March 8, 2002 By Brett Herman Enson Inoue, "Yamoto Damashi," has been competing in mixed martial arts since 1995, mostly in the Shooto organization. He's fought once in the UFC, tapping out Hammer House up and comer Royce Alger. Inoue has been in the ring against many big name heavyweights, including Mark Kerr, Heath Herring, Igor Vovchanchyn, and "Minotauro" Nogueira. He also claimed a victory over current UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture, submitting him by armbar in under 2 minutes. Inoue came to Pride in 1999 for Pride 5. While he doesn't own the best win-loss record, he has achieved world wide respect and fans with his "go for broke" style. After his fight in Pride 12, Inoue announced his retirement. A little more than 1 year later, he made his return to the ring to face the number-one ranked fighter in the world, Antonio "Minotauro" Nogueira. Brett Herman chatted with Inoue in between training sessions prior to Pride 19. Brett Herman: How was the training in Thailand? Enson Inoue: The training in Thailand - good! Everything was good, everything went smooth, no injuries, hard training. My body feels fine, it feels better and better. Brett Herman: What weight will you be fighting at? Enson Inoue: Probably between 96-100 kilos. Brett Herman: Do you think Minotauro is going to want to stand with you, or do you think he's going to shoot in or try and pull guard? Enson Inoue: I think he'll probably want to throw with me standing, and I think he's so good on the ground too that some time in the game he'll probably want to take me down too. So, he'll probably want to do everything he can to me, I expect. He'll proably try to beat me up standing, if not, if it feels a little awkward then he'll probably try to take me down and finish me on the ground. If he's badder and better than me that night, he can do it but I am going to make sure that I am pretty bad...and pretty good! I am ready to do whatever he wants to do man. If he makes a mistake, I am going to be there to capitalize, That's all I can say. He's human and he'll make a mistake somewhere along the way, and it's just a matter of if I can just get the right timing, do the right things at the right time. Brett Herman: Does your training team have you ready for Mino, Enson? Enson Inoue: Yes, and my brother is coming in tomorrow so I'll get an additional 3 more sparring partners in, looking forward to it. Brett Herman: Who hits harder, Igor, Kerr, or Heath? Enson Inoue: Well, I better say Igor because he put me in the hospital for four days, and Kerr and Herring didn't! As far as power, I felt that Kerr had the most power - he was the heaviest and he felt the most dangerous on the ground. I thought Igor's punches were a lot heavier than anyone. Herring had a good strategy I felt, he was willing to move and pass the guard. Yeah, Kerr's strength and weight I felt on me, Igor's punches, and Herring's movement. Brett Herman: Did you watch Minotauro vs. Herring? Enson Inoue: Yes, I saw the whole fight, I was pretty impressed with Nogueria again, very impressed. Brett Herman: Will you still throw bombs if you get inside his guard? Enson Inoue: Yeah, I feel comfortable in his guard, if I get the opportunity I'll hit him from the guard, if I get the opportunity I'll pass from the guard. If I get the oppportunity I'll break away and jump on his face if I can. Whatever's there you know, he's so good that it's a lot easier for me to just go in there and have a real small game plan and just go by feel. He's so good that there's not really a weak spoke in the wheel that I can focus on. Brett Herman: You are going to be part of the one of the biggest cards in Pride's history, how hard can this show absolutely rock, and are you guys ready to blow us fans out of our seats? Enson Inoue: Yeah, I'm looking at the card, and I'm going wow, I wish I was in the stands so I could enjoy it as a fan, you know? Brett Herman: Who is going to win, Igor or Heath? Enson Inoue: That's a big one 'cause I fought both guys, I lost to both guys, and I certainly know what both guys can do! I think it's going to be a real game of strategy and a very explosive fight. It's more up in the air than anything, I couldn't pick a winner. Brett Herman: Shamrock vs Frye? Enson Inoue: I think it's going to come down to stamina. I think Ken would have a little edge with submissions. If I had to pick somebody, I'd go with Ken, but I think it will come down to stamina because I know that Ken and Don have had problems with that in their last fights. It will prorably boil down to who can control that rage better and who can last a little longer. Brett Herman: Any update on your possible military status? Enson Inoue: No, I am getting all kinds of emails and suggestions from people that I'm close with. I didn't realize that there was so much to consider, so what's going to happen is after my fight I am going to sit down and look at all the options. I am definitely going to do something, and whatever it takes, I am going to do it. If it has to do with getting away from Japan for awhile and serving somewhere, or going off to the States and teaching somewhere, whatever, you know? I'll do it all voluntarily, just to help the cause. I am definitely going to do something. I just have to figure out how I would be most useful. Brett Herman: After you fight Minotauro, will you retire or will you continue to fight for Pride? Enson Inoue: No, no, no, it's just one fight, Pride knows that. Just one fight. I wanted Silva because I thought Silva would be a better fight for me, because I lost to the top 3 heavyweights, and Nogueria, he's one of the best. I know I have a good chance to beat him because I'll throw down at any time. I wasn't even going to come out and fight, the reason I was going to come out was that I wanted to say something about New York. The manager of Pride had an idea of putting me in the ring one more time for all the people, and it was a good way to help one of my friends who died in the World Trade Center. It was a good way to maybe do a tribute to him too. So, I thought to myself for one last bang the biggest fireworks would be with Silva. I just kind of drooled at the idea of standing toe to toe with Silva and letting it all go down. That's where the negotiations started, and then I got into the idea of it, getting the fire back, and then it changed to Nogueria. There is no doubt about it, I think me and Silva is a fight that everyone wants to see. I lost ot Kerr, Igor, and Herring, so personally I didn't think that I desrved the shot at Nogueria. Statistically, I can understand that people say there is no way I can beat Nogueria. I also felt that it would be best for me to drop down to Middleweight, where I'd be at my own weight, without trying to put on weight to fight heavyweights, and I felt that Silva would be the best fight. But Pride obviously has their own ideas, and all they could talk to me about was Nogueria. I am game for him now, I am fully up for it...don't ever count me out. All Pride told me was "Nogueria, Nogueria, Nogueria" and I was like "I want Silva, Silva, Silva." They said "how about this much money for Nogueria," and I was like "I want Silva." Then they said "Well, how about this much?" I said "I want Silva." Then they said, "Well how about doubling this, and I was like "Whoah! Looking better and better, Nogueria is looking more like Silva!" I am married now and I have a family, I start thinking along those terms too, and it becomes a business decision at the end. People are saying that Enson doesn't deseve a shot, that I don't deserve Nogueria, and I second that, that' s why I asked for Silva. Everyone on the internet is saying Coleman, Igor, these guys are more valid, and I totally agree with that. I have shown that I can hang with the best Heavywieghts, and I have also lost to the best Heavyweights. So, I figured that the most interesting thing for now was to drop down a weight class, which is my normal weight actually, and where I feel that I fight the best, and have a shot at Silva. So, I am sittting behind my keyboard reading this on the internet, and I want to tell these guys that this is exactly how I feel, it wasn't my choice. But, I am not going to turn down a nice, juicy steak on a golden platter when it's served to me, you know? I am not wrong to take it when it's being offered to me like that. Maybe I'm not qualified, but as long as I have more than zero percent chance to win, even if it's a 0.1 percent chance, I am a qualified contender. If it was for the Heavyweight Belt, I would have declined, because I didn't earn a shot at the title. -- 凯因斯说过: "什麽事情老是有人说长期来看 好 那麽长期来看 我们都死了" --

※ 发信站: 批踢踢实业坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 210.85.131.158