It's not exactly the return of PRIDE, but July 23 will represent the return of PRIDE rules.Colosseo Championship Fighting is set to host its first event this summer at a venue yet to be determined, and the promotion recently released the evening's nine-fight lineup.
Occupying the headline slot are UFC and PRIDE vet Gilbert Yvel (36-16-1) and former King of the Cage dual-division champion Tony Lopez (24-6), who will each have soccer kicks, and stomps at their disposal under a set of policies promoter Pasqualino Santoro has dubbed "international rules."
"Colosseo Championship Fighting 6: Bushido" is expected to take place just outside of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Broadcast plans have yet to be announced.
A promoter of five years, Santoro in April told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) he's hoping to fill a void in the sport's current landscape.
"I don't even watch a UFC event now because they're so boring," Santoro said. "I'd rather watch a DREAM event than a UFC event. And with all the stuff going on in Japan right now, I don't see a big problem with honoring the Japanese people by going with PRIDE rules.
"I can do that because I live in a country where I'm allowed to do that."
Colosseo Championship Fighting 6 will be sanctioned by the International Combative Sports Association, a commission not affiliated with the widely recognized Association of Boxing Commissions, which endorses the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts.
The "international rules" include a 10-minute opening round, followed by a five-minute second round. Championship fights add a third fie-minute round. Soccer kicks, stomps and knees to the head of a downed opponent are allowed, thought elbows the head are not.
Colosseo Championship Fighting's weightclasses also resemble those utilized by the now-defunct PRIDE promotion, with heavyweights registering more than 205 pounds, middleweights capping out at 205 pounds, welterweights limited to 181 pounds, lightweight set at 161 pounds and featherweights at 141 pounds.
Former PRIDE referee Yuji Shimada will also oversee the evening's main card.
A host of notable fighters including Antonio McKee, Fabio Nascimento, Shane Nelson, Rafaello Oliveira and others will also appear on the card. Ticketing information is expected to be announced as soon as Monday.
The night's full lineup includes:
MAIN CARD
- Gilbert Yvel vs. Tony Lopez
- Antonio McKee vs. Rafaello Oliveira
- Ross Ebanez vs. Fabio Nascimento
- Jesse Juarez vs. Nick Hinchliffe
- David Douglas vs. Shane Nelson
- Donald Sanchez vs. Kenny Raught
- Shane Pacarro vs. Arnold Ranon
- Kris Kucher vs. Eddy Millis
- Josh Kyrejto vs. Tiago Tavares
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