The African Assassin - MMAUniverse.com

The African Assassin

Date submitted: 05 March 2007

Interview by: Rohit Verma

Featuring: Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou

Submitted by: White Belt

MMA Universe

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Who is Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou? Well you may now know him as the man who caused one of the biggest upsets in MMA history.

Fans placing a $100 bet on Sokoudjou defeating Antonio Rogerio Noguiera at Pride 33: The Second Coming would have won in the region of $1,300. And if they had been able to place a bet for him finishing the fight in under thirty seconds, considerably more than that!

Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou planted a punch on the iron chin of Noguiera, KO’ing the Brazilian in twenty three seconds of round one.

MMA UNIVERSE had a chance to find out a little more about this new force in Pride’s Middleweight Division.

First off, could you tell us a little about your history?

I was born back in Hom'la ( Cameroon - Africa ). I started Judo at age five. I moved to the U.S. in 2001 to prepare for the Judo Olympics in 2004. Unfortunately I couldn't afford to go back home for the try outs because of money and visa problems.

I have won several national titles back home. In the U.S. I won the 2001 US Open Judo, also many State Championships and international tournaments.

How did you come to train with Team Quest?

Actually it was back in 2004 when Dan Henderson was getting ready to fight Nakamura and was looking for someone who knew Judo.

I got the call from my boss (I was a bouncer in a local club at the time) then went to train with him and I liked it thereafter.

Rulon Gardner was fighting Yoshida and I helped him train as well. Those two experiences made me stay with Team Quest and also the people out there, really friendly and they're a real family...

How did it feel when you got the call from Pride?

I got the call from Pride about six weeks before the fight, and I was really excited... Pride is the best organization in the world, and there's no other one a fighter dreams of fighting for more.

Were you very nervous on the day of the fight with Nogueira?

Not really, but I was excited... Couldn't wait to hear the referee say "Fight!!!”

I’d dreamt about that moment for a loooong time.

You caused one of the biggest upsets in MMA history when you knocked out big favourite Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Did you expect to beat him so quickly?

To tell you the truth, I knew I was going to war for about fifteen minutes. I knew he was a good boxer and had never been knocked out, but me beating him like that was kind of not unexpected.

It just told me that I trained right for that fight.

Many have said your win was a “fluke” and a “lucky punch”. What do you have to say to those comments?

Those "many people" get paid for saying what they're saying, and I get paid to fight... and the more they talk, the more it will make me train harder to prove them wrong just like I proved them wrong by beating Nogueira... Nobody expected me to win, but I did.

Dan Henderson was also successful in winning the Pride Middleweight belt. How did you help each other train?

By beating the crap out of each other... haha. I mean I got more help from him than him from me. He's a true champion and a real coach.

He knew what to tell me and when to tell it to me. I look up to him and hope to achieve what he's done for the sport. Dan’s a real leader.

How long do you think it will be until we see more athletes from African countries competing in MMA?

That's a good question there are plenty of them out there, looking for an opportunity to show what they can do.

I was just on the phone with a friend of mine living in France and training with Free Fight Academy. We talked about it and I hope that with what I did, I would be able to open up more doors for my fellows from Cameroon – Africa.

Do you have any last words for MMA UNIVERSE readers?

What they saw was just one tenth of what I can do. I didn't have enough time to show them what I'm really about and they can expect to see a whole lot more. I will introduce them to "Jungle Fighting"

Also check me out at www.africanassassin.com I'll have all my upcoming fights listed there and everything about me as well.

Interview by Rohit Verma for MMA Universe