Ben K.
26-05-2009, 19:16
Former DREAM middleweight champion and M-1 Global fighter Gegard Mousasi made a successful debut as a heavyweight earlier this morning following his first round submission victory over Mark Hunt at DREAM.9.
The victory over Hunt allowed Mousasi to advance to the second round of DREAM's "Super Hulk" Grand Prix, an open weight tournament with no weight restrictions.
M-1Global.com was able to conduct an exclusive interview with Mousasi immediately after the conclusion of DREAM.9. We asked the M-1 Challenge veteran whether he was nervous heading into his first major fight outside of the middleweight division.
"No, I wasn’t nervous," Mousasi responded with confidence. "I was very concentrated and had a gameplan in mind which I know would work."
That gameplan consisted of Mousasi utilizing his ever-improving ground game to take Hunt, a former K-1 standout, off his feet and onto the ground.
"I didn’t want to trade with him," he confirmed. "My gameplan was to force a takedown by punching."
Mission accomplished for Mousasi, who credited his successful move to heavyweight to some of his training partners.
"I trained real hard with heavyweights and I want to thank my trainingmates Jesse Gibbs, Ricardo Wondell and my brother Gewick," said a gracious Mousasi, before adding, "I also trained a lot with Guus van de Meer from Powerplate. He helped me al lot to gain weight without losing my speed."
In addition to Mousasi's victory, Minowaman, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, and South Korean K-1 standout Hong Man Choi all advanced to the second round of the "Super Hulk" Grand Prix, a tournament concept that has generated mixed reviews in the MMA community. However, Mousasi should be counted as one of its supporters.
"I think (Super Hulk) is nice," said Mousasi. "For me it’s a challenge and I think it will be good to attract more mainstream audience to MMA."
As of now, Mousasi is unsure who he will be fighting in the second round. When asked about the next stage of the tournament, he expressed no preference in regards to his opponent.
"I don’t know (my next opponent) yet," he began. "DREAM still has to decide. I don’t really care who will be next."
Mousasi first broke out as a major global superstar last year after defeating the likes of Denis Kang, Dong Sik Yoon, Melvin Manhoef, and Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza en route to becoming the first-ever DREAM middleweight champion. So why abandon a weight class in which he was considered one of the best in the world at?
"I could not make the weight anymore," he responded. "I am a natural heavyweight, I always had to cut from 93 kilo’s to middleweight. It was just to hard for me to do."
While Mousasi awaits word on his next opponent in the "Super Hulk" tournament, he will remain active this summer as he prepares for his first-ever bout in the United States. When asked to address rumors that he will be fighting former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort for Affliction on Aug. 1, a candid Mousasi confirmed the rumors as being true.
"Yes, those (rumors) are true and I will be fighting Vitor Belfort," exclaimed an excited Mousasi.
There is no word yet on what weight the fight will be fought out but indications are that the two could meet at 205 pounds as opposed to middleweight.
M-1 Global - Mixed Martial Arts (http://www.m-1global.com/en/news/detail/id/9373/mousasi-talks-win-over-hunt-confirms-fight-vs-belfort)
The victory over Hunt allowed Mousasi to advance to the second round of DREAM's "Super Hulk" Grand Prix, an open weight tournament with no weight restrictions.
M-1Global.com was able to conduct an exclusive interview with Mousasi immediately after the conclusion of DREAM.9. We asked the M-1 Challenge veteran whether he was nervous heading into his first major fight outside of the middleweight division.
"No, I wasn’t nervous," Mousasi responded with confidence. "I was very concentrated and had a gameplan in mind which I know would work."
That gameplan consisted of Mousasi utilizing his ever-improving ground game to take Hunt, a former K-1 standout, off his feet and onto the ground.
"I didn’t want to trade with him," he confirmed. "My gameplan was to force a takedown by punching."
Mission accomplished for Mousasi, who credited his successful move to heavyweight to some of his training partners.
"I trained real hard with heavyweights and I want to thank my trainingmates Jesse Gibbs, Ricardo Wondell and my brother Gewick," said a gracious Mousasi, before adding, "I also trained a lot with Guus van de Meer from Powerplate. He helped me al lot to gain weight without losing my speed."
In addition to Mousasi's victory, Minowaman, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, and South Korean K-1 standout Hong Man Choi all advanced to the second round of the "Super Hulk" Grand Prix, a tournament concept that has generated mixed reviews in the MMA community. However, Mousasi should be counted as one of its supporters.
"I think (Super Hulk) is nice," said Mousasi. "For me it’s a challenge and I think it will be good to attract more mainstream audience to MMA."
As of now, Mousasi is unsure who he will be fighting in the second round. When asked about the next stage of the tournament, he expressed no preference in regards to his opponent.
"I don’t know (my next opponent) yet," he began. "DREAM still has to decide. I don’t really care who will be next."
Mousasi first broke out as a major global superstar last year after defeating the likes of Denis Kang, Dong Sik Yoon, Melvin Manhoef, and Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza en route to becoming the first-ever DREAM middleweight champion. So why abandon a weight class in which he was considered one of the best in the world at?
"I could not make the weight anymore," he responded. "I am a natural heavyweight, I always had to cut from 93 kilo’s to middleweight. It was just to hard for me to do."
While Mousasi awaits word on his next opponent in the "Super Hulk" tournament, he will remain active this summer as he prepares for his first-ever bout in the United States. When asked to address rumors that he will be fighting former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort for Affliction on Aug. 1, a candid Mousasi confirmed the rumors as being true.
"Yes, those (rumors) are true and I will be fighting Vitor Belfort," exclaimed an excited Mousasi.
There is no word yet on what weight the fight will be fought out but indications are that the two could meet at 205 pounds as opposed to middleweight.
M-1 Global - Mixed Martial Arts (http://www.m-1global.com/en/news/detail/id/9373/mousasi-talks-win-over-hunt-confirms-fight-vs-belfort)