MaxFighting: Is this your last
fight on your Pride contract? Why the long wait
since your last Pride fight?
Chris Brennan: No. I actually have
one more after this one that will be fulfilled
before March but I am hoping it is in October. I
really don't know why they waited so long. There
were a lot of contractual things going on.
MaxFighting: You haven't fought in
Pride since 2004. What do you think about the
changes in the organization during this time?
Chris Brennan: Pride has always
been great as far as talent goes. I think it's great
that there are so many lighter guys fighting now.
MaxFighting: Takanori Gomi is the
#1 fighter at your weight right now, and you fought
him 2002. How do you compare him from then to now?
Chris Brennan: Well it is hard to
say. I had a bad style match up for him and almost
subbed him a few times. He is much more aggressive
on the feet now but I think he was always great. I
believe he was 13-0 or something when I fought him.
MaxFighting: You had a tough match
against Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro at last March. Tell
us your main mistakes in that fight?
Chris Brennan: Nothing against
Shaolin at all as I know he is one of the best in
the world. I just didn't train properly at all. I
didn't start training until 2 weeks before because I
had a lot of personal things going on at the time.
After the fight as funny as it sounds I was 100
times more confident I could beat him than I was
before the fight. I figured if I could do as well as
I did in the shape I was in, then with proper
training I could beat him or give him a hell of a
fight.
MaxFighting: That match against
Shaolin was one fans had been waiting for, so were
you disappointed?
Chris Brennan: Not really because
my head wasn't really in it. Like I said I had more
important things on my mind at the time.
MaxFighting: Did you have any
serious damage after that fight or 'only' a swollen
eye?
Chris Brennan: Yes. my orbital bone
was fractured. I got caught with a few good elbows
but only one real hard one and the ref stood us up
and then he saw it.He called the doctor over and he
took a look at it and I don't remember if he said I
could go on or not but I knew it was messed up real
bad and felt it happen.
MaxFighting: How is your training
going for this fight?
Chris Brennan: The same day it was
posted on the internet was the same day I found out
about it. I just moved to Texas so I will be
training with some new guys and some of my older
guys. Pete Spratt as always for my Muay Thai and a
few good Jiu-Jitsu guys for my ground game. I am in
search for a wrestler as we type.
MaxFighting: So when you find a
wrestler, what will you training be like?
Chris Brennan: I will train
wrestling at least 3 times a week. I know I'm not
going to get good enough at wrestling in 5 weeks to
be a better wrestler than Kawajiri but if I can stop
his take downs later in the fight or even get one of
my own that could change a lot of things. I will be
in great condition for this fight so cardio
shouldn't be an issue.
MaxFighting: You're going to fight
one of the toughest Japanese competitors in Tatsuya
Kawajiri. What do you think about him and are you
studying his game?
Chris Brennan: Well the rumor has
it he is going to kill me. I don't want to fuck up
the game of Mixed Martial Arts and be the first
death so I am going to train hard. The only fight I
have seen of his is the Gomi fight so it will be
nice if I can get some footage.
MaxFighting: He's a fighter with a
good Boxing and Wrestling. So where do you intend to
dictate the pace?
Chris Brennan: Well as always I am
going to go after him. I know he is a better
wrestler than me and probably striker as well but
that doesn't mean I can't land good shots on him and
work my way to the ground. I think it will be a
better fight than everyone thinks...
MaxFighting: Chris, a lot of rumors
about your retirement from MMA have been heard, so
is this fight against Kawajiri a special one?
Chris Brennan: I am not retiring
any time soon. I am finally training full time with
no responsibility of a school or anything else. I
have some great sponsors and they make it easier to
train full time. I was burnt out for a while
honestly and the Shaolin fight rejuvenated me.
MaxFighting: Also, why do you think
rumors about your 'retirement arose?
Chris Brennan: As I said I was
burnt out for a while and fighting when I shouldn't
have been fighting so I talked about it a few times
but now I am getting the offers and fighting for the
kind of money that is a little more motivating for
me.
MaxFighting: Thanks for you time
Chris, good luck in your next match. Would you like
to add anything else?
Chris Brennan: I would like to
thank my sponsors:
www.bloodshotinc.com
www.ampm.com (Deluge
Water)
www.unboudenergy.com
www.nogi.com
www.lightforcegreens.com
www.glcdirect.com
www.elitetransportation.org
www.fairtexgear.com
Thank you for all your support.