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PLAYBOY: Congratulations for your victory at PRIDE GP.
Ogawa: Thank you very much.
PB: At the beginning of the show, quarterfinalists were all in the ring however you were the only one who was not there.
O: No I was not there. I’ve never been in the ring last two games either.....
PB: Is that your style to do in such a way?
O: I am a wrestler. I don’t show myself before I fight. I am in front of the audience when I first step into the ring. That’s the basic stance of professional wrestling.
PB: You were doing Hustle pose on the ring after you finished your game. The audience was embroiled in you power.
O: Yea, I did it ‘cause that’s the wrestler way.
PB: You had a blank period of two years before coming back into MMA.
O: It was not a blank for me. I just didn’t want to abandon my pride toward wrestling. Maybe some fighters are attracted by money well, I don’t care if they are that way, but for me I’m proud of being a wrestler. I had such many offers to be in the shows but I didn’t want to be influenced by political power. Fans are not following me if I take the offer when I have an uncertain feeling.
PB: But you came to a full understanding with the front side of PRIDE this time.
O: It was not really a discussion we had…Well, PRIDE staffs have changed and they told me I can be in the show as a wrestler so I said ok I’ll do it. I had a difficult time deciding though.
PB: You’d like to advertise Wrestling and Hustle rather than you expect to win the finals right?
O: Right I am in PRIDE to advertise Hustle. That’s why I keep winning in the tournament to advertise even one minute, one second longer. This is my joy and also my mission. My purpose is not to win the finals. Other fighters want to win the finals, but sorry me NO. I gotta make myself clear on that one.
PB: As a result, your victory this time has been advertised Hustle.
O: Not only to advertise it in the ring. I take the interviews for Hustle to be well known. I keep trying that Hustle is gonna be recognized.(laughs) I want many people to know about Hustle. I owe my success to fans that’s why I can do my job.
PB: Does it seem increasingly probable that Nogueira would be your opponent at quarterfinals?
O: I don’t know yet. Lots of people nowadays want to know the opponent as soon as possible. They tend to draw a conclusion immediately. Just let them wait! They are sort of hasty like when they see girls they want to make love right away. (laughs)
"No limits. No fear."
Krzysztof Piekarz
thatman
DonSilva
