You're coming off a win over Kendall Grove at UFC 101. Give us your thoughts on the fight.

It wasn't my best performance but I was happy with the win. Kendall's height and technique make him a very difficult opponent for anyone in the middle weight division.


Kendall had you in a pretty tight arm bar in the fight. How concerned were you in that moment when he locked it on?

He caught me off guard by pivoting off the fence and I knew it was tight right away. But I just stayed calm and worked my way out. It all happens so fast in there you really have no time to think, just react. My Jiu Jitsu base gives me the ability to not only attack but escape some of these tight spots that you end up stuck in during an MMA fight.


Now you're set to drop to the 170 pound weight class. What prompted the move down in weight and have you ever made a weight cut like that in your career?

I have never cut to 170lbs but I made 178lbs to fight Nate Marquardt in Pancrase. When I fought Kendall I was walking around 187lbs so it wouldn't be too drastic of a cut to 170lbs.


You were originally set to make your 170 debut against Jon Fitch at UFC 107 before suffering an injury. Would you like to have Fitch in your first fight still? Or would you like a tune up fight?

There are really no tune up fights in the UFC and I feel I am in a good position to start fighting the guys in the upper echelon of the division. Whoever they want me to fight I will be ready.


Your long time coach and friend Renzo Gracie is making his UFC debut against UFC Legend Matt Hughes this April in Abu Dabhi. How excited are you for that? Will you be in his corner and how do you see the fight going?

I'm very excited to see him back fighting and even more so because we will be fighting in the same division in the UFC. On a selfish side I know I'll be getting great training but as a fan I am really looking forward to see Renzo fight Hughes.
I will love to be in his corner as I have for his past fights. This is a tough challenge and he knows it. Hughes is a great champion and is still a threat to anyone in the world at welter weight.


You've been coaching Frankie Edgar for a few years now. What are your thoughts on his career and where he is headed?

The thing about Frankie is he will outwork anyone I have ever met. He came back from Vegas after his win against Matt Veach and the very next day he was back wrestling. He won't even take escalators.
Renzo texted me from Marroco after Frankie's fight saying " what Frankie lacks in size, he makes up with his heart and technique". The only way to stop him is to knock him out or choke him unconscious but the problem is guys can't even hit him anymore.
Frankie hasn't reached his full potential yet. We know we have a lot of work to do but I have no doubts that Frankie will be wearing the UFC belt around his weight one day.


The UFC is headed to your home state of New Jersey this March, what would it mean for you to fight in the UFC in New Jersey?

It will be an honor to represent my home state. I was born in NY but have been living in Jersey since 1997.
It will be great to fight in front of all the people who support me on a daily basis. It brings extra pressure but also extra motivation. I cant wait till march.


Who in your opinion is the best pound for pound fighter in MMA today?

A toss up between GSP and BJ. Fedor and Silva just haven't been very active.
I know Georges beat BJ twice but I feel BJ has been more devastating at his weight class than GSP. They are two of my favorite guys to watch.


Another Gracie is going to be making his Octagon debut soon, when Rolles Gracie steps up to fight Mustapha Al-Turk. What are your thoughts on that?

I have been training with Rolles for a long time know. He has really matured in the past few years. He wants to do the work to be the best in the world and represent Gracie Jiu Jitsu. He has only a few pro fights but I believe he will make a big impact in the heavy weight division.


I'm gonna dig up an old gem here and ask you about the incident with Nate Marquardt from 2003. For those who don't know, Ricardo choked Nate out in the first round. It appeared you held on to the choke after the tap, prompting Nate to hit you, and than Renzo Gracie to soccer kick Nate in the face. Explain to us what happened, and where your relationship with Nate stands now.

Nate said some things before the fight that I didn't take well and when I had the choke I held a little too long. When I let go he puched me and then Renzo kicked him. I was imature and should not have held up on the choke. We both have apologized to each other and from my part there are no hard feelings. It is great to see how well he is doing in the UFC.


How interested are you in a fight with champion Georges St. Pierre should you be successful at 170?

RIght now I just want to get in there and get comfortable at this weight. Keep getting better. Me and Georges are team mates and since we are both fighting at UFC111 here in jersey we have talked about putting together a training camp where we help each other out.
My goal is to fight for the belt one day but I am just taking it one fight at a time.




Thank you for taking the time to answer the questions Ricardo, we all look forward to seeing you fight again!