Wanderlei Post Pride-28 Interview Translation
Nov 6, 2004
Interviewer: How do you feel about winning today’s match?
Wanderlei: I feel that it was a very difficult fight, but I’m glad that I was able to have a good match. I trained very hard for the event and for my fans, so I’m very happy that I was able to have a good match.
Interviewer: Before the fight, your opponent tried to make fun of
you. How did that affect you?
Wanderlei: It really motivated me and made me want to fight him, so I think it was good for me.
Wanderlei: I don’t know if he was calmer than normal or not, but we had a very aggressive match and I think it was a good fight.
Interviewer: During the match, was there a moment where you thought “this is bad” and were worried?
Wanderlei: The entire match was difficult, so it was good that I was able to fight with everything I had. I truly believe that today’s victory is thanks to God.
Interviewer (Jim Roberts): Before this fight, you and Rampage had a lot of tension. How do you feel now, after the match with Rampage?
Wanderlei (English translation): I’m a professional fighter, so I think he’s my rival, but he’s my rival just in the ring. So I’m just ready to fight. And after this fight I have a good impression of him. And also, I think that if he believes in God, it is very good, I think it can change his life.
Interviewer: After the fight, you were talking with Quinton Jackson. What did you say?
Wanderlei: He said we had a good match today and he’d like to do it again. I agreed.
Interviewer: Jackson had a very good offense, but you managed to beat him. Why do you think you were able to win?
Wanderlei: I think it’s the power of God. For me, everything that happened today is thanks to God. There may be many people who don’t believe in God, but for me God is the most important thing, and my win is thanks to God.
Interviewer: (inaudible question)
Wanderlei: That’s something for the promoters to decide.
Interviewer: You’ve fought with Sakuraba three times already. How would you feel about fighting him again?
Wanderlei: I think Sakuraba is a truly great opponent, so if we had the chance to fight one more time, it would be an honor.
Interviewer: For us Japanese, New Year’s is a special time. What kind of fight would you like to have on New Year’s?
Wanderlei: I think the fight will be as good as or better than today’s fight.
Interviewer: Randy Couture of America is the current UFC champion. He says he'd like to fight with you, what are your feelings on that?
Wanderlei: If there is a chance, I would like to fight with him. I want to fight him as soon as possible, but he may retire soon so I would definitely like to fight him before that.
Interviewer: What kind of rules would that fight have?
Wanderlei: Of course that’s something for Pride to decide. I’m willing to fight here in Japan or in America, either way.
Interviewer: Right now, is there any part of your body that hurts in particular?br>
Wanderlei: My entire body hurts. But normally, it’s the same after every fight. I’m a professional fighter, so I not only hit other people, I also get hit. It’s a normal thing for us.
Interviewer: What meaning does your belt have to you?
Wanderlei: It is the highest honor for a fighter, so this is everything to me. I’ve sacrificed time with my family and many other things to be able to train and fight. So I’m thankful that I was able to keep my belt today, and this is also thanks to God.
Interviewer: Thank you for your time.
Wanderlei: You’re welcome. I want to thank everybody. There are many people who helped me to get where I am today, and I want to thank all of them. I also want to thank all my fans. There are many fans that watch my fights on television and support me, so thank you all. Arigatou.
Wanderlei: I feel that it was a very difficult fight, but I’m glad that I was able to have a good match. I trained very hard for the event and for my fans, so I’m very happy that I was able to have a good match.
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Wanderlei: It really motivated me and made me want to fight him, so I think it was good for me.
Interviewer: Your opponent was calmer than normal. What do you
think about that?
Wanderlei: I don’t know if he was calmer than normal or not, but we had a very aggressive match and I think it was a good fight.
Interviewer: During the match, was there a moment where you thought “this is bad” and were worried?
Wanderlei: The entire match was difficult, so it was good that I was able to fight with everything I had. I truly believe that today’s victory is thanks to God.
Interviewer (Jim Roberts): Before this fight, you and Rampage had a lot of tension. How do you feel now, after the match with Rampage?
Wanderlei (English translation): I’m a professional fighter, so I think he’s my rival, but he’s my rival just in the ring. So I’m just ready to fight. And after this fight I have a good impression of him. And also, I think that if he believes in God, it is very good, I think it can change his life.
Interviewer: After the fight, you were talking with Quinton Jackson. What did you say?
Wanderlei: He said we had a good match today and he’d like to do it again. I agreed.
Interviewer: Jackson had a very good offense, but you managed to beat him. Why do you think you were able to win?
Wanderlei: I think it’s the power of God. For me, everything that happened today is thanks to God. There may be many people who don’t believe in God, but for me God is the most important thing, and my win is thanks to God.
Interviewer: (inaudible question)
Wanderlei: That’s something for the promoters to decide.
Interviewer: You’ve fought with Sakuraba three times already. How would you feel about fighting him again?
Wanderlei: I think Sakuraba is a truly great opponent, so if we had the chance to fight one more time, it would be an honor.
Interviewer: For us Japanese, New Year’s is a special time. What kind of fight would you like to have on New Year’s?
Wanderlei: I think the fight will be as good as or better than today’s fight.
Interviewer: Randy Couture of America is the current UFC champion. He says he'd like to fight with you, what are your feelings on that?
Wanderlei: If there is a chance, I would like to fight with him. I want to fight him as soon as possible, but he may retire soon so I would definitely like to fight him before that.
Interviewer: What kind of rules would that fight have?
Wanderlei: Of course that’s something for Pride to decide. I’m willing to fight here in Japan or in America, either way.
Interviewer: Right now, is there any part of your body that hurts in particular?br>
Wanderlei: My entire body hurts. But normally, it’s the same after every fight. I’m a professional fighter, so I not only hit other people, I also get hit. It’s a normal thing for us.
Interviewer: What meaning does your belt have to you?
Wanderlei: It is the highest honor for a fighter, so this is everything to me. I’ve sacrificed time with my family and many other things to be able to train and fight. So I’m thankful that I was able to keep my belt today, and this is also thanks to God.
Interviewer: Thank you for your time.
Wanderlei: You’re welcome. I want to thank everybody. There are many people who helped me to get where I am today, and I want to thank all of them. I also want to thank all my fans. There are many fans that watch my fights on television and support me, so thank you all. Arigatou.
