It was a night for Japanese fans to become acquainted with the PRIDE Wrestling Championships up close and personal in Tokyo's Budokan Hall. But for Booker T, it was a night to dethrone a Japanese champion and bring gold back to the U.S.

The former five-time WCW world champion won the PRIDE light heavyweight championship, upsetting Toshiaki Kawada in the night's main event. Kawada had been a dominant champion, and many felt Booker T was given the title shot because there simply were no other credible challengers. Kawada had defeated Booker in the first round of the Light Heavyweight Grand Prix at PRIDE 3.

The Houston native seized his opportunity and silenced the skeptics by beating Kawada with a scissor kick in just over 12 minutes. The two shook hands afterward, and Kawada is the mandatory No. 1 contender for the belt, meaning the two will rematch, possibly at PRIDE 13 when Team USA takes on Team Japan in a five-match card where each weight class will be represented.

Yoshihiro Tajiri successfully defended his welterweight title, beating Chavo Guerrero Jr., and The Undertaker made his long-awaited debut in PRIDE, struggling to beat tough Englishman David Taylor in just under 20 minutes. Full results for PRIDE 10: Rising Sun are up on the event history page.