Props: Graciemag.com

"I’ve got news, I want to fight at ADCC 2009. My idea is to talk to the organizers and see if there’s a possibility of my being invited, for all the titles I’ve won at the event. I don’t really want to go through the trials in Rio, especially since it’s already too close to the event to be able to train properly. That’s why my idea is to go straight into the main tournament, to go right up against all the toughest from around the world. I even called up Paulo [Filho] to see if he’d get motivated about participating, but he says he doesn’t want to. So I came up with the organizers’ Email, and I’ll be contacting them to see about an invite. I’m excited."

-Former PRIDE light heavyweight standout and ADCC champion Ricardo Arona aims for a return to the grappling tournament that made him famous in 2000 and 2001 by leapfrogging his way past the trials right into the main tournament. Nothing is certain at this point, but the Brazilian sounds as if he’s ready to get back to competition. He has not seen action since a knockout loss to Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou at Pride 34: "Kamikaza" in April 2007. It was his third loss in four fights — a tough stretch for a very talented fighter.