Ron Waterman

Pride Fighting Championships: Who's in your corner? Ron Waterman: Noman and Phyllis Lee.

Pride:	What is the name of the group that you travel with?
Waterman:	Team Impact.
Pride:	You visit schools?
Waterman:	We visit schools and churches, giving anti-drugs and alcohol messages. We talk about making good choices. We do feats of strengths and share our faith.
Pride:	Do you have a regular church that you minister at?
Waterman:	No. Basically, I'm an evangelical minister and I travel around the world.
Pride:	Has there ever been a problem reconciling what you do for a living and your faith?
Waterman:	It's never been a problem. I mean, I have pastors that ask about it and most of them are really supportive. They understand it's just another sport, not a bloodbath like some people try to paint it as.
Pride:	How do you see the fight with Kevin going? What's your strategy?
Waterman:	It'll be interesting to see what Kevin's going to try to do with me. I don't think he wants to roll with me too much. It's awkward for both of us because I cornered for him a couple of times ago when he fought Mirko. We had the chance to roll and train a little bit together.
Pride:	Did you see anything there when you were training together that you could exploit?
Waterman:	Not necessarily. I know that he's a solid wrestler. I think my advantage is my weight. I've got 40 pounds of solid weight on him, which will be to my advantage.
Pride:	What do you think his biggest strength?
Waterman:	I think people take his punching ability for granted and you can see that in the Mirko fight. He's got quick hands. He'll catch you if you're not ready. Most people he surprises with his strength and his quickness, like the big slam he had in his last fight. I think that's going to be to my advantage because I train with wrestlers. That's what I do.
Pride:	What did you learn from your fight with Mirko?
Waterman:	I don't know what I really took out of it. I was off-balance one time and he caught me with a punch. I guess to always be ready.
Pride:	Were you happy with what you were able to accomplish?
Waterman:	Yes and no. Yes, I was happy that I could get him to the mat right away but, no, I wasn't happy that I couldn't get better position. I was surprised by his ground game. I had a hard time passing his guard. Usually, I don't.
Pride:	Are you bitter that you weren't in the original 16 for the Grand Prix but now you are on as an alternate?
Waterman:	Yeah, it's frustrating to see some people that they choose to put in there, when you are not in there.
Pride:	Does that motivate you more?
Waterman:	Sure. I have an opportunity to get back in the tournament now.
Pride:	Who do you see coming out in the Finals?
Waterman:	Fedor and Nogueira.
Pride:	Who do you think will win that fight?
Waterman:	That's hard to call.
Pride:	What are your goals, in your fighting career, for the rest of the year? Would you fight Cro Cop again if the opportunity arises?
Waterman:	Yeah, I never turn down a fight and I stay in shape year-round. You never know in this business. You always have to be ready.
Pride:	What are your hobbies?
Waterman:	I like to spend a lot of time with my kids and my family. I travel a lot with my ministry so when I'm home, I like to spend time with them. Both of my boys are playing football now and wrestling right after that so I try to coach as much as I can. I do a lot of pottery, ceramics and draw. I was an art teacher for 10 years before I became a minister.
Pride:	What do you want to do after your career?
Waterman:	I will probably stay in the ministry. I can do that for as long as my body holds up.
Pride:	Do you stay in the US with your ministry?
Waterman:	I travel all around the world.