Akihiro Gono making octagon debut at UFC 78

**Tattooed76** · 09-25-2007, 03:15 PM

UFC 78 - 11/17/2007: "Akihiro Gono Making Octagon Debut as Welterweight!'
Submitted by:Shu Hirata
Posted on : 9/25/2007

The showman of GRABAKA, Akihiro Gono is finally coming to the UFC. OnSeptember 25th, at GRABAKA Jiu-jitsu Academy in Tokyo, with histrademark fro hair wig, Gono held a press conference and talked abouthis decision of going to the UFC.

"UFC was the first one who gave me the offer." Gono revealed that theoriginal offer was for either the August or September show howeverbecause of the fist injury he sustained in the Yuki Kondo fight onlast New Year's Eve, he had to ask the UFC to wait until November."(UFC) waited for my recovery so I felt good and this time, I said'please let me do it.' Beside I had no other offer from anywhere soeither do it or don’t it, was my choice." Gono is fighting TamdenMcCrory in the welterweight division. Gono had been fighting in thePRIDE welterweight division (83 kg) but he decided that the UFC'smiddleweight category (83.9Kg) was not the right weight class forhim, "For my body frame, that weight class was too heavy for meanyway. I felt a bit of pain in knees and ankles (fighting at aheavier weight class). My perfect weight may even be 70 kg (155 lbs).At the beginning of my career, at Shooto, I was fighting at 79 kg."

His opponent, McCrory is not only undefeated in his pro MMA careerbut also very tall at 6'4 but Gono is feeling comfortable, "I willget the video and analyze him. I am going to do a 'fits and starts"strategy just like I did against Hector (Lambord). I am going toslowly show him the difference in ability, frustrate him throughoutthe fight then finish it at the end. That would be ideal." Gono eventalked about his possibility of moving to the U.S., "First win thisUFC debut fight, and if I kept producing good results." Gono and UFCagreed to the four-fight deal so Gono is now committed with the UFCfor a long term.