Pre-2 Hot 2 Handle Interview
with Gary Goodridge
By Josh Gross

FCF: This is your first fight since Pride 11, which means you’ve been inactive for much longer than usual. Because of that long lay off is there anything different you did in preparation or did you follow your usual routine?
GG: Actually, I did a few things different. Instead of running and doing a lot of stuff on cardio machines I went back to lifting weights because my opponent in Pride 11 wouldn’t cooperate and go to sleep when I hit him. I decided that I’d go back to the weights, and instead of doing the cardio machines, running up hills and doing the dinosaur training that I do, I’d do exactly what I needed to do in order to win the fight. You need to condition, do more grappling and you need to increase your target mitts and sparring practice in order to get the cardio in a position that you need, rather than running up and down hills.

FCF: Do you think with your added size cardio becomes more of a concern, or did you just train more cardio than normal?
GG: You know what – I’m definitely stronger, so my game is really not to outlast my opponent; it’s to put my opponent to sleep. Before everything is said I want my opponent to be sleeping. I don’t want to go the distance with anybody. I want it to be done. I’m training for a five-minute fight, and it’s going to be done. I’m going out there to put my opponent asleep – period.

FCF: So you’ve decided on a game plan for a five-minute fight. What happens of the fight goes longer than five-minutes?
GG: Well I don’t think anyone can handle five-minutes with me standing up. If I go on my back I can lay there for an hour, but I don’t think anyone can handle five-minutes standing up with me now that I’m 260lbs.

FCF: Your opponent, Bob Schrijber, is very well known in Holland. He’s also known for having problems with dirty tactics during some of his fights. Would you want to match him, like an eye for an eye, if he is dirty against you or will you take the high road and fight clean?
GG: Well, no I think when you start looking to gouge people in the eyes and pinch their nuts and do things that are illegal tactics you start not seeing things that are easy submissions or an easier strike. I am just looking forward to a good fight. I hope we fight clean. I’d like to knock him out really easy. You know, if he pokes me in the eye or does something like that ‘se la vie’ you know. If he gets nasty I’m sure my corner will jump in and start beating him. If he decides to get dirty then it all depends on if I’m frustrated or not, then we’ll see if I get dirty.

FCF: At this point in your career what are you looking to for: the pleasure of knocking someone out or an uncollected goal somewhere out there?
GG: Being 35-years-old and being involved in the sport for going on six years now, I think that at this stage of my career I think I just want to look for knock outs. I’m not saying I’m the best fighter in the world or that I’m the greatest and no one will beat me; I’m saying that I’m looking for knock outs on my feet or do what’s easiest to mangle my opponent.

FCF: Thanks, good luck on Sunday.
GG: You’re welcome.