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Thread: Satoshi Ishii

  1. #1
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    Satoshi Ishii

    I posted something on this on our Olympics thread.

    Olympic Judo Gold Medalist Satoshi Ishii to Make MMA Debut
    Michael David SmithPosted Oct 28th 2008 10:13PM

    Satoshi Ishii won the Olympic judo heavyweight gold medal in Beijing, and that made him a star in Japan.

    But the 21-year-old Ishii is giving up on judo and taking his talents to a new sport: mixed martial arts. The Japanese newspaper Sports Nippon is reporting (via FightOpinion.com) that Ishii will make his MMA debut and appear at the New Year's Eve at K-1 Dynamite event at Saitama Super Arena.

    Ishii, a 5-foot-11, 238-pounder, has been talking about switching to MMA since almost the moment the gold medal was put around his neck; he challenged Fedor Emelianenko in August and has been talking about MMA regularly since then. With few opportunities to make a living in Olympic sports like judo, taekwondo and wrestling, MMA is likely to be the professional option for increasing numbers of Olympians.

    UPDATE: After the jump, see the translation courtesy of our friend Suki MMA.


    Sponichi Annex reported that Satoshi Ishii would show up at Dynamite in NYE and officially announce his participation in DREAM.

    He turned down job offers from companies which have strong judo teams on Oct 25. He confidentially contacts DREAM now. One of his teammates thinks that he will let his supporters know about switching to MMA at a party, celebrating his gold medal, in Osaka on Nov 3.

    He talks about details of the contract with DREAM after asking for a release from the All Japan Judo Federation next month.

    K-1 offered Akebono, a former sumo wrestler, two million Japanese yen for three fights in 2003. DREAM probably offers him more than that.
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    One would hope he is preparing in a manner appropriate to the new forum within which he would fight.


    On a completely unrelated note, I wonder how many top-ranked MMA guys could so much as hold their own in a high level judo/wrestling/boxing/muay thai/etc competition? I don't mean that as putting them down in any way. It's just such a different focus from one context to another. Even MMA guys who were all American wrestlers in college, give them 3 months to prepare and take them to the nationals and how many would make it past the first round? Different training, focus, etc. Just interesting to consider.

  3. #3
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    Whoah, interesting times if we see an in-flux of Olympic-level people.
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  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kansuke View Post
    One would hope he is preparing in a manner appropriate to the new forum within which he would fight.


    On a completely unrelated note, I wonder how many top-ranked MMA guys could so much as hold their own in a high level judo/wrestling/boxing/muay thai/etc competition? I don't mean that as putting them down in any way. It's just such a different focus from one context to another. Even MMA guys who were all American wrestlers in college, give them 3 months to prepare and take them to the nationals and how many would make it past the first round? Different training, focus, etc. Just interesting to consider.
    not really that off to consider...the rules of a venue certainly matter and you have to train for the venue...but, yea he's got to have gotten some stand up skills as well...maybe he's got some old school judo(jujitsu) in his background as well as the olympic focus.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vash View Post
    Whoah, interesting times if we see an in-flux of Olympic-level people.
    I want to see that TKD guy that kicked the ref.
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    I hope he does well, Judo is my favorite grappling art, I love the throws and foot sweeps that you see by guys like Karo Parysian. It makes for good MMA/TV. Its much more dynamic on its feet than BJJ. It all comes down to his ability to develop a striking game, and there have been some previous judo guys to make the transition.

  7. #7
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    There are so many news items about this

    It's getting a lot of international coverage. Ishii better deliver or he might lose a lot of face for judo.
    Gold medalist judoka Ishii to tackle pro world of martial arts

    OSAKA -- Satoshi Ishii, the Beijing Olympic gold medalist in the men's over 100-kg judo division, announced on Monday that he has started his career as a professional mixed martial arts fighter.

    "I'm a professional fighter from today," the 21-year-old Ishii said at a press conference on Monday, where he made an official announcement about his new career. "To become the strongest of the world's six billion people has been my dream since I was little. I think mixed martial arts is the toughest combat sports."

    Finally putting an end to all the commotion regarding his retirement from judo, Ishii showed no regret about his decision. He revealed that he had decided to quit judo before he was chosen as a representative for the Beijing Olympics. "You only get one life, and I don't want to have any regrets. I will start as a beginner in mixed martial arts," said Ishii.

    Although Ishii said he had yet to decide on when to debut and which mixed martial arts organization to join, he is expected to take part in the "Dream" fighting event alongside his high school senior Yoshihiro Akiyama.
    Ishii trades gold judo medal for ticket to mixed martial arts
    8 hours ago

    TOKYO (AFP) — Japan's judo star Satoshi Ishii brushed off his Olympic gold medal as merely a ticket to greater glory as he announced a switch to the cash-rich world of mixed martial arts.

    Only three months after saving Japan's pride at the Beijing Olympics, the 21-year-old disappointed many in the homeland of tradition-bound judo by joining what is still widely seen as a make-believe sport designed largely for television.

    "I had made up my mind that I would go to the world of mixed martial arts whether I won or lost at the Olympics," Ishii said late Monday, in a move that will see him combining techniques from judo, karate, kick-boxing and wrestling.

    "I want to throw away the judo gold medal and everything, and fight it out in another world by starting from scratch with a white belt," said the black belt holder, who at 181 centimetres (6 feet) and 110 kilogrammes (240 pounds) is small for a heavyweight.

    Ishii, fighting at the world's top level for the first time in Beijing, was one of the only two Japanese who made the podium in men's Judo, as Japan registered a record-low medal haul in the sport.

    Japan's judo establishment bans professionals in any other combat sport from competing under its auspices, making it impossible for Ishii to go for another gold at the 2012 London Olympics.

    "He has kept on training while other people rested. He has interesting talent and will be missed because he could stimulate other participants," said Kazuo Yoshimura, director of technical development at the All-Japan Judo Federation.

    Critics fear that Ishii, who has irritated judo purists with his no-holds-barred style, could inspire others to follow him into a sport full of colourful figures, in which his earnings could easily top 100 million yen (one million dollars) per match.

    "In my value system, mixed martial arts is the strongest," said Ishii.

    "I have always dreamed of becoming a man who is the 'only one in six billion'," he added, in a reference to Russian mixed martial art fighter Fedor Emelianenko, who has dominated the sport for five years.

    "I am a total newcomer and I have no confidence in winning a match now. But I strongly feel I will work hard and succeed in this world, no matter what," he said, citing legendary Brazilian Rickson Gracie as his model in the trade.

    Before Ishii, other Olympic and world judo champions have also stepped into professional martial arts -- but only when they were past their prime at around 30. They include four-time world heavyweight and open champion Naoya Ogawa, Barcelona Olympic 78kg gold medallist Hidehiko Yoshida and Sydney Olympics 81kg winner Makoto Takimoto.

    Ishii, who has gifted his Olympic gold to the gym of his hero Ogawa, did not reveal which one of the multitude of martial arts organisations he would join. His debut in the sport will wait until his graduation from Tokyo's Kokushikan University in March.

    "I've told him there should be some other way he could choose," Japanese Olympic men's coach Hitoshi Saito said. "I can only wish he won't get hurt."

    Ishii could have made a living by joining one of Japan's company teams, which hire judo talent as corporate billboards on a semi-professional basis and pay tens of millions of yen a year.

    The son of a high school judo teacher, Ishii acknowledged that his parents wanted him to stay in judo. But he said he wanted to be true to his own aspirations.

    "It would be no good if I don't live out my words," Ishii said, adding of his parents: "I want to succeed and give them decent lives."
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  8. #8
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    Ufc

    That might be a good show. I might have to tune in...
    Japan Olympic champ Ishii plans move to Ultimate Fighting
    16 hours ago

    TOKYO (AFP) — Japan's Olympic judo heavyweight champion Satoshi Ishii plans to join the US-based Ultimate Fighting Championship next year, bypassing domestic competitions.

    The 21-year-old university student disappointed Japan's judo circles last month when he announced a switch to the cash-laden world of mixed martial arts three months after his gold-medal feat in his Olympic debut in Beijing.

    "I have had UFC on my mind as my ultimate goal," Ishii was quoted as saying by the Nikkan Sports daily Wednesday.

    "I had thought about fighting a few matches in Japan at first. But if this were train travel, my credentials would be an express ticket. I wonder why I should bother to go by a slow train," he said.

    Ishii said UFC was "what (US) Major Leagues are to baseball."

    "There are many strong fighters in the heavyweight rank. I think it's the real thing."

    But Ishii, due to graduate from Tokyo's Kokushikan University in March, said he had not yet started talks with UFC.

    UFC, packaged as a no-holds-barred sport with matches fought in a octagonal caged ring, is considered the largest mixed martial arts promotion in the world with growing popularity worldwide via television.

    "I want to go to the United States around next March and make sure I can get used to the environment and go on without accumulating stress," he told the daily. "I'll make my debut next summer or autumn at the earliest."

    Ishii, relatively small for a judo heavyweight at 181 centimetres (six feet) and 110 kilograms (240 pounds), has long expressed his wish to compete in mixed martial arts, which combines techniques from judo, karate, kick-boxing and wrestling.

    He had been reportedly lured by DREAM and other Japanese mixed martial arts organisations.

    Ishii was one of the only two Japanese who made the podium in men's judo as Japan registered a record-low Olympic medal haul in the sport at the Beijing Games.

    Japan's judo establishment fears that Ishii, who has irritated judo purists with his no-holds-barred style, could inspire others to follow him into a sport full of colourful figures, in which his earnings could easily top 100 million yen (one million dollars) per match.
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  9. #9
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    UFC 92 “Ultimate 2008”

    If he shows, he'll be at ringside (cageside?) for sure. Anyone dialed in for Dec 27th?
    Report: Gold medalist Ishii accepts invitation to attend UFC 92
    December 21, 2008 by Sam Caplan

    In recent months reports had circulated through the Japanese media that 2008 Olympic judo gold medalist Satoshi Ishii had abandoned hopes of trying to win a second gold in the 2012 Olympics in favor of pursuing a career in mixed martial arts.

    After wavering whether he was going to leave Judo for MMA, Ishii finally made his decision to cross over and was heavily pursued by FEG’s DREAM promotion as well as World Victory Road’s Sengoku.

    Based on his overwhelming popularity garnered through his impressive showing during the Beijing game, Ishii was viewed as the kind of superstar who could help Japan’s struggling MMA scene.

    Reports would eventually surface that Ishii had agreed to sign with DREAM and make his MMA debut in 2009 following an appearance during FEG’s “Fields Dynamite!!” on December 31 in Saitama, Japan.

    However, it appears that Ishii remains a free agent and has already stated that his desire is to make his MMA debut in the United States while competing for the UFC.

    Now, according to a report by Nikkan Sports, UFC president Dana White has issued a response through the promotion’s Japanese PPV partner WOWOW in which he met Ishii’s comments with approval. Furthermore, the WOWOW statement attributed to White included a formal invitation for the standout Judoka to attend this week’s UFC 92 “Ultimate 2008” event in Las Vegas. Nikkan also is claiming that Ishii has accepted the invite and plans to be at the MGM Grand Garden Arena this Saturday.
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  10. #10
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    Update on ishii

    Satoshi Ishii VS Hidehiko Yoshida 12.31.2009

    Win to Yoshida via unam decision in 3rd round.

    ----------

    Satoshi Ishii VS Tafa Misipati 5.15.2010

    Win to Ishii via armbar in 1st round.

    having trouble finding info on his next fight, not sure if one is scheduled.
    Last edited by Lucas; 08-11-2010 at 03:15 PM.
    For whoso comes amongst many shall one day find that no one man is by so far the mightiest of all.

  11. #11
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    not sure if he has a site or not cant find one...


    edit:

    nvm found his facebook:

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Satoshi-Ishii/16888574183
    For whoso comes amongst many shall one day find that no one man is by so far the mightiest of all.

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    For whoso comes amongst many shall one day find that no one man is by so far the mightiest of all.

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    video quality was ehhh........ couldn't tell who was who most of the time.
    Originally posted by Bawang
    i had an old taichi lady talk smack behind my back. i mean comon man, come on. if it was 200 years ago,, mebbe i wouldve smacked her and took all her monehs.
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    i am manly and strong. do not insult me cracker.

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    ya was a horrible recording, only one i could find though

    i cant even find any info on his next fight. he had a 3rd but it was exhibition and he got disqualified for beating on his downed opponent when the ref called it....lol.
    For whoso comes amongst many shall one day find that no one man is by so far the mightiest of all.

  15. #15
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    Ishii will probably fight on new years eve.
    For whoso comes amongst many shall one day find that no one man is by so far the mightiest of all.

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