Ikuhisa Minowa

Pride Fighting Championships: You're 28? Ikuhisa Minowa: No, 29.

Pride:	And your weight for this fight?
Minowa:	83kg.
Pride:	You look like you've lost weight.
Minowa:	Yeah, I lost a little bit of weight but I don't know why.
Pride:	Still a freelance fighter? No team?
Minowa:	Still free.
Pride:	What's your MMA record?
Minowa:	I don't remember.
Pride:	Well, 3-3 in PRIDE. We know that much. Oh, you just came back from 2 month's training in Salt Lake City, Utah, with Alex Stiebling and Jeremy Horn.
Minowa:	Yes, yes. Combat Jiu-Jitsu.
Pride:	How did you feel about the high altitude? Did it help your training?
Minowa:	When I first went there, breathing was really difficult and I would get tired easily. I thought I was sick but it was like when I climbed Mt. Fuji, so I realized that it's just the high altitude.
Pride:	You just returned. They say it stays in your system for 10 days. Have you noticed any change?
Minowa:	Actually, I'm not sure. Maybe.
Pride:	Did you drown that guy in your public sparring session?
Minowa:	No, not that far. I just wanted to get in the water.
Pride:	Why did you get in the water?
Minowa:	I don't have a dojo so I do a lot of training outside. I was just letting everyone see that.
Pride:	After a bit of a tough start in PRIDE, you've put together a winning streak. How do you feel about your own abilities in this stage of your career? Are you getting more confidence?
Minowa:	I want to be successful in PRIDE.
Pride:	Lately, it seems to be happening since after the Ryan Gracie fight. Do you feel better now, or is it the same?
Minowa:	I think that my fights still lack something. I'm not satisfied.
Pride:	Why is it that you are freelance? Do you want to be with a team? You've traveled to train in nearly every country in the world.
Minowa:	I travel because I want experience. I'm not really thinking about a team right now. Since I'm freelance, I can do whatever I want.
Pride:	Have any teams approached you in Japan, like Takada Dojo or Yoshida Dojo?
Minowa:	Not at all.
Pride:	What do you know about Yvel? You're going to be outweighed by him. How do you feel about facing him?
Minowa:	He's a big guy.
Pride:	How are you going to take advantage of being the smaller, quicker fighter?
Minowa:	Yes, I will use that.
Pride:	Yvel is known for his knees. Are you going to try to take it to the ground right away because of that, or do you want to trade with him?
Minowa:	There are a lot of things that I want to try but I don't want to tell you. (laughing)
Pride:	Where do you think that you've improved the most since from your last fight with Leko to now?
Minowa:	You'll have to wait and see what happens. I don't know what has improved. I want to see what's improved, too.
Pride:	Why did you grow your hair back? Why did you shave it in the first place?
Minowa:	The fight before my last fight wasn't very good. Growing out my hair was a way to try to look cool. So, I wanted to start completely from scratch.