Bas Rutten has done it all in Mixed Martial Arts. He has been the King of Pancrase and the UFC Heavyweight Champion of the World. He is an icon in a sport where many legendary figures abound. I recently got a chance to sit down and talk with Bas about what he is up to and where he is headed.
Jay: First of all, I would like to thank you for doing this interview. I know you are a busy person and I appreciate you taking the time to talk today.
Bas: No problem, man.
Jay: Ok, to start off, what are you involved in these days? Give us a basic overview of what Bas Rutten is up to at the moment.
Bas: I’m doing pro wrestling for New Japan. My next match is in March. I actually have an "El Guapo" song out right now in Europe. It is kind of a mariachi/techno song (at this point Bas begins to sing the song). I’ve got some things in the works as far as movies go. I will be doing a few movies this year.
Jay: First upfront question of this interview, and this is what everyone wants to know, is there a comeback in your future?
Bas: No, I don’t know. I don’t think so. I just had laser eye surgery. I got tired of wearing contacts. I have to take a two-month rest from that. So I don’t think there will be a comeback at this point
Jay: Are you still currently training? Tell us a little about your daily routine.
Bas: I am teaching private lessons. I work out pretty much everyday and do a little Muay Thai. I don’t spar a lot because of my surgery.
Jay: I know you will be at the UCC show this week and I would like to know, Ludwig or Pulver? Who wins in your opinion?
Bas: Ludwig, he’s my man. I will be in his corner at the show. He’s gonna knock him out, probably in the later rounds. But I am not taking anything away from Jens. I had heard that Jens said he wants to stand with Duane and get the KO. I don’t think it is wise that Jens would stand up with him. Duane has unbelievable stamina. If he wants to standup with Ludwig, that is not a smart game. But if Duane gets cocky, he could go down.
Jay: Ok, now to a few interesting questions for you. A lot of our readers love to hear what those in the MMA community think about some of their peers or colleagues. So I am just going to start throwing out names and you tell me what your personal opinion of the person is. Let’s start with Mark Kerr. A lot of people here in North America saw you in the documentary on HBO and are very interested in what you think of Mark. Is Mark capable of a comeback? How stable do you feel his life is at this point?
Bas: I really don’t know. I tried to contact him. I can’t reach him. I emailed him but it got kicked back to me. So, I don’t know what is going on with him.
Jay: Next name, Mirko "CroCop" Filipovic.
Bas: I think he’s very good. He is a definite "super-talent".
Jay: Lately, there have been a lot of rumblings about Hidehiko Yoshida. Questions about how legit he is and if he is the "real deal". Your opinion of him.
Bas: I think he is a real good Judo and submission guy. His coordination is phenomenal. He impressed me against Royce (Gracie) even though he didn’t win the fight. He looks controlled, relaxed, and very balanced.
Jay: The next name comes as a loaded question: Kevin Randleman. First of all, your opinion about him and his evolution in PRIDE over the last couple of months. Secondly, would you like to fight him again to clear up any controversy from your first meeting?
Bas: I think he is doing very well. His punches are getting way better. He is going to be a major force. I don’t think I would fight him again. We are really close now. He is a real cool guy. I would probably fight someone like Vanderlei Silva; give the fans what they want to see.
Jay: Bob Sapp. How huge of an impact has this man made? Do you believe he has the tools to be successful in 2003?
Bas: Yeah, man, straight to the top. They need to make a new weight division, I told PRIDE. The guy is so freakin’ strong and very athletic. He moves fast for someone that is 380 lbs. He is not even human almost.
Jay: And lastly, in our little name association game, I would like to ask you about Vanderlei Silva. There have been a lot of interesting rumors floating around that you may like to fight him if you make a return. Is there any truth to this? If so, how do you think a match between the two of you would go?
Bas: I think to be successful against him is counterattacks. If you want to brawl with him then you take a serious risk. I think if I could fight smart and counterattack then I have a good chance.
Jay: The recent death of PRIDE’s President, Mr. Morishita, where is PRIDE headed?
Bas: Straight to the top. They aren’t going to stop. Mr. Morishita would’ve wanted PRIDE to continue on.
Jay: Bas, I thank you for this interview. I can assume we can look forward to your commentary along with Stephen Quadros at the next PRIDE event. In closing, is there any kind of message you would like to leave for your fans or the MMA community in general?
Bas: Learn from your mistakes. And learn from other people’s mistakes because, in one lifetime, you can’t turn back the clock. Deal with it and get over it. I tell this message a couple hundred times to myself everyday whether I’m in a hospital, a police station, or wherever. That is what I tell all of the fighters today. If you get caught by an armbar and lose, shake it off and just remember to not get caught by that same armbar the next time.
Jay: Well, I thank you for your time and hopefully we can do this again sometime.
Bas: No problem, man.
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