"The UFC's heavyweight division is pretty stacked. I hear people saying that it doesn't have too many fighters and talent, but the division is stacked with a lot of new up-and-coming guys. I think what I bring is the mystique of the Gracie family. It's been a long time since we've seen a Gracie inside of the Octagon and I'm very happy to be in this position," stated newly signed UFC heavyweight Rolles Gracie as he talked about his upcoming debut inside the Octagon against Mustapha Al-Turk. Check out what he had to say about the fight, the Gracie legacy and much more.

PC: How are you doing Rolles?

RG: Everything is going great man. I couldn't be better with such exciting news (laughing).

PC: How did the deal come about with you signing with the UFC?

RG: My manager had been talking with Joe Silva and Dana White for a while now. After my last fight in China, they decided it was time to bring me in and I'm very excited for that.

PC: There are not too many Gracie's that have your size. Where did you come from man (laughing)?

RG: (Laughing) They are making the Gracie's heavyweight size now. My cousin Roger is almost my size, so we're getting bigger. My little brother always makes a joke and says that I was made on the honeymoon and that's how I got so big.

PC: (Laughing) That's the thing man, we're used to seeing the smaller Gracie's with great Jiu Jitsu and great movement, but from what I understand, you posses a lot of those qualities even with your size.

RG: Yeah. I've been doing Jiu Jitsu for a long time. I've been doing it since I was a little kid, so I kind of learned Jiu Jitsu as a small guy. I understand the concept. I had a growth spurt when I was 15, but before that, I was always working out with guys that were bigger and stronger than me. It was only until I was like 25 or 26 years old that I started weighing like 240. Before then, I was always the smallest guy in the gym training with bigger guys, so yeah, I learned Jiu Jitsu as a small guy and those techniques stuck with me.

PC: Is there any pressure, not just having the last name Gracie, but having that last name while competing in mixed martial arts and more so the UFC?

RG: I've always wanted to fight mixed martial arts and I know when I step in the cage, I'm not fighting just for myself. I'm fighting for the past generations and the generations to come. But I try not to worry about the pressure. I try to keep my mind clear and I'm just another human being competing. I just try to ignore that and do my job.

PC: Your first opponent appears to be Mustapha Al-Turk. What do you think of him as an opponent?

RG: I think he's had a couple of bad matchups for his last couple of fights. He's had to fight very good strikers, but I still think he is a very tough guy. He's well-rounded. He's got good Jiu Jitsu, good wrestling and decent boxing. I'm really looking forward to that. I gotta get ready and I have to train because once you're in the UFC, there are no easy fights.

PC: What do you feel will be the biggest adjustment for you now that you are on the big stage?

RG: My ultimate goal is to compete for the belt. Everybody that's in the UFC wants to fight for the belt; like I say though, I haven't even fought my first fight yet. I'm going to take it one step at a time and the UFC will let me know when they feel I'm ready for higher grounds.

PC: You train with some UFC vets that have been speaking very highly of you. Who are some of the guys you've been working with in preparation for your Octagon debut?

RG: I train out of Renzo Gracie's Academy in New York and Greg Jackson's Academy in Albuquerque. I have Jamal Patterson and some of the other guys from the IFL and of course guys from Greg Jackson's camp, like Rashad Evans, Keith Jardine, Eliot Marshall, Brian Stann and Joey Villasenor. I've had to chance to train with all of those guys.

PC: What is your relationship with Renzo like?

RG: I'm with Renzo just about every day. He helps me out with my training and he was a big help in me moving to the States. He was one of the guys that helped me out in my transition from the Jiu Jitsu tournaments. He's almost like a father to me.

PC: What do you feel you bring to the table that maybe other UFC heavyweights lack?

RG: The UFC's heavyweight division is pretty stacked. I hear people saying that it doesn't have too many fighters and talent, but the division is stacked with a lot of new up-and-coming guys. I think what I bring is the mystique of the Gracie family. It's been a long time since we've seen a Gracie inside of the Octagon and I'm very happy to be in this position.

PC: We know how dangerous the Gracie's are on the ground, but how diligently are you working on your standup to add that dimension as well?

RG: I'm a part of the new generation and I believe in being a complete fighter. I have to train everything and not only for MMA, but even for the Jiu Jitsu stuff. I had to train a little wrestling and Judo to improve my Jiu Jitsu game and now to extend my career, I've been training some standup. I believe in the evolution of the sport and the evolution of the athlete. Of course my background is Jiu Jitsu and whether your background is wrestling, boxing or Jiu Jitsu, the idea is to fight where you are most comfortable at.

PC: Thanks for the interview Rolles. I look forward to speaking to you often. Good luck with your UFC goals. Is there anything you want to say in closing?

RG: I want to thank you for the opportunity and I hope you guys will see a lot of me in the UFC in the near future.