Our buddies over at CagePotato just posted a great interview with UFC light heavyweight contender Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, who will battle Luiz Cane this Saturday night at UFC 89.We often hear about fighters talking about how they love the heat of competition and trying to prove that they're the best, that they can overcome the odds through a smart game plan and some good ol' blood, sweat and tears.
However, Sokoudjou has something else on his mind, and it aint the thrill of victory.
Here's the fun stuff:
Q: Were you hoping for a bigger name opponent for this fight?It's pretty safe to say that Sokoudjou isn't in the fight game for the intense competition and the thrill of overcoming his opponents. Oh well, at least he'll have money to buy a Nintendo Wii this Christmas. And some whores.
A: I’m a fighter who is looking for a way to make money. I’m not gonna disrespect Luis by saying he’s not a big enough name. He’s just a fighter like me, he’s never lost other than a DQ, and he’s in the UFC. Anyone in the UFC is a great fighter and I respect that a lot.
Q: Okay, but would you want to do it? (in reference to Olympics)
A: I’d love to, but Judo don’t pay no bills.
Q: Tell us what to expect from Sokoudjou on Saturday.
A: I’m gonna get paid! I need money for Christmas. That’s all I can say.
It's pretty sad that Pride was dismantled - after all, Sokoudjou may have been the perfect candidate for New Year's Eve freak shows. You know, Sokoudjou vs. Bob Sapp. Sokoudjou vs. Sakuraba. Or Sokoudjou vs. 309 six year olds. I mean, he sounds so desperate to get paid that he'd do just about anything for a buck.
My money's on Cane for this fight.
1 comments - click to add yours!:
I dunno, I don't think Soukoudjou is alone in this. A lot of people do their jobs just for the money. Just because there is an artistic expression of what you choose to do to make money doesn't make you less of a person or any less skilled a practitioner by doing it solely to pay the bills. When I was a marine, there was an art to my select MOS, but I just did it because it was what I selected, and I enjoyed it and it paid the bills. Now that I work in IT, I won't deny that I get a certain satisfaction from bending computers and networks to my whim and will, but I don't find anything religious or even spiritual about it, I just need to pay the bills and decided to do it in a field I enjoy. I don't fault Soukoudjou for just fighting because he's good and it pays his bills, it doesn't make him MMA's whore, just smart enough to know where and how he can make money. If I could find a way to make 3+ figures a year in IT, I'd do it gladly, there's nothing wrong with getting what you can out of something and then getting out while you still can. I hope Soukoudjou wins and convincingly, so much so that he gets a bonus. And if he doesn't win, I hope someone tells him that Elite XC pays bonuses if you agree to keep a fight standing, or wear an ankle brace so someone will attempt to attack your feet, or "forget" your mouthguard so you can lose a tooth and the groundlings that don't enjoy real MMA can cheer and spill beer on each other as they go "did you see that $h!t?" Martial arts or mixed martial arts are arts, and there is often mystical or even religious under- and overtones, but don't blame Soukoudjou just because he doesn't buy into the hype.
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