Judo Techniques and MMA Challenges

Judo Techniques and MMA challenges seems to be a very hot topic around the world, especially in Japan, the home of judo, the US and Latin America. More and more Judo Champions are starting to get involved in the MMA world. It looks like there is a lot more fame and money to earn there, rather than to stick to the pure discipline of judo.

Champions such as Hidehiko Yoshida, who has actively been involved in the judo competition world, winning outstanding medals between 1988 and 1999, among which Gold in the 78kg division at the Asian Games in 1988 Damasco (Siria); Bronze in the 78kg division at the 1991 World Championships Barcelona (Spain); Gold in the 78kg division at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics; Silver in the 78kg division at the 1993 World Championships Hamilton (Canada), Silver in the 86kg division in 1995 Chiba (Japan) and Gold in the 90kg division in 1999 Birmingham (Great Britain) entered the MMA circuit in November 2003 participating at the Pride Tournament.

After the 2008 Beijing Olympics Satoshi Ishii, the Judo Gold medallist of the over 100kg division announced, that he was going to enter the MMA circuit. He trained real hard to get ready, nevertheless his debut was delayed until the end of 2009. On 31st December he faced Hidehiko 

Yoshida, the 17 year older and more experienced MMA fighter and to the great disappointment of his fans, after many kicks and punches, both standing and on the ground, he lost 3 to 0. 

Everybody expected something more from this Judo Champion, who had been winning Silver in the 100kg division at the Asian Games in 2006 Doha (Qatar); Gold in the Open division at the Universiade 2007 in Bangkok (Thailand); Gold in the over 100kg division at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

It is quite astonishing how these great Judo Champions can be attracted to beatings themselves up in such a savage way for an amount of dollars (probably lots!), forgetting the ethical and sports principles of their discipline. But going back in judo's history, there are many examples of outstanding judokas who have been faced in one way or the other with "mixed martial arts", such as Sakujiro Yokoyama (1890); Shiro Saigo (1891); Yoshitsugu Yamashita (1903); Mitsuyo Kosei Maeda (1906); Yokoyama and Mifune (1909); Masahiko Kimura (1951); Nishi Yoshinori (1950-60); Anton Geesink (1965) and others.

However the first record of someone who had to deal with this belongs to the Father of Judo, Jigoro Kano, who in 1989 faced a Russian seaman in a challenge on the Ikawa Maru, a ship, that is now docked in the port of Yokohama and is a Museum on the water. Even though he had a "mixed martial art" experiences at the end he remained tied to his origins, ideals, ethics and judo techniques.

By Aida Guemati

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