LOS ANGELES, California –
PRIDE FIGHTING is proud to announce its first ever show on American soil, “THE REAL DEAL”! The event will take place on
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21st at the THOMAS & MACK CENTER in LAS VEGAS, NEVADA.

Don’t miss an epic heavyweight showdown as undisputed, undefeated PRIDE world heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko takes on former Grand Prix champion and all-American wrestler, Mark “The Hammer” Coleman! Also announced is a match up between 2005 Grand Prix Champion, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua of Chute Boxe Muay Thai versus Ohio State two-time national wrestling champion, Kevin “The Monster” Randleman. Also scheduled on the card: “The New York Bad Ass” Phil Baroni, “The Baby Face Assassin” Josh Barnett, and “The Phenom” Vitor Belfort.

Tickets to PRIDE FIGHTING’S “The Real Deal,” are officially on sale! For tickets, log on to www.pridefc.com or call 1-866-US FIGHT. Ticket prices range from $50 to $700. PRIDE’s first U.S. card will also be featured on Pay-Per-View for $39.95. Check your local cable or satellite provider for details.

Fedor Emelianenko---Perhaps no other fighter in PRIDE is as feared as Fedor Emelianenko. This Russian heavyweight is one of the hardest hitters in the sport, but besides his heavy hands, he is also technically versed in submissions (Emelianenko was the 1997 Russian National Judo/Sambo Champion, the 1997 European Sambo Champion and placed first in the 2002 World Sambo Championships in the heavyweight division). If one survives standing toe to toe with him, it only gets worse when the fight goes to the ground as Emelianenko’s “ground and pound” game is among the most devastating in the sport. Add this to his uncanny ability to avoid submissions on the ground and this Russian becomes even more of a nightmare match-up. Emelianenko has been training and fighting since his childhood (his younger and more massive brother, Alexander, is also a fighter) and today he is one of the youngest and very best heavyweights in the world.

Mark Coleman---Big, powerful, and methodical, Mark Coleman’s fighting style is unique … he uses his outstanding wrestling abilities to control opponents on the ground and then proceeds to punch them into submission. Coleman helped to pioneer this style, which would come to be known as “ground and pound.” “The Hammer” has a highly decorated past in amateur wrestling as he was a national champion at Ohio State University, gold medal winner in the 1991 Pan-American games, and member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic wrestling team. In addition, Coleman is a two-time UFC tournament champion and UFC super fight champion. In early 2000, PRIDE organized its first ever Grand Prix tournament, with one purpose--- to find the world’s very best fighter. The tournament spanned two events and during that time Coleman went through Masaaki Satake (submission via neck crank), Akira Shoji (via decision), Kazuyuki Fujita (towel thrown, injury), and Igor Vovchanchyn (submission via strikes). The four victories earned Coleman the most prestigious championship in mixed martial arts and solidified his position as a legend in the sport.

Kevin Randleman---Randleman is one of the most highly decorated amateur wrestlers to make the transition to mixed martial arts. “The Monster” was a state wrestling champion in high school and also wrestled for Ohio State University where he was a three-time All-American and two time national champion. Since his early wrestling days, Randleman has been a member of Mark Coleman’s “Hammer House” team. As a result, he is a master of Coleman’s pioneering "ground and pound” fighting style. Under Coleman’s coaching, he also captured the UFC heavyweight championship at UFC 23. “The Monster” can stand and fight on his feet, but as a master of takedowns, he prefers to attack on the ground with punches and knees. Besides his wrestling abilities, Randleman’s advantages include his incredible strength, athleticism, and conditioning.

Mauricio Rua---Without a doubt, Mauricio Rua is one of the most aggressive fighters in the world. With a will to win and non-stop energy, this Chute Boxe fighter is 100% offense from the opening bell. From high kicks to knees, strikes to stomps, Rua is the total package and a virtual KO Machine. This Brazilian is the younger brother of PRIDE stand out Murilo Rua. Together they are better known by their nicknames … “Shogun” for Mauricio and “Ninja” for Murilo. In addition to training with his brother, “Shogun” also routinely trains with legendary PRIDE champion Wanderlei Silva, which explains the similarity in aggressive styles. One of the youngest fighters in PRIDE, “Shogun” is now looking to make his mark!

Fighter appearances are subject to change.

About PRIDE Fighting: A legendary event in Japan, the PRIDE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIPS match the world's elite fighters in competitions of honor and art. Imagine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner versus kick boxer, Judo specialist versus wrestler ... this is the sport of mixed martial arts ... this is PRIDE Fighting. Each match is the culmination of years of training by these athletes, the finest representatives of their martial art who not only compete for victory, but also to defend their fighting style.

For more information on PRIDE FIGHTING, visit pridefc.com!

   Submitted by: Dream Stage Entertainment