—How do you feel right now?
I feel great, I’m in perfect condition. I didn’t need to cut as much weight this time as I usually have to, so the cutting stage wasn’t that bad.

—What are your thoughts on your opponent?
He’s a very aggressive, attacking fighter who likes to always be on the front foot, leading with his punches. His throws and clinching are very good.

—What kind of fight do you want to fight?
In my last fight, I wasn’t really able to get many strikes in, so this time I want to be on the front foot always, leading with my striking, which I haven’t done in a while.

—Do you have any special feelings towards this match, considering its a New Years Eve match?
Honestly, no. I want to leave a lasting impact and have a good fight as it’s being broadcast on digital television.

—How can you achieve that?
It doesn’t matter if its standing or on the ground, I have to knock him out. That’s my goal. That’s what it means to fight on New Year’s Eve. To knock someone out.

—This is a very big event with a lot of fights. What are your thoughts on this?
The class I am fighting in is a light class compared to the big guys so the pace of the match should be a lot faster, and this is the kind of fight I want to fight. I may be a smaller fighter, but I am still aiming for a KO.

—On digital TV, what do you want to show the people at home watching?
That I am always on the front foot, attacking. No matter happens, I always want to be going forward, and that’s what I want to show. Although there are both Japanese and foreign fighters on this card, there are no real clear rivals. What I want to show is, that there are world class fighters in the lighter divisions too.