Game planning with Gonzaga - Fight Forum - MMA - UFC - Boxing - K1

Dr.Chicago · 07-29-2007, 03:30 PM

The Link: Game planning with Gonzaga - Ultimate Fighting - BostonHerald.com

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Game planning with Gonzaga
By Herald staff
Sunday, July 29, 2007 - Updated: 10:52 AM EST

UFC heavyweight contender Gabriel Gonzaga, of Ludlow, Mass., is busily preparing for his title bout with champion Randy Couture. UFC 74 will take place Aug. 25 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Leading up to the fight, bostonherald.com will exclusively check in on Gonzaga on a weekly basis with video, as well as various Q & A sessions. Below, we ask Gonzaga about some of his strategies.

Q: Gabriel, what have you learned from (coach) Marco (Alvan) to improve your ground game?

Gonzaga: I am a kind of person that never stops learning, every day I learn something and Marco has been helping me to get my best game.

Q: When you fought Mirko Cro Cop, did you expect to get him on the ground so quickly?

Gonzaga: I knew that sooner or later he was going to try to kick on my ribs, and I was ready to catch his leg and take him down. I trained that a lot with my team.

Q: Before the referee stood you and Mirko up, what were you trying to accomplish? Was there a hold/submission you were trying for?

Gonzaga: Like everyone saw at that fight, I was trying to finish the fight, and if the fight went a little longer, I think I would have ended it with my elbows.

Q: If you were to fight Mirko again, do you think the fight would end the same way?

Gonzaga: Every fight is different, but to face him again, I would need to train twice as hard and take the right strategy.

Q: How important do you feel your ground game will be when you face Randy?

Gonzaga: My ground game will be very important for this fight because sooner or later the fight will hit the ground and at this time I will look for the submission.

Q: Considering Randy is an Olympic wrestler, do you think it’s smarter to stay on your feet and try to end the fight by KO?

Gonzaga: Randy is not just an Olympic wrestler, he is a complete fighter, so I need to be ready for wherever the fight goes.

Q: At UFC 60 Matt Hughes defeated Royce Gracie using jiu-jitsu, which shocked fans because Hughes basically beat Royce at his own game. Since you are well known for your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, do you feel added pressure not to lose to Randy this way?

Gonzaga: I do not agree when you say that Hughes beat Royce with BJJ, same as when he beat B.J. Penn. Hughes was in another level of strength and condition, and that made the difference. If (Couture) will beat me at my own game, or I will beat him at his own game, we need to wait and see.

Q: What is the first thing you teach your students when they first start learning jiu-jitsu?

Gonzaga: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is much more then just a style of fight. When you get involved with the art of BJJ, you get a new family, you get in love. The first thing that we teach then is the respect. If you learn it in the beginning you will not have any problems later.

Man! That's gonna be really exciting to see if he can excute his gameplan!

OneTwoPunch · 07-29-2007, 03:34 PM

Yeah I saw this on ufc.com its a pretty interesting article, but i doubt GG can beat Randy in hi sown game.

MTKrav911 · 07-29-2007, 03:34 PM

Gonzaga: I do not agree when you say that Hughes beat Royce with BJJ, same as when he beat B.J. Penn. Hughes was in another level of strength and condition, and that made the difference. If (Couture) will beat me at my own game, or I will beat him at his own game, we need to wait and see.

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Great interview and I totally agree with this above statement by Gonzaga.

Very articulate man who makes alot of sense. This is going to be an interesting fight.

I heart LNP · 07-29-2007, 03:45 PM

It sounds like Gonzaga will have a good strategy for this fight but you can bet Randy will also have a very good gameplan of his own which makes this fight so interesting.

Dr.Chicago · 07-29-2007, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I heart LNP

It sounds like Gonzaga will have a good strategy for this fight but you can bet Randy will also have a very good gameplan of his own which makes this fight so interesting.

"Everyone has a plan.. Until they get hit" -CC

jm1010 · 07-29-2007, 10:45 PM

Randy executes his well though out game plans better than any one I have ever watched. Gonzaga is a very intelligent fighter as well, and I am sure he will come prepared.

I really liked Gonzagas answer to the Hughes-Gracie question too.

GeorgeXVX · 07-29-2007, 11:02 PM

at least he isnt big headed about the cro cop KO