Ricardo Arona's title strategies

[DUCE]

Ricardo Arona was recently interviewed by Brazilian magazine 'Tatame'. Here's what Arona had to say (interview by Eduardo Ferreira):


Tatame: Is everything confirmed for you to face Vanderlei Silva for the 205-pound belt on December 31st?

Arona: I'm just waiting for a reply from PRIDE. I'm just ironing some things out in my contract, and once that's resolved we can confirm the fight.

Tatame: Vanderlei is saying that this time he won't respect you and that he'll just go forward at you...

Arona: It's the same as always. He always likes to talk like that, that he will score a knock out and such. It's his propaganda, the marketing he does for the fight.

Tatame: What will be your strategy to defeat Vanderlei this time?

Arona: It will be different this time because it will be a single fight, but I don't know how it will be. It might be totally different from the last fight. It's only during the fight that we'll know. He's saying that he's coming to score a knock out, that he will go forward. I'm hoping he does, so that I can do my game.

Tatame: Will this be the fight of your life?

Arona: The first fight was really the most awaited one, it was the first contact. But this fight will have the same pressure because the belt will be on the line, and I know I can win that belt. If I get the belt, my position in PRIDE will change and I'll have the chance to have rematches with Mauricio Shogun and Quinton Jackson, both of whom will be in my path.

Tatame: What has changed for you after your victory against Vanderlei in the semifinal of the PRIDE Middleweight GP?

Arona: Without a doubt, my responsibility increased. But I knew I could beat him in that fight, and I know that the top fighters in this weight class will always be facing each other.

Tatame: How is your training going?

Arona: I'm training every day, but I didn't go to the Brazilian Top Team yet. I'm putting a lot of emphasis on my physical training and healing some past injuries, which are healed up now. I'm feeling good, and I feel certain that I will come into the fight in good condition.

[habbalah]

I'm pulling like crazy for Arona. I remember his match with ninja, and I remember thinking, "This guys really got the tools to be number one."

Maybe it's just that I like to see change from time to time, and Wanderlai seems to be so hard to remove from his current position with the belt. It should be a war. I saw a few clips from Sherdog of the middle weight tournament and I was suprised to see Arona was fairing so well against Wanderlai. It's kind of a shame even if he manages to win he still has to get over Shogun eventually (would most likely be his first title defense, Arona I mean).

[DUCE]

I hope Silva maintains his lock on the gold. I see a draw....