Ken Hasegawa will be fighting Brennan Ward on New Year’s Eve. “I want people from all over the world to know that there are strong heavy weight class fighters in Japan”, stated Hasegawa while talking about his hopes and goals for the upcoming event.

—How do you feel about fighting in the RIZIN ring
I was happy to get the offer since I knew about RIZIN event all along and really wanted to participate. I had some fights fall out on me and this will be my second fight this year. Fighters won’t be fighters if they don’t fight, I feel my time has finally come.

—What are your impressions about your opponent Brennan Ward
He is strong, and he’s got the looks too. He’ll be a challenge at every aspect of the game. I can’t really prepare for him because he’s good at everything and I can’t tell which part is better than me or not. So the figuring out process will be a pain.

—You only have a few weeks to prepare, tell us about your current condition
I still have cut weight, so I am hungry. But all is good since I’m almost there. My body feels great, and since I thought that I wouldn’t be fighting anymore this year, I have been focusing on raising my basic levels so it would be perfect timing for me to show everybody how I have evolved.

—What do you expect from the upcoming event?
First, I want to be remembered. Especially since the event is going to be televised on terrestrial television. I want the people to remember that there is heavy weight called Ken Hasegawa in Japan, and I want the world to know that there are tough fighters in this weight class in Japan. I will make sure I will be remembered.

—Message to the fans
I think there are a lot of people who have no idea who I am, so I want to show them a beautiful fight so that you will remember me. I will do my best to get the fans talking about my fight and talking about me as an exciting fighter.