There's no better way to get familiar with all the fighters than watching video of past fights...
A good place to watch old fights (PRIDE especially) is
http://www.mmalinker.com -- they have a searchable video database by fighter name, so you can go back and watch some PRIDE wars like Wanderlei Silva vs. Dan Henderson or get freaky and watch Royce Gracie sneak out from underneath the girthy bosoms of Akebono or Minowaman dropkick Butterbean haha..
Japanese freakshow fights are so awesome.