Rulon Gardner returns to competition in Pride fight against Olympic judo champion on New Year’s Eve
12/29/2004
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
Everybody remembers how two-time Olympic medalist Rulon Gardner left his shoes on the mat in Athens, Greece, symbolizing his retirement from amateur wrestling. The image was shown on international television, and ran in newspapers and magazines across the world.
On New Year’s Eve, Gardner returns to competition. Only it is not in Greco-Roman wrestling. He is on the fight card of a major mixed martial arts organization called Pride. His opponent is a fellow Olympic gold medalist, this time from the sport of judo.
Wrestlers have been very successful in mixed martial arts competitions in the last decade, taking the skills they learn from the mats and putting them to use against other athletes in a popular form of combat.
In spite of the many former amateur wrestlers in the mixed martial arts world, Gardner comes into the sport as the most prominent former wrestler to join. His victory over three-time Olympic champion and previously unbeaten Alexander Kareline of Russia at the 2000 Olympic Games made Gardner an international sports celebrity. With a second Olympic medal, a bronze from Athens, Gardner brings some added attention to the mixed martial arts world.
Gardner will be facing Hidehiko Yoshida of Japan, who won a judo Olympic gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games. For Gardner, it is his first mixed martial arts fight. Yoshida has a 3-1-1 record in Pride competitions, giving him an experience edge over the larger Gardner. It is a showdown of “grapplers,” a wrestling legend against a judo master.
To prepare for this event, Gardner has been training with Team Pride, which includes other former wrestlers who have excelled in mixed martial arts, including Randy Couture, Matt Lindland and Dan Henderson. In fact, Henderson, a member of the 1992 and 1996 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling team, will also be on the fight card during the New Years Eve show.
Many of the mixed martial arts web pages are predicting that Yoshida will beat Gardner. However, according to recent interviews, Gardner is upbeat about his chances in this new sports adventure.
In an interview on Pride’s official web page, Gardner, who had a fresh cut on his face, had the following to say about his upcoming battle:
* “Ah, this cut? I got this when I went for a tackle in training and my opponent did a knee kick. I got 8 stitches. It was 3 weeks ago. To be honest, I’m a little nervous.”
* “I’ve looked at his kicks and knees, and I trained for that. Other than those techniques, I think he has a lot of skill.”
* “I feel very refreshed and excited today. I’ve been training very well since I announced 2 months ago that I’d fight in PRIDE. I’ve prepared with Team Quest. This is going to be a difficult hurdle and a great fight.”
* “I’ve watched his fights. I know there will be strikes and chokes. I had my training partner wear a gi, do chokes and arm-bars on me, and we constructed a defense.”
* “I weigh 133kg now. It’s easy for me to move at this weight. Truthfully, I’ve never had a fist fight so I’m a little nervous about hitting someone. I’ve been training though so I will change that nervousness into strength in my fight. I’ll probably punch, depending on the situation, but I won’t know until I actually fight. Whether I do a takedown and punch effectively or stand up will depend on what I decide at that moment.”
* “Yoshida is an incredible athlete. I’ll be happy if I can get a KO from any position, whether it’s by punching, takedowns, submission or pounding. We’re both Olympic Gold Medalists so I want to have a fight that doesn’t discredit that title.”
Both men are Olympic champion athletes in combat sports, and have that burning desire to win. Many mixed martial arts reporters believe that Yoshida, with a number of fights under his belt, will have the advantage. In addition, there are submission moves in judo that could help Yoshida if he is able to catch Gardner in an awkward position.
In some of the interviews prior to the fight, Randy Couture, the UFC champion and former U.S. Greco-Roman wrestling champion, has told the press that Gardner is a strong striker and that he will be ready for anything from Yoshida.
Wrestling fans will have more than Gardner to watch if they choose to purchase the Pay Per View show, which makes its premier on Sunday, January 2nd.
Henderson will be fighting Yuki Kondo of Japan during the card. Another former wrestler, past NCAA champion Kevin Randleman from Ohio State, will be facing Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic of Croatia. Both Henderson and Randleman have had success in past mixed martial arts events, and have developed a following among both wrestling and fight fans.
Those who enjoyed watching Rulon Gardner as a wrestler have a chance to see him continue his athletic career in another sport, the rough-and-tumble world of mixed martial arts. Can the farmboy from Wyoming find success in his new career?
SHOCKWAVE FIGHT CARD
Fedor Emelianenko (Russia) vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Brazil)
(This is a double title match, for both the PRIDE FIGHTING heavyweight championship as well for the title of 2004 Grand Prix heavyweight champion)
Hidehiko Yoshida (Japan) vs.Rulon Gardner (USA)
Wanderlei Silva (Brazil) vs. Mark Hunt (New Zealand)
Dan Henderson (USA) vs. Yuki Kondo (Japan)
Takanori Gomi (Japan) vs. Jens Pulver (USA)
Mirko “Cro Cop “Filipovic (Croatia) vs. Kevin Randleman (USA)
Makoto Takimoto (Japan) vs. Henry “Sentoryu” Miller (USA)
Stefan Leko (Germany) vs. Ikuhisa Minowa (Japan)
Paolo “Giant” Silva (Brazil) vs. Choi Mu Bae (Korea)
Yoji Anjo (Japan) vs. Ryan Gracie (Brazil)
Ryo Chonan (Japan) vs. Anderson Silva (Brazil)
Fight card subject to change.
PPV Premiere Date: Sunday, January 2nd, 2005
Premiere Time: 9:00pm EST, 6:00pm PST
Count Down show: 8:30pm EST, 5:30pm PST
PPV price: US $29.95
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