For 10 years, Pride Fighting Championships was the premiere mixed martial arts organization—before the meteoric rise of UFC. Like other successful sports simulations have done, Undisputed 3 hearkens back to the origins of its sport by including a Pride gaming option in its latest UFC title.
Respect
Although they once were competitors, UFC’s fighters and head honchos respect what Pride did for their beloved sport. “Pride was a big part of getting everyone around the world to know what mixed marital arts is about,” says bantamweight fighter Urijah Faber. You can also count UFC President Dana White as one of “UFC vs. Pride” mode’s biggest fans. He says, “You can fight in the Pride ring; and I think THQ did a fantastic job of really nailing what the Pride organization was like.”
Nostalgia
UFC fighters who sampled the game love the nostalgia effect of playing with the fighters they admired when they were growing up. “Having Pride as part of the game is something that is so important to me,” Faber says. “Some of my favorite fighters, like [Kazushi] Sakuraba [are] in there.” He also loves using the old fighting rules in the new mode.
Take your teammates to the Octagon or Pride ring when the game hits shelves on Feb. 14. Whoever taps out has to carry the equipment after practice.
Photos:  thq.com