Sherdog.com: So you fought in Pancrase for a long time. And your biggest rival I think, Nathan Marquardt, is fighting in UFC TV show. Do you have any message to him through this interview?
Sherdog.com: So how about the belt Nathan returned to Pancrase? Do you want to get that belt around your waist?
Misaki: No. I don’t pursue the belt at all. Well, if somebody ask me if I want the belt or not, then I’ll answer “yes.” But winning is more important. Even at that title match last year, I wasn’t persisting in getting that belt. I just wanted to win over Nathan.
Sherdog.com: How about Bushido belt? Do you want to get that Bushido tournament belt?
Misaki: Hmm, I want to fight the best guy and win. But again I’m not focusing on a belt. A belt maybe comes after winning. But first of all, I want to fight best guy. Let’s say I win this tournament, but this is a tournament, so some guy maybe was hurt in early stage. Also, even if I win the tournament that doesn’t mean I fought everyone. So maybe I’m not the best.
Sherdog.com: What is your goal?
Misaki: Again, I just want to fight the best guy out there. In this meaning, well, this is not my real goal. But I want to rematch Nathan. Doesn’t have to happen soon. But at the end, I have to pay him back. I don’t know this fight will be in ring, or cage … or maybe even street fight. But I just feel I have to pay him back. Not the final goal that is though.
Sherdog.com: Talking about UFC, Koji Oishi went to the UFC and miserably lost. Did you watch that fight?
Misaki: No. I heard about it. But, no I haven’t watched the fight.
Sherdog.com: Koji Oishi ate lots of punch from Nick Diaz, and lost in one round. Do you have any comment as a former Pancrase top contender?
Misaki: Well (bit of silent moment) I don’t want to be rude. But I don’t consider him a very skilled fighter. And his loss doesn’t surprise me. That’s the way it could be done. There should be some reason why Oishi went to UFC, which we can’t see at all.
Sherdog.com: Oh my partner Stephen just jumped in and asked you a question. Are you interested in fighting for a foreign promotion? Like UFC?
Misaki: I don’t really mind the place or organization I fight. UFC sounds good because they have good fighters. Now Rich Franklin is the champion. They have lots of tough guys. So that’ll be good. So I want Nathan to be champion someday. Then someday, I hope I can step in that Octagon with some title from Japan. That’ll be interesting.
Sherdog.com: Yeah, I’m looking forward to see that fight. That fight was awesome. Your fight against Nathan, unfortunately you lost thought.
Misaki: (sigh)
Sherdog.com: So this interview is about ending but do you have any message to your opponent? He or his teammate might check this interview. I heard that Nino used to come to our forum often.
Misaki: I don’t really have message.
Sherdog.com: Say something.
Misaki: Well, Daniel, I’m really looking forward to have hell of a slugfest with you.
Sherdog.com: Thank you very much.
After finishing this interview, I thought that it was boring. I only got very serious answers from him. In another words, I got only the public side of his personality, but not his private side. Like he always talked to me a some sexual related joke. So I went up to him and started talk to him more friendly to bring him in some guy’s talk. And, somehow … accidentally … my voice recorder was left on.
Sherdog.com: Thank you for the time, again. So, how often you go to the tanning salon? You always get tanned when you fight.
Misaki: I go there before the fight to finish up tanning. But I don’t go there that often.
Sherdog.com: Don’t you get tired when you get tanned?
Misaki: Yes, so I don’t go really right before the fight.
Sherdog.com: So you go tanning salon in Ikebukuro, eh?
Misaki: Why Ikebkuro?
Sherdog.com: That’s where I live and there are tons of tanning salons.
Misaki: (laughs) Yes, I go to a salon in that area.
Sherdog.com: You go there when you don’t have fight, too? To drink or party?
Misaki: (laughs) No, I focus on training a lot now. So I don’t party or drink that much.
Sherdog.com: Don’t lie.
Misaki: Yes, seriously. I’m not into those party and stuff any more. That’s what really everybody misunderstands me. Well I used to maybe. Don’t know. Well I’ll admit, I like to do some crazy stuff, act crazy and I’m, maybe the most lecherous man in the world. But I don’t have time for those now. Seriously, I’m really focusing on training. I’m more interested in myself, not in sleazy meaning. But you know how much I can tune-up myself for the fight. That’s why I bring a new style of training. You know?
Sherdog.com: I see. How old are you now?
Misaki: Twenty-nine. I’m 10 years younger than you.
Sherdog.com: No, we’re not that different.
Misaki: (laughs) I know, I know.
Sherdog.com: O.K., so you don’t play around before the fight.
Misaki: Yes.
Sherdog.com: How about when you don’t have a fight. What do you do?
Misaki: I often go to the mountains.
Sherdog.com: (laughs) You serious?
Misaki: Yeah, seriously. I go to the mountains all by myself and just sit there or lay there for long time and observe the energy from nature. We fighter are very tensed usually before the fight, focus on how to beat up your opponent for long time. So we need off-time. So I just go to shrine in the mountains and enjoy being in the totally quiet and lay there. Then if you do that for some long you feel you and nature got together. At that time, I feel my whole body is healing mentally physically. That’s how I keep the balance between off and on. …
I think that’s enough. My mission to bring him into guy’s talk failed. Or he really doesn’t play around anymore. And actually, I think he really doesn’t party around.
Here in Japan, I’ve seen him in various MMA magazines and he’s acting like a pimp, or player. But he’s really not a player. I just found out today, to my shame.
Like he said in this interview, you really don’t know about a person until you really face him. This time I exchanged not the fist, but words with him. And I felt his attitude in this sport is really serious. I’ve seen lots of his fights. Sometimes, his elbow is dislocated wrong way. Yeah, you want to turn away from that terrible sight. But his fighting sprit never died.
In his last fight against Nathan Marquardt, he got knocked down twice, and his nose was terribly broken. But he was the one who kept on pushing the fight until the last bell, just like pit bulls never stop fighting, even if they’re terribly hurt. Pits never doubt that they can win. They believe they can win the fight.
Kazuo Misaki is just like that.
Watch out for this guy’s fight in Bushido 8. Win or lose, he puts on a great fight. Now you can imagine can’t you, after all this interview? He may even pop up on the Sherdog.com main page, and surprise ya’ll. Don’t forget my words.
P.S. This is answer for Matt from Australia. My favorite DVD from our site is Tournament Tested Techniques/101 submissions 1 and 2. I just leave it play while I’m at home. This video is full of cool music and full of grappling finishing scenes, on and on and on. It’s 10 times better than watching Ricki Lake on TV if you’re a fight fan. (I know somebody doesn’t agree with me). Now I have a question. Does anybody know where I can get ADCC 2003 remixes? Or are they not available anymore? Looking forward to hear from you guys.