Wrestlingfever.de: When and why did you start fighting?
Chris Brennan: I started fighting in 1995 after watching the 1st UFC on PPV. I was bouncing at a bar with Kimo and Todd Medina and we all saw it and wanted to get involved. They were first obviously because they were bigger and at the time there were no weight classes.

Wrestlingfever.de: Who has been your biggest influence in life and fighting?
Chris Brennan: I have had some pretty decent influences in my life good and bad. I looked up to a guy that is now a great friend in Ricky Johnson (5X AMA Motocross Champion). He was a bad ass on the track and I loved that about him. Fast as hell but didn't take ANYTHING from ANYBODY. He's still that way. Motivates me before my fights whether he's there or on the phone he says the right things and it helps so much. I was influenced by Royce when first getting in to this sport. My wife has also really influenced me and helped me become a better person. She has been so supportive of what I do and the traveling and stuck it out through a lot and I owe here everything for that.

Wrestlingfever.de: What is your ultimate goal in MMA?
Chris Brennan: I have pretty much hit all the goals I have set out for. I guess it would have been nice to win the UFC title or something like that but it wasn't a goal that I was determined to reach. I wanted to fight in the biggest events in the world, travel all over the world fighting, win a World Championship, open a great school, make some money, and I have done all that. I'd now like to take over the clothing side of the sport and make a little more money.

Wrestlingfever.de: What do you think you will be doing after you fighting days are over?
Chris Brennan: I will be teaching Jiu-Jitsu, MMA, and growing Nogi (my clothing company) to be one of the top action sports clothing company's in the business.

Wrestlingfever.de: What is your favorite technique?
Chris Brennan: The Kimura seems to be one of the moves I go to most and like a lot but I am pretty fond of the heel hook as well.

Wrestlingfever.de: What are the strengths and weaknesses in your fight game?
Chris Brennan: My strengths would have to be my top game, passing guard, keeping pressure on my opponent, and constantly attacking my opponents limbs. My weakness would have to be my wrestling. I can wrestle ok in the gym or even in competition but in fights for what ever reason it goes to shit...Another weakness for a long time was not being able to escape off the bottom but I have worked on that a lot over the last few years and have gotten much better at it.

Wrestlingfever.de: How do you develop your strategy for each fight?
Chris Brennan: My strategy pretty much only changes from if I want to keep it on the feet or if I want to get it to the ground. On the ground my game is pretty much the same all the time (which is very unpredictable) and on the feet it's also fairly the same all the time. The only difference is some guys I want to stand with and others I'd like to take down and fight on the ground.

Wrestlingfever.de: What was the biggest challenge in your career so far?
Chris Brennan: Biggest challenge to me so far has probably been getting through down times after a loss. Deciding if I wanted to continue fighting, and getting the motivation to go on. After a few losses I have been pretty down and for a couple grand it didn't seem worth it. Now with the support of some great sponsors, family, time to train properly, and bigger pay checks I have a new born fire and drive to do this for a few more years at the top level.

Wrestlingfever.de: In your last fight you fought Tatsuya Kawajiri. Can you tell us something about the fight and about Kawajiri?
Chris Brennan: Not really. I was bit by a Brown Recluse spider a few weeks before the fight and didn't train ONE day for it. I tried to drop out of the event and was sort of persuaded to fight anyway, so without training I went in and got beat up for a short time. The really shitty part was before the bite I was training really hard and this new drive had already began so it was just one more set back for me to deal with.

Wrestlingfever.de: What did you do since your last fight?
Chris Brennan: I've been training hard. I am getting to train with new bodies all the time now and get to experience training for a fight with much less responsibility of a school to look after and other fighters to be trying to get fights for and stuff like that. Much more time for me and for my family. I am improving more now 13 years in to training than I have in a long time.

Wrestlingfever.de: Do you already know, when you have your next fight and who your next opponent will be?
Chris Brennan: Yes I am fighting in a little under 4 weeks in the Gracie Fighting Championships against American Top Team fighter Rafael Dias. It will be a great fight and I am excited for it.

Wrestlingfever.de: If you could choose an opponent, who would it be?
Chris Brennan: No one really in particular. Gomi was a very fun fight so I'd like to do that again sometime. I would also like to fight Shaolin again because that was the fight that created this new fire I'm talking about.

Wrestlingfever.de: You fought in UFC, PRIDE, KotC, Shooto and other organizations. Where did you enjoy fighting most?
Chris Brennan: UFC and Pride are great because your in the big show and that's where everyone wants to be. They both take care of you well while you're there but in KOTC I was the superstar. There was some funny stuff that went on there once in a while but fan wise I was the biggest draw they had there when I was fighting and I enjoyed that a lot.

Wrestlingfever.de: At the beginning of your career you had three fights against Pat Miletich. What do you think about him and did you learn anything from the fights?
Chris Brennan: I think Pat is awesome and has done great things. It was a great experience fighting him although a little early in my career. I learned a lot about my self as a fighter since we had a 20 and 30 minute war a few times. Lots to learn and think about after that much time in the ring with a world champion. Also proved to me that I was legit and was in the right sport.

Wrestlingfever.de: At PRIDE Shockwave 2006 Takanori Gomi will fight Mitsuhiro Ishida. What is your prediction for the fight?
Chris Brennan: I think Gomi is awesome and he knows it and that makes him even that much more dangerous. I really enjoy watching him fight. I say TKO for Gomi

Wrestlingfever.de: Many people were disappointed about the title policy in PRIDE, for example that Ishida didn't get a title shot. Do you think Ishida would have deserved a title fight against Gomi?
Chris Brennan: I think any time you fight a title holder it should be for the title unless it is out of your weigh class or something. That's how upsets happen. You have a title you need to defend it every time you fight in that organization.

Wrestlingfever.de: You are ten years now in the business of MMA, what are the biggest changes in the sport since your debut?
Chris Brennan: I have actually been training 13 years this month and fighting for a little less than that. Where do I start? I fought Joe Stevenson for $250, I drove to Colorado from California and fought for free, first we were on TV and then there was NO TV. First it was legal, then it was Illegal everywhere. Now it is the fastest growing sport in the nation. Everyone is watching it, people are getting paid hundreds of thousands and even in the millions with the PPV cuts. The sport is becoming more main stream and you don't have to fight for only one organization to make money. There are others now that are paying as much and more than the ones that are supposed to be the best. I love this sport and I owe everything I have to it.

Wrestlingfever.de: What do you think about professional Wrestling?
Chris Brennan: Horrible! I do like the Rock and Goldberg though (outside of wrestling)

Wrestlingfever.de: Do you have a message for your fans in Germany, Austria and Switzerland?
Chris Brennan: Thank you for all your support and I would love to come over and spread my knowledge teaching a seminar there sometime. I hope you enjoy my fights.

Wrestlingfever.de: Name Association... I'll give a few words/names and just say a few words that come to mind.
Chris Brennan:
* Next Generation Fighting Academy:
A great school. A name that helped get me on the map, and the support of some fantastic students. I created an awesome fight team there out of some very inexperienced guys.
* King of the Cage:
3 World Titles and some very exciting fights. Went seriously down hill in the last 5 years.
* Shooto:
A great starter event in Japan with seriously skilled fighters
* Family:
Something NO ONE should ever take for granted. Cherish your family because they are the ONLY people you will always have and always be able to count on
* California:
Well I am in Dallas Texas now and love it. California is an awesome place and I love it a lot. Lived there my entire life and there couldn't be a nicer place to live. Too many people now, can't drive anywhere without hours of traffic, and the housing prices are just plain stupid.
* Royce Gracie:
A mentor to me at the beginning of my career. Someone I looked up to alot and got to roll with on a regular basis.
* Frank Shamrock:
Someone else I thought was awesome. Fantastic athlete but I feel he is doing the Rickson Gracie in trying to live off his name and keeps teasing to come back to add to the excitement but doubt it will really happen against anyone special...