Ikuhisa Minowa

Pride Fighting Championships: Still 28? Ikuhisa Minowa: Yes.

Pride:	What's your weight for this fight?
Minowa:	86 kg.
Pride:	Where did you train this time?
Minowa:	I trained in Japan this time.
Pride:	Your last fight was against Ueyama in BUSHIDO, right?
Minowa:	Yes. That's right.
Pride:	The last time we saw you, you had long hair. Why did you shave your head?
Minowa:	My fight with Ueyama wasn't good enough. I thought something might change inside of me.
Pride:	After the fight, you just decided to shave your head?
Minowa:	I fought on Oct 14 and I cut my hair on Oct 30.
Pride:	Do you feel different?
Minowa:	When I joined Pancrase, they had a rule that all the new trainees had to shave their heads. Now, I feel like I'm a beginner again.
Pride:	Stefan Leko is an experienced kick boxer. What are your thoughts about him?
Minowa:	His striking is strong and from what I'm seen on video, he has a great straight right.
Pride:	What is your New Year's Resolution?
Minowa:	To become strong.
Pride:	Travel?
Minowa:	Not traveling, but training. I'm thinking of America and Russia. Other places too, if I can.
Pride:	What about Holland?
Minowa:	I want to go.
Pride:	This event will mark your one-year anniversary in PRIDE since your debut, where you lost to Quinton Jackson. What does that mean to you and how do you feel with your year in PRIDE?
Minowa:	I think I can still do more.
Pride:	What kind of a fight do you feel you will have with Leko? Is your game plan to take it to the ground or will you go toe-to-toe with Leko?
Minowa:	I want to do everything.
Pride:	Has anything happened to you since the last time we saw you?
Minowa:	I can't think of anything special.
Pride:	You've fought in the big show and in BUSHIDO. What do you see for yourself, as a Japanese fighter, in PRIDE during the next year?
Minowa:	I set my goals, fight by fight, not by the year. I just want to do my best in each fight.
Pride:	All of people believe that you have the charisma but, at times, you lack the killer instinct or finishing instinct. Are you aware of that and trying to improve it? Against Ryan Gracie, a lot of people thought you should have won the fight but you could have helped yourself by going for the finish more.
Minowa:	I think they understood well. I was too focused on pounding. My theme this year was to finish fights by pounding. I was trying to improve my pounding technique.
Pride:	Are you going to branch out from now on?
Minowa:	Yes, I want to do more.