We never did get those UFC vs. PRIDE cards we spent hours dreaming of on internet message boards, but we’re finally going to at least see both brands on a single night.
Featuring a unique 5-on-5 team grappling concept, Quintet Ultra takes place Dec. 12 at Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas and streams live on UFC Fight Pass.
The brainchild of MMA legend Kazushi Sakuraba, Quintet features a “winner stays on” format, meaning one grappler could conceivably beat all five members of an opposing team. And with teams built to fit under a total weight limit – but without any limits on individual weight divisions – the system allows for some unique matchups.
For Quintet Ultra, UFC officials have allowed licensing for a few major MMA brands they’ve added to their portfolio over the years: namely PRIDE, Strikeforce and WEC. It’s a creative concept, and now there’s a poster for the card, putting all the brands together in a single space.
Behold (via UFC Fight Pass’ Instagram):
While the team lineups are still filling out, Quintet Ultra already boasts an intriguing collection of names. The current card includes:
TEAM UFC
- Anthony Johnson (captain)
- Sean O’Malley
- Gilbert Burns
TEAM STRIKEFORCE
- Gilbert Melendez
- Jake Shields
- Muhammed Lawal
TEAM WEC
- Chad Mendes (captain)
- Glover Teixeira
- Cub Swanson
TEAM PRIDE
- Kazushi Sakuraba (captain)
- Takanori Gomi
- Gregor Gracie
SUPERFIGHT SINGLES MATCHES
- Craig Jones vs. Fredson Paixao
- Gordon Ryan vs. Aleksei Oleinik
- Pearl Gonzalez vs. Danielle Kelly
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