With the dissolution of PRIDE, there has been a mass exodus of the organization's top fighters to once-rival promotions K-1 and UFC -- and there is still more to come.
Once hailed as having some of the greatest fighters on the planet, the tenor of discussions on PRIDE stars has shifted from eager anticipation to resigned disappointment.
Some fighters have actually succeeded in lifting their game to another level after the move -- namely, UFC light heavyweight champion
Quinton Jackson (Pictures) and middleweight titleholder
Anderson Silva.
But especially after
Mirko Filipovic (Pictures)'s poor performance and
Mauricio Rua (Pictures)'s gut-wrenching loss to
Forrest Griffin (Pictures), PRIDE veterans have been stigmatized.
"I can't say for certain," replied Kang to the question of why he thinks former PRIDE fighters have had mixed results in the UFC. "There's certainly some adjustment needed to the rules."
Perhaps in a sport where an athlete's performance is heavily contingent upon mental fortitude, nerves play a bigger factor than most expect.
"There's enormous pressure on PRIDE fighters going into the UFC," Kang said, "because the general perception is that PRIDE fighters are more superior. … There's more pressure to put on a great performance."
This pressure could also be exacerbated by the difference in crowd reaction. Kang observed that North American fans are much more vocal compared to their Asian counterparts.
Regardless, on Sunday at K-1 HERO'S Korea, Kang will look to disprove the notion that PRIDE fighters are overrated.
Although he is not overlooking his opponent,
Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures), he recognizes that making a strong statement in his debut will increase his chances of being invited to K-1's New Year's extravaganza, "Dynamite!!," one of the largest MMA events in the world.
"It would be my honor to be invited to K-1 Dynamite!!" Kang said. "It would be the biggest MMA event I've fought on. … It would be very special for me to fight on New Year's Eve. If I'm successful in this fight, I will compete in that for sure."
Akiyama,
Melvin Manhoef (Pictures) and
Dong Sik Yoon (Pictures) are all redoubtable fighters, and with more PRIDE fighters expected to migrate to K-1, Kang hopes to fight "strong fighters in the future" and establish his place at the top of the food chain.
Regarding the fight at hand, Kang had a special message for his fans in Canada: "I'm going to fight my heart out, eh?"
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