In a recent interview with Joe “The Hustler” Blaze, Brazilian MMA fighter Pedro Rizzo shared his thoughts and preparation for his upcoming bout against former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez. The fight is highly anticipated as both fighters are eager to prove their worth in the octagon.
Joe Blaze opened the interview by asking Rizzo how he has been doing lately. “Good. No complaints. I am training really hard right now,” Rizzo replied, indicating his focused preparation for the fight.
When asked about facing Ricco Rodriguez, Rizzo expressed his excitement and respect for his opponent. “I am very happy because Ricco is one of the top fighters in the world. He was UFC heavyweight champion. Outside UFC he is known as a top contender and he has fought lots of tough opponents and top fighters. I feel good and ready. It should be an exciting fight,” he said.
Blaze pointed out that this would be Rodriguez’s first match back in the UFC since his knockout loss to Tim Sylvia. Considering Rizzo’s own reputation for knockout power, Blaze inquired whether Rodriguez might try to avoid striking with him. “It doesn’t matter. Striking I always train with my team. Ground I train a lot with my team too. I can sprawl good and I can defend if he takes me down,” Rizzo confidently stated.
Regarding his training regimen for this particular fight, Rizzo emphasized that he has been sticking to his usual comprehensive training. “I am training with my team what I always train. Striking and ground always part of my training. I am ready for all the positions. Whatever happens in the cage I will be ready,” he explained.
The conversation shifted to potential future matchups, with Blaze mentioning UFC President Dana White’s interest in bringing Mirko “CroCop” to the UFC. Rizzo expressed enthusiasm at the prospect of facing CroCop. “I hope they can bring that guy. I would be ready for a fight with that guy. If I fight against that guy I will strike with him. I think I can beat him. I believe in myself. I can test my skills,” he said.
Rizzo’s upcoming fight marks the last on his current UFC contract. Blaze asked if this added any pressure to perform. Rizzo’s response was candid and introspective. “This time no. I am sorry this fight is not for the fans. I want to fight for myself. I want to prove to myself I am one of the best fighters in the world. I have been trying to fight for the fans. I may not have another chance. So I want to prove it to everybody. Of course the fans are very important for me. They support this sport. This sport is my life and this sport supports my life. It is my profession. Now it is just between my team and I. My team believes I am one of the best. I want to show to them and myself that I am still am the best,” he shared.
Blaze then asked about Rizzo’s future aspirations if he wins the fight. Rizzo remained focused on the immediate challenge. “This is going to be my last fight on my contract. So if I win this fight a lot of things are going to happen for me. So I don’t know what’s going to happen after this fight. All I know is I have to beat Ricco,” he said.
As the interview concluded, Blaze reminded fans of the significance of the upcoming fight and thanked Rizzo for his time. Rizzo expressed his gratitude to his supporters and his team. “Thank you to all who have supported me. My team and fans. Marco Ruas thank you my friend. I think this is going to be a good fight. Both of us want to win bad and both of us are top fighters of the world. Thank you,” he concluded.
Pedro Rizzo vs. Ricco Rodriguez promises to be a thrilling encounter, and fans won’t want to miss it. Make sure to catch this exciting bout on the upcoming UFC Pay-Per-View.