2012-01-27
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Interview with BAC Star Chibi Tsushima

Fighter profile of Chibi Tsushima by Barry Kennedy

Interviewer: I'm here with Chibi Tsushima, who will be fighting Paulo Calamote in just a few days at BAC 120. Chibi, how has your training camp gone for this fight, and what have you been working on to prepare for Paulo?
 
Chibi Tsushima: Pretty well.. Training with my big brother and mentor, Lewis Tsushima, and the gang here at Sabateur's Playground. Everybody knows me for my ground game, but I've been drilling striking drills with my coaches.. Let's just say they will see a different Tsushima when I step across the cage from Calamote.
 
Interviewer: I spoke with Calamote yesterday and he seemed very confident of his chances against you on the ground. Do you feel like he is in over his head if he thinks he can grapple with you?
 
Chibi: I got a ton of respect for Calamote, but I don't think he shares that same respect for me. He can strike with strikers and he can hold his own on the ground with grapplers, but he's just okay at those things. He's never been to the ground with a guy like me and he's in for a rude awakening if he even toys with the idea of going to the ground with me. Look at his only loss against Wiggum Ralph. Decided to strike with a superior striker and not take advantage of his ground game. So he either doesn't have good game planning or no ground game at all. We'll see which one it is come fight night.
 
Interviewer: All six of your wins have been finishes. Are you expecting to pick up another stoppage win in this fight?
 
Chibi: Who knows? From what I've seen that guy has one hell of a chin and he's tough to put away. However, his chin won't stop me from snatching a limb or choking him unconscious. So yes, we're gonna see a finish in this one.
 
Interviewer: Most of your wins came relatively easily, but you faced a lot of adversity in your fight with Luis Di Maria in which you won by submission due to strikes in the second round. Would you agree that that was the toughest fight of your career so far?
 
Chibi: He really tested me on the feet and I thank him for that. I went into that fight knowing I had to prove my striking game. Kudos to Di Maria because he cut me up on the feet. But, I knew he was no match for my ground game and I had to be patient to get it there. But everybody saw what happened once it hit the mat.
 
Interviewer: You have picked up some lightning-fast submissions so far in your career. Which one of them was your favourite, and how confident are you from the bottom ,because you have submitted two people from your back very impressively.
 
Chibi: Lets just say my grappling knowledge far exceeds my belt ranking. But, my grappling base is Wrestling and if it wasn't for BJJ and MMA I would prob be trying to qualify for the Olympics. My favorite has to be against Cruz Jefferson because of how much of a badass he is on the feet. If he was smart he probably could have finished me, but he thought he could swim with a shark and he got caught. I don't care where I catch you.. Bottom line is when we're on the ground I'm gonna catch you sooner or later.
 
Interviewer: Your opponent Paulo Calamote has been speaking about wanting to face big names like Forrest Buck Jr after this fight. Do you think he is overlooking you, and how costly will it be if he is?
 
Chibi: That's my assumption. I'm not looking to fight any other fighter until this bout with Calamote is over. And for him to call out these other fighters without having stepped across the cage from me is disrespectful. This won't be a cake walk for him and the last thing on his mind should be Forrest Buck Jr. Maybe if I choke him out he can dream about fighting him (laughs).
 
Interviewer: Ok, well I'm looking forward to the fight and it should be very interesting. Do you have any final message for your opponent, or any sponsors or training partners that you would like to thank?
 
Chibi: Good luck, because you'll need it. Special shout-outs go to the crew at Saboteur's Playground and my sponsor TFP Graphics.

 

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