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The Maniac
05-06-2005, 12:38
News: Wanderlei talks about Pride GP

One of the favorites to win the 2005 Pride Middleweight GP, Wanderlei Silva didn't have an easy fight in the first round; he spent a lot of energy to win against the judoka Hidehiko Yoshida by judges decision.



'It was a very tough fight, a very exciting one, I had some problems in my preparation, had injuries in my two knees, light ones, but one more time I couldn't train 100%. Besides these problems, I thought I was going to knock him out, even in the first round, and because of that, in the beginning of the fight I ran through him, thinking about knocking him out, but the guy is really tough, he trades in the standing position, he sustains the blows, in the fight he didn't attack me too much, almost didn't give me any danger, but he defended himself well and stalled the fight. So I think I really won, but next year I'm gonna do another fight with him. The guy, once again, managed to stall the fight, but the next time he will not'.



Your next opponent is set and is going to be Yoshida's best student, Kazuhiro Nakamura. Wanderlei liked the choice: 'I think it's a good fight. In reality, I was supposed to fight against him in the end of last year. Sakuraba got hurt and it stands between Nakamura and Tamura, but in the end I fought against Hunt. There are a lot of people saying 'the guy is another Japanese fighter', but the guy is tough, he won against Bustamante, Daniel Gracie, Randleman. So he is a tough guy and I know that I will have to prepare really well to adapt against the game that he will bring to the fight. I hope that I can put him down and KO him'.



Since your fight in Pride 10, in 2000, the Brazilian fans can't watch a Silva fight live, but the next round of the GP will have the very expected live transmission in Brazil and the fighter knows that his responsibility will be bigger, especially in relation to his wife: 'It increases my responsibility with my wife (laughs). In this next one only because I knew she was watching I was very nervous, I wanted to show a good performance. Now in the TV it will be a new experience, for me and for her.'



Not only his wife, but also his son Thor will have the chance to watch daddy in action: 'My son also, but he only stays looking and saying 'daddy, daddy', as of now, he is not understanding a lot (laughs). But he is already enjoying the 'business'. Another Silva champion is coming'.