Arona confirmed at ADCC 2009

By Guilherme Cruz

Photo Marcelo Alonso

Away from competitions since 2007, at Pride, Ricardo Arona already has a date to come back. Training at Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Arona gets ready to be back at ADCC 2009. With the presence of the fighter in the event that launched him confirmed by the secretary of the event, Wagner Gomes, we spoke to the athlete on the expectation for the new challenge, that he knows like no one else.

"It’s very important to fight at the ADCC because I was away from MMA and competitions for a while, and I really started my professional life at ADCC, after I won my first ADCC. It’s important to return to competition and win it is very important to then sign new MMA contracts. It’s a matter of honor, because I’m unbeaten and is the best way to return", said Arona, who dreams of a superfight against Fedor Emelianenko, who is also confirmed in the event.

"He (Wagner) talked with me about a possible superfight with Fedor and, of course, I want it. It would be perfect, he has the difference in weight, but that doesn’t bother me. I would like it a lot", says the fighter. Asked about how would be the rematch from the defeat on MMA in the rules of Submission, Arona didn’t hide the optimism. "How would it be? (laughs) Oh, it’s difficult to imagine a fight, but it’ll be very good, it would be great. That’s my beach, the fight on the ground, takedowns, without punches... It would be perfect for me".

Great friend of Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira, Arona spoke about the fellow’s defeat at UFC 92, when he got knocked out by Frank Mir, but wants to talk with Rodrigo to know the circumstances of the fight. "He didn’t appear well, couldn’t find himself inside the ring, but I wanna talk with him, to know what he has to say. He didn’t fight well, you know why, fighters has this things", said Arona, that also commented the defeat of Wanderlei Silva on the same night.

"Quinton Jackson lost to him twice, and trained a lot to play the right game this time. He trained more boxing and made an intelligent game. Wanderlei continued with the same game and Quinton trained much more and was the best", he said, speaking about Mauricio Shogun’s victory in the following event. "He had a strange defeat for Forrest Griffin, didn’t fight well and I think this victory against Coleman shows that he’s still a great fighter, but he has to fight with Griffin again. Griffin really submitted him ", concluded Arona.