“PRIDE never dies” is the mantra that fans of the defunct Japanese MMA promotion live by. That is for good reason.
Fans remember the highlight reel wars that fighters such as Don Frye, Wanderlei Silva, and Rampage Jackson had. Along with that were the grand fighter entrances, Lenne Hardt’s booming voice introducing the fighters, and perhaps most of all… soccer kicks.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and so did PRIDE, eventually. Lee Daly’s new book “Before A Fall: A History of PRIDE Fighting Championships” provides an excellent recounting of the origins of the promotion, its peak, and its downfall.