Bluecifer
02-25-2003, 01:38 PM
I just jacked this from MMA weekly and it surprised the **** out of me. Any of you guys ever hear of this guy?
Going into Friday night’s King of the Cage pay-per-view, Alberto Crane was a heavy underdog to then champion Javier “Showtime” Vazquez. At 6-0, with a win over top Japanese fighter Rumina Sato, Vazquez was expected to dominate Crane. But Crane, in only his third pro mixed martial arts fight, had other ideas. The agressor for most of the bout, Crane ended up winning a split decision to take away Vazquez’s lightweight title. MMAWeekly’s Ken Pishna was able to get a few comments with Alberto immediately after his win.
MMAWeekly: First off, congratulations Alberto!
Alberto: Thank you, thank you.
MMAWeekly: How does it feel to be the new world champ?
Alberto: Oh man. It’s great. The gym comes through. I’m going to get a lot better, train a lot more. Get better at all aspects. I’ve got great trainers helping me out like Greg Jackson and Mike Winklejohn in kickboxing.
MMAWeekly: This was only your third pro fight?
Alberto: Yes. My third MMA fight.
MMAWeekly: But you’ve also competed on a world class level in Brazilian Jiujitsu?
Alberto: Yes. I’ve been competing for a number of years. In black belts last year I got a gold medal at the World Championships.
MMAWeekly: Did the fight with Vazquez go pretty much how you expected it to?
Alberto: Yah, I think so. I just remember that I couldn’t let him over power me standing up and I did that. I didn’t want him punching me in the face because anything can happen. He was a very tough opponent and I’m glad to have had the opportunity to fight him. I can’t take anything away from him, it was a tough fight.
MMAWeekly: Most people know you for your jiujitsu, but you showed some really good striking both with your hands and feet. Is that something you’ve really been focusing on?
Alberto: Yah, for sure. Mr. Winklejohn has been helping me out a lot. That’s a lot of what I’ve been doing.
MMAWeekly: You seemed pretty comfortable on your feet, pretty confident.
Alberto: Yah, I felt pretty confident that I could stand and fight, he wasn’t going to hurt me and I could do some damage. So, I’m glad it worked out.
MMAWeekly: What are plans now that you’re the champ?
Alberto: Take it one step at a time. I want to keep training, getting better all around, my jiujitsu and my standup. I want to be the best.
MMAWeekly: Are you going to stay where you’re at for your training?
Alberto: I’ve got the best guys in the world right here in New Mexico. Everybody can say what they want, but I’ve got my group right here.
MMAWeekly: Anything that you’d like to say?
Alberto: I’d just like to say thanks to King of the Cage for giving me the opportunity and New Mexico for all their support, Greg Jackson at Gaidojutsu Albuquerque, Mr. Winklejohn’s for my standup and the guys at Gracie Barra for making me who I am in jiujitsu, they’re the reason that I’m here.
MMAWeekly: Again, Congratulations and thanks for taking the time to talk to us at MMAWeekly.com.
Alberto. Sure and thanks.
Going into Friday night’s King of the Cage pay-per-view, Alberto Crane was a heavy underdog to then champion Javier “Showtime” Vazquez. At 6-0, with a win over top Japanese fighter Rumina Sato, Vazquez was expected to dominate Crane. But Crane, in only his third pro mixed martial arts fight, had other ideas. The agressor for most of the bout, Crane ended up winning a split decision to take away Vazquez’s lightweight title. MMAWeekly’s Ken Pishna was able to get a few comments with Alberto immediately after his win.
MMAWeekly: First off, congratulations Alberto!
Alberto: Thank you, thank you.
MMAWeekly: How does it feel to be the new world champ?
Alberto: Oh man. It’s great. The gym comes through. I’m going to get a lot better, train a lot more. Get better at all aspects. I’ve got great trainers helping me out like Greg Jackson and Mike Winklejohn in kickboxing.
MMAWeekly: This was only your third pro fight?
Alberto: Yes. My third MMA fight.
MMAWeekly: But you’ve also competed on a world class level in Brazilian Jiujitsu?
Alberto: Yes. I’ve been competing for a number of years. In black belts last year I got a gold medal at the World Championships.
MMAWeekly: Did the fight with Vazquez go pretty much how you expected it to?
Alberto: Yah, I think so. I just remember that I couldn’t let him over power me standing up and I did that. I didn’t want him punching me in the face because anything can happen. He was a very tough opponent and I’m glad to have had the opportunity to fight him. I can’t take anything away from him, it was a tough fight.
MMAWeekly: Most people know you for your jiujitsu, but you showed some really good striking both with your hands and feet. Is that something you’ve really been focusing on?
Alberto: Yah, for sure. Mr. Winklejohn has been helping me out a lot. That’s a lot of what I’ve been doing.
MMAWeekly: You seemed pretty comfortable on your feet, pretty confident.
Alberto: Yah, I felt pretty confident that I could stand and fight, he wasn’t going to hurt me and I could do some damage. So, I’m glad it worked out.
MMAWeekly: What are plans now that you’re the champ?
Alberto: Take it one step at a time. I want to keep training, getting better all around, my jiujitsu and my standup. I want to be the best.
MMAWeekly: Are you going to stay where you’re at for your training?
Alberto: I’ve got the best guys in the world right here in New Mexico. Everybody can say what they want, but I’ve got my group right here.
MMAWeekly: Anything that you’d like to say?
Alberto: I’d just like to say thanks to King of the Cage for giving me the opportunity and New Mexico for all their support, Greg Jackson at Gaidojutsu Albuquerque, Mr. Winklejohn’s for my standup and the guys at Gracie Barra for making me who I am in jiujitsu, they’re the reason that I’m here.
MMAWeekly: Again, Congratulations and thanks for taking the time to talk to us at MMAWeekly.com.
Alberto. Sure and thanks.