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PRIDE Shockwave 2005

Yoshida vs. Ogawa Announced For Shockwave 2005

Official Release

December 31, 2005

Saitama Super Arena

Saitama, Japan

TOKYO, Japan –

The bout of Hidehiko Yoshida versus Naoya Ogawa has been announced for PRIDE FIGHTING’S

upcoming event, SHOCKWAVE 2005, which is scheduled to premiere on North American pay per view on

Sunday, January 1^st, 2006 at 9:00 pm ET, 6:00 pm PT.

Previously announced bouts include the finals of the lightweight and welterweight tournaments held at

BUSHIDO Volume 9 … for the lightweights Takanori Gomi will face Hayato “Mach” Sakurai and for the

welterweights Dan Henderson takes on Murilo Bustamante.

 In one of the main events of SHOCKWAVE 2005, Olympians will clash as Japan’s Hidehiko Yoshida is set

to face fellow countryman, Naoya Ogawa.  Both are legendary judokas with Yoshida winning the gold medal

in the 78kg weight class at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and Ogawa winning the silver in the 95kg weight

class at the same games.   Each has gone on to have successful mixed martial arts careers.  However,

beyond the Olympic glory and their successes in the MMA ring, there is a long-standing rivalry.  Both men

attended Mieji University in Japan where they practiced judo.  Being the senior, Ogawa is said to have been

harsh on Yoshida with the two being fierce and bitter rivals.   At the Olympics both teammates medaled, but

two years later at the 1994 All Japan Judo Championships, teammates faced off and Yoshida (86kg)

garnered the victory over Ogawa (132kg) by a 2-1 decision.   The victory ended Ogawa’s domination of the

event as 5-time consecutive champion.  Now the rivalry and bad blood between both men will be settled once

and for all … in the PRIDE ring!

                                        Hidehiko Yoshida (Japan) vs. Naoya Ogawa (Japan)

                                               Gomi        Sakurai      Henderson   Bustamante

 FIGHTCARD:

Takanori Gomi (Japan) vs. Hayato “Mach” Sakurai (Japan)

(This bout is the final round of the lightweight BUSHIDO tournament)

Dan Henderson (USA) vs. Murilo Bustamante (Brazil)

 (This bout is the final round of the welterweight BUSHIDO tournament)

Hidehiko Yoshida (Japan) vs. Naoya Ogawa (Japan)

More bouts to be announced soon.

Fight card subject to change.

SHOCKWAVE 2005 premieres on North American pay per view via iNDEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH

NETWORK, UrbanXtra, TVN1, VU!, and Viewer’s Choice Canada on Sunday, January 1^st, 2006 at 9:00 pm

ET, 6:00 pm PT (including a countdown show at 8:30pm ET, 5:30pm PT).  

For additional replay times, please contact your pay per view provider or pridefc.com.

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

- From Dream Stage Entertainment with a little editing from us (color, highlights, etc...)

(11/14/05)