Pride GP Final Four Matchmaking

[BruceLee]

Since Shogun and Silva are both Chute Box there are only two combinations.

Silva vs. Overeem/Arona
Shogun vs. Overeem/Arona

I think Silva as the number one seed and reinging champion will get the supposedly easiest fighter in Overeem. And skinny Overreem should get massacred by Silva which should make alot of people who think he doesn't belong there happy.

Shogun will get Arona, which should be a big time match.
If Arona beats Wanderlei's partner, then he gets a shot at Wanderlei.

Plus this ensures that Silva goes to the finals.

If they have Silva-Arona first, then there is a possiblity that Silva won't be in the finals which would be a let down.

[chosin]

Since Shogun and Silva are both Chute Box there are only two combinations.

Silva vs. Overeem/Arona
Shogun vs. Overeem/Arona

I think Silva as the number one cede and reinging champion will get the supposedly easiest fighter in Overeem. And skinny Overreem should get massacred by Silva which should make alot of people who think he doesn't belong there happy.

I may be wrong, but I don't think Overeem would get massacred by Silva. Overeem has great stand-up, dangerous knees, and I don't think it's a fluke he's in the final four. Also, it's likely Silva could have some difficulty with the height/reach factor, not to mention, Silva's knee strikes won't be much of a threat. Regardless, this would be a good fight because both guys like to brawl and throw everything they've got.

[CatSmasher]

Yeah I don't understand why Overeem is being looked at as the weakest of the 4.He has as good a chance as any to win this tourney.Whoever they put him against won't have it easy.I don't think he will be able to get guillotine on any of the remaining three,but I didnt think he would get it on vitor either.Damn i can't wait till august.

[Jeremy]

It should be like this...

Arona v.s. Silva
Overeem v.s. Shogun

[cumthedestroyer]

in Silva's interview at ADCC he states that he wants Arona in the next round. i agree with Jeremy that, that is the most reasonable turn of events. i don't think it's fair that Shogun take out the entire top team.

[Brazuca]

I think DSE will pair Arona vs Shogun and Silva vs Overeem.

Arona vs. Shogun has all the ingredients of a grudge match, Arona has the chance to avenge his BTT companion recent loss and Shogun would be willing to avenge his brother loss to Arona. All that packed in another classic BTT-Chute Boxe fight.

Silva vs Overeen would put Silva against the dark horse of the tournament who has been taking it as a walk in the park, dismantling Victor and ignoring Igor. As a bonus Silva would be facing a powerful striker and someone with knees as dangerous as his own.

I'd rather see Arona vs Silva as these two guys really have a grudge and don't even like to stay close to each other. If you have a chance take a look at the end of the show when the four finalists where annouced, Arona and Silva stay apart and eventually Arona moves to the other side of the ring, just to get away from Silva.

[cumthedestroyer]

it seems as tho Pride would like to make Silva vs Overeem and Arona vs Shogun for the Final Four. Silva has called for Overeem in his post-fight interview at Sherdog. i also would rather it be Silva vs Arona and Shogun vs Overeem. Silva and Arona have been very successful in their weight class all these years and yet Arona has never gotten a shot at his title. Arona probably should have been the mandatory challenger for the Shockwave event rather than Hunt in replacement of Sakuraba. i think Silva vs Arona is really the only fight that could possibly rival Shogun vs Noguiera in the GP in the sense that both Silva and Arona are veterans rather than young blood. to me it would be the ultimate follow up. Shogun vs Arona doesn't excite me as much because Shogun just beat Noguiera last round. i prefer the fighters take varied paths in the tournaments especially if the matches are to be made by hand rather than brackets. Silva vs Overeem and Arona vs Shogun, while either fight could main event most any show i can think of,do not excite me as much as the reverse. hopefully pride will post a poll again. i can't imagine anyone not prefering Silva vs Arona.

[tripwire]

Hell I was going to go over every possible match with breakdowns etc, but its going to be great no matter whom fights whom.

Here are my quick predictions.

Overeem vs Silva - Overeem by TKO. Height/Reach/Style too much. Silva has problems with pure strikers/Kickboxers in the past.

Overeem vs Shogun - Shogun by TKO. I think Shogun is the best fighter out there. This could go either way but I give Shogun the edge.

Overeem vs Arona - Overeem by TKO. Arona is a tough guy but 95% of his fights have been by JDec. I don't see that happening here. He will tough it out but get TKO or KO'd eventually.

Silva vs Shogun - Shogun by TKO. This would be an increadible fight that I would very much like to see. Could go either way but as I stated above I think Shogun is the best fighter out there and wins by TKO in a war.

Silva vs Arona - Silva by TKO. This would be quick.

Shogun vs Arona - Shogun by TKO. Same as above, a quick fight.

All in all I think Arona is outmatched by all of the fighters above. The other three it could go any way. I can't wait for the fights.

[Luke]

Jeremy Wall just published an article about booking Final Conflict. Its an interesting read.

[cumthedestroyer]

just read that Jeremy Wall piece and i still can not at all understand why anyone would think Silva vs OVereem and Shogun vs Arona is an appropriate semifinal. Shogun just fought the BTT, and Silva's been fighting Japanese cans all the way thru. Silva vs Arona is the most anticipated match that you can make out of this GP, short of Silva vs Shogun, and by not making it when you have the chance you take the risk of losing it again. If Yoshida re-enters this tournament i'm done with mma. the more i read about Pride's domestic marketting approach the more turned off i am by their shows. and that's just gonna be it, cause altho i can have fun watching the UFC at hooters, nearly every fight seems worked to me. honestly i'm pretty embaressed really to say the words "cage rage" or "UFC" in public. Pride's my only hope for actually staying interested in this semi-sport. They're getting more of the best fighter's than any other organization and the MW GP has been the most competitive event of this year in TE and CC. Granted the Bushido shows haven't been as competitive but the talent pool that they're amassing should eventually be. As you can see from Bushido 7 to Bushido 8 the talent sustains and the matches improve minorly. If a Japanese fighter re-enters the MW GP tho i'm done with it.