PRIDE Adds Three to "Critical Countdown Absolute"

Dream Stage Entertainment announced on its Web site Thursday three non-tournament bouts for PRIDE's "Critical Countdown Absolute," which takes place July 1 at Saitama Super Arena.

Fresh off a victory over Vitor Belfort (Pictures) at Strikeforce's "Revenge" earlier this month, Dutch striker Alistair Overeem (Pictures) looks to score redemption of his own when he faces BTT's Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (Pictures).

The two dueled in February of 2005 at PRIDE's "Fist of Fire," with the BJJ black belt seeing his hand raised after an exciting, competitive fight at 205-pounds.

Also added to the card, undefeated Brazilian prospect Edson Drago (Pictures) takes to the ring against 1996 Olympic judo gold medalist Pawel Nastula (Pictures) (100-kg) and Japanese heavyweight Yoshihiro Nakao (Pictures) confronts 24-year-old South Korean Eun Su Lee.

Nakao returns to competition for the first time since being knocked out by Heath Herring (Pictures) last December in an embarrassing pre-fight exchange that saw the American take offense to a kiss delivered during the referee's final instructions.

Open-Weight Grand Prix Tournament Bouts:
Wanderlei Silva (Pictures) vs. Kazuyuki Fujita (Pictures)
Mirko Filipovic (Pictures) vs. Hidehiko Yoshida (Pictures)
Josh Barnett (Pictures) vs. Mark Hunt (Pictures)
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Pictures) vs. Fabricio Werdum (Pictures)

Non-Tournament Bouts:
Kazuhiro Nakamura (Pictures) vs. Evangelista Santos (Pictures)
Vitor Belfort (Pictures) vs. Yoshiki Takahashi (Pictures)
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (Pictures) vs. Alistair Overeem (Pictures)
Yoshihiro Nakao (Pictures) vs. Eun Su Lee
Edson Drago (Pictures) vs. Pawel Nastula (Pictures)