A closer look on Takada's PRIDE 10/11 revelation

A small article went up today on PRIDE's official website about Takada's wrestling camp for kids, Diamond Kids College. What's interesting about this is that it was at the press conference for this event that Takada yesterday blurted out the 11th October date for the next PRIDE show, but this is curiously not mentioned at all in the article on PRIDE's website.

Gryphon also notes that Takada is nothing more than a public face for PRIDE (if even that these days), without any real power. When Sakakibara and DSE controlled the organization Takada at least had some insight into what was going on behind the scenes, but with a Zuffa owned organization Takada is most likely left in the dark.

So what's the truth about the October 11th date? No one but Zuffa knows for sure, but at this stage it looks like nothing more than wishful thinking by a Takada longing back to the glory days.

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Who really controls PRIDE? Return in October?

FightOpinion relays word today from Daily Sports that PRIDE will return on October 11th, ten years on the day after the first PRIDE show was held. The man behind the message? No other than Nobuhiko Takada. The question is who does Takada represent? You would think that a Zuffa controlled PRIDE wouldn't have someone like Takada convey their message in a PR event that's not even associated with them.

Takada said that he wanted to see Rickson Gracie at the event (I would guess to say a few words to the crowd and not to fight), together with an all-star assembly of fighters.

Watch the Rickson Gracie vs Takada main event from PRIDE 1, October 11th 1997, after the jump.

Rickson Gracie vs Nobuhiko Takada

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