I think your right about a global vs regional company. Thats why I don't like comparing the two. It is no secret that Pride pays more, fills more seats and overall has better fighters top to bottom. That being said UFC has arguably the best WW, MW LHW champs in the biz. Obviously that is a very subjective statement, but I think most people would put Hughes, Franklin and Chuck in the top three in the world in their respective weights. The UFC is doing a good job of filling their ranks with lots of local young talent. Yes many of them are raw talents and not always very multidimensional, but they will improve. I think Dana is smart to try to infuse his company with american fighters that are not as skilled than fill it with japanese, brazilian and european fighters that have more experience. I enjoy watching the UFC. For the most part they put on competitive cards that don't cost a ton and throw a free bee on spike 3-4 times a year. I don't think of it as the cream of the crop of MMA, but as the best MMA fighters the US has to offer and a great conduit to promote MMA in the US. We all know the kind of money pride makes in Japan, but UFC viewership is sharply on the rise in the US. I wouldn't at all be suprised to see the two close to even par in the next 10 years.