HELP: Sakuraba and Fujita were to fight in the Octagon? (2003)

Does anyone have more information on this? They did this announcement during UFC 44: Undisputed; Goldberg prefaces that one fighter will be coming back to the UFC and Takada says Sakuraba AND Fujita. At least it sounds that way. Goldie goes on to only acknowledge Sakuraba.
But as far as I can tell, this never happened and I see a gap in information …Or perhaps I’ve simply forgotten completely about this because I’m washed and old.

https://youtube.com/shorts/w2THDANWLtw

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You can see them fight in worked puroresu matches

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Nevermind that.

Wes Sims was supposed to battle Fujita and PRIDE 33? We were robbed!

This was supposed to be the fighter exchange for sending Chuck to fight in PRIDE Fc. Dana specifically requested Sakuraba. Unfortunately, he was being played the entire time and he was a little naive at the time.

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Ahhh thank you

this is the most accurate account according to my memory

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At the time, Pride was taking a steaming dump in the UFCs mouth and saw them as a second tier production like Pancrase.

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Thanks guys. I had a hunch that’s what happened but didn’t want to assume. Any actual interviews or articles about it that confirm this?