PRIDE Critical Countdown Absolute
Encyclopedia
Pride Critical Countdown Absolute was a mixed martial arts
event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena
in Saitama
, Japan
on July 1, 2006.
, who was unable to participate due to a hand injury.
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena
Saitama Super Arena
is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Chūō-ku, Saitama City, Saitama, Japan. Its spectator capacity is 37,000 at maximum settings.This main arena capacity is between 19,000-22,500 when events such as basketball, volleyball, tennis, ice hockey, gymnastics, boxing, mixed martial arts and...
in Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on July 1, 2006.
Background
This event comprised the second round of the Pride 2006 Open-Weight Grand Prix tournament. Wanderlei Silva was inserted into the tournament in place of Pride Heavyweight Champion Fedor EmelianenkoFedor Emelianenko
Fedor Vladimirovich Emelianenko) is a Russian heavyweight mixed martial artist. He has won numerous tournaments and accolades in multiple sports, most notably the Pride 2004 Grand Prix and the World Combat Sambo championship on four occasions, as well as medaling in the Russian national Judo...
, who was unable to participate due to a hand injury.
Non-tournament bouts
- Heavyweight bout:
Pawel NastulaPawel NastulaPaweł Marian Nastula is a Polish judoka and mixed martial artist. He was the 1995 and 1997 Judo World Champion, and 1996 gold medallist at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, winning those titles in the U95kg weight category.-Judo career:Paweł started training Judo at the age of 10 at AZS...
vs.
Edson DragoEdson DragoEdson "Draggo" Claas Vieira is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and boxer.-Early career:Vieira emerged as a heavyweight prospect in 2005 and 2006 when he ran his record to 9-0 with a string of brutal knockouts, including his 15-second pummeling of Chute Boxe product Helio Dipp a fight for which he...
- Nastula defeated Drago by submission (armbar) at 4:33 of round 1.
- Heavyweight bout:
Yoshihiro NakaoYoshihiro NakaoYoshihiro "Kiss" Nakao is a Japanese heavyweight mixed martial artist and former K-1 kickboxer who has defeated the likes of Don Frye, Jim York, Wesley Correira, and Edson Draggo. He is currently under contract to fight for DREAM and World Victory Road promotions...
vs.
Eun Soo LeeEun Soo LeeLee Eun-Soo , often anglicised to Eun-Soo Lee, is a South Korean mixed martial artist and former Spirit MC Heavyweight Champion. Eun vacated the title when he signed with PRIDE FC in 2006. Soo-Lee is currently contracted to fight for M-1 Global...
- Heavyweight bout:
- Nakao defeated Lee by TKO (doctor stoppage) at 4:16 of round 1.
- Light Heavyweight bout: Vitor BelfortVitor BelfortVítor Vieira Belfort is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Belfort was born in Rio de Janeiro and studied jiu-jitsu with the Gracie family, namely Carlson Gracie. He received a black belt under Carlson and currently trains with Xtreme Couture, fighting in...
vs. Yoshiki Takahashi
- Light Heavyweight bout:
- Belfort defeated Takahashi by KO (punch) at 0:36 of round 1.
- Light Heavyweight bout:
Alistair OvereemAlistair OvereemAlistair Cees Overeem is a British born Dutch mixed martial artist and kickboxer, signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the former Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion, Dream Interim Heavyweight Champion, K-1 World Grand Prix Champion, and made history by being the only fighter in combat...
vs. Antonio Rogerio NogueiraAntonio Rogerio NogueiraAntônio Rogério Nogueira is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist currently signed with the UFC. He is the twin brother of Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira. A proficient amateur boxer, he was the 2006 and 2007 Brazilian Super Heavyweight Champion. He also won a bronze medal in the 2007 Pan...
- Light Heavyweight bout:
- Nogueira defeated Overeem by TKO (corner stoppage) at 2:13 of round 2.
- Middleweight bout: Evangelista "Cyborg" SantosEvangelista SantosEvangelista Santos is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who is a member of the famous Chute Boxe Academy. He has fought in Strikeforce, Pride Fighting Championship, Cage Rage, International Vale Tudo Championships and Pancrase. He is currently fighting for World Victory Road and Strikeforce...
vs. Kazuhiro NakamuraKazuhiro NakamuraKazuhiro Nakamura is a Japanese mixed martial artist currently competing as a middleweight in DREAM. His primary style is judo, in which he holds a 3rd dan black belt under Hidehiko Yoshida...
- Middleweight bout:
- Nakamura defeated Santos by submission (americana) at 4:49 of round 1.
Tournament bouts
- Openweight tournament quarterfinal bout: Antonio Rodrigo NogueiraAntonio Rodrigo NogueiraAntônio Rodrigo Nogueira is a Brazilian mixed martial artist known for his technical mastery of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He competes in the heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he is a former UFCInterim Heavyweight Champion...
vs. Fabricio WerdumFabricio WerdumFabricio Werdum is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, a two-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion, a two-time ADCC world heavyweight champion and European Jiu-Jitsu champion. He holds black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, and Muay Thai. Werdum has competed in Pride Fighting Championships, the...
- Nogueira defeated Werdum by unanimous decision.
- Openweight tournament quarterfinal bout: Wanderlei SilvaWanderlei SilvaWanderlei César da Silva , nicknamed "The Axe Murderer", is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, who has competed in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships and the American based Ultimate Fighting Championship . Silva is known for his aggressive fighting style with the majority of his fights ending in...
vs. Kazuyuki FujitaKazuyuki Fujitais a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and a former amateur wrestler. He has fought in mixed martial arts promotions including PRIDE, K-1 and currently fighting in Sengoku....
- Openweight tournament quarterfinal bout:
- Silva defeated Fujita via TKO (strikes) at 9:21 of round 1.
- Openweight tournament quarterfinal bout:
Josh BarnettJosh BarnettJoshua Lawrence Barnett is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler who currently fights in the heavyweight division of Strikeforce. Barnett has been an accomplished fighter in mixed martial arts, winning the UFC Heavyweight Championship and the King of Pancrase Openweight...
vs.
Mark HuntMark HuntMark Hunt ; is a New Zealand kickboxer and mixed martial artist of Samoan descent, currently living in Sydney, Australia. Hunt competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and is known for his raw strength, iron chin and knockout power. He won the K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 Final...
- Openweight tournament quarterfinal bout:
- Barnett defeated Hunt via submission (kimura) at 2:02 of round 1.
- Openweight tournament quarterfinal bout:
Mirko "Cro Cop" FilipovićMirko FilipovicMirko Filipović is a former Croatian heavyweight kickboxer, mixed martial artist, politician, and law enforcement officer. Filipović was a member of the Croatian Parliament from 2003 through 2007...
vs. Hidehiko YoshidaHidehiko Yoshidais a Japanese gold-medalist judoka and retired mixed martial artist. He is a long time veteran of Japan's Pride Fighting Championships, competing in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, also managing to fight in the semi-finals in the Pride 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix...
- Openweight tournament quarterfinal bout:
- Filipović defeated Yoshida via submission (verbal) due to leg kicks at 7:38 of round 1.
Pride 2006 Openweight Grand Prix Bracket
1Fedor Emelianenko was given a BYE into the next round but could not compete due to a sustaining injury. So Fedor was replaced by Wanderlei Silva.See also
- Pride Total Elimination AbsolutePRIDE Total Elimination AbsolutePride Total Elimination Absolute was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Osaka Dome in Osaka, Japan on May 5, 2006.-Background:...
- Pride Final Conflict AbsolutePRIDE Final Conflict AbsolutePride Final Conflict Absolute was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on September 10, 2006.-Background:...
- List of Pride events