Thursday, October 12, 2017

Miyuu Yamamoto Interview




Below is our interview with Rizin's Miyuu Yamamoto. Miyuu is competing in Rizin's women's tournament and will face Irene Rivera on October 15th in the first round. We would like to thank Miyuu for taking the time to answer our questions.

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1. You made your debut after a very successful wrestling career and after you were 40 years old. Can you talk about why you got into MMA? What was the decision process like?

Miyuu: I was training for the 2016 Olympics but I couldn't compete at the Olympic trials (somehow) even though I got my Canadian citizenship. It hurt me pretty bad but I didn't wanna stop training. Because I work hard everyday. So I decided to continue wrestling for the 2017 worlds. But my heart wasn't there and I couldn't focus on my training. At the same time Mr. Sakakibara was asking me to fight for Rizin. I guess that was the right timing for him to ask me lol I was looking for a new passion, like a new mountain to climb. It seems like a big decision to make but it wasn't for me lol. Just like a kid who found a new toy 😁

2. What is it like being in the Yamamoto family? Many outside of Japan may not realize that your father was an Olympic wrestler, your sister was a world champion wrestler, your son is very rlented wrestler and MMA athlete, and your brother is Kid Yamamoto?

Miyuu: Hmmmmm surrounded by people with strong personalities lol (I definitely am one of them lol) Training is great! My bro is our coach and I still can't believe and it amazes me that I train with my son! I never thought my life would be like this! I just can't thank god enough. This is the best part of my MMA life. I was living in Canada, my son was living in Hungary, my bro (KID) lives in Japan but now were are all living in the same place!

3. What is it like training for and fighting on the same events as your son, Erson?

Miyuu: Sorry, if I answer in the same way but it's amazing! Like I said, I never thought something like this would happen but oh my life! This makes me thing that everything has a reason, I couldnt make the Olympics because of this! The best thing was waiting for me 😊🙏🏽

4. In your last fight, you picked up your first win. Your wrestling looked great, but you also seemed to have real punching power. What was it like getting your first win and can you talk about the fight a bit?

Miyuu: I believed in myself, my team and everything I'd done for that fight. But still that was a crazy happy feeling lol, my corner was crazier lol. My son, BJJ coach and Muay Thai coach were my corner. If you watch my fight again you'd laugh because they were crazy lol. Anyways, yes I wanted to keep standing for the fight. Because I've worked on my boxing too. But the last round Cassie kept coming forward (she is such a fighter  👍🏽) so it was like a reaction to take the shot. A habit. But I was happy that I finally won a fight.


Miyuu when the fight was over
5. Your next opponent, Irene, has a record of 6-4 and is quite larger than you. Can you talk about your opponent and the fight and how you expect it to go?

Miyuu: Well I think almost everyone has a larger record because I'm a rookie 😜. So I'm just gonna drag them into "my fight" and show the world what I got. 

6. If all goes well, you may fight Rena again in the tournament. How would you fight a second fight with her differently? Are there any other fighters that stick out to you in the tournament?

Miyuu: Yeah, we will probably fight again in this tournament. It wouldn't be the same for sure. We both have progressed, like her grappling and wrestling have gotten better and my standing has gotten better. That's all I can say for now lol. Those girls are good fighters and I will be prepared for anyone.

7. Can you talk about your training? It looks like a lot of Krazy Bee has moved down to the new gym in Okinawa, what has that been like? What is your schedule like? 

Miyuu: Yes, we just opened up the new Krazy Bee gym its called Krazy Bee Itoman (That's where the gym is in Okinawa). It is not as big as Krazy Bee Tokyo and we just started, but all my coaches are great. Our head coach, Kid, is great 👍🏽. He teaches us not only MMA training but also how to take care of our bodies. He studies a lot about nutrition and condition training and stuff. We have Muay Thai, BJJ, no-gi, wrestling and boxing. Just like any other fighter.

8. You competed on the highest stage of wrestling, what are the similarities and differences to MMA?

Miyuu: They are both the same in that we have to beat anyone standing in front of us lol. Differences are MMA has so many more painful possibilities to get hit with lol. And it's very different feeling when I walk into the MMA ring. I can't explain exactly but you really have to be ready for war. That's pretty crazy and exciting feeling, I can't get that feeling from wrestling. It's just different.

9. Can you talk about what you do in your free time, what stuff do you do outside of the gym?

Miyuu: Chasing my kids lol. They make me crazy in many ways (driving me crazy and crazy happy lol). Raising the kids is what I'm doing when I'm not trying lol. Go to the beach of being lazy at home. Watching the movies in my bed....just like a regular mom I think? 

10. Is there anything you would like to say or anyone you would like to thank?

Miyuu: I would like to thank so many people that support me and my family. My brother KID, I know its not easy to teach family members (I talk back to him sometimes...that's because I'm his sis but that's wrong because he is my coach) but he is still here for my son and me. He doesn't give up on us. I'm the luckiest fighter that I have an amazing coach like hi,

And my kids...Erson, Ernon and Mia. Sometimes I feel bad that their mom is always choosing a crazy lifestyle that they have to deal with. But they know I love to live on the edge and I can't live without them lol. They are my everything! They got my back 😜❤

And my dad, mom, other family members, coaches, teammates, friends and fans! I wouldn't be here without them! Huge thank you to all  🙏🏽❤

P.S. 
In case if you didn't know I will win the tournament (shhhhhh)




Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Andy Nguyen Interview



1. Can you talk about how you got involved in MMA?

Andy: I've always been a tomboy. I Saw a sold out MMA event at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and there were two female fighters at 115lbs and I wanted to do it. It was 7 years ago when MMA got legalized in South Carolina.

2. You train with the Karate Mafia MMA. What is it like training there and with Andrea Lee?

Andy: She's my best friend. She's so informative. So is our coach which is her husband, Donny Aaron. She's sweet and we laugh allot. I've been training there for 2-3 years.

3. How did you find out that you will be part of the Rizin Women's Grand Prix? What would it mean to you to win the $90,000 grand prize at the end of the year?

Andy: I knew about the tournament like 6 months ago. Winning the whole tournament is something I've never dreamed of. I saw Cro Cop win at age 40 or something New Years Eve & I was so impressed. I can buy my mommy a house so she doesn't have to work anymore.

4. This won't be your first fight for Rizin. Can you talk about your first experience fighting for Rizin? There is also a chance that you may face your old opponent Miyuu again, what are your thoughts on that?

Andy: Rizin was breathtaking. I cherished each moment. You can see me breathing deeply during the weigh ins. (Video) They were so professional and helpful. They know how to throw a New Years Even Fight Party. Miyuu is like wine. She gets better with age.


5. In your last fight you came out with a cowboy hat to American woman (at Rizin), any hints on what your next entrance will be like? You've been doing some promotional work for the Japanese fans. What has this been like? What are your thoughts on the Japanese fans?

Andy: Well it is a different venue. Hopefully its long enough for a strip tease lol. Yeah, I bought a VIP ticket (front row) & they will sit next to my sponsor. Just showing the Japanese fans they are appreciated. Japanese fans are very conservative and respectful. Not like a bunch of drunks from UFC lol.


6. Your first fight will be against Rena. Rena is one of Rizin's big stars. Can you talk about fighting her? What are your thoughts on her and how do you think the fight will play out?

Andy: She's a great undefeated fighter. She's young, beautiful & hungry. I'm old but I'm starving.

7. You are coming off of a tough loss, are you changing anything up before the tournament, if so what?

Andy: I had a bad elbow. I should have not taken the fight. I was on prednisone. I even asked the doctor to clear me. I was fighting 65-70% of my potential for 5 rounds. I don't regret it, I'm healthier now.

8. What are your goals in MMA?

Andy: To be the best I can be and retire with great experience and credentials so I can pass my knowledge to the future of WMMA.

9. What do you like to do in your free time when you are not training?

Andy: Travel, shop, and comedy shows. It doesn't have to be big names. I've had more fun with smaller names.

10. Is there anything you would like to say or anyone you would like to thank?

Andy: Thank you for welcoming back in to Japan! I love you guys and I cannot wait to put on a show!


Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Alyssa Garcia Interview

Photo courtesy of MMAJUNKIE
Below is our interview with Alyssa "Tiny Tim" Garcia, who will be facing Maria Olivera on October 15th in the first round of the RIZIN Women's Grand Prix. Please enjoy and thank you to Alyssa for taking the time to answer our questions.

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1. Can you talk about how you got involved with MMA? What was the process like?

Alyssa: I was wrestling in college, right out of high school, and I was at a CC so it's a men's team and the lowest weight class was 125. So I trained and competed a little with them but my shoulders were giving out, so my brother said "do jiu jitsu". I was hesitant at first because I am such a fan of wrestling and the grittiness of the sport. I started training and teaching kids wrestling at a local gym and three months into training I had my first amateur fight, and fell in love! 8 months after that I had my first pro fight!

2. This won't be your first fight for Rizin. What was it like fighting for them the first time? Also, how did it feel to fight inside a ring?

Alyssa: Holy Shit, talk about being thrown to the wolves! I was sent over there to lose, and I used that to my advantage. My coach Josh who has fought for Pride, knew what to expect. Me on the other hand had no idea I'd be fighting in front of 20,000+ people until we landed in Japan! I absolutely loved the experience with RIZIN and the Japanese fans, they love and appreciate us as athletes. I received gifts, was asked for my autograph, asked to take photos, I mean they know the sport and appreciate it. Fighting in a ring was a lot better than I expected, I actually like it better. I used it to my advantage!

3. What are your thoughts on the tournament? How did you find out you were going to be part of it and what would the $90,000 grand prize mean to you?

Alyssa: My thoughts on the tournament is "Alyssa Garcia the first ever RIZIN Women's GP World Champion" has a nice fucking ring to it! I'm going in there with confidence, knowing these women all want it, maybe as much as me but not more than me! I train hard, I'm still young and fairly new to the sport but I'm using that to my advantage. They hit me, I'm going to hit harder and faster! I'm very appreciative of this opportunity and when RIZIN asked us to be apart of it about a month and a half ago we jumped on no questions asked! That 90k prize is obviously something we could all use, but it's also a symbol that I'm headed in the right direction. I was working three jobs before I go this RIZIN GP call, so it would help a lot. To be fighting for a check that big says I'm closer and closer to being a full time fighter and all this hard work is paying off like I knew it would.

4. You will be fighting Olivera out of Brazil. What are your thoughts on your opponent? How do you see the fight going?

Alyssa: Olivera, she's tough. But I've fought tough, and won. Besides Rena and I, she's the nest toughest girl in this tournament. So to have her first round is nice. Once I get past her, it's a smooth path to the finals. She knows I'm a wrestler and I know she's a Muay Thai striker and I know what she'll be looking for. She's never fought a real wrestler and she will feel the difference

5. If you win your fight, there is a chance you'll face Kanna Asakura again. Can you talk about your first fight with her and how you see a potential rematch going? Does anyone else in the tournament stick out to you?

Alyssa: My fight with Kanna was a fight where all odds were against me. I was coming back from a year and a half, I was fighting in the biggest arena of my life in front of her fans, and we knew why we were being sent over there. I stuck to the game plan and everything went as planned, I should've finished that choke in the first round but I believe it was ring rust holding me back. I no longer have ring rust so there's no reason for me not to finish that fight if we meet up again.


6. You're coming off of a loss. Can you talk about anything you've changed or adjusted going into the tournament?

Alyssa: Yes, my last loss was me beating me. That armbar was not there, I was safe and got cocky, excited, I thought "let's be flashy" so I picked her up and slammed her, and lost position! I gave her that armbar. The changess I've made are my mindset. Play it smart, relax, and execute.

7. Is there a story behind the nickname "Tiny Tim"?

Alyssa: I was at one of my very first wrestling practices in high school and dislocated my knee! I had chopped all my hair off, I looked like a little boy. With a gimp knee I still went to practice to watch the practices and learn a little something by watching. I was like 4'10 so my crutches were too big, so I could only use one crutch. So picture, my little boy hair cut, a knee brace, and one crutch, My coach called me Tiny Tim from Christmas Carol limping into practice, and it stuck!

8. Can you talk about what its like to train with Josh Barnett? Also, can we expect to see you rocking the singlet again?

Alyssa: Training with Josh is a lot like eating veggies, you hate it but if you want to be the strongest kid you gotta do it! I'm just kidding, it's amazing. The dude's fight IQ is of the charts sometimes. He's made me into the fighter I am in such a small amount of time. He's really upped my fight game, my wrestling and my mentality to the next level. As much as that big ol nerd, is a big ol nerd, I love him and the UWFxUSA team and training with these monsters and weirdos has been one of the greatest things I've been apart of. Well you'll have to wait and see about the singlet, I like to keep secrets! ;)


9. Outside of MMA what kind of stuff do you like to do? Do you have any hobbies ect?

Alyssa: I mainly just work and train. I'm a big fan of films, I'm a bit of a movie buff. I like good reads too, mostly novels and my comics. I'll be taking some comics with me on that long ass flight to Japan! I like music and collecting music when I can. but everyone knows one of my favorite hobbies is pissing off and annoying Josh any chance I get! It's just so funny!

10. Is there anything that you would like to say? Anyone you would like to thank?

Alyssa: I'd like to thank my friends and family who understand and support why I never have time to see them! I'd like to thank Manny, of Tanler pest control who's supported me since the beginning, Rick Alarcon of ATTC who's helped me so much along the way, Jose Camacho of Damage Control who's been with me for a long time also and been an important part of my camps! Defila who's making my awesome fight gear and made that awesome singlet last Rizin event i was in, and CMMA who's let the UWFxUSA team get so much work in there consistently.