POST-PRIDE BUSHIDO 10 INTERVIEW
04/05/2006
Akihiro Gono & Dae Won Kim

Pride Fighting Championships: This must a satisfying win.
Gono: Not at all. It's just a win.
Pride: What are you unsatisfied with?
Gono: I didn't use the time I was standing up well and I was thrown twice. There wasn't any pounding so I was okay but I might not be so lucky next time.
Pride: Did the 9 minutes in the fight feel long? Do you think it took you too long to beat him?
Gono: I didn't really have any sense of the time. I don't mind using the full 15 minutes. It doesn't matter whether it ends early or later.
Pride: Kim was on top in the beginning of the fight. Did you get any damage?
Gono: His breathing was getting rougher so I just kept punching. The rope was bothering me, though.
Pride: You've been out of the ring for a while so I guess you must have been nervous when you climbed into the ring this time. Were you?
Gono: No, not really. It wasn't a bad feeling. There may have been a little fear because of my facial injury.
Pride: Did that fear disappear as you fought?
Gono: No, it didn't, but I was lucky because my opponent was on the bottom and he couldn't do anything.
Pride: His takedowns were good, weren't they?
Gono: Yes. I definitely gave up some throws. He was good and I was bad.
Pride: Were you able to appeal to the PRIDE girls?
Gono: No, I couldn't. If you look at their reactions, you can tell. I thought that I should just give up before I get hurt.
Pride: Were you able to show the strength of the Japanese Welterweight Division today?
Gono: Kondo lost like he did, so I don't think we were able to show off our strength.

Pride: What do you think about your fight?
Kim: I'm disappointed. I want to give a better performance next time.
Pride: You weren't able to use the techniques that you are good at. What was difficult for you?
Kim: Honestly, I thought I was winning but then I got on the bottom when we were on the ground. I got confused and then the fight ended like it did.
Pride: You had Gono in the corner in the beginning of the fight. Was it difficult to attack him there?
Kim: I wasn't able to put him away like I should have.
Pride: What was your impression of Gono?
Kim: He's a good fighter.
Pride: You were crying after the fight? What part of the fight was most responsible for that?
Kim: My performance in the fight didn't look good.
Pride: It was your first fight on such a big stage.
Kim: I think that I need to work on everything, including my entrance.
Pride: How did it feel to move from smaller rings to such a big one?
Kim: I was really nervous because PRIDE is a big name. That's something else that I have to overcome.