Leopoldo home
for redemption

Kimo Leopoldo is back in Hawaii for more than a fight -- he is here for forgiveness.

Leopoldo, 35, will fight Marcus "The Monster" Royster (5-0) in Rumble on the Rock tomorrow at the Blaisdell Arena. Royster is 6-foot-8 and 360 pounds, but is a relative newcomer to the cage. Leopoldo has lived his adult life there.

Leopoldo (8-4) was one of the Ultimate Fighting Championships' original talents and has fought all over the world. He burst onto the scene with a loss to Royce Gracie in 1994 and has since traded punches and kicks with fellow legends Tank Abbott, Ken Shamrock and Dan Severn.

But after a loss to Shamrock last August, Leopoldo tested positive for the steroid Stanozolol, as well as ephedrine, pseudophedrine and phenylpropanolamine. Leopoldo, who was suspended for six months and fined $5,000, says he is clean.

"I did the crime and deserved a punishment," Leopoldo said. "I lost that fight and it was bad enough losing, especially the way I lost. I was already dinged and then I get dinged again."

So Leopoldo, who grew up in Waianae, returned home to fight in front of what he considers the best fight fans in the world.

"They are not fans to me, they are family," Leopoldo said. "I represent them and want to make them proud. It definitely makes this more than a fight. I want my family to be able to say my name with pride."

Leopoldo has been forgiven by most in the fight community and is in the middle of a four-fight deal with K-1 and negotiating with the Pride organization in Japan. He figures Royster will be a good tune-up for his next fight, which he hopes will be against fellow local legend Akebono in Paris in May. He says all he is waiting for is Akebono's signature.

But for now, Leopoldo's only concern is putting on a good show for his fans, who know a good show when they see one. Hawaii is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the places a fighter absolutely must ply his trade at least once before he is finished.

Former UFC champion Ricco "Suave" Rodriguez has no ties to Hawaii other than suffering his first loss here at Super Brawl 13 in 1999, but he can appreciate the fight culture as much as someone who lived it.

"When you come to Hawaii, you better come ready to scrap," Rodriguez said. "I've seen some fighters mouth off to the locals and then family members jump into the ring. That's just wild. To me, this place takes the best parts of Japan and adds the best parts of the mainland."

Rodriguez (13-4) will take on another relative newcomer in Kailua product Scott Junk, who is 4-0.

Rodriguez has a lot riding on the success of Rumble on the Rock, which sold out the Blaisdell Arena for its last show and has already sold 7,000 tickets for tomorrow's event at the 8,000-seat venue. Rodriguez says he was offered a title fight from the UFC but instead opted to come to Hawaii.

"When they approached me I was very excited," Rodriguez said. "They are fighters and they understand fighters, they are just a good group of guys to work for. I'm banking on them taking this to the top."

The main event will pit Hilo's Wesley "Cabbage" Correira (13-7) against Abbott. Like Leopoldo, Abbott (8-10) has been in the cage since the UFC's beginnings but has lost his last four bouts, including a TKO to Cabbage because of a cut.

Chris West (2-0) takes on Alan Goes (6-4) in a light-heavyweight bout, Charuto Verissimo (4-2) clashes with Yuichi Nakanishi (5-1) in a middleweight fight and Shaolin Riberio (10-1) fights Tetsuji Kato (17-5) in the opening lightweight contest.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the first fight beginning at 7:30.