Gono Talks Baseball, Boxing and Bushido

Sherdog.com: You have an Internet blog and I know that many Japanese fans like to read it because your opinions are very “tongue in cheek,” but you never post any pictures, you just write and write. Opposite to this, famale sambo fighter Satoko Shinashi (Pictures) always has pictures of herself eating cakes on here blog. Would you consider posting pictures of yourself doing something, perhaps eating?

Gono: I don’t particularly like my physical appearance (laughs), so if there is a good photo of me, then why not. But it is hard to find a good picture (laughs).

Sherdog.com: Why do you like to talk so much on your blog?

Gono: I like writing and I want to write in an interesting way so as the readers won’t get bored with it. I’ve gone to other blogs and sure there are photos and posts, but for me it’s very important that the reader be interested.

Sherdog.com: You can write something interesting, but also you should show a picture of yourself eating strawberry cake. That would be very interesting for the fans.

Gono: Oh really? Ok, I’ll try (laughs).

Sherdog.com: Why did you try kickboxing?

Gono: I’ve been doing martial arts for a long time, but I never had a title. So I looked at kickboxing and figured I’d be really strong at it, so I started kickboxing and I took the title.

Sherdog.com: Would you like to go back and reclaim the All Japan Kickboxing title?

Gono: Well, the title is no big deal, it’s not so major and I’ve already taken it once, so I don’t really care.

Sherdog.com: Would you like to try kickboxing again?

Gono: Yeah, for sure.

Sherdog.com: What are your thoughts on the heavyweight boxing division in the States?

Gono: I’m a fan of James Toney, but he couldn’t take the title, so that’s disappointing for me. If Toney could have taken the title the heavyweight division would have been a lot more fun.

Sherdog.com: You’re very popular with foreign fans. Many foreign fans like your style. Now that you’re fighting in a big stage like Bushido, would you like to be famous, such as in magazines or on TV shows?

Gono: Right now no, but in the future if I were to be out in print, I’d want to be stronger and be funnier, really have a special character. So in the future, sure, why not?

Sherdog.com: Do you have any favorite musicians?

Gono: Sorry, I don’t have any favorite musicians. Sorry I’m such a boring person (laughs).

Sherdog.com: What kind of music do you like?

Gono: Japanese music, maybe Benny K, Japanese singers. I like these girls because they sing songs that they want to sing, not just songs that cater to the public.

Sherdog.com: They’re also sexy.

Gono: Of course. Oh, and also the Roy Jones Jr. album.

Sherdog.com: Roy Jones has an album?

Gono: A rap album. I think it’s good.

Sherdog.com: I think all that we’ve got left are silly questions.

Gono: Any question is OK, even rude questions. It’s OK if it hurts my feelings.

Sherdog.com: Hmm, your spinning back kick KO of Ivan Salaverry (Pictures) in Shooto, that was one of the best finishes ever. … You also had a fight with Matt Hughes (Pictures), so you’ve had a few fights with UFC fighters. You’ve been fighting since 1994, do you feel like now is your time to be on the big stage?

Gono: Yes. Right now I feel like I’m one of the top fighters, but not yet the top, top fighter, but I do think that I’m in the select few.

Sherdog.com: How much longer would you like to fight for?

Gono: As long as possible.

Sherdog.com: What’s your main goal? The thing that once you achieve it you can say, “Now I can walk away from MMA satisfied.”

Gono: I have a goal, but it’s too big at the moment, so I don’t want to talk about it, but I’m going to try to achieve it.

Sherdog.com: Do you like Chute Boxe? It seems like you’re always fighting them.

Gono: I respect Chute Boxe. I feel honored to fight against such a strong team. The more I fight with them, the stronger I become as well.

Sherdog.com: All right, I think that about wraps it up. Thanks a lot man.

Gono: No problem, it was my pleasure.