TAKANORI GOMI vs DAVID BARON PRE-FIGHT INTERVIEW


Thanks to Tensei for translation.

TAKANORI GOMI


- This time I'm feeling excited for my match. Unlike last time when I was feeling like I had to do this. The WWGP is going on, and there are also the LW fighters who made things pretty interesting the first half this year.

- For some reason I'm the main eventer this time haha. I learned that just now, but no one wants to see a decision in the main event. They want some sort of results. A KO loss or a sub loss. KO or sub, they must see this happen. So I feel good and relaxed. It's a great opportunity to bring out everything I did in training. Right now it's summer vacation for people, maybe alot of people will come. It feels good. I don't have to worry about the results, I'll just keep going forward. That's my mentality this time.

- I do feel that I want to show the Nagoya fans something great live. Maybe I can show them something amazing. My theme is "Explosion." In the end we can all get rowdy.

- The last time I exploded was in NYE. It feels like the first fight in 8 months since then. So I don't know what will happen. I do have some nervousness, but I'm working hard everyday so I think it's fine. I even made my own gym. I built it with the prize money I won with my own fists. That's why I can explode as I like on the ring. Going forward I want to fight a few fights where I have no regrets. I don't have to be preoccupied with the results.

- I want to be on the ring soon. I'm even a bit antsy, which is rare. That's why I want to be natural, not worried about the results, and fight with a bit of curiosity about where I will go next. It's not like last year when it was all "Gomi must win." The fans this time will get to see "What will Gomi be like when he goes all out?" I don't think they want to see a solid decision. I will be in there relaxed and free of worries. There's only several fights an year, so I want to have some fun.

- After the wrestling camp, I tuned up at the gym for a week. I didn't get anything special from training at the camp, but maybe it'll show up in the gym.

- David Baron seems like a solid opponent. He looks like the type who trains the basics alot. He's good at fighting from the top and holding opponents down, he punches well too. To win in this ring, you gotta show that you're on another level from the opponent. There are that many top fighters around, and some fighters become top fighters after going into Pride. So I want to be on the offensive against those upcoming fighters, and press the fight.

- An event is over with the main event, so I just want to go all out. I want the crowd to be heated up too. I want everyone to just burn up into flames this summer. Everyone has their festivals and fireworks to go to in the summer, but from September schools begin, so I want them to think of this event as the final festival of the summer.

- Rascal Gym opened recently, and I get to be at the starting line before any of the gym members so I feel a little destiny in that sense. I want them to see me and follow me. It's a good timing, this time alot of things are happening at the right time. I think all the students at the gym are interested in what happens, but they already get to see a peak of this world 1 month after they started. I hope they would think "some day I'll be the one" and have fun training. I want to fight in a way to signify the birth of the Rascal gym.

- My corner will be Bushin-juku's Suzuki Nobuya-san. Also my gym students. They take care of me too. I don't really want a top 3 fighter in my corner. If everyone says different opinions then it messes things up. I'd rather have support than advice. This time I'll fight blond. My color is pretty faded now. If I have time I'll try to go to a salon.

DAVID BARON




- I'm glad to be fighting in Pride. I started judo at 9, I started Savate and Kempo, I feel that I finally made it here. In judo I won the military's regionals, and I eventually became the champ for the military. The reason I was in the military tourneys was because I used to be a fireman, and firemen in France are under the military.

- Unfortunately I didn't make the Olympic team, but in the judo world tournament for firefighters I lost to a Japanese guy and was second place. The reason I started MMA was because I wanted to become a more complete fighter.

- I use my Savate skills in MMA alot. Savate is basically like Muay Thai, but as opposed to using the face of your feet like in Muay Thai, you use the whole feet in Savate.

- I saw Gomi's videos alot of times, he can punch, wrestle, and grapple. It won't be an easy fight. But in terms of ground technique I'm definitely better. I'm finally able to enter the event I wanted to. I want to give my best and have an exciting match. Gomi's called the Fireball Kid, well I'm a firefighter so I'll put out that fire haha.