Tamakairiki

Pride Fighting Championships: You're 37? Tamakairiki : Yes

Pride :	Why at this stage of your life did you want to get involved with PRIDE?
Tamakairiki :	Because I want to fight!
Pride :	What kind of training have you been doing?
Tamakairiki :	I had 10 years of nothing but I've been training from 9am to 9pm every day since September of last year.
Pride :	What type of training have you been doing?
Tamakairiki :	Kickboxing and ground work.
Pride :	Your opponent, Akira Shoji, has the most fights ever in PRIDE. This is your first fight in PRIDE. How do you feel about that?
Tamakairiki :	I'm very excited about it.
Pride :	What's your game plan?
Tamakairiki :	I'm going to knock him down.
Pride :	So, you want to win by KO?
Tamakairiki :	KO by punches and kicks.
Pride :	Have you ever competed in kickboxing?
Tamakairiki :	No, just sumo.
Pride :	Do you prefer to fight standing up or on the ground?
Tamakairiki :	Standing up.
Pride :	What have you been doing for the last 10 years, since you retired from sumo?
Tamakairiki :	Running my business and training at a sports gym.
Pride :	You kept up your conditioning?
Tamakairiki :	Yes.
Pride :	What's your most dangerous weapon?
Tamakairiki :	My kicks.
Pride :	How do you feel that your long history in sumo will benefit you in this fight?
Tamakairiki :	I think the mental side will play a big part. The technical side is very different, though. Nobody can beat me, in terms of heart. I'm not afraid of being hit.
Pride :	What do you like to do when you are not training?
Tamakairiki :	I don't have any leisure time because I've been devoted to training all the time.