DREAM.3 Fighters' Comments
Press Release
Photos by FEG

SAITAMA, May 11, 2008 -- Here are selected post-event comments from DREAM.3 Lightweight Grand Prix 2008 2nd Round fighters.

Takeshi Yamazaki:

"I wasn't very happy about the fight, I should have used more of the striking techniques which I had been concentrating on during training.

"I was supposed to fight for Cage Force sometime between April and June, but because of my opponent's injury, the fight was cancelled and my next fight will be in September.

My contract with Cage Force does not prohibit me fighting in a different ring, so I took this fight because it was good timing, and would not affect my next fight in September."

Jason Miller:

"I wanted to finish the fight faster but Shibata was a pretty tough fighter, he fought with the samurai spirit and he didn't give up. So, it wasn't exactly what I'd planned. But, all I wanted was to make the fight exciting.

I don't mind who I fight next, but my hero is Sakuraba, and I'd like a chance to beat my own hero. My dream is to go to the top, be a Dream Champion and have a belt!"

Melvin Manhoef:

"I didn't tell either Dream or K-1, but I was injured in last fight against Remy Bonjasky. Because I received a lot of kicks and punches in the ribs, I had to have surgery to
take out blood from behind the lung and I was hospitalized for seven days. So, I couldn't fight as aggressively as I wanted, I needed to be patient."

Nick Diaz:

"It took a long time for this fight to be set, and so I had a problem losing weight and that affected my performance. But I'm happy to win, and if they told me I had to get to 70 kg/154 lbs, I would do it. I am looking forward to my next fight against [Hayato] Sakurai for the Welterweight championship!"