PRIDE 34 was historical for many reasons, with the purchase by UFC, this was the last PRIDE show run by Dream Stage Entertainment. All of the fighters on the show wanted to make an impact on this monumental show, and Valor's Butterbean was no different.  Butterbean faced off against  Zulu, a monster who has faced greats like Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria and Fedor Emelianenko.
Butterbean matched up well with Zulu, (real name Wagner da Conceicao Martins.) Both men were near 400 pounds, however this fight was not stand up like most expected.  Zulu, a BJJ Purple Belt was dominated on the ground by Butterbean, himself, a BJJ White Belt. The fight came to an end when Butterbean submitted Zulu with a keylock in 2:35 of the 1st round, solidifying why Eric Esch is more than just the "King of the 3 Rounders"
The night also saw Valor Fighters James Thompson & Zelg Galesic in featured fights. "The Colossus" James Thompson defeated MMA Legend Don Frye 6:23 of the 1st round with a barrage of punches. Thompson looked great here, and looks to be a force in MMA for a long time to come. Galesic however, was not so lucky on this night. He lost via kimura to Makoto Takimoto in a great fight that had the fans on the edge of their seats! Galesic showed the fire and intensity that will make him one of the greats in the sport sooner than later.
Butterbean, at 10-3-1 has now won 6 of his fights via Submission. He has adapted to the MMA game well, and looks to continue his dominance throughout the year. Stay tuned to www.valorfighting.com to find out when Butterbean is fighting next!

by Anthony Rosas