Gilbert Melendez & Nobuhiro Obiya

Pride Fighting Championships: When did you hurt your hand? Melendez: I received the offer three weeks before the fight so I was able to concentrate and train. I hurt my right hand with a punch in the 2nd round. It didn't hurt during the fight but it started to hurt after the fight was over. Pride: Was it easy to fight at 73kg? Melendez: It was easy to fight. I have to cut weight for a smaller opponent and I lose power. I will put on weight from now. Pride: Why weren't you able to knock him out? Melendez: I was trying to kill him. He was good. Pride: Compared to the fighters you have fought before, what was different about Obiya? Melendez: He a tough fighter and he's a lot like me. He's the scariest Japanese fighter I've ever fought. Pride: What is your next goal? Gomi is the Lightweight Champion. Melendez: If I'm going to be the best in mixed martial arts, I have to fight beat the top fighter and that's Gomi. That's not all, though. It's important that I knock him out. Pride: What was your opinion of the matches before you yours? Melendez: The triangle in Black and Aoki's match left an impression on me.