Ron Waterman, Kevin Randleman, Murilo Ninja, and Takahashi Yoshiki have been announced as the final four entries for the upcoming GP.

If you can translate from PrideFC.com (http://www.so-net.ne.jp/pride/events/pride_gp_2004/0408.html), please update this thread.

http://www.so-net.ne.jp/pride/events/pride_gp_2004/images/0408/kevin.jpg http://www.so-net.ne.jp/pride/events/pride_gp_2004/images/0408/ron.jpg
http://www.so-net.ne.jp/pride/events/pride_gp_2004/images/0408/ninja.jpg http://www.so-net.ne.jp/pride/events/pride_gp_2004/images/0408/takahashi.jpg

LOS ANGELES, California - Four more participants have been added to the sixteen man heavyweight tournament, TOTAL ELIMINATION 2004, which will take place on April 25th, 2004 from the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. The event is scheduled to debut on North American pay per view on same day delay.

Newly Added Participants:

Kevin "The Monster" Randleman
Murilo "Ninja" Rua
Ron "H20" Waterman
Yoshiki Takahashi

Previously Announced Participants:

Mark "The Hammer" Coleman
Hirotaka Yokoi
Paulo Cesar "Giant" Silva
Sergei Kharitonov
Fedor Emelianenko
Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira
Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic
"The Texas Crazy Horse" Heath Herring
Stefan "Blitz" Leko
Henry "Sentoryu" Miller

Two of the previously announced competitors have dropped out---"Ice Cold" Igor Vovchanchyn due to injury and Sylvester "The Predator" Terkay for personal reasons.

One of the most successful amateur wrestlers to make the transition to mixed martial arts, Kevin "The Monster" Randleman was a three time All-American and two time national wrestling champion at Ohio State University. He enters the tournament as a PRIDE FC veteran and as the UFC's former world heavyweight champion, having won the title with a win against Pete Williams at UFC 23: Ultimate Japan 2. Along with Mark "The Hammer" Coleman, he is the second representative from the Hammer House Gym in this 16-man tournament.

Murilo "Ninja" Rua is the official heavyweight representative in the tournament for the Chute Boxe Vale Tudo team of Brazil. With Chute Boxe's Wanderlei Silva having won the 2003 middleweight tournament, "Ninja" is looking to make it a sweep and continue Chute Boxe dominance!

With a mixed martial arts record of 10-2, the 6'2", 250 lbs Ron "H20" Waterman is one of the most powerful men in the sport. His strength coupled with his wrestling and submission abilities makes this Colorado native one of the toughest match-ups in the tournament.

A mixed martial arts veteran with nearly thirty wins in the Pancrase organization, Yoshiki Takahashi blends a solid stand up game with an array of submissions. Among this heavyweight fighter's list of career victories is a win over Wallid Ismail at UFC 12: Judgment Day.

The final two remaining participants as well as the match-ups for the opening round will be announced soon. The schedule for the tournament will be as follows:

PRIDE FC 16-Man Heavyweight Tournament

TOTAL ELIMINATION 2004
April 25, 2004
Saitama Super Arena
(Opening Round)

CRITICAL COUNTDOWN 2004
June 20, 2004
Saitama Super Arena
(Second Round)

FINAL CONFLICT 2004
August 15, 2004
Saitama Super Arena
(Semi-Finals and Finals)

PRIDE FC: TOTAL ELIMINATION 2004 will premiere on North American pay per view through iNDEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH NETWORK, UrbanXtra, TVN1, Bell Express Vu, and Viewer's Choice Canada on Sunday, April 25th, 2004. The premiere time is 9:00pm EST, 6:00pm PST and the count down show is at 8:30pm EST, 5:30pm PST

Participants and fight card are subject to change

i guess ricardo is still waiting for his invitation

Yeah, unfortunately no Ricardo Arona.

I was hoping for Pedro Rizzo, God damnit. Pedro Rizzo + Pride rules = RATINGS

Isn't Pedro with Inoki's show now?

Pedro is fighting for Inoki now. I was hoping to see Josh also, but neither one was avalible.

I'll get interested in the 2nd round after all the jokes have been beaten to a pulp by the real fighters

These last four are pretty solid entries. They each have plenty of experience.

Yes, while I don't think they will get past the second round, at least they aren't going to make a farce of the grand prix

The full list is...

Mark "The Hammer" Coleman
Hirotaka Yokoi
Paulo "Giant" Silva Cesar
Sergei Kharitonov
Fedor Emelianenko
Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira
Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic
“The Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring
“Ice Cold” Igor Vovchanchyn
Stefan “Blitz” Leko
Sylvester “The Predator” Terkay
Sentoryu
Kevin "The Monster" Randleman
Murilo "Ninja" Rua
Ron "H2O" Waterman
Takahashi Yoshiki

Out of this whole list, I would only remove Sentoryu, Giant Silva, and the Predator guy. So we got 13 solid fighter out of 16. Things are looking good. I'm ready. Bring it on Pride!!!

the Predatotor has been put out for awhile...He is in a K-1 contract and dropped out the turney

Igor is out too due to injury

I didn't know. Who are their replacements?

Maybe Arona can be one of the replacements.

Arona fights at 205 lbs. How about some HW fighters? Gan Mcgee or Josh Barnett would be good. I doubt we will see Josh though

The predator, Igor and most likely Leko will all not be in it. Pride still has 3 spots open.

What happened with Leko???

Maybe he had second thoughts about making his MMA debut in a HW grand prix? If so, I am disapointed but its a VERY smart move on his part. He needs to work his way from the shallow end. Not head first off the diving board

Waterman is the one who took Vovchanchyn's place. They still have two open spots, maybe three if Leko pulls out.

"The Predator" has been out for ages, Mr MMA Moderator.

I read that Don Frye is Takahasi's first round opponent.....so I guess that means Frye's in now.

I am really not interested in the first round at all. Probably when the second round comes along I'll get into it

Update from MMAWeekly. Looks like Leko's still in it...

PRIDE GRAND PRIX STARTING TO COME TOGETHER

Slowly but surely it looks as thought the Pride Grand Prix is starting to come together. MMAWeekly on Friday broke the story that Mark Coleman would face Fedor Emelianenko in the first round. Coleman's teammate Kevin Randleman faces Mirko Cro Cop and it now looks like a couple of other rumors include Heath Herring facing Ron Waterman in the first round and Don Frye most likely facing Yoshiki Takahashi according to MMAWeekly's Scott Petersen who has seen a couple of Japanese newspapers confirm it as well.

The following is a list of who is scheduled to compete as we continue to wait for the official card from DSE.

PRIDE GRAND PRIX - APRIL 25TH

Mark “The Hammer” Coleman vs Fedor Emelianenko

Kevin Randleman vs Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic

Heath Herring vs Ron Waterman

Don Frye vs Yoshiki Takahashi

Stefan Leko

Murilo 'Ninja' Rua

Sergei Karitonov

Sentoryu aka Henry Miller

'Giant' Silva

Hirotaka Yokoi

Missing from the above list is Nog, which I'm sure is a typo. There is still one spot left. We know Don Frye already got the call to replace Igor. There's still a chance for Arona.