I translated this from the latest GONG Kakutougi magazine. The interview took place this month. Gong Kakutogi, March 2007 No.178 by Matsuyama Go. I saw there was some controversy over a translated version of this interview on the net. It wasn’t translated well, and was misinterpreted and just torn apart by the kids on Sherdog. I do not like Sherdog, so I won’t post it there.
It was a long three months for Japanese Pride fans between the September 10th GP final and UFC’s New Years broadcast.
Mirko: “I have no excuses to make for going to the UFC. I have been to Japan 42 times. My feelings for Pride will never change.”
After winning the GP belt and anticipation for a rematch with Fedor, why did you decide to leave Pride?
Mirko: "There was really alot of things going on. I think I will have to talk about it all some day. On the day of the GP final I turned 32 and thought I had to make some decisions. What was important that day were the people who have cheered and supported me.
What I wanted was for those people who have supported to me to think: “Pride’s Mirko, who we have supported showed his strength and won”. …I do not think that this is a permanent farewell to Pride."
What do you mean? Is not your contract with the UFC for two years and 6 fights?
Mirko: " That is a little inaccurate. It is for six fights, but I have no plans for it taking two years."
Maybe you are right, at your pace it might take just a little over a year.
Mirko:" Three fights."
??
Mirko: “I will be the UFC champion in three matches.”
That’s great but would the UFC’s president Dana White let you have a title match within three fights?
Mirko:" Actually he(Dana White) was going to match me up with Tim Sylvia. I guess Tim ran away(laughing). Right now I am very hungry. I want to fight every 2 and a half to three months. I want to have the belt by the summer and have a fight in the fall, then fight in Japan on New Years."
In Japan?
Mirko:" Yes. Pride and the UFC are rival organizations, but I think I can bring them together. You will have Pride’s Champion Fedor and UFC champion and Pride Open weight Champion me. This is my real hope."
That would be a big event. How do you feel about Fedor?
Mirko:“I will never forget our fight. I have no excuses, that fight was a total defeat for me. There might be other fights that I have excuses for losing. That day in August 2005 in Saitama I have no excuses for. To me “that summer” has still not ended.”
That means you cannot lose in the UFC
Mirko:" That is true. One reason for not staying in the UFC was inspired by Fedor."
What do you mean?
Mirko:" When Pride had their show in Las Vegas last October, Fedor fought Mark Coleman. It was an away fight for Fedor right? Despite that the American fans embraced this Russian, Fedor. This really surprised me.
Until that point I had thought that America was a country only concerned with what goes on within their borders. How can you say?..They look inward. Their own countrymen. At that fight
I thought that America’s mma had opened up. That mma was no longer a minor sport. Before the show I went to Los Angeles and Santa Monica. Remember I said I wanted to go there when I first started mma(this is addressed to the interviewer)? There was a party held by American Croations. About 500 people.
There were alot of families. Alot of children Iwan’s(Mirko’s 3 year old son, sorry I do not know if it is spelled correctly) age. They had heard that I was a “star” in Croatia. They asked what kind of martial arts? America does not know what Pride is. They all asked about the UFC. "
How come you do not fight in the UFC?“, I was at a loss. Soon the parents of these children were saying to me " Please show America what Croatia is.” In Japan I was able to help Japanese understand more of Croatia.
Most Americans do not know where Croatia is. At that moment I thought I can be the one to help Americans understand our country. The UFC has high PPV numbers. That moment in Los Angeles served as a big inspiration to me. Right now in America there is a alot of money going around in the mma business. Not just Bodog. The UFC says they spend 100 million towards mma."
1.2 billion yen?!
Mirko:" But it isn’t just about the money. No matter how much money you have I do not think you can beat the UFC. They have the fans, good promotion, connected to the mass media. Only one problem. I think my country men will have some problems."
Why?
MIrko:" My fights in Japan that were broadcast in Croatia were usually on Sunday and in the middle of tha day. Now they will be broadcast at four in the morning on Sunday(grinning). I get people saying to me " can’t you do something about that?“.”