 2007 11:49 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I’ll fight him! Ah’ll kill ‘im!! I pity the po’ fool!

by Dana White on Mar 23, 2007 1:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Its over:

by YouTapped on Mar 23, 2007 2:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Whats this YT?

by Tommy on Mar 23, 2007 2:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Its the announcement of a press conference by the Pride Officials. They name it “A history making announcement” or something along those lines and I think we all know what this could only be. The deal is done I guess.

by YouTapped on Mar 23, 2007 2:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Oh, the press conference is scheduled for the 27th of march btw

by YouTapped on Mar 23, 2007 2:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

They better do something. Even I’m not gonna get their next pay-per-view. Its a horrible card.

by Tommy on Mar 23, 2007 4:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

They better do something. Even I’m not gonna get their next pay-per-view. Its a horrible card.

I totally agree – weakest card I saw in Pride so far. They added Butterbean vs. Zulu today – what a freak shot that’ll be!

by YouTapped on Mar 23, 2007 4:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

They added butterbean? Now that so stupid it is funny. He’s a circus show at best. (not that I’d want him punching me in my face) What about some guy thats supposed to be like 1 in 10 or something like that?

by Tommy on Mar 23, 2007 4:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs