Japanese MMA aka Pride Never Die

Just read on the MMA news/blog site http://mma-japan.com/ that OneFC, which is a new MMA promotion that will have shows all over Asia and be based out of Singapore will be utilizing modified PrideFC rules combined with the unified rules. They will contest fights in a cage, most likely an octagonal, hexagonal, or some other multi-sided geometrical shaped cage as well as allow elbows, which Pride, the Japanese promotion bought out by Zuffa in 2007 and brought crashing down by a Yakuza scandal, did not allow. What PrideFC did allow, and OneFC will allow are soccer kicks, and head stomps. It does not say but I am hoping that knees to a downed opponent are also included. These later types of strikes are not allowed by the UFC or the unified rules. I am hoping that with enough exposure, that these strikes can be shown to be safe enough to be permited within the confines of a UFC cage.

In addition to this news One FC has already announced the following fighters as a partial list of their roster:

- Anuwat Kaewsamrit (Thailand) - 6x Muay Thai World Champion.
- Eduard Folayang (Philippines) - Multi-titled Wushu fighter, Martial Combat Champion, and URCC Champion.
- Bao Li Gao (China) - Sanda World Champion
- Kwang Hee Lee (Korea) - Spirit MC Champion
- Namsaknoi Yudthagarngamtorn (Thailand) - 6x Muay Thai World Champion
- Eddie Ng (Hong Kong) - Total Combat FC Champion, and top prospect from Hong Kong.
- Adam Kayoom (Malaysia) - Malaysia Champion and XFC Champion, one of the top prospect from the country.
- Zhao Zhi Long (China) - Sanda World Champion 
- Zorobabel Moreira (Brazil/Singapore) - Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion, recently won against Ferrid Kheder.
- Kevin Belingon (Philippines) - Undefeated URCC Champion, a Lakay Wushu product who is one of the best bantamweights in Asia.
- Yodsanan Sityodtong (Thailand) - Former WBA Boxing World Champion, probably the most talented boxer to cross-over to MMA. Trains with all the Muay Thai and BJJ champs from Evolve MMA.
- Ole Laursen (Denmark / Philippines) - Martial Combat, and Muay Thai World Champion. A K-1 Veteran who is the #8 ranked lightweight on BloodyElbow's World Scouting Report
- Soo Chul Kim (Korea) - Rising On Champion, and Undefeated Road FC veteran
- Mitch Chilson (USA / Singapore) - 2-Time Martial Combat Champion
- Leandro Issa (Brazil/Singapore) - Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion and Martial Combat Champion,
- Eric Kelly (Philippines), Undefeated URCC Champion, 
- Orono Wor Petchpun (Thailand) - 5x Muay Thai World Champion 
- Ba Teer (China) - Sanda World Champion
- Gregor Gracie (Brazil) - Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Champion, 4-1 in his MMA career.
- Yoddecha Sityodtong (Thailand) - Muay Thai World Champion
- Rolles Gracie (Brazil) - Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Champion, and UFC Veteran, who is 4-1 in his MMA career.
- Malik Arash Malawyi (Afghanistan) - Afghanistan Champion and Martial Combat Champion
- Igor Gracie (Brazil) - Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Champion, and Strikeforce Veteran, who is 3-2 in his MMA career.

This roster and additional video can be found at One FC Announces List of Champions on Their Roster, Unveils Plans to Host Shows Around Asia, the news article on BloodyElbow that I originally found all this information at. Needless to say this sounds extremely exciting and maybe the global monopoly that Zuffa seems to have is not to be. We will see what occurs from this but in a perfect world the UFC and the unified rules would also end up adopting this rule set. All of these strikes cause less damage than elbows to the head, as is exemplified any time Kenny Florian fights, and they would possibly lower the prevalence of lay and pray fighting, or stalling, as it is more commonly known in wrestling circles. In my opinion taking someone down and laying on them is not fighting, it isn't even wrestling, so hopefully the reintroduction of Pride rules changes this.