Boxingtalk.com recently caught up with UFC Hall of Famer Randy “The Natural” Couture. Couture talks about his comeback against UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia at UFC 68, the addition of Mirko Cro Cop to the UFC as well as who’s comeback will be more difficult, Rich Franklin or Matt Hughes at UFC 68. Check it out!

PC: How is everything going Randy?

RC: Everything is going great. I keep pinching myself. If I aint awake, please don’t wake me.

PC: Who approached you with the idea to do the Pro’s vs. Joe’s show? How was that whole experience for you?

RC: I was working with a sports marketing agent who worked with a lot of the football players. He had the connection with production to get me in. They were looking for an ultimate fighter and originally they were going to use Rich Franklin, but he had to have surgery on his nose. Rich was out and my name came up and like a lot of things, I was in the right place at the right time. It is a great experience for me; it’s a blast.

PC: Has training begun for your fight with Tim Sylvia and if so, how is that going?

RC: Yeah! It started a few weeks ago and it’s been going great. I got to get my conditioning back up to where it should be. I have 3 or 4 great big guys coming in to camp the first 2 weeks of February. I’m looking forward to getting used to that weight and pushing some of this meat around and getting used to that range.

PC: What weight do you want to come in at for this fight being that you’ve fought at light heavyweight for the past couple of years?

RC: Exactly where I’m at; 227.

PC: Tim Sylvia is a very big guy. Who are some of the big men you have coming in to train with you?

RC: Dan Christison from The Ultimate Fighter season 2, Wes Simms is coming in, this kid that wrestled at Cal Poly with Chuck is coming in, a kid from Vegas named Dan Evans who is 6’7 and Gan Mcgee is trying to get time off work and if he can, he’ll be there as well. I have some great big guys all over 6’6 coming into camp to gang up on me.

PC: Had a return to the octagon been mentioned prior to this offer you’ve accepted?

RC: I kind of said all along if the right circumstances came along, I would be happy to fight again. The right circumstance came along. Anytime you get the chance to step right into a title fight, it’s a pretty good situation. I’m looking forward to it and I’ll be ready.

PC: A lot of people on the message boards are asking, “What can Randy do that Jeff Monson couldn’t?” Can you answer that question?

RC: Ah yeah! I know Jeff very well. I’ve trained with him a lot. He’s got a great submission game and he shoots an outside double leg. My style of wrestling is a little bit different with my Greco background. I can certainly shoot that double leg, but that’s not the shot I think you should take with a guy like Tim Sylvia. He’s got a great sprawl, he’s very long and very heavy; not somebody you want to be underneath. I think the key to taking Tim down is to claw your way inside his hands and get to his body and from the clinch and body, work trip him, sweep him, dump him down, high single and knock him down from there. I think that’s the way to take Tim down; not to shoot the outside double.

PC: Tim kind of lures his opponents to sleep and then drops some bombs. Do you think the key to defeating him is to put pressure on him?

RC: You definitely need to get in Tim’s face. You need to be willing to get in there and mix it up and exchange. I have to keep my hands up, my head moving, my feet moving and use a lot of pressure and activity. It will make me hard to hit if I don’t stand around in one place and wait to see what happens. It will also allow me to close the distance and get inside.

PC: What has the reception been like for your comeback in the public and from family and friends?

RC: It has been real positive. Everybody’s first question was, “Why?” My answer was, “Why not!” This is what I love to do and I’m still physically able to do it. I can’t see doing anything else. I have the opportunity to come and fight and I’m going to jump all over it.

PC: Your age will always come up as long as you continue to fight. You are 43 now. How are you feeling physically?

RC: I feel great. I feel better than ever. I don’t think it’s an issue. People want to make a big deal out of it, but it’s really not an issue. We’re getting more and more out of our bodies all the time, so I don’t think it’s a problem.

PC: You are already a legend in the sport as well as already being inducted into The UFC Hall of Fame. What motivates you to continue to fight?

RC: The competition. I love to compete. I love to get in there and scrap and that’s all I really need. The rest of the stuff is certainly prestigious and honorable and all that and I’m proud of those accomplishments, but that’s not why I got into it and that’s not why I’m doing it now.

PC: You signed a 4 fight deal over the span of 2 years. If you are still champion after those 4 fights, will you still fight on?

RC: I’m going to take it one fight at a time. I started out 10 years ago taking it one fight at a time and I’m going to keep that attitude. You never know where the road is going to take you. I’ll just keep doing what I need to do and physically evaluate myself and the standards that I set in preparation to compete and see where things go.

PC: What do you think of the addition of Mirko Cro Cop into the UFC?

RC: I think it’s a great addition. I think we needed more depth and more guys and it makes things interesting in the heavyweight division. I think signing Mirko makes things interesting in the heavyweight division.

PC: This may be a tough question to answer. Both Matt Hughes and Rich Franklin are coming back at UFC 68. Which fighter do you believe was exposed most in losing their title? Which fighter in your eyes has the tougher comeback?

RC: I don’t know if either one has more pressure than the other. They both suffered pretty devastating defeats. Rich had to have surgery, so it may be a medical question there with his nose. I know he’s cleared and I know he’s training hard. They both were great champions and great competitors. I don’t think there’s going to be any issues with either one of them. I think their going to rise to the occasion and do their damndest to get back on track and get back to title contention and try to win their belts back.

PC: I appreciate your time. It’s always a pleasure and good luck on March 3rd!

RC: You got it. Thank you!

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