A little tired and delirious we rode the Tokyo subway from Nakano where we had just interviewed Sanae Kikuta. We headed even further out to the outskirts of Tokyo, arriving in a dark residential area called Takadanobaba. We descended from the subway platform and took a left onto the street. We had a little time to kill so we slipped into a very convenient, convenient store and bought some good old-fashioned cassette tapes, the long 120-minute type. They carry everything you could imagine in these little places. I also bought a hot café au lait in a nifty little can; the sugar and caffeine kicked in right on time, since I was still jet lagged. The convenient store attendant pointed us in the right direction and we headed out in the dark. We soon spotted a small white neon with the Kiguchi Workout Studio logo on it.
 
Ihara from Bout Review Japan, led the way, we removed our shoes and entered a tiny dojo with mats and other training gear.

Rolling around in here would be like rolling around in my apartment in N.Y. Gomi was not quite ready yet, and I'm sure he had other things in his mind, like the Pride Bushido fight against Jadson Costa. We took a couple photos and stepped into the restaurant next door, which of all things was an Italian restaurant. Eventually the blonde Gomi, who was surprisingly bigger than I had pictured him, stepped in to join us. After the bows and introductions, we ordered some grub, which is basically what Italian food in Tokyo adds up to. Gomi ordered a big plate of pasta with mussels and being a true gentleman he shared some with me, putting some in a plate. He then suggested we step upstairs because the room was too loud, and anyways, my tape recorder was picking up everyone's conversations. The waiter gladly obliged us as Ihara sat next to Gomi and we sat across from them while Shu (from Bout Review USA) interpreted the questions and answers.

First of all, we would like to thank you very much for talking to us. Arigato Gozaimas.

Q: In the eyes of the world, about a year ago you were the number one ranked lightweight in the world. Almost every 155 pounder in the UFC wanted to fight you. Why did you choose to do the event Rumble on the Rock in Hawaii against BJ Penn?

Gomi: Actually, I was asking myself the same question. (laughing) While I was a champion, of course the Shooto Association treated me very nicely. I was being well accommodated, but then there were a lot of difficulties (after losing Shooto welterweight title), so in the end I just took any offer that came along.

Q: The largest MMA event in the United States is the UFC, and it's also the only event that is televised nationally (on cable television). Why not them?

Gomi: For two years, I had been wanting to fight in the UFC. Somehow, I just couldn't be satisfied just being in Shooto. But, I hadn't been requesting it yet because of the timing, Uno was in there Sudo was in there: it just wasn't the right moment.

Q: Are you still interested in fighting in the UFC?

Gomi: Actually, regarding Shooto and the UFC, I feel that I have finished that era. Now I'm concentrating on Pride Bushido. Mentally, it is very stressful just hoping and requesting. I wanted to begin from a realistic point, and of course there is a limited time to be a professional fighter. It was actually Pride Bushido who gave me the offer, it was realistic and I took it.

Q: In your fight against BJ (in Rumble on the Rock 4) you had stated that you did not have enough time to prepare for that fight.

Gomi: I do a lot of work at the Dojo, and I believe it was very hard to come back from losing the title. As far as being in shape, I didn't have enough time for that. I was training without having any real concrete plans in the near future.

Q: If you did receive a generous offer from the UFC, perhaps a rematch against BJ, would that interest you at all? Maybe even as a welterweight?

Gomi: I think it's good for a fighter to move up once they have conquered a weight class. Someday yes, I think I would like to fight him again.

Q: What separates your style of fighting from that of other wrestlers, such as many American ground and pounders.

Gomi: Recently I have realized that my base is indeed wrestling, and therefore, based on that, my striking skills will work. With BJ I was only thinking about striking as opposed to actually grappling. Right now also, I'm actually going to the University to train and concentrate on wrestling.

Q: What will be your strategy for this upcoming fight in Bushido I'm assuming you'll take him down?

Gomi: Of course I'll adjust according to the place or environment. It's very important to build a base and technique, and to be in shape along with the wrestling ability. For example in the Couture/Tito fight, the way Couture controlled Tito, that's how I want to control my opponent and then just pound him.

Q: You are fighting "Little Wanderlei" Jadson Costa, what do you know about him?

Gomi: I only have one videotape of him; I don't even know how to get tapes of other fighters. (laughs) I didn't even really know who he was. Also, Bushido announces their cards very late.

Q: In your experience, is that common in a lot of the Japanese events?

Gomi: Actually, Shooto announces their cards very early.

Q: I believe that in your fight against BJ, it was the first time you had fought in the cage. How did it affect your game?

Gomi: The first potential situation, is that one takedown will last a very long time or continually. You could lose just from being taken down first.

Q: Is that what happened with BJ? He came at you almost like a wrestler.

Gomi: Yes, that's exactly what happened. It was more like a simple wrestling style match rather than a Jiu-jitsu fight.

Q: What do you think are BJ Penn's greatest strengths or weapons?

Gomi: Simple, he'll do anything and he doesn't waste any energy or anything else.

Q: In that fight, do you feel like your stamina affected the outcome?

Gomi: For this fight I wasn't in shape, so yes, I was out of stamina.

Q: Since the format of Bushido is a team format, how do you feel about representing team Japan, as opposed to just being Takanori Gomi?

Gomi: I believe that the honor of being in Pride, is the highest status for a fighter in Japan. It is a public phenomenon how popular Pride is among the general public, so the exposure is completely different.

Q: Absolutely, and Pride is also now being televised in the U.S. Do you feel this will help your MMA status around the world?

Gomi: Yes, sure, but it's not like I have thought so much about going to America or "invading America."

Q: What has your friend Genki Sudo told you about the United States or the UFC?

Gomi: Nothing really, I haven't gotten much information about the UFC or anything.

Q: Do you feel that to be a top MMA fighter that it's enough just to remain in Japan, or do you think it's important for you to get out there to the rest of the world?

Gomi: Actually, I haven't been thinking about that, I just want to win in Pride, and then let the Pride people worry about that. I've heard Pride is very powerful, just the status of being in Pride is very big. Also, first I want to satisfy the fans in Japan.

Q: Are there any top fighters currently in Pride or Pride Bushido, which you would like to fight?

Gomi: Royler Gracie maybe. There weren't so many so-called foreign fighters in Shooto, so I can't really think of anyone specific right now.

Q: So are you now interested in challenging Shaolin Ribeiro in Shooto, or would you rather that he came to you in Pride Bushido?

Gomi: I would definitely like to fight Shaolin in Pride.

Q: I heard a rumor that Joaquin Hansen was perhaps going into Pride Bushido, despite if it's true or not, would you like a rematch? If yes, what would you do differently?

Gomi: Yes I would like to fight him again. Even from the spectators' point of view, they thought that it was not a real Gomi fight. I think that when we fought, it was good timing for Hansen, he was on his way up while I was on a bit of a downward spiral. It's better for Hansen's sake and mine that we now fight on a bigger stage.

Q: I know that your base is wrestling and you have a ground and pound style, have you been developing your kicking or striking game further?

Gomi: I did have an offer for kick boxing from K-1 Max. Depending on the situation, I'll kick them if I need to.

Q: I noticed in some of your previous fights that you didn't throw many kicks.

Gomi: Well, of course I will be fighting a Chute Boxe fighter, which is all about the kicks. Since I didn't make it to the UFC, I did go through this period were I was wondering what my own style really was. I thought that maybe I should quit MMA for a while and go into K-1. At the same time I also tried out different styles, because I was wondering, but right now K-1 is out of my mind.

Q: So do you feel that you need to stick to your strengths, your wrestling skills, and fight in that realm?

Gomi: Yes, I really want to concentrate on my strong points.

Q: Is that what happened in the last fight? (vs. BJ Penn in Rumble on the Rock 4) You didn't concentrate on your strengths?

Gomi: Yes, it's always the fundamentals, the way you start it. It's important to remember that, and when you forget, you lose.

Q: Have you been training at all in Jiu-jitsu or submission?

Gomi: I do respect Jiu-jitsu and of course I like combat wrestling, but there is an old Japanese saying, "If you like something, you improve it."

Q: How much longer do you think you will continue fighting in MMA?

Gomi: First I want to achieve success in Pride.

Q: Are titles important to you?

Gomi: I don't really think about titles or championship belts. I just want to be in front of the fans, on a bigger stage, and showcase my explosive style, and I want them to enjoy it.

Q: After your last two fights, which were losses, do you feel it was a wake-up call?

Gomi: Yes, it really is a wake-up call. I've been concentrating on training right now, for the moment I can't fight those lightweights, but I want to show them what to expect. I wasn't even aware that I was highly regarded in the U.S. I think because I'm in Pride now, I can fight more often, and therefore I've set some goals for myself.

Q: Do you think that the difference in rules between Shooto and Pride will affect your game much?

Gomi: Of course this is more dangerous, same as the fight in Hawaii, high risk, therefore the fundamentals are very important. Just because I have a rough explosive style of fighting doesn't mean I'll do well in a cage, that's when the fundamentals come in.

Q: Was it difficult for you to adjust to the difference between the ropes and the cage as well as the rules?

Gomi: I feel it's harder to do something that one isn't used to doing, it was very exciting in that sense, but the aura was a little bit tough. That was just something that happens in life, a lesson, I don't know why things ended up that way, but that's alright. There are always hard times in life, but now my opponent is coming all the way from the other side of the earth, Brazil.
I thought I must have been somewhat valuable to bring me to challenge all the way to Hawaii. Of course in Hawaii, I could bring a lot into the fight and that makes a big difference. I once went to the UFC with Genki. I don't really want to go to the (continental) U.S. because the flight is very long. It's very difficult for Japanese fans to travel to the UFC, but in Hawaii, they can do it.

Q: Did you play around in Hawaii?

Gomi: Of course if I'm there as a fighter, I don't feel like playing around. But if I go there as a corner man, yeah. (laughter) Of course, there are direct flights to Hawaii (from Japan), so my fans could make it.

Q: What do you mean by playing around?

Gomi: (laughs) Just being there makes me feel good, but it's really hard to get into the mode of fighting in a place like that. Everybody's layed back, but there are a lot of Martial Artists, it's a pretty interesting place. I went to an open Gym and Enson Inoue was there and a few other people watching.

Q: How did you initially get into MMA, I know you have a wrestling background, but how old were you when you knew you wanted to get into a real fight sport?

Gomi: Maybe when I was about seventeen, when I saw Vale Tudo Japan. In the third VTJ I saw Royler fight, and that's when I started putting time into it, I wanted to try it. Back then Royce used to pull the opponent into his guard, which was the way to do it, but that was back then.

Q: Do you think that that is ineffective now?

Gomi: Of course there are fighters like Nogueira who are invincible. Back then in VTJ a lot of people did the same thing, but right now a lot of Jiu-jitsu fighters can be very poweful strikers too. That's why, sometimes when I fight I feel a little bit outdated. (laughter) Watching the young fighters today, they are technically so well-educated in MMA fighting. Actually, there are a lot of things that I could study, but I've been following this style, and it's a way to enhance my skills and strengths within this same style.

Q: Do you personally feel uncomfortable going into a full-guard?

Gomi: I don't remember being in that position, so we'll see.

Q: It seems that you are comfortable giving people your back. Do you prefer rolling onto all fours rather than utilizing the full guard? For example, the way Sakuraba did with Randleman.

Gomi: I think it's better to be in your guard rather than doing what Sakuraba-san does (laughter)

Q: Currently, what is your top priority as a fighter?

Gomi: First of all, the Pride audience is completely different than the Shooto audience. Since I am a Japanese fighter, of course I want to succeed in my own country. Of course I thought, I want to be successful in America, but now I want to be successful at home. I don't want to persist only on America, of course I have a limited time as a fighter.

Q: So many American fighters know your name, fans talk about you, if there was ever that opportunity to do it again, would you fight in the U.S.?

Gomi: I want to fight were people want me to fight, so I can show my strengths. But if the UFC doesn't want me, then what the hell, do I have to really go and force myself to fight there? I could wait forever. Right now I'm just concentrating on Pride Bushido. I want to win very clearly in Bushido, and of course there is a Las Vegas Pride happening in September. I want to make it into that event, that's one of my big goals. The most important thing for a professional fighter is to be aware of the fights that might be offered, so that has to be my base, what I begin with.

Q: I know you teach classes at the Kiguchi Wrestling Dojo, does that detract from your training, does it distract you?

Gomi: At the end of last year I decided that I wanted to only concentrate on my fight career, so I am no longer an official instructor. Before a fight I like to watch the little kids training, it calms me down. In that sense it's still the same. But right now I'm only thinking about the battle, a professional fight career, maybe I'll think about teaching or instructing after my fight career is over.

Q: Besides teaching and fighting, what other things do you do with your life? What do you do to relax?

Gomi: I like to go out. After a fight I love to go to a hot spring. My ideal would be to fly out to Hawaii and relax and have a good time. I like to rest my body, and just go out with the coaching staff.

Q: How old were you when you started wrestling?

Gomi: I was playing baseball and other sports until I was seventeen. I was taught how to wrestle by my father. I would go running with him, doing pull-ups. I was forced to train at home. He was a self-taught self-styled judo man. I was raised in a way that I was always very active; it was real military style. Real, actual grappling technique I didn't learn until later.

Q: Do you have any older brothers?

Gomi: Yes, I have one older brother. He does combat wrestling.

Q: What type of music do you listen to?

Gomi: Actually, I listen to almost any type of popular song.

Q: What about women, how long do you stay away from them before a fight?

Gomi: I'm not that stoic. The thing I'm more concerned about is catching a cold, so I wont really go out as much.

Q: What kind of diet do you maintain?

Gomi: Right now I'm dealing with a new concept, usually I'm having to cut weight, but now I have to gain weight. I'm eating twice as much as I was before. Then I'll rest my body so I can gain weight. I'm fighting at 73 kilos, I had fought at 72 kilos in VTJ.

Q: Are you having to lift more free weights to keep on the weight?

Gomi: In general, I have been lifting a lot of free weights. I leave the training up to my trainer, I trust him in these matters. Of course I also have to gain enough strength so I won't get beat by one punch. If your schedule is off, you can't have very good communication with your trainer, but this time I have a good schedule and have a lot in common with the practical trainer, so I think we'll be okay.

Q: Do feel you are both physically and psychologically prepared for your upcoming Pride Bushido match? You had very short breaks between your last few fights.

Gomi: When I beat Rumina Sato and Dokonjonosuke Mishima, I was much better prepared than ever before, now I'm even more prepared and I think I'm much more focused. Last year I did fight a lot, and when I look back on it, I did fight the top two fighters at the end of the year, but everything was offered at the last minute. This next time is Pride Bushido, I don't know much about my opponent, but I do have a specific time frame to work with. The schedule was set and everything is very well planned.

Q: You are scheduled to fight Jadson Costa in under 73 kg, is this a comfortable weight for you?

Gomi: Ever since the BJ Penn fight, that was a turning point, so I'm thinking about the next thing. BJ went up in weight and I thought, it would be interesting to fight somebody heavier.

Q: What do you think about the fact, that BJ defeated a five-time defending UFC champion after your fight with him?

Gomi: (thinks for a while) In Rumble on the Rock, Shooto fighters such as Cooper and Palling didn't do to well either. (pause) It's hard to explain, you know, I was ready to do something. A lot of people from Japan came to cheer Shooto fighters. So I was ready but I wasn't ready to win, you know. Maybe Hughes was a little bit tired of defending? Tell Dana White that, I'm better than Hughes at this point. (laughs) After I lost the Shooto title I was mentally very tired. Hughes showed the fans that it’s not easy. It isn’t a walk on the park and he has to work hard again.

Q: Is this a natural pattern in MMA, it's very hard to be Ichiban, number one? It's very hard to stay on top and especially to be undefeated?

Gomi: I think that you learn more from losing. If I would have won my last couple of fights, maybe I wouldn't be training so hard now. Every year I used to fight at Tokyo NK Hall (Shooto's sacred place) each December. This is the first time I didn't fight in that event. But I really wanted to focus and find what I wanted to do. At one point I was always winning, but I had to step away from the game and looked at myself from a different point of view and I realized what I needed to do now. It's simple, you have to train to win it, if you don't train you’re not going to win anything. So in a way, it's good that I lost.

Q: Tell us about your training routine.

Gomi : I train every week, weights, cardio, running, light sparring, I've been going to the local university to train with the wrestling team. Usually the MMA fights are on weekends.

Q: Now that you don't have to cut weight, is a fight less stressful for you?

Gomi: Actually, I never really had any problems making weight. One thing that I noticed, is that Brazilian Jiu-jitsu fighters have a very strong base, the lower half of the body. Their natural strength is amazing.

Q: Do you feel that you have that same natural core strength?

Gomi: Actually, I think that I'm weaker, that's why I come out with that all out explosive power. But there's a limit, so I'm lifting a lot of weights now and working on the core. As long as I'm in shape, and there are good fundamental skills, everything comes together mentally…

Q: There are many different MMA events with various rules, Shooto has a count when a fighter is downed, Pride allows knees on the ground, etc, etc… Which are the ideal rules for you?

Gomi: Obviously, I have been fighting in Shooto. I shoot in, take them down and pound. Since Pride has the knee rule, I think the Chute Boxe style is perfect for Pride rules. I feel like I should either go more towards that style, or develop the things that Chute Boxe doesn't have. It's interesting also, for example, that Cro-Cop is one extreme and Nogueira the other, as far as styles. I've personally been winning a lot by pounding, but if I have the opportunity, I'll go for the submission. But this next time it's a Chute Boxer, and I think it's very difficult to overwhelm a kick boxer, even on the ground. Of course I look for the opportunity for a submission.

Q: Nogueira and Mirko have polar opposite styles, is it better to focus on one style, or crossover?

Gomi: Any style that a person believes in should be fine.

Q: If Pride had a welterweight grand prix would you be interested in fighting in it?

Gomi: I don't really like fighting in tournaments.

Q: Why not?

Gomi: Just the fact that you have to fight a few times in a day, it's stressful. My experience has been to get to know the opponent for about a month, concentrate on that opponent, practice, and get to that opponent passionately. This is the style I'm used to instead of tournaments

Q: What if that opportunity did come up though, would you do a tournament?

Gomi: I'll think about that if it ever happens, but right now I'm concentrating on this particular fight.

Q: Thank you very much for your time and good luck in your upcoming fight. We look forward to seeing you some day soon fight in the U.S. Arigato Gozaimas.

Gomi: Arigato Gozaimas.
(Bow)