Man, I hope you are right. The dude us really big though, and actually has some pop. Hopefully Minowa can bring it to the ground quickly.
- Expect the fight to be announced sometime this week.
You got any predictions on the Diaz fight?
Hopefully its good! :thumb02:
Tuesday, May 25
S-Girls 2010 Tournament press conference:
Also, Takeshi Ishikawa vs. Taylor "NINJA" McCorriston (USA / FCFF Featherweight Champion) announced
Rest of card:
Hiroki Shishido vs. Virgil Kalakoda
Hiroaki Suzuki vs. Tenkei Fujimiya
Kenji Kanai vs Satoru Suzuki
Rena vs. Mika
Hisae Watanabe vs. Yamada Makoto Koto
For the June 6 Shootboxing card
----
DREAM 14 CARTOON:
----
Celina standing next to Hansen after winning at Jewel's 8:
----
The names for the Sengoku Asian GP (Bantamweight) were announced today, N.O.B reported it here:
http://nightmareofbattle.com/?p=2315
The names:
Takuya Eizumi
Wataru Takahashi
Wataru Inatsu
Kyu Jin Choi
The final name is unknown
----
Card coming up:
“Lion” Takeshi Inoue vs. Hatsu Hioki (No. 8 FW)
Yasuhiro Urushitani (No. 5 FLW) vs. Ryuichi Miki (No. 6 FLW)
Willamy Freire vs. Yusuke Endo
Rumina Sato vs. Ryota Matsune
Kotetsu Boku vs. Yoshihiro Koyama
Akitoshi Tamura vs. Masakatsu Ueda (No. 10 BW)
Eduardo Dantas vs. Hiromasa Ogikubo
Shintaro Ishiwatari vs. Wataru Miki
Lion is one of my favorites.
Wednesday, May 26
Jewels 9th Ring - Lightweight GP:
Was announced yesterday, Japan-mma finally put up the fights on his website:
The participants announced so far are:
-Saori Ishioka 9-4-0
-Mika Nagano 6-3-0
-Seo Hee Ham 4-3-0
----
And, Pancrase fights:
Middleweight King of Pancrase title fight:
Yuki Konto 52-23-7 vs. 15-17-5 Yuji Hisamatsu
Bantamweight King of Pancrase title fight:
Manabu Inoue 9-5-1 vs. 9-2-0 Seiya Kawahara
Flyweight King of Pancrase title fight:
Kiyotaka Shimizu 5-3-1 vs. 8-1-0 Isao Hirose
I really, really believe Yuki Kondo is one of the most underrated fighters.
----
Random Pic:
Fight order for Dream 14:
8. WW: Nick Diaz vs. Hayato “Mach” Sakurai
7. 88kg: Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Ralek Gracie
6. FW: Hiroyuki Takaya vs. Joachim Hansen
5. FW: Norifumi “KID” Yamamoto vs. Kiko Lopez
4. FW: Hideo Tokoro vs. Akiyo “Wicky” Nishiura
3. FW: Kazuyuki Miyata vs. Takafumi Otsuka
2. FW: Yoshiro Maeda vs. Kenji Osawa
1. OW: Minowaman vs. Imani Lee
Imani Lee was finally confirmed.
----
Thursday, May 26
Flyinpig translated interviews:
Imani Lee:
I'm totally ready. I'm looking forward getting in the ring and fighting.
This will be your first time fighting in DREAM. What's your impression of DREAM?
I've known that DREAM is a big promotion since the days I fought K-1 in America. One of my training partners, The Predator, has fought in Japan so I've always wanted to fight here too. My contract with the WWE just expired when I got the offer from DREAM. So I look forward to starting a new career. I'm excited to fight Minowaman. I heard that he is a popular fighter in Japan, so I'm honored to fight him.
Have you ever fought in a cage?
Yeah I have. I fought about a month ago. Unfortunately, I made a mistake and lost. But I'm ready this time.
Do you prefer to fight in the ring or cage?
The ring for sure. I'm still learning how to fight in a cage. But I'm ready.
How long were you signed on with the WWE?
From 2008 until the beginning of this year. A few of my matches were aired on TV.
What was your ring name?
"Pretty Boy" Nelson Roy.
What was your signature move in the WWE?
Powerslam.
Do you think you can use the powerslam in MMA?
If I get a chance, I'll try it. If I get the powerslam in, I'm sure the fight will be over right then and there (laughter).
What's your signature move in MMA?
My standup game.
What's your gameplan against Minowaman?
I just got the offer for this fight 3 weeks ago. I had other fights scheduled, so I was prepared to fight. I got some video of Minowaman's fights and have been studying him. My leglock defense is real good. I'm looking to win by strikes.
Here is his Pre-fight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38TiuITKW-A&playnext_from=TL&videos=tuaz-Q9lLdw&feature=sub
Minowa:
Your opponent was announced today. What's going through your head right now?
I'm happy to report to everyone that everything is set for me to go fight.
Have you seen Imani Lee fight?
Yes. I watched two MMA fights and one K-1 fight. He's around 135kg but has good footwork and quick punches and kicks. He moves well.
What do you think about fighting in a cage this time?
This will be my fourth time fighting in a cage so I think I'll start remembering what it's like once the fight starts. Even though I've been in a cage, it's my first time in a 6-sided cage. I look forward to getting a grip of the new sensation.
Did you know that he wrestled in the WWE?
I've heard that he's done football, boxing, kickboxing, pro wrestling, and MMA. It sounds like he's a good athlete.
How do you envision finishing him?
I see a few ways. But I'd rather not answer that.
What's the theme for this fight?
Minowaman Chapter 17 "Natural Stance". This time it's in a 6-sided cage. My opponent is big but also has good footwork, so it's something different this time. So my plan is to not forget my style, how I do things. So that's why I'm going with Natural Stance.
How do you feel about your fight being the first match of the night?
I'll fight anywhere on the card, but if the event organizers feel that I should fight the opening match, then I don't mind fighting the first fight. I'll have to set the mood for the rest of the night.
The man known as the "cage demon" Rusher Kimura (pro wrestler) passed away the other day. Being a pro wrestler yourself, how do you feel about stepping into the cage in the same week that Rusher Kimura passed away?
He's the originator of the cage. I've never seen video of him, but when I was a kid I saw some photos. He was absolutely the cage demon, so I want to become a demon and step into the cage.
Pre-fight interview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTtlhzKSc3M&playnext_from=TL&videos=SR4W70TFbWg&feature=sub
Yoshiro Maeda
What's going through your head two days before the fight?
I can't wait to fight. I have this nervousness, a good nervousness, waiting for fight day.
This will be your second time fighting in the white cage. Your thoughts?
It's pretty big. I won last time, so I think that the cage is better than the ring for me (laughter).
What's your impression of Osawa?
He's good at everything. He's an well-rounded fighter.
What will be the keys to victory in this fight?
I think distance. Osawa is good at using distance too, so it's going to come down to who can control the distance.
Have you watched video of Osawa's fights?
I've seen about three of his fights. He uses a lot of different kicks and his timing is very good. This fight will be different from my other fights. I think it's going to be a battle of timing.
How well do you think you control distance?
When I'm raging, no, I'm not good at it. But when I keep a cool head, I have confidence (laughter).
What does this fight mean to you?
I think this fight is a must-win for me. I plan on winning decisively.
What parts of your fight game have you improved since last time?
I need to be careful of getting caught up in the moment (laughter). In most of my losses, things are going my way at first. Then I get impatient and rush things. So this time I'll take my time. I'm sure there will be many chances, so I'll look to capitalize on one of them. Stylistically, I think this fight could either end up being really entertaining, or it could be a strange fight.
What's up next for you after this fight?
If I get by this challenge, I hope to fight the winner of one of the other fights.
Nick Diaz:
It's been about two years since you last fought in DREAM. What's going through your mind?
It doesn't seem like it's been two years. I'm disappointed that we're fighting in a cage this time. PRIDE and DREAM have always used the ring. I was excited to fight in Japan, in the ring. I'm used to the cage, so it's alright I guess.
What's your impression of Mach Sakurai?
I've wanted to fight him for the longest time. I wanted to fight someone good in Japan, so Mach is a good choice. There were some times before when we were supposed to fight, but something happened at the last minute, or I wasn't able to come to Japan, and the fight just never happened. So I'm happy that this fight's come together this time.
Do you think that fighting in a cage this time works to your advantage?
Well I have a cage at my house and at my gym. So I'm ready. I have an advantage in a cage for sure. But that doesn't mean that the result will be any different just because it's in a cage.
Since Aoki lost to Melendez, there has been an ongoing debate on whether DREAM should adopt the cage or stick with the ring. What do you think?
I think it's a mistake for DREAM to use the cage. It should stick with the ring and it's own rules. I wish they wouldn't look at what other countries are doing and follow them. Actually, I think the other countries should do what Japan is doing. A lot of the technical stuff you want to do is limited in a cage. If you use a cage, it becomes a sport, and not really MMA. If you want to see who the best MMA fighter is, the fight has to happen in a ring, not a cage. For the last hundred years or more, people have been fighting in a ring, not a cage. I don't understand why you would ignore history and use a cage. I think the DREAM guys are just following American MMA this time and using a cage, but I hope DREAM keeps doing what it had been doing and use it's own rules.
Do you feel that you are here representing the US and Strikeforce?
The media might look at it that way, but whatever. I represent my team and family.
What aspects of your fighting are you working to improve?
I'm working on everything. But I spend a lot of time on my wrestling. I train with Gilbert Melendez and Jake Shields over in Sacramento and San Francisco and I think my power and speed have gotten better. But it's just not wrestling I've been doing. You gotta work on many things.
What do you want to prove to the fans in Japan?
I want to show them that I'm one of the best fighters in the world. I'm different from other guys. I got the best coaches for grappling, throws, jiu jitsu, boxing, everything. I can do everything. I'm a real fighter. I want to show them I'm the best.
Do you think you can beat GSP?
Yeah I do.
Mach has made comments that he may retire, depending on the outcome of this fight.
I got nothing to say if he's going to retire if he doesn't have a good fight.
Pre-Fight videos:
Diaz:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eod6M9WtMqI&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1hCCpLn16E&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YCZBlDPOWE&feature=player_embedded
Hansen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me6tca9zZGA&playnext_from=TL&videos=jE4o4t8h1r0&feature=sub
Celine Haga Interview
From our freinds over at Japan-mma:
http://www.japan-mma.com/2010/05/celine-haga-interview.html
-First of, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
55kg of energy in motion, starting to get close to a purple belt in life experience now, love the feeling of being free and independent of others. I am cursed, or blessed? With an intensity that makes me give
101% to reach the goals I set.
-How long have you been doing martial arts, and how did you get into
MMA? How did you end up with fights in Japan?
I have been doing martial arts for 3 years now – MMA for a total of 1.5 years. Started MMA because if felt like the ultimate challenge both physically and mentally.
I had no experience earlier, just trained 1 year track and field and a year of strength (that I was forced to because I was so weak my doctor told me I needed to add some muscle).
I won a bit of money playing poker and decided to invest in a Japan trip (the money lasted 2 months). During my stay I got to know Megumi and the rest of AACC. I also fought my first fight (semi-pro) in an
underground event called "Smokers".
-How did you feel during the fight with Mika? What was your tactics
before the fight, and did it go to plan?
The tactics were just to aim and hit her. I knew she was southpaw and good at takedowns, so I wanted to keep to basic boxing. One or two punches and move, to avoid takedowns. If it went to the ground the plan was to work for the best possible position. The plan was to give it everything, fight smart, not stress and have fun.
I knew this was probably the last chance Jewels wanted to give me, they were cool and asked who I wanted to fight, if I could choose. I picked Nagano. I knew I had to win against a good opponent this time
for it to matter.
The plan worked, not a 100%, but good enough.
-You had 4 losses before this fight, what had you learnt in the
previous fights that helped you in this one? Did you change something
in your preparation?
I always overestimated my opponents, and underestimated myself and it showed in my performances. I might have been a bit too eager when I went to Japan to have my first pro fight after just 1 year of grappling and 3 months of MMA training. HAHA And tapping breeds tapping, that breeds low confidence
and depressions.
But I continued to prioritize training above everything else. I chose not to give up, continue to train hard but forgot the most important aspect of the sport… The mental aspect.
Before this fight I worked harder, focused more on conditioning and self esteem. I was focusing on what I knew and tried to improve that, I got help from Miyata’s coach Sean, some wrestling tips from Miyata, loads of
good training at AACC and not least from Roxanne and Kunioku.
A person I respect a lot told me that I have the technique and strength, but I lack self confidence and wasn’t fighting with my heart. And the last two things are more important than the former.
-I saw Joachim Hansen in your corner, did he give you some good advice?
I actually had Mohsen (Team Hansen) and Sean Frew in my corner during the fight.
Didn’t want any special advice this time, I just wanted positive energy and support. Joachim has given me loads of good advice over the last 3 years that are like tattooed in my brain forever.
I have had many sparring partners and coaches, but it is first and foremost his style and advice that will be the fundamentals in my game.
-I know you have been training a bit in Japan, how it is to train
there compared to home in Norway? What are the biggest differences?
In Norway I only train with boys that are 15-20kg heavier. Joachim and the others at Team Hellboy have used a lot of time to help me. Sparring with them has made me stronger and given me better balance, and more tolerant to pain. hahaha
In Japan I train with girls. The biggest differences are that girls are a lot more flexible and agile/quick, that increases the stress factor a lot of times.
There are more training opportunities for me in Japan, since there are a lot of girls my size doing MMA/grapping.
-There is not a lot of non-Japanese fighting in Jewels on a regular
basis, you have had 4 fights there. How is it being the only
non-Japanese, do you get extra attention/support?
I think I mix well?? Don’t look typically Norwegian… hehe
I feel like Japan is my second home! Have lots of good friends here and enjoy it a lot.
I don’t receive more attention than the other fighters here. To fight in Japan is pretty special, the biggest have been jetlag, communication (very few speak English) and the culture. But when you settle in, it’s the martial arts’ Shangri-la in my opinion.
The support I have received is first and foremost from my friends here and from Team Hellboy (that have always supported me) I am so lucky and grateful for having such good teammates.
-What can we expect from you in the future? If you could choose, who
would be your next opponent?
I am going to continue training, and as always never give up!
This is the point of no return for me, I have finally won the battle inside, and I am ready to give my next opponent hell. My next opponent is anyone, hopefully at 52kg. I am ready!
----
Little Tiger:
DREAM 14 weigh-ins
Miyata's crotch
Diaz arrives late, strips off jeans
Saku draws laughs
Wicky
Tokoro
Kid
Maeda
Some more:
Imani lee on the double
Dream weigh-in results:
8. WW: Nick Diaz 76.0kg vs. Hayato "Mach" Sakurai 76.5kg
7. 88kg: Kazushi Sakuraba 87.4kg vs. Ralek Gracie 86.5kg
6. FW: Hiroyuki Takaya 65.0kg vs. Joachim Hansen 65.0kg
5. FW: Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto 59.8kg vs. Kiko Lopez 62kg
4. FW: Hideo Tokoro 62.8kg vs. Akiyo "Wicky" Nishiura 63.0kg
3. FW: Kazuyuki Miyata 64.4kg vs. Takafumi Otsuka 64.2kg
2. FW: Yoshiro Maeda 60.7kg vs. Kenji Osawa 61.0kg
1. OW: Minowaman 88kg vs. Imani Lee 150kg
----
Daniel reports why Kiko lopez was mysteriously absent last night
Team Quest's Federico "Kiko" Lopez, who is set to face Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto at Dream.14, missed weight Friday at the East 21 Hotel in Toyocho, Tokyo. Lopez came in 2kg (4.4 pounds) over the contracted 60kg limit but will be given time to make the weight this afternoon. All other fighters were on weight.
While it was not publicly announced earlier, of the five "featherweight" bouts on the card, only one is actually being fought at Dream's 63kg limit. The rest must be considered catchweight bouts and are being contested from 60 to 65kg. No reason was given for the weight changes.
Strikeforce welterweight Champion Nick Diaz was late for the weigh-ins after a miscommunication regarding the start time and some problems his team encountered with the Tokyo Subway system. Diaz weighed-in about 20 minutes late without incident.
----
-----
Another Daniel herbertson interview on mach:
Daniel Herbertson:
Welcome back to Japan. How was the flight back?
Hayato Sakurai: The service was disgusting. I got hit by a stewardess. I don't know why but I wasn't treated like a normal customer. I don't know the reason. Do I look weird? Is that why I got hit?
A stewardess hit you?
Actually I got hit by some guy and I got ignored by a stewardess on the flight. I left my bag on a seat and went to the bathroom but someone took my bag. I asked where it was and for security reasons, they took my bag away. They asked me to show them my passport and I don't know why but as they gave my bag back they hit me for no reason. That was the first time I've been hit on a flight.
How was your training camp with Matt Hume in the States? I hope it was more positive.
Everybody was kind of like a dinosaur. It was kind of difficult for me to train with huge guys if I lost too much weight. I was trying not to get killed by the dinosaurs so I decided to lose the weight when I came back to Japan.
You have to train hard there otherwise you will get killed. I think I'm becoming stupid because my brain has been damaged. I forget things a lot and I cant remember things any more.
When this fight was announced you said you were going to retire if you lose. Is it there something special about this fight for you or is it just time?
O. L. D.
... What's that?
Old! (laughs) Really though, it's so many things. I don't want to become stupid from being punched too much.
Are you really concerned about it? You have mentioned that a couple times now.
Now, I'm OK in conversations like this but in the future, I don't know if I'll be able to hold conversations any more.
I have always thought about retirement but it's not everything to me. At this age though, I need to think. I've been punching opponents since I was 17. If I can't show my best then I probably need to quit. I've been thinking that for a long time. It's just a decision that I need to make. My cardio is getting worse as I get older and so is my athletic ability. I try my best in training, 100 percent or even 120 percent. but if I can't show 100 percent in the fight then I need to think about retiring. I said that if am going to retire if I lose but I'll probably need to think about it later.
If you win this fight with Diaz and don't retire...
I can win you know!
No, I'm not saying you can't win. If you decide to continue fighting, what would you like to achieve or do you have any goals left in your career?
There is so much I want to do. There are so many things that I can achieve when I'm fighting and so many things I can achieve when I'm retired.
So in your fighting career, what do you want to achieve?
A lot of things.
Will you be staying at welterweight or will you be going back down to lightweight again?
That's a totally different subject!
But you have a lot of history with lightweight fighters. Is there unfinished business there for you?
You're funny! But yeah, I want to do that. If I continue my career I'll go back down in weight. I was defeated by Gomi... but actually he isn't that good any more is he?
Where do you get your motivation to continue fighting?
I don't want to get beaten up by my opponent. I have to try to beat them up before they beat me up.
If you don't fight though, you won't get beaten up. What is your motivation for taking a fight in the first place?
I've never thought about that... (laughs)
Well why did you start fighting when you were young?
I felt like rebelling against society.
What didn't you like? What were you rebelling against?
Well what do you think, could I be a businessman?
Perhaps not...
I just don't like the way things are. I just like to fight, that's it. I just love fighting. I wanted to kick somebody, punch somebody or choke somebody.
When did that start? In school?
I was beaten up by some of the seniors at school so I wanted to do it too. When I did it though it was a huge problem for some reason. Me and Michi (Michihiro Omigawa) went to the same school and he got suspended.
You were friends in school?
Yeah, and Kazuyuki Miyata too. He was in the same grade in the next class but he never came to school because he was at pa*****o (a Japanese form of gambling) all the time. He was in the wrestling club and he would only ever come to school after classes to train wrestling. I never saw him in classes actually.
But anyway, at that age I think I just wanted to explode.
What was it about that school (Tsuchiura Nihon University Secondary School) that made so many top fighters?
Practice was very, very strict. My teachers would beat me to death. The freshman were all beat up by the seniors. There are so many famous fighters from there now. Like (1988 Wrestling Gold Medallist) Takashi Kobayashi.
Where you training with those guys then?
No, I started at Kiguchi Dojo. I didn't know them through fighting then really. Omigawa rented a room near the school and me and Miyata used to hang out there.
You three have all gone your separate ways now. You never train together?
When one of us are in need, we will help the other out.
Just before you went to the UFC you were in a car accident. What was that like?
It was horrible. I had two herniated disks and a broken arm. I was in incredible pain.
What was recovery like? Do you think that it affected your career.
It was really very bad but it was easier to recover when I was younger. Now that I am older the injuries take a lot longer to heal.
Looking back on your career, do you have any favorite fights?
I like them all. They were all fun.
Even the losses? How about the fight with Akihiro Gono on New Year's Eve. What was that like?
I don't like the losses. I deserved that.
Why?
Strategy wise he was superior. We couldn't disclose everything, but I was injured. Although, I think he was injured too. I was exhausted going into that fight. My conditioning wasn't there.
Part 2
What was the injury? Was that the cause of your conditioning problems?
Yeah, once I got injured I couldn't recover because I had to keep training for the fight. I just had no time to rest.
So we shouldn't take that fight as an indication of your current abilities then? That performance isn't the reason you are considering retiring?
I was defeated by Gono and I was defeated in the previous fight as well so my motivation was really low. Why are you so concerned with me retiring?
You said that you were going to retire if you lose, I want to know how serious you were with that comment. You are one of the legends of Japanese MMA so I think it is important.
I can continue to be a legend after I finish fighting too. I want to create a new generation of fighters, but I can't do that while I am fighting. I'd need to focus myself 100 percent on it. I am one of the people who made MMA big, but I have started to lose recently so I am losing my motivation
I really haven't decided if I will continue but my performance in this fight will definitely be an indicator for me.
If I can't be there, in great condition in the fight and I can't show my best, then I would rather show nothing at all. I've been at my peak for a long long time so I know my body. I don't want to be ordinary. If I become ordinary, then I don't want to fight.
What are your plans after you finish fighting then? If you are thinking about retirement you are obviously thinking about what you want to do after you finish fighting.
(In English) Anything, I'll be fine. Something fun! Everyday dancing, singing, alcohol!
Do you want to stay within the MMA community?
Yeah. You know in the past, there was no MMA community in Ibaraki. There is Kawajiri now, but when I started my career there was nothing. But I've become huge in this business so I would like to create something here to help grow the sport and develop up and coming MMA fighters.
Is there a problem with Japanese MMA that you think you need to help with?
Of course! Why is Aoki the only good, young fighter in Japan right now? Aoki is the only young fighter who has distinguished himself and the rest are all old guys. Look in America, there are so many young guys. In Japan, it's just Aoki. How many more years can the old fighters carry Japan?
I'm already old and most of the guys are in their 30's already. There is no one in their 20's who is good.
Aside from Aoki, no one impresses you?
There's no one! Who do you think is good?
How about Katsunori Kikuno or Takafumi Otsuka?
Kikuno? How old is he?
28.
Hmm... That's it though! Before, it was the other way around. All the the good fighters used to be young. Now they are all old and no one has replaced them.
There has to be some program or campaign to create new fighters like The Ultimate Fighter for the UFC. There is nothing to develop fighters. The Ultimate Fighter is really a copy of an older Japanese boxing TV show, and we need that again in Japan for MMA otherwise the level difference between Japan and the rest of the world will become even worse. Japan is going to become weaker and weaker.
You are going to try to start something like that?
I do what I can. I have two gyms. I'm hoping to help fighters make it big. Each person has to work within their own abilities. While I am fighting I am restricted with what I can do but it is not just me, everybody has to help develop this sport. I've had a lot of fights
You know, Randy Couture is older than me but I've had a lot more fights. Everyone says Randy Couture is a great fighter there is no way he could reach the amount of fights that I've had. I have a lot of experience.
You seem frustrated by Japanese MMA.
Of course I am! It's hard for me to speak out loud about this but of course I am! What is with these guys who come from other sports and get so much money to fight. Three times as much money as any MMA fighter! If the MMA community has money like that to spend, they should be spending it on young fighters. Too many young MMA fighters cannot spend the time they need to on training because they need to work to support themselves and that takes too much time away from the gym.
If MMA has so much money for those people from other sports they have to spend it on the younger fighters.
For example, you know that girl Ai Fukuhara? The table tennis player? She is really big in the table tennis world. It would be like her going into tennis and getting three times as much money as Maria Sharapova. But then as soon as she gets that money she quits tennis and goes back to table tennis. You know what I mean?
That's what's happening recently. MMA isn't a part time job for other martial artists.
Are you talking about Judo? Like Satoshi Ishii?
Yes. Ishii, I mean what's that!? Even if he is a gold medalist, why do MMA organizations need to spend so much money just on one fighter? Even if he is good or bad, there are so many more young fighters with real passion and talent. We need to grow all fighters from scratch. Ishii isn't at a professional level but his pay is higher than anyone's.
So you think there should be lower pay for the stars of the sport and that the money should be spread more evenly?
No, the problem that I see is that judo and MMA are totally different sports. For example of GSP came to Japan to fight, then of course it is ok to spend that kind of money. But judo is a completely different sport, why are we investing so much money in a different discipline. This is the current situation of Japanese MMA. We will probably have table tennis players in MMA soon!
They get 10 times more money than anyone else and then disappear.
So you don't believe that we can find fighters in other martial arts?
If they are really trying their best to succeed in MMA, then it's OK but I don't see that with Ishii. If all those guys from other martial arts are looking at MMA like it is something that anyone can do, then it really degrades MMA.
How about Hidehiko Yoshida? He was a crossover athlete from judo.
He did his best and had some great fights but Yoshida is leaving MMA and going back to judo now. It is really a shame. We might as well start spending billions and bring in TV stars and actors to fight that even you could beat up.
But doesn't the sport need sponsors and promotion? For that, it needs names and it needs to get people interested. You don't think it's important?
But why are they spending that much money on these other people. That's why Japanese MMA is at this level now. Why can't those famous names be real MMA fighters?
It's a waste of time. It's stupid, I can never hope to get as much money as those people who come in from the outside. If you have that much money, then you have to spread it around to help people make a living in this sport.
Some prof. weigh-in photos:
----
Fights are on tonight at 3am est.
I will be here.