MMAcube

 Please excuse the grammer/spelling mistakes. We don't have much time on our hands to correct it to perfection. Just be grateful DR. Mitch is able to bring us these great translations. 

You came in Ljubljana for a WFC tournament. How so?

One of my friends invited me so thought why not. I have to start seriously with my training soon so this was my last chance to take a rest.

WHEN WILL WE SEE YOU IN THE RING AGAIN? FIRST FIGHT SHOULD BE STRIKEFORCE TITLE DEFENSE?

I should be defending my title in 7 weeks. I had my last fight 3 weeks ago. There is enough time and there will be no problem. I will get in great shape for that fight.

WHO SHOULD BE THE CONTENDER?

Fabricio Werdum. But nothing is confirmed yet. But I think I'll fight Werdum.

YOU FOUGHT HIM IN PRIDE ONCE AND LOST IN 2006?

There is a big difference from a fighter I was then and a fighter I am now. We've both grown as fighters and have more expirience. When I fought him first time I was not ready. I was recovering from injury and didn't have enough stamina. I had a feeling i was not fighting my oponnent but myself. My body wasn't ready. But it's a different story now. I'm not impressed with his fighting. He has no way of putting pressure on me.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR RUMORED FIGHT WITH CRO COP ON 20th JULY?

I think that is not going to happen. He was offered to fight me at NY and he refused. He's not my priority anymore. The fight against me has been offered to him on several occasions and he refused every time. The result was me fighting Badr Hari and him fighting HMC.  The time of that fight is passed. People don't want to see it anymore. I want  to be No.1 – and I want to fight better fighters than Cro Cop, like Barnett, Arlovski and Fedor.

BUT CRO COP IS STILL A BIG NAME IN THIS SPORT, OR DO YOU THINK HIS TIME HAS PASSED?

I don't think he's old. He still is a great fighter snd still can KO tons of people. Maybe he'll make a big comeback, who knows? But for me that fight is not interesting right now.

WHO IS AVOIDING THE REMATCH? MIRKO SAYS IT'S YOU

I'll give you an first hand information and I'm not leing. Mirko was offered to fight me for NYE and he refused. I fought Hari and he fought HMC. If he really wanted to kick my ass like i was reading in the newspappers then why fifn't he accept thet fight?

IT'S NOT QUITE THE SAME VERSION HE TOLD US?

First of all I'm a sencire man. If somebody is avoiding to fight me i will say it because it's true.   I'm not a liar, he's a big liar. If you're shouting around you want a rematch, and the decline it when offered to you then I say you're full of shit.

CAN YOU REMEMBER THE FIGHT IN FEW WORDS FOR US?

In  the first fight i was completly dominating. I tired him down and cut both of his eyes. I didn't even get hit even once! Everything was going just as planned. My offence was working great against him.

WHAT DECIDED THAT FIGHT?

I don't wan't to disclose everything but it has to do with tactics. Mine and his..... His proved to be wrong. When I out all things together it was an easy fight. He didn't impress me at all. It the past he was great and has shown a lot and i was amongst his biggest fans. Just look at his fights agains Nogueira, and a lot of other guys he Koed. I mean the man is a legend but I think everybody have seen I'm better then him.

YOU'RE IN STRIKEFORCE, DREAM BUT THE STRONGEST GUYS ARE IN UFC?

Strikeforce is bringing in a lot of talented fighters and is becoming bigger and bigger and could be a real oponnent to UFC soon. There is also Affliction. I'm a strikeforce champ and I'm here now, but I don't say i wouldn't go to UFC.

RECENTLY YOU SHOWED GREAT SKILLS IN K-1?

I have no intrest fighting in K-1 again. I KOed Badr Hari and then I accepted the fight agains one of the best, Remy Bonjansy and I lost on points. But I have a feeling I was better. I don't plan to fight in K-1 anymore.

WE CAN'T NOT TO NOTICE GREAT IMPROVEMENT IN THE LAST 2 YEARS. WHAT HAVE YOU CHANGED?

I changed my diet, I changed my trainer and when I really think about it – I changed everything. My girlfriend, way of training , diet. Before I ate a lot of vegetables that are healthy but contains no energy. Now I eat a lot of horse meat, rice and protein shakes. I got rid of my trainer who was deciding about my tactics. It simpy wasn't working. I just started to think about what do I have to do to become a better fighter.

WOULD YOU END YOUR FIGHTS RATHER WITH SUBMISSIONS OR KO'S?

I'm good both standing up and on the ground but I like to KO people.

UNTILL RECENTLY YOU COMPETED IN CATEGORY UP TO 94kg AND NOW YOU HAVE MORE THEN 110kg. WHAT WORKS BETTER FOR YOU?

I gained about 10 kg's. I was naturally a HW at about 100kg and I was cutting down to fight. That was very tireing and my body was losing energy fast. Now it feels easier to train and to fight at this weight.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR 2009?

I would like to be DREAM HW champ this year. If I'll have to fight Cro Cop for that title even better for me. Other then for a title fight I have no interest fighting him. I would also want to fight Fedor for some belt.

You MENTIONED FEDOR. WHAT DO YOU THINK WHAT IS THE REASON HE IS INVINCIBLE ALMOST 10 YEARS NOW?

Fedor is the best because of the 2 reasons. First – He is extremly good. Second – others are not so good at all. I'm not impressed with HW division in this sport at all. There are only 5 great fighters in HW division – Fedor, Barnett, Lesnar, Me and Nog – even though Nog's last fight was just crap.

NOG WAS, SAME AS FILIPOVIĆ, GREAT IN PRIDE AND DIDN'T DO TOO GOOD IN UFC. THERE IS A LOT OF STORYS THAT IS BECAUSE THEY USED ILLEGAL DRUGS IN JAPAN AND NOW THEY CAN'T USE THEM ANYMORE. DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT?

I'm not sure that's the reason. I don't know what were they doing in Japan so I can't comment on that. The thruth is that some fighters didn't show much but som did, like Rampage and Anderson Silva. It's hard to be at the top for a long time. Look at Shogun Rua. He had great fight's but he doesn't have it anymore.

WHO ARE YOUR FIGHTING ROLE MODELS?

I have a lot of favorite fighters. Some of them I fought. Like Igor Vovchanchyn whom I've beat and admired a lot, and also Cro Cop who I greatly admired. I admire Fedor a lot and right now I don't have any role models other then him. When I was younger I looked up to my brother