Ricardo Arona

Pride Fighting Championships: Still 26? Ricardo Arona: Yeah.

Pride:	What's your weight for the fight?
Arona:	93 kg.
Pride:	What do you think about facing Lister in this arena, rather than in a submissions tournament?
Arona:	It's totally different but it's good for me because I can feel his techniques and strength. If we're going to fight later, it will be good for me.
Pride:	Are you feeling more comfortable with your standup? Lister and you are both grapplers.
Arona:	We are both better on the ground but this fight will be much better if I can finish it on the ground.
Pride:	You seem to be in good shape. Are you stronger than the last time we saw you?
Arona:	Yes. I'm the same weight but I trained a lot, so I'm stronger.
Pride:	Almost two years ago, in the 2003 tournament, you were hurt and not able to compete. Is there more motivation for you now?
Arona:	Yes. For me, it's so important because I can fight to prove to the world what I can do one more time. I hurt myself in the last tournament and it was terrible. I cried a lot. So, now I'm good. No problems. No injuries.
Pride:	Anything new happen lately?
Arona:	No, I keep doing the same things. Keep climbing, keep surfing, nothing changed.
Pride:	You have some issues with other fighters in the tournament. You know what happened with Jackson and how you feel about that fight. You can Dan Henderson had a very good fight. You can't look past Lister but in the back of your mind, is there anyone you want to fight next?
Arona:	For sure, Quinton Jackson. Quinton Jackson and Wanderlei Silva. These are the two guys that I want to fight. I've wanted to fight Silva for a long time. You know what happened with Jackson the last time. We had an incident and I want to correct it.
Pride:	You look ready to go. The talent here can't be any better. It's a credit to you that you were asked to fight. How do you feel mentally about being in the tournament?
Arona:	I put my mind completely on this tournament and this match. This is a tough tournament. You have 16 of the best fighters in the world. You have to be so concentrated. It's very nice to have another chance. That's the most important thing. I'm here to do my best. That's it.
Pride:	Anything can happen in a fight, of course. What are you expecting from Lister?
Arona:	I think he's going to try to take me down, looking for a ground fight. If it happens, it will be good for us. I'm not worried about that. I'm really confident. I want to finish it standing up but if it goes to the ground, it's no problem for me because it's my specialty. I think he's coming with the takedown, though.
Pride:	Anything else you feel you have to prepare for against a guy like Lister? What are his biggest strengths?
Arona:	His leg locks. He likes to do them.
Pride:	What happens if you win and Rogerio wins, and you have to face each other?
Arona:	That's a good question, man. Good question. He's my friend. I don't know. I need to think about it