Sherdog.com: I want to talk about your two losses. The first to Antonio McKee (Pictures). I think I was actually there for that fight. That was at Soboba Casino in California.
Sherdog.com: And against Dokonjonosuke Mishima (Pictures), that was a very competitive fight. The decision was a split decision. Do you feel that you won that fight, or did you deserve to lose?
Aurelio: No, I didnt lose. Let me tell you why. I had a big problem at that time with PRIDE. When I went there we had a big problem because of the weight. His manager, he made a deal with my manager. They said the weight is going to be 73 kilos. I said, OK, no problem. Just let me know the weight. When I got there the day of the weigh-in I made 72.9 and the guy said I was 2.9 kilos over. My manager started to talk with his manager and his manager said No, the deal was 70. They started talking a lot of shit. I told my manager I had to go to the hotel. I gotta drink. I gotta eat. She said, OK go to the hotel. Im going to fix this You can eat, no problem. They said no, I have to go back in one hour and drop one more kilo. I said OK, I will do. And I went to the gym again and dropped one more kilo and I made 72. And Mishimas manager said, No, no. You gotta do 70. I said, Fuck you man. Im tired of this shit. I told [my manager] Im going to the hotel. She said, OK. Go there, Ill fix this. I told her Im going to eat and shes got to fix this, its not my fault. I ate and drank. Then I was 76, 77 (kilos). Around 9 oclock at night Liborio came to my room and said, We have a big problem. Mishima said he wont fight against you tomorrow because you didnt make the weight. Hes out. And I started to cry. Fuck that, I wanted to fight. It was the first time in PRIDE. I said Ill do whatever he wants me to do. Fuck man, please. Liborio said, No man, for me youre not going to fight. I started to cry again. I wanted to fight. I said I could drop the weight again. I got crazy. I started to drop the fucking weight and they said OK. PRIDE brought the scale to the room next to mine like 9:30 at night. I started again. I was 77 kilos. I put everything the plastic bags, the clothes and started to run. Fuck, I made 70 kilos. I finished at 4 a.m. When I finished the fucking weight, I said, Fuck. Im fucked up. Like shit, man. Im fucking tired. After 4 oclock I went to eat something and I slept like at 5 oclock and I had to wake up at 9:30, 10 oclock. When I woke up Liborio asked me how Im feeling. I said, Man, Im feeling like I took a fucking six-pack of Corona. I was angry with Mishima. I was like man, Im going to kill this motherfucker. I lost my mind, lost my goal. No, no, you cannot be angry. You gotta have your head right. Fuck that man. If I see him in the street Im going to drop a fucking chair on his head. Fuck man, hes a motherfucker. I was angry bro. Thats why I think I lost that fight, because I gave him a head butt. I put the head in his belly and the referee, the fucking referee gave me a yellow card. Thats why I lost that shit. But I think I did OK. I dont give excuse. He was better at the moment of the fight. You know he doesnt want to give me the rematch because he knows whats going to happen.
Sherdog.com: People talk about Vitor Ribeiro (Pictures) as the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu lightweight in the world. Do you think youre better than him?
Aurelio: Hes not the best lightweight. Why is he the best? Man, hes not better than me in jiu-jitsu. Probably we are the same level, but hes not better than me.
Sherdog.com: Would you fight him?
Aurelio: Yeah, of course. Hes my friend, but fuck that. People talk. I know hes tough. Shaolin is a tough guy. But I know we are the same level on the ground. He is not that much better. He is not the best guy at this weight on the ground. Hes gonna do the same ground like me. And my skill in the guard is better than his skill. I do a better guard than him; I know this.
Sherdog.com: How important is it for you to prove your win over Gomi wasnt a fluke?
Aurelio: Thats why I want a rematch. I want to prove again. A rematch is so important for me now, man. I can guarantee that belt for myself. And then I can prove everybody that it was not luck. Now, its going to be a big time for me. Im going to train more and more and do whatever I need to do. I will prove this. I just couldnt prove it yet. My last two fights before Gomi, that wasnt so good. That was me in that time. But if you see me fight in ZST, I fought good and I got a lot of improvement since then. So I know, I know I can be where I am. I can hold this. I want to fight against Gomi again, prove that and then start to fight everyone. Every tough guy, Im excited to fight them. I want to fight against Hansen. I want to fight against Sakurai. Shaolin I cant talk about him because hes in another association. But, the guys from PRIDE, man I want to fight against all those guys.