Mach Sakurai Interview

~Hayato "MACH" Sakurai Interview from DREAM official website~

- What do you think about your opponent?
I just do what I can do. I do not feel any pressure but am excited to fight in a brand new event.

- What make you feel different to fight in an new event?
It's hard to say, but I feel fighting in the very first event of DREAM is definitely something special. I feel like I found a place I can settle down.

- What do you think about your opponent, Monma?
I think he is an all-round fighter. I don't usually watch fights of other fighters. I haven't even watched HERO'S. I have seen his fight video once. It was the moment when he lost his weight and fought in the 70 kg weight class before.

- Do you know him?
I have seen him in other events and his students came and trained in my gym before.

- What kind of training are you doing?
I train in my own style at my gym. I do punching, kicking and everything with my students including Monma's students. I think I should stop training his students though. They haven't visited since our fight was announced. They can tell him what I do and my training menu etc. I wish I asked them about Monma more! Both of us had never thought we fight each other and we are kinda confused though when we found out about our fight.

- Are you nervous and feel any pressure fighting him? In the press conference, Monma seemed like being excited fighting against you though?
I give all I can do and I will get a good result.

- Do you have any fight plan?
I'm not a type of person who makes a plan of my fight. However, Daisuke Ishii who used to work for Yoshida Dojo as a trainer works for my gym. He makes research and gives me accurate advice.

- The title of this event is DREAM. What is your dream?
I have a lot of dreams. I have never been asked and don't know which one I should tell.  I used to have a dream to be a champion. After becoming a champion, I felt my dream was not a dream but just a goal. My dream always turns into a goal. I don't know what to say.

- Do you have any goal now?
My current goal is to defeat him by KO and would like to be a champion and get a belt. This is a part of my dream though. I would like to have a great fight.