Takanori Gomi was the lightweight champion in Pride, and there was a time when some MMA observers considered him the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He's already won 31 fights in his career, and even if he does nothing else, he'll go down as one of the best fighters ever.But he's never fought in the UFC, and he as he prepares to step into the Octagon for the first time on March 31, he says he's excited about the opportunity. He does, however, have one major concern: Elbows.
In the past, Gomi has fought in promotions that didn't allow elbow strikes, and Gomi acknowledges that when he thinks about his upcoming fight with Kenny Florian, he's giving a lot of thought to how Florian might hurt him with elbows.
"This is my first time to fight in the Octagon and fighting under the new rules, so I'm a little bit concerned about that," Gomi said on Monday, through a translator. "There are no elbows fighting in Japan and that's why (I am) more concerned in the United States."
Elbows aside, Gomi said he's confident about what he can do in the UFC, and he believes that if he beats Florian he'll be in line for a title shot.
"Because I've fought more than 30 times I'm still looking for a challenge in my career -- that's the reason to move into the UFC," Gomi said. "This is my challenge, to be a champion in the UFC."
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