Ex-Taka-twins activities

[Akinomaki 30,348]

Ex-Takanofuji (23) today declared in a phone interview that he wants to become MMA fighter. At the moment he's looking for a place to join and is training in the Metropolitan area. He aims to enter a RIZIN event and in the future wants to become a member of the worlds biggest MMA organization UFC. o

he lost 50kg and is now at 115kg (about)

Edited October 25, 2021 by Akinomaki

[Katooshu 1,681]

Usually I feel a touch of sadness when I see that an ex-rikishi is going to try MMA, but in this case I'm all for him getting punched.

[Kaminariyuki 460]

Someone in makushita is cheering inside...

[Churaumi 618]

Depends what league. The UFC does testing (look up Jon Jones) and enforces it, can't say the same for every other league. And, the UFC does appear to only do random testing if someone popped positive before a match, but I am willing to be wrong about that. Either way, I'm glad this kid can use his talents somewhere other than inside the heya and hope his opponents do well against him.

Edited July 9, 2020 by Churaumi
added some well-wishes at the end

[Kaninoyama 954]

On 08/07/2020 at 00:33, Akinomaki said:

Ex-Takanofuji (23) today declared in a phone interview that he wants to become MMA fighter. At the moment he's looking for a place to join and is training in the Metropolitan area. He aims to enter a RIZIN event and in the future wants to become a member of the worlds biggest MMA organization UFC. o

he lost 50kg and is now at 115kg (about)

That is an impressive physical transformation. 

[Akinomaki 30,348]

On 07/07/2020 at 17:33, Akinomaki said:

Ex-Takanofuji (23) today declared in a phone interview that he wants to become MMA fighter. At the moment he's looking for a place to join and is training in the Metropolitan area. He aims to enter a RIZIN event and in the future wants to become a member of the worlds biggest MMA organization UFC. o

he lost 50kg and is now at 115kg (about)

Ex-Takanofuji managed to get into RIZIN.24, on the 27th, under the new name Sudario, Tsuyoshi, in the mood "Either I'll die or I'll kill the opponent"

o o

presentation event today https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-8EDomdcI4&t=23m7s

Lately Takagenji looks like he'll follow soon

Edited September 14, 2020 by Akinomaki

[cyclonicleo 18]

On 14/09/2020 at 01:00, Akinomaki said:

Ex-Takanofuji managed to get into RIZIN.24, on the 27th, under the new name Sudario, Tsuyoshi, in the mood "Either I'll die or I'll kill the opponent"

o o

presentation event today https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-8EDomdcI4&t=23m7s

Lately Takagenji looks like he'll follow soon

Not surprised to see RIZIN pick him up for this. He's a known name, brings some controversy and attitude, all of which means more ticket sales or publicity. They've matched him against Dylan James, who is a pro-wrestler from New Zealand, with no record either. I've followed Japanese MMA for many years and these fights are usually messy, ugly affairs. It'll be interesting to see how he goes and if he can take a punch.

[Joaoiyama 267]

1 hour ago, cyclonicleo said:

Not surprised to see RIZIN pick him up for this. He's a known name, brings some controversy and attitude, all of which means more ticket sales or publicity. They've matched him against Dylan James, who is a pro-wrestler from New Zealand, with no record either. I've followed Japanese MMA for many years and these fights are usually messy, ugly affairs. It'll be interesting to see how he goes and if he can take a punch.

I was worried that the promoters would put him against an actual professional fighter but it shouldn't be hard for him to beat this guy.

Remember what happened to Oosunaarashi? Lost to the worst mma fighter ever

[Seiyashi 1,985]

16 minutes ago, Joaoiyama said:

I was worried that the promoters would put him against an actual professional fighter but it shouldn't be hard for him to beat this guy.

Remember what happened to Oosunaarashi? Lost to the worst mma fighter ever

Sumo doesn't really translate well to MMA because it's so limited as a discipline compared to what the rest of the MMA fighters usually have. No strikes, kicks, punches, or holds. Even Wajima and Akebono didn't do very well as MMA fighters.

[Joaoiyama 267]

53 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

Sumo doesn't really translate well to MMA because it's so limited as a discipline compared to what the rest of the MMA fighters usually have. No strikes, kicks, punches, or holds. Even Wajima and Akebono didn't do very well as MMA fighters.

The rikishi who would do good in mma would be the ones that are good with harite and kachiage, mainly harite, take a look at Bas Rutten in pancrase, too bad the kyokai doesn't encourage these techniques. Kyokudozan and Hakuho would be the best representatives.

Fun fact, Lyoto Machida trained sumo in his youth and his balance is one of the best of all time in mma.

Edited September 21, 2020 by Joaoiyama

[Seiyashi 1,985]

Just now, Joaoiyama said:

The rikishi who would do good in mma would be the ones that are good with harite and kachiage, Kyokudozan and Hakuho would be the best representatives.

Fun fact, Lyoto Machida trained sumo in his youth and his balance is one of the best of all time in mma.

Not a surprise there then that harite and kachiage are considered legitimate in the same way as henkas are. Few rikishi would use them much less specialise in them, and Hakuho's only gotten away with it in spite of his rank because of his speed, arguments that it helps his belt game, and some unexpected support from the elders. And Endo then turns up the next basho and shows that it can be defended against. Net effect remains the same; few rikishi train in harite and kachiage, and therefore most of the rikishi who do go into MMA do so without those skills and wind up flopping.

That's not to say that sumo training doesn't help with other things like balance. Sumo sonkyo is quite similar to the Chinese "horse step", which is also a very basic stance taught by most Chinese martial arts to emphasise a strong core and balance with your lower body. So I wouldn't be surprised that early sumo training would help immensely with balance.

[yohcun 341]

1 hour ago, Seiyashi said:

Sumo doesn't really translate well to MMA because it's so limited as a discipline compared to what the rest of the MMA fighters usually have. No strikes, kicks, punches, or holds. Even Wajima and Akebono didn't do very well as MMA fighters.

I suspect Taka-yoshi-toshi-goshi-moshi is actually better poised to enter MMA than those guys, Osunaarashi, and Baruto, etc., because he's young, and has shed so much of his "sumo weight".

[Seiyashi 1,985]

Just now, yohcun said:

I suspect Taka-yoshi-toshi-goshi-moshi is actually better poised to enter MMA than those guys, Osunaarashi, and Baruto, etc., because he's young, and has shed so much of his "sumo weight".

Fair enough. And it might just suit his temperament more, I guess. Well, only time will tell.

[Joaoiyama 267]

9 minutes ago, yohcun said:

I suspect Taka-yoshi-toshi-goshi-moshi is actually better poised to enter MMA than those guys, Osunaarashi, and Baruto, etc., because he's young, and has shed so much of his "sumo weight".

He is training with Enson Inoue who is a legend, i think he might do better than the others who attempted to cross the bridge.

[Tochinofuji 156]

3 hours ago, Joaoiyama said:

He is training with Enson Inoue who is a legend, i think he might do better than the others who attempted to cross the bridge.

While I'm not much of a Takanofuji fan, I do love Enson, and wish him and his student well in his debut. 

[Akinomaki 30,348]

On 13/09/2020 at 19:00, Akinomaki said:

Ex-Takanofuji managed to get into RIZIN.24, on the 27th, under the new name Sudario, Tsuyoshi, in the mood "Either I'll die or I'll kill the opponent"

The new Mr. Sudario won his debut fight by TKO

oo o  o

In the interview he thanked first his wife, his mother, Konishiki, who had introduced him to Enson, Enson and his other coach

The Saitama Budokan Super Arena looked quite packed

Yesterday RIZIN published a sort of interview with him https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8W-Gb15Uek

Edited October 9, 2020 by Akinomaki

[Kaninoyama 954]

Unbelievable physical transformation. He may be the rare sumo wrestler who makes a successful transition into MMA. 

[Yamanashi 2,161]

40 minutes ago, Kaninoyama said:

Unbelievable physical transformation. He may be the rare sumo wrestler who makes a successful transition into MMA. 

Well, he's the rare sumo wrestler who likes to punch people ... ooh, sorry, too soon??

[Kaninoyama 954]

8 minutes ago, Yamanashi said:

Well, he's the rare sumo wrestler who likes to punch people ... ooh, sorry, too soon??

Maybe he was in the wrong sport all along.

[Asashosakari 16,026]

5 minutes ago, Kaninoyama said:

Maybe he was in the wrong sport all along.

Can you believe he used to play basketball? I wonder how that worked for somebody with too much of a mean streak for sumo.

[Yamanashi 2,161]

7 minutes ago, Asashosakari said:

Can you believe he used to play basketball? I wonder how that worked for somebody with too much of a mean streak for sumo.

Akebono spent a year at Hawaii Pacific University on a basketball scholarship.  If he had done Sumo first and then basketball, he probably would have fouled out of every game.

[Katooshu 1,681]

I know the opponent was poor, but he looked pretty good for a newbie.

[cyclonicleo 18]

Agreed - he looked good, his opponent, however, gassed far too quickly.

[Seiyashi 1,985]

I'm wondering if it wasn't a borderline work. His opponent took two punches, went to grab him around the knees, and never went face up for the rest of the match.

[Yokozuna Hattorizakura 91]

1 hour ago, Seiyashi said:

I'm wondering if it wasn't a borderline work. His opponent took two punches, went to grab him around the knees, and never went face up for the rest of the match.

His opponent is a pro wrestler, so I wouldn't be surprised. he knows how to sell...