Gross: Let’s get to the fun stuff. The actual promotion of fights and putting together of cards. I think people are looking forward to August 28th very, very much. Can you talk about your heavyweight championship fight and how much anticipation there is in Japan for this match between Fedor (Emelianenko) and Mirko “Cro Cop” (Filipovic)?
Gross: As a promoter, that’s good. You want that anticipation. But has it been frustrating dealing with the on, off, on, off situation of the fight?
Sakakibara: As a promoter we also felt very, very frustrated because it should have happened years ago. Not just the promoters, but they were both very frustrated because I have been telling them they are still young, so that match won’t be the last match that they’re going to face as long as they’re with the PRIDE organization they’re going to face one year from year, two years from now — many times probably. Win, lose should be a concern for them. But fans want to see them fight.
Gross: Fedor has said that his hand is still not healed 100 percent. Do you feel that you’re risking a fight that might not be the best fight it could be because of that?
Sakakibara: That would have been in June if we held the fight in June. But we gave him enough time to heal and Mirko accepted to postpone two more months. Unless you’re the first fight in PRIDE — everybody has some sort of injury: cold or broken fingers or bad knees. Everybody has something. Fedor’s hand will not give a bad result because of that injury.
Gross: Let me ask you a personal question. When “Cro Cop” fought Magomedov at the last PRIDE, how nervous were you feeling?
Sakakibara: It’s just another fight and I’m always ready to accept an outcome from any fight. So, whatever the outcome was I had a plan. [If I didn’t feel this way] then whenever Sakuraba fights, I would be in the hospital the next day. (laughs)
Gross: The Grand Prix is amazing because you wouldn't think it possible that it could be overshadowed due to the heavyweight championship fight. What are your expectations for the Grand Prix? And the possibility of Wanderlei fighting Shogun, are you at all disappointed teammates might fight in the finals?
Sakakibara: I don’t think the heavyweight title match will overshadow the Middleweight Grand Prix. And especially Japanese fans respect all the fighters in the Grand Prix to win and come this far. Of course as a Japanese I wished that there was a Japanese fighter remaining in the semifinal but even without the Japanese fighters I have a big respect for each fighter and so do the Japanese fans.
Gross: And the possibility of Shogun fighting Silva? You knew that was a possibility because they were in the tournament to begin with. Knowing now that they might meet in the finals, they’re teammates, that raises questions about them fighting 100 percent against each other. Does that take away from the tournament at all if they fight in the finals? Did that cross your mind at all?
Sakakibara: The teammate versus teammate maybe more interesting, especially for me. I want to see teammate versus teammate. And in front of 45,000 people they’re not going to fight less than non-teammates fight. Arona could have faced Rogerio at some point and Yoshida may have faced Nakamura at some point, but that’s the way the tournament is. That’s a very interesting format. I think [they will fight] 100 percent. That’s why there is prize money, and honor and a PRIDE belt, and, again, fighting in front of 45,000 people and also it’s going to be aired in many countries live on pay-per-view. And of course DVDs are everywhere. So they’re not going to fight less than anyone else. Don’t you want to see them fight? I have a big trust in the Chute Boxe team. Rudimar (Fedrigo) is the trainer and manager and head person in Chute Boxe. And they know — and Wanderlei knows more than anybody — that they have to put on 100 percent, otherwise their career will be done in PRIDE and also in mixed martial arts.