I wonder what you are thinking?

I have been pondering the effect of me helping out Bob in the ring recently...I think that many people have different ideas of how things work in this business, but I also feel that many fail to see what really goes on behind the scenes. I can understand that he has been made out to be somewhat of an abomination, but I can truly tell you that he is more professional in his ways that any other fighter out there. That is why he is not a fighter but a showman, but he is a very good showman. If it was his game plan to make everyone hate him, then he has succeed it to it's fullest. I don't know if any of you have seen the movie with Jim Carey, where he portrays an American comedian. He keeps doing these pranks, and every time he does them he ends up in trouble. With him you never really knew where the line was, because he started way over the line ahead of everyone else. Anyway, I forget the title of the movie, but this guy started to wrestle women for entertainment. And he did a great job of getting the whole country to hate him, but at the end of the day it was all just a joke. Sometimes the joke just wasn't for everybody, but only to be understood by the people on the inside. During this time, he was one day challenged by the Male wrestling champion and almost got himself killed in the ring. Taking the whole incident to court and using the media to make a huge thing about the whole incident. But it was all in the name of great pro. wrestling! He had me fooled! And I think that he also had the rest of America fooled, and that my friends is great entertainment. I myself am not much for it, because it is not what I can do professionally. But regardless of everything, Bob has done some quite amazing things in his record of fighting, and they are all undeniable. So maybe it is time to see past all the laughing and posing, all the big talk and dig a bit deeper and look at what is actually going on. Given the chance this guy could actually make the transformation from big mouth to big fighting...I have know him for a long time, and I recently found out the depth of his professionalism. That is why I choose to stand by him, when none other would. He had me fooled is all I can say without breaching the confidentiality of our trust. And I am not talking about this last fight, he really went down. It was just not his day, and that is the simple truth of it. I hope that all the people involved are able to get together and finalise something that will see him back in the ring again. So that he will at least have a chance at some real redemption! At the end of the day people still want to take there photo with, or get an autograph and he never says no to any of that. He always has time for the fans, they are what made him to what he is today. He never forgets that, and seeing him with the press and the fans is just another side of who he is. Well, I was just hoping that maybe we could use a bit of some positive discussion, apart from the silence that I have been given lately...

Nicholas

Miss Universe 2007

I know that I am a bit late with this entry, but better now than never...

This picture is of the dress that Mori-san wore on the evening that she was crowned as the second Japanese women in history, as the winner of the Miss Universe 2007 ! It is designed by my good friend Yoshiyuki, and here are also a couple of shots from the celebration party after her return to Japan. Sorry to have to tell you that she personally wasn't able to make it to the party but at least her dress did...

この写真はYoshiyukiの店で撮りました、ちょっと情報は遅れているけど。。。何と今年もミス　ユニバースでYoshiyukiは大活動していました。すばらしい着物をデサインされた森さんは４６年ぶりに日本人としてミス　ユニバースで選ばれました。おめでとうございます！写真はパーティーで撮ったんですが、本人はやっぱりどうしても時間がとれなくってこなかったです、残念。でも、これは実に言うと二回目YoshiyukiはMiss　Universeで活動をしていた、昨年はしたの侍的な衣装を２になったちばなさんが来ていました。最近日本の女性は世界にぶつけています、そして勝っています。やっぱりクイントン　タランチーノ監督は間違っていなかった、Kill Billでアジアの顔は強く押していたので今は日本の女性が世界から注文されるでしょう。自分は昔からそれを分かっているので、日本の女性をゲットして結婚して可愛い子供をいっぱい作りました。。。：）

Now this shot is of the dress that Yoshiyuki designed for last years entree', Chibana-san. She came in second and wore this half Ninja half Samurai outfit for the whole world to see. I would have liked to see her in it...I guess that when Quinten Tarantino pushed the Asian look on us all in Kill Bill, he knew what he was talking about. I have know about the beauty of Japanese women all along, and made sure that I got myself one and together we have made a whole bunch of great kids...：）

And then my new shorts are finally ready, so I will be wearing them in my next fight! Thank you so much.

Nicholas

A couple of shots from Holland

This is Lucia Rijker, do you know who? Well, if you don't then you need to google her. Cause she is one hard hitting woman, for those of you that know her I just want to say that she performed excellent in Clint Eastwood's " Million dollar baby". It was an honor to meet her and I wish her all the best in her upcoming shoot in Canada.


Lucia Rijkerです、日本ではあまり知られていないですけど。この人は昔強すぎてほかの女が相手になるような女性はいなかったためリングで男性と試合をしました！そのこんじょうで今映画界に持って何とハリーウッド映画に出ています。Clint Eastwoodの”Million Dollar Baby"で悪役を完璧に演じました。これからも応援しましょう、最近はレアリテイー番組を作っているそうです。

Here Bob is on the photo shoot the days before the fights, and as you can see he is getting right into character. Bobは試合の前の日の写真撮影のときでした、ビーストのオーラは出ています！

This is Norika Fujiwara reporting on location!
藤原さんは記者会見の間で取材していました！






I am not quite sure why I am including this shot, but it looks like I am holding a fireball! It is one of those picture that you can't take even if you wanted to, it just happened like that.
今写真は良く分からないけど、すごいんじゃない？撮りたくっても取れない写真です、勝手にファヤーボールって言うネーミングをしました。
ニコラス

残念でした！What a shame !

それではオランダから帰ってきました、結果は皆さんがテレビで見たどうりです。あっという間にAertsの膝蹴りをもらってしまったため、いきは出来なかったのでテン（１０）カウントの間には立ち上がれなかったです。まさかのK.O.負けになってしまった、残念でした。会場から大ブーイングを受けながらものが飛んできます、頭の上にビールはこぼされるし。。。たしかに弱かったけど、それはちょっとって感じでした。Bobは昔からの友人であるので今回は誰もいなかったので僕にお願いしてきましたため、オランダまで一緒に行きましたけどこんな風になるのは分からなかったです。自分としてはもう少し練習期間は欲しかったです。ただ、一つ言えるのはあの膝蹴りは本当に痛かったそうです、練習は出来ていないと立ち上がれないです。しかも、Aerts選手は世界No.1選手ですので甘く見ちゃいけないと思います。今回はこんな感じで終わってしまったけど、これからはちゃんと練習してもらって本当に新しいビースト、もしくは生まれ変わったビーストを見せてもらいたいです。。。それよりも自分は香港の試合があるのでそれに向かって今前すぐ走っています。自分は自分ですので、そこで結果を残せて秋のワールドGP に出れるようになりたいです。

ニコラス

What a shame it was to see a friend in such a situation. I mean, I understand all the circumstances involved around this fight, but still I think we can safely say that we were hoping for something that at least lasted a bit longer. But being a fighter myself, I know how hard it can be if you are not prepared properly. I just wish that we could have had some more time to prepare for this fight, I was asked just recently if I would help out, and being an old friend of Bob's I felt that I wanted to do what I could. We didn't have much to work with, and there was so much going on before and after the fight I feel that it is almost a miracle that he even made into the ring. I know that this was not the start that even he was hoping for, but you take what you can and that kick truly hurt him and sent him to the canvas. I have tried it myself and when you feel like someone has just stabbed you in the gut with an old rusted blade dipped in salt, there truly is not much that you can do. But roll up in the fetal position and wait for it to pass...I take my hat off for one of the greatest fighters of all time, Peter Aerts, he came in prepared to take on the world, and he did what he could to win. It must have been a huge disappointment to have a fight that has been hyped up so much to last such a short time. But honestly it just proves how good he is, perfect timing on the knee and that is all the big guy wrote that day. I also wish that Bob could have performed better, but that is because I know that he wanted to dig deep and find it inside of him. But when you get caught then you get caught...Let's hope that this is not the last time to see him in the ring again, next time I would like to see him in good shape and just doing it right. Apart from that I now got the fights in Hong Kong to look forward to, so I am going to be very busy training this next month!

Nicholas

Team Beast with Blue eyed Samurai!

So here we are in Amsterdam in Holland, just flew over yesterday to help out Bob Sapp in the corner for this very controversial fight. I guess that the ones of you that could not read my previous entry could figure out that I been working with Bod this week. We have been friends for a long time, and there has been talk about us training together many times but this is the first official time for us to join together. He is going to fight against Peter Aerts this Saturday in the K-1 Holland show, and I can tell you that this is going to be a big show. All the greatest fighters are booked on the show and the fans are exited about the whole event. Just yesterday we had the afternoon off and decided to go into the town and get something to eat. And fans were stopping us on the street and getting all exited about Bob, I feel this is a great opportunity to him back in the ring again and also just clear out the bad feelings from last year. Later on today we are going to do some interviews and a few photo shoots, and then there is the press conference tomorrow. It is very exiting to be working with such a big celeberity, and at then at the same time just to know him as the man he has always been. He is a really good guy to hang out with and he is not just fun on screen but off screen he always keeps us all on our toes. I hope it will be a good clean fight, something that all the fans can enjoy to watch. He is going to gives his best, but let's not forget that he hasn't fought in over a year. I just whish I had had some more time to work with him before this fight, but in K-1 style "Do or Die" he accepted the fight just this last week. It takes a lot of courage to do that even for a big guy like him. But for now all I gotta do is get over to the TV crew and help out with everything. I the only thing I can say now is that the fight WILL HAPPEN, so stay tuned in for it when the 2 giants clash in the ring this Saturday in the Amsterdam Arena !

本日のスポーツナビ！

６．２３Ｋ－１オランダ大会で復帰するボブ・サップが、ピーター・アーツ戦に向けて必殺の“ビーストラッシュ”を公開【スポーツナビ】 サップ、必殺の“野獣ラッシュ”公開! アーツ撃沈宣言出た=6.23K-1 　Ｋ－１と電撃和解を果たし、現地時間６月２３日にオランダで開催されるＫ－１オランダ大会でピーター・アーツと対戦することが決定したボブ・サップが１９日、都内のジムで練習を公開した。サップは「この１年半、試合には出ていなくてもずっとトレーニングをしていた」と語っていたとおり、ブランクを感じさせない豪快なパンチをアピール。「ＫＯかギブアップで終わらせてやるさ！」と、復帰戦いきなりのＫＯ宣言だ。　サップのＫ－１デビュー前から親交があったというニコラス・ペタスをトレーナーに迎え、ピーター・グラハムと３人でトレーニングを開始。ストレッチ運動に始まり、最少歩数・最短距離で相手をコーナーに追い詰めていくステップの確認、ミット打ち、サンドバッグ打ちなど１時間弱、みっちりと体を動かした。　「非常にいい感じで仕上がっている。ニコラスと本格的な練習をするのは今日が初めてなんだけど、的確に教えてくれるし、いい感触をつかんだ。これからも一緒にやっていきたいし、今日練習したことを試合で生かしていきたい。もちろん、試合まではピーター対策に重点をおいた練習をしていくよ」　この日の練習で目立った点といえば、相手をコーナーに押し込み、そこからパンチ、ヒザのラッシュを仕掛けていく動きだ。これは名づけて“ビーストラッシュ”。サップが新しく開発した必殺のコンビネーションだという。　「プレッシャーをかけてコーナーに追い詰めて、パンチやヒザ、ローも出してラッシュを仕掛けていくんだ。この“ビーストラッシュ”が試合でもうまく出せれば、ＫＯかピーターのギブアップで試合は終わる。この形が理想的なフィニッシュだな！」　０５年大みそか「Ｄｙｎａｍｉｔｅ!!」の武蔵戦以来１年半ぶりのブランク明けの試合がいきなり、過去３度Ｋ－１世界王者に輝いたアーツと条件は確かに厳しい。だが、サップは臆することなく不敵な笑みをニヤリ浮かべると、試合が待ちきれない“爆発寸前”の胸の内を語った。　「１年半ぶりの試合だけど、その当時も負けが続いていたから、そのウップンを晴らしたいし、久しぶりの試合ということで溜まっているウップンもすべて晴らしたい。休んでいた間はいい感じで過ごせていたから、精神的にも技術的にも選手としてオレは成長できた。もちろん、パワーもアップしている。ムハハハハ！」　１年半の沈黙を破り、ついにリングに降り立つサップ。鎖から解き放たれた野獣が自慢のパワーでＫ－１Ｖ３王者をなぎ倒し、「サップ復活」を全世界にアピールしてみせるか。

These days. 最近。

So you know how sometimes you feel like time just goes by real fast, well I guess that is how it feels when you find yourself real busy. This Sunday I was up at the crack of first light and up on my bike. I drove out to Shinagawa St. and took the bullit train to Osaka, I had to make my way down there for a kind of talk show. Got there in time and then straight back to Tokyo! Off the train and then straight to Koichi's fight in the Korakuen. I mean I went as fast as possible, but it still took me over 6 hours of traveling just to sit down and talk for about 40 min. But it was good to see the fans turn up and cheer me on, I liked the atmosphere that was in the air, and everyone was really nice. I had a good time. But then again, off my bike and up the stairs! I made it just in time to see Koichi of for the last round of the fight. I could tell by the way he looked at me that he had done allright. I was confident that he would be able to beat the guy he was going to fight, but still this guy turned out to be a lot tuffer than we had expected. It was a good fight for him at this time in his way up the ladder. I stayed on and watched a couple of other fights, and enjoyed the intensity in the Korakuen, still the only real place to watch fighting in Japan. I then decided to go home, because I needed to get up early for Mondays first session. And that was when it hit me, although I had been reading my book on the train, I was still doing something. This was the first time in the whole last week where I found myself utterly alone, and riding my Harley through the deserted streets of Tokyo on a Sunday night. It was pure joy to feel the bike purring between my legs, and most of the intersections just happened to turn green whenever I pulled up to them! So it made it all worth it, I wanted to cruise around a bit more. I was almost starting to whish that I lived further away...It was just me on a bike, and all that black top leading the way. I don't know if it was the bike event that just happened to collide with my life in such a way, that on my way home I would have one of those moments...We have all had them, you know when everything just seems right. Like you can't go wrong, everything you do just makes sense and when you don't make sense it is cool because you go with the flow and it all blends into sense. I love getting up in the morning and running, it gives me a clear day all day. And after that run last night, I was sure to have a great day. You know even the fact that I had set my heart out to get myself a Whopper with cheese at the newly opened Burger King in Shinjuku, but since I was not exactly the only BK fan to have gotten that idea, and didn't feel I could endure the 1 hour and 30 min. it would take to get me that Whopper, I had a great run last night. I think that I might make a thing out of it, you know just jump up the Hog and drive around in the middle of the night of Tokyo. Or even better make it a Sunday night drive thing, I mean I always end up in front of the TV Sunday night trying to figure out who is going to be the next American Idol...And since the contest is already over and I know that, WAIT you haven't heard it yet???well, it was Jordin Sparks that won it, and she deserved it too...Damn shame that they got rid of Lakisha! That girl can sing too...

Nicholas