Dana White via NBC Sports:
“I think that when fighters fight, obviously money is great, as well as everything that goes along with it, but at the end of the day, it’s about legacy,” Dana White said. “Pride and the UFC have all the best fighters in world in all the different weight classes. Finally, we’re [...]

After we waited and waited for the announcement the day has finally come. Today at a joint press conference in Tokyo, Japan UFC and PRIDE have announced the biggest acquisition in MMA history. Dream Stage Entertainment and PRIDE President and CEO Nobuyuki Sakaibara will relinquish control of the organization on April 8th after PRIDE 34. [...]

Well it looks like we have finally received the complete answer regarding Tito Ortiz’s no-show for his match with UFC President Dana White. From Tito’s MySpace Blog:

Only doing business!!!!!!!!!!!
So, everyone is giving me shit for the Dana fight… No one knows what really went on.
Let me tell my side of what real went on. Me [...]

The LA Times has an article that contains a few interesting stories. Here’s the first clip:
“…less than four months after Jackson joined UFC, he’s getting his shot to take Liddell’s belt. UFC will officially announce today that the fighters have signed contracts to headline a May 26 pay-per-view card, UFC 71, at the MGM Grand [...]

Has the saga finally come to an end? According to MMAWeekly.com it has with Japanese newspapers reporting today that UFC has in fact purchased PRIDE. Here’s part of the MMAWeekly piece:
“The Japanese newspapers reported today in Tokyo, Japan that the UFC has bought Pride. The UFC/Pride rumor has been circulating for awhile, but the deal [...]

Hard Lessons
SI.com has a featured article on their site about Nate Marquardt who will be facing Anderson Silva for the middleweight title on July 7th at UFC 72.
Wineland works overtime to climb MMA ladder
Houston Chronicle writer Steve Seivert has a blog post up about MMA fighters who have regular jobs as well as fighting [...]

Today was supposed to be the hyped match between Tito Ortiz and UFC President Dana White however Ortiz decided not to show up for weigh-ins yesterday and the fight has been canceled, at least for now. Here’s the details from the Fight Network:
“On March 5, the NSAC had voted 3-1 to allow the exhibition bout. [...]

Tickets for UFC 71 will be going on sale this Monday, March 26th, to UFC Fight Club members at 1 pm EST. Two days later on Wednesday March 28th tickets will be available for subscribers to the UFC’s email subscribers but for those who aren’t the presale password is “RAMPAGE”. Finally on Friday March 30th [...]

UFC.com has removed Wander Braga (10-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) from the UFC Fight Night 9 card. He was set to face Kurt Pellegrino (9-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) at the April 5th event. Braga apparently hit a snag when an interview with immigration was pushed back from March to April after the event according to Bloody [...]

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua has signed a 4 fight deal with Pride, not the UFC as originally rumored, according to MMAWeekly.com. The rumors of Shogun coming to the UFC and Pride came as a direct result of the massive ammount of rumors involving the purchase of Pride by the Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta.
The deal will keep [...]

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Nobuyuki Sakakibara, Pride President and CEO, has confirmed the Pride sale to the Fertitta brothers in a message to employees. From the article:
“Nobuyuki Sakakibara yesterday told several members of the U.S. Pride staff that the company is in the proces of being sold to Lorenzo & Frank [...]

Various MMA media outlets, most notably MMAWeekly.com, are confirming that Nate Marquardt will indeed face Anderson Silva for the middleweight title at UFC 73 on July 7th. They have signed the contract for the fight, which will be the night’s main event.
Also on the undercard for the event will be a match between Tito [...]

In late February at Pride 33, Dan Henderson became the first mixed martial artist to hold two titles in two different weight classes at the same time when he knocked out Wanderlei “The Axe Murdered” Silva.
The surprise upset headlined the best MMA event so far this year. Henderson fights out of the talent ladenTeam Quest [...]

Last night we reported that Mauricio “Shogun” Rua had signed a 2 fight deal with the UFC and a 2 fight deal with PRIDE. More news has come out today making the situation no clearer.
First came news earlier today from a Sherdog.com radio show that Rua had signed a unique deal allowing him two fights [...]

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Mike Swick have both been cast to appear in an upcoming MMA feature film entitled “Never Submit”.
GracieMag.com is reporting that the PRIDE 2005 middleweight grand prix winner Rua will appear in the movie. Here’s part of the article:
“Imperia Entertainment studios and the director James Hergott, were won over by the Chute [...]