We caught up with Ryan Gracie after the run ins with Walid. We grabbed him for a couple quick questions. We tried to catch up with Walid but he had left the beach. Enjoy!OTM: So what happened on Pepe beach with Wallid the other day?Ryan: ‘I was looking at him calling him to fight and I went to fight Wallid but he didn’t want to fight so I spit in his face and called him a fag’.
OTM: What was the other name you were you were calling Wallid?Ryan: ‘Parieba, that is where Wallid is from’. (This is like calling someone redneck or hick in the States. ‘Parieba’ is a state in northern Brazil also Wallid’s home.)
OTM: Did you really call Gracie magazine and tell then it was going down?Ryan: ‘No, but I hear someone else did’.
OTM: More of the same at the gym the next day?Ryan: ‘Same thing at the gym.’
OTM: Would you rather fight Wallid in the street or in the Ring?Ryan: ‘In the ring.’
OTM: Why was the fight delayed?Ryan: ‘Because for one month before the event Wallid would not sign for the fight, Wallid said he was looking at other things because he wanted to try to fight Royce. Then right before the event he said “OK I’ll fight.” By then there was not enough time to train seriously. Now same event and we have both signed to fight in April’.
OTM: Are you really as crazy as the stories people tell?Ryan: ‘No, I’m not crazy, I’m sane’ (smile).
OTM: It’s obvious by the training we’ve seen here today, you are getting a lot of really good training. Who have you been training with to fight Wallid?Ryan: ‘In NY with Renzo, I will be training with Renzo for the fight. In Rio with Carlinhos at Gracie Barra and in San Paulo with my students. I have a lot of very good students in San Paulo such as; Gabrielle Vella, Daniel Samouis, and Rouse’.
OTM: Do you have any plans to teach in the U.S. after your fight?Ryan: ‘Nothing planned but he would be very interested in doing some teaching’. (Contact Renzo in NY to set something up)
OTM: Do you think Macaco sleeps better at night now that you are after Wallid?Ryan: ‘I make peace with Macaco, we only fight in the ring now. I’m sure he sleeps good’.
OTM: Do you have any tips for Gringos to pick up Brazilian girls on the beach?Ryan: ‘You have to have a good talk.’
OTM: Anything else you’d like to add Ryan?Ryan: ‘I’m excited to fight and I’m going to beat the hell out of him.’
Our interview was translated by Amal Easton. He is one of Renzo’s top purple belts now teaching in Colorado. Check out www.tcsn.net/rags/bjj for more information. If we can hook up with Walid we’ll get his side of the story too. Ryan and Wallid were both on Passando a Guarda recently. Walid was snapping like he was roid raging; eyes bludging and veins popping out of his head. Just talking a lot of shit. Ryan was a lot calmer and also talking his fair share of shit. Both look like they are in shape and have been training a lot. They showed both contracts signed. Ryan and Wallid were also on Robson Gracie’s TV show ‘Heros of the Ring’ here in Brazil doing more of the same.