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Wednesday, Jun 21, 2000

Pedro Rizzo: Ufc Xxvi

Pedro Rizzo: UFC XXVI


With "The Mouth of NHB" Joel Gold



The morning after his fight with Kevin Randleman I got a quick five minutes with Pedro Rizzo as he was running late to catch a flight back home to Brazil.

Walk me through the fight. What was your game plan, that you thought would make you a winner in this bout?
I was thinking to start fight after the second round. After I got started, get real hard in the third, fourth and fifth round. First and second round just press to make him tired and really start hard in the third, fourth and fifth rounds. But everything was changed.

Why?
Rizzo/Randleman
In the first round, I think he won; he came in and took me down in the beginning. In the second round I could stay on my feet. I think I was better. Still I didn’t throw too many kicks, not too many punches, but I thought I was better. In the third round, in the beginning of the round I got a very hard headbutt…very, very hard. So, after that, everything was changed. I was totally knocked out. After that I don’t know, my corner told me that I tried to kick and he took me down at the end of the round. I don’t remember well after that. I don’t remember the fight after that. I was knocked out and I was just glad that Kevin couldn’t see that I was knocked out. The fourth and fifth round, I don’t remember anything. I just fought. I don’t know how I fought. I don’t know what I did because I did not see the tape. I just woke up in the dressing room. I took off my gloves and I looked at my trainer, my teacher Marco [Ruas] and I asked him what happened. You know, did I lose? Then he said, "Yeah, you lost." I saw the mirror, I said, "Man, he really beat me, you know." My face is terrible, like a car accident. And Marco said, "No, you did it to each other. You lost some points." I said, "How did I lose some points, because I don’t remember anything." I thought I lost by knock out. He said, "No, by points." I was totally knocked out. I fought and fought and in the fourth and fifth round, I wasn’t there. I wasn’t fighting. I don’t know what happened. People said I could wrestle, they said I could defend the takedown. I don’t know how, but I couldn’t punch and kick, I just keep moving. I don’t know, people told me. I don’t remember very well.

Before the fight even started you came into this fight with a black eye, tell me how this occurred?
One week ago I got a big cut. I was grappling with a friend of mine. I was doing some exercise and he slipped on the mat and he fell with his head on my head. It was a big cut. When I arrived here everyone asked. No, I said it was an old cut one year ago, but I was lying, it was one week ago. But I was ready for fight. Last time, we had to postpone before, I couldn’t do again the same thing otherwise everyone is going to get crazy, you know. I came to fight, I came to win, I was ready. My physical…I was 100%, my body was 100%, just my eye weren’t so good. After two punches in the ring, my eye got big again and it got cut and that is what happened.

Do you remember being on the ground and he tried to cradle your head, do you remember the feeling?
Rizzo/Randleman
I remember he tried to grab my head and tried some choke. I don’t know, but I didn’t feel it. I’ve been training on the ground for 10 years. I know all the positions. I know when you have to tap out. I know what really works. I know that thing never works. It can work if you really don’t know the ground game. Like I know that. No problem, I could feel relaxed. I didn’t want to make a power against him because otherwise I will get tired. I just let him bring my head down. I was ok. I was very, very comfortable on the ground. I was fine that time I looked at Marco. I just forgot to throw punches at that time. I looked at Marco and ask him if it is open [cut] he said, "It’s okay. It’s a little bit." But he said it is okay. I asked Marco in my corner again how much times do I have to go. I just kept my guard closed to hold him and finish the round. I was comfortable at that time.

Were you surprised that he was so quick with his punches? He landed a few.
Yeah, Randleman is a very quick fighter. I knew that he would throw some punches, I knew that. I knew he would throw some jabs. He caught me with one or two jabs, but jabs are jabs. I knew he had good distance, has good movement. I knew he was doing everything just to take me down. I knew he wanted to do that for a surprise, then take me down. I keep my game. I keep my game, keeping him standing up and keep my game up. My game plan was the third round, third, fourth and fifth round.

I am sorry to all the fans. I am sorry to all the audience. I heard it was a boring fight. I don’t remember very well [laughing]. I heard it was a shit fight. I know Kevin and I we can give a better show. That is we are both good fighters, Kevin is the champ. Everyone knows that. I don’t have to prove this anymore. I have already fought good fighters. Everyone knows how I fight. I always fight through, but I always fight for a knockout. Everybody knows this. I could give a better show than last night. I just want to say that I am sorry and I hope the fans and the UFC can give me a new chance and I can show my game, my real game.


For more on Pedro Rizzo tune into Full Contact Fighter: the TV show in the coming weeks as we will be airing interviews with the talented fighter.
 
BRUCE BUFFER, THE VOICE OF MIXED MARTIAL ARTS,
IS ON HIS WAY TO RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL WHERE
HE WILL HOST THE SPECIAL MMA EVENT – HEROES



      Bruce Buffer, who is known worldwide as the "Voice of the Octagon" for his many years as the Octagon announcer for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and many other international MMA and NHB events will be appearing on July 24th as the announcer for the much anticipated “Heroes” event in Brazil.

      Heroes is an Ultimate Fighting event that will happen at the Tio Sam Stadium, in Niteròi (Rio de Janeiro), on July 24th starting at 8:30 PM. It was created by Carlson Gracie, one of the most respected Jiu-Jitsu’s master in the world and SportsJÀ! is its main Sponsor.

      The goal of this event is to change how people see jiu-jitsu, promoting peace between its community and avoiding fights outside of the ring. We will have fighters from the different academies in Brazil with some of the most important ones like Johil de Oliveira (Two times IVC Champion) and some fighters who practice with Marco Ruas and Pedro Rizzo.

      Four thousand people are expected at Tio Sam Stadium and the event will be covered by a pay TV channel and transmitted online by SportsJÀ! (first time that is happening in Brazil).

      Bruce states the following: "I am both honored and excited to have been invited to appear at this incredible and important historical event in Brazil. I look forward to exciting the crowd in Rio and to being a fan as I watch the many talented fighters display their fighting prowess and talent, because on July 24th, ‘It Will Be Time… To Begin…’ again in Brazil."
 

posted by Full Contact Fighter @ 8:00 pm
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