Japanese MMA had rough monthes from September to October

This year, September and October had many large local MMA shows in Japan such as Pancrase 252, VTJ 3rd and Tribe Tokyo Fight, but I have found many recent faults in JMMA.

First, we saw ridiculous decisions with Shinji Sasaki vs Bogdan Cristea and Marlon Sandro vs Yojiro Uchimura. If you see the fights, there seems to be no way to justify those decisions, but honestly I can find logic behind them.

Damage is always favored in the judging criteria in Japanese MMA. That started with Pride. When compared to the United States, Japanese fighters generally have a tendency to take and land more damage because it is essential for the judging criteria.

I won't go into balancing damage versus point-scoring here because it is apples and oranges and everyone has a different opinion. Also, it is true that sometimes judges don't judge by damage.

Pride era fighters went forward to brawl or take opponents down after suffering damage from strikes because it erased the impression of receiving damage in the judges' minds. Each attack has a degree of damage, but how can we compare different kinds of damage or completely different things like positioning?

In the one example, Sasaki jabbed Cristea for the entire fight, while Cristea knocked Sasaki down once and otherwise landed no major attacks at all. Sasaki's jab was effective and he bloodied up Cristea, but I think the judges gave the fight to Cristea based solely on damage during the one brief time period.


Shinji Sasaki

With Sandro and Uchimura, it was a nearly even fight in the striking, but I gave a slight edge to Uchimura because of his middle kicks. However, Sandro took Uchimura down for scoring purposes, and while he did not mount much offense from the top, it was enough to win him the round. The judges totally ignored the takedown and gave the round to Uchimura.

The extreme focus on damage in Japanese judging criteria does not work for MMA, and that was confirmed after watching those two decisions. I even thought that Sasaki's jabs did more damage than Cristea's one knockdown did, so if damage was so important, Sasaki still should have won.

Also, at Pancrase 252, Jordan Currie choked out Shungo Oyama by arm-triangle. Referee Ryogaku Wada did not hear the bell ring for whatever reason and he did not separate the fighters until after extra seconds had elapsed. When Wada finally separated them, Oyama was out cold. The officials realized that extra time had passed, so they discussed the situation.

Check out Dean Marchand's report for more details about this problem.

After time had passed, Pancrase officials announced the result of their discussion and declared that Jordan Currie had won by TKO at 5:00 of the first round. They confirmed that Oyama appeared to be unconscious at 4 minutes and 58 seconds

As well, many fighters missed weight during September and October. At Pancrase 252, it was Dom O'Grady and Daniel Swain.

Hayato "Mach" Sakurai realized that he could not make weight before his fight at "Mach" festival and tried to make a catchweight contract with Shamar Bailey two weeks beforehand. After his flight and the rule meeting, Bailey demanded that Sakurai cut weight and that resulted in the immediate cancellation of the fight.

In Shooto, Brian Choi missed weight against Akitoshi Tamura. Akitoshi got angry about this and pointed out that, unlike other organizations, Shooto does not have any rules in place to punish overweight fighters besides warning them that they will be suspended if they do it again.


Akitoshi Tamura

At Deep Jewels 1, Sadae Numata defeated Celine Haga. The problem was that Numata came in overweight for that fight and still got a title shot against Seo Hee Ham. Fighters who miss weight should not get that.

From my standpoint, I blame the fighter who missed weight when it leads to controversy and arguments with others because it is the source of the problem.

Lastly, at VTJ 3rd, Megumi Fujii fought Jessica Aguilar in a rematch. Aguilar thumbed Fujii in the eye twice in the first round and that was enough for Megumi to lose sight in her eye for the rest of the fight.

After more than 15 minutes of rest, Megumi strongly appeared to want to fight on and the fight did eventually continue. She said she knew that if the doctor said the fight should stop then there was no other way, and she understood that, but I was against it that day.

I think the fight should be a no contest since there was no fault by Megumi. Audiences are supportive about whatever injury conditions there are, and organizations shouldn't go against the laws of sports for any reason because that defines part of the value of sports as a whole.

I don't think that all Western MMA sports perspectives are better than Japanese MMA perspectives, but the past several months have been too tough for Japanese MMA lovers. I have never witnessed this many rough months from a sports perspective during all of the years that I have followed JMMA.

Big thanks to Robert Sargent  (MMA Rising) for English editing.

Japanese MMA scene Fighter to watch out

At 2010 who can be break out MMA fighter in Japanese scene?I choice fighter who worth to watch out for your 2010 Japanese MMA scene joy.I don't think all of them will have great 2010 but find your favorite fighter before everyone and enjoy those succeed is always hardcore fans joy.

I pick many fighter already have establish position in Japanese MMA scene.But you can expect more evolve from those fighter.I think I pick many Sengoku feather weight tourny participant,but that is best MMA tourny in last year's Japanese scene.So I think I can justified that.

Michihiro Omigawa (Yoshida Dojo)

One of most improve fighter in 2009.Especially in boxing (offense and defense)and chaining submission.If he improve his skill like last year,he can claim top of division.



Hatsu Hioki (ALIVE)

He didn't win Sengoku tourny what home country people hope for.But he shows his true skill sometime overlook by some people cause of some lose.His grappling clinic against Sengoku champ Masanori Kanehara show his real potential.

Marlon Sandro (Nova Uniao)

KO artist with ridiculous power and good balance.Put sleep some fighter not many known but talented like Yuji Hoshino.Need watch out if you like Jose Aldo who is same gym's development.

Masanori Kanehara (Paraestora Hachiouji)

No one think he will take major tourny when it started, but his rapid improve and fortunate reaches it.Show improve at strike, wrestle and submission.



Katsunori Kikuno (Alliance)

One of karate practitioner who got real MMA skill.He enter major and face Andre Dida who is many think too high caliber fighter to face at that time point.He beat him with crescent kick.Lose to Eddi Alvarez but still worth checking for improve.He will return DEEP before goin Dream again.Probably meet against Parky.

Wong Sik "Parky" Park (CMA Korea)

Beat up two Japanese (Yuichi Ikari, Atsuhiro Tsuboi) and high reputation make him major debut to meet Kuniyoshi Hironaka.He fought better than everybody thought but lose by injury.He suppose to meet DEEP champ Kikuno at this year.

Chan Sung Jung (Korean Top Team)

Already known for knock out FanJin Son for major organization eliminator make him
notice for hardcores.But knock off Shintaro Ishiwatari who is known for relentless striker make him real interest for fans.His hard fought against current Sengoku champ Masanori Kanehara define himself as a major quality fighter.

Mitsuhisa Sunabe (freelance)

He fought as a mediocre feather weight for MMA career but finally he find his best weight at flyweight.If he fight Shooto's flyweight at this year,that make big motivation for hardcore to go event.

Jussier Formiga (Nova Uniao)

Not notice by many people,But Jussier Formiga taking of no1 flyweight label from Japan is one of memorable thing at 2009.He will face Kojima again for this year to make this weight getting more establish.

Maximo "Maxi" Blanco (Yoshida Dojo)

Show his huge raw athlecism make him as interest to see future potential.He show improve at strike department.Responsible by Katsuhisa Tashiro make him beat Katsuya Inoue who is Pancrase Light weight champion.



Yusuke Honma (Paraestra Sapporo)

One of highest archive at grapple department.Debut this year's Shooto.Honma is Mundial finalist.

Tashiro Akai (Nova Uniao Japan)

Recently fight decent opponent but never touch major.Feather weight fighter become bantam weight and take Seiya Kawahara Who is last years local watchers attention.Gunning Inoue who is Pancrase bantam weight champion.

That's my choice of fighter to watch out at 2010 Japanese MMA scene.I personally think MMA team Alliance (run by Tsuyoshi "TK" Kohsaka) can make title run at Japanese locals.Because of Katsunori Kikuno who belongs to gym give back his experience to gym mate. But I can't make that much confidence.

I ask Jordan Breen for your Japanese MMA fighter (as rookie) to watch out.Comment for fighter added by me.

Koji Matsumoto (Master Japan)

Train under Kuniyoshi Hironaka,Matsumoto have good leg submission and won Shooto rookie tourny.

Junji "Sarumaru" Ito (Shooting Gym Yokohama)

Shooto's striker factory,Shooting Gym Yokohama's newest development add whole design of MMA game.

Thank you to Jordan Breen for pick ups.

Sengoku's judge criteria :How that decision coming

Sengoku is most notable for their strong matchmaking reputation, but one thing that always gets questioned is their judges' decisions.

I have Sengoku's pamphlet with their judging criteria. I'll explain them for those who want to know how they come to their decisions, since they don't use the unified rules.

Sengoku's Judging Criteria

If a fight doesn't finish inside the distance, three judges decide.

The fundamentals are:

1. Damage (Knockdowns, or strikes that give the judges confidence the same damage as a knockdown has taken place. Applied submissions, or "catches", create damage to the body.)

2. Dominance.

3. Aggression.

All three fundamentals are considered, and each round is scored on the ten-point must system. If at the end of the fight, a judge's scorecard is a draw, there is a must system in which a judge awards the fight to the fighter who they feel made the greater impression throughout the fight.

Since it is the ten-point must system, 10-10 round are acceptable (and actually quite common). There is no prioritization of the three fundamentals. There is no explanation about assessing striking volume, so damage is seemingly more important. There is also no explanation of the importance of takedowns, but there may be an emphasis as Sengoku's commission is intertwined with the Japanese wrestling community.

I watched these following three fights ten times each, and based my impressions on the Sengoku judging criteria:

Omigawa-Sandro

Omigawa was the more aggressive fighter. Damagewise, Omigawa stunned Sandro several times, with Sandro losing balance each time. Omigawa was also the only fighter to
score takedown.

Kanehara-Jung

Kanehara succeeded repeatedly on his takedown attempts. Damagewise, I think Jung offered more, but at the same time, Kanehara wasn't really hurt because he was being hit from the bottom.

Golyaev-Gomi

Golyaev did more damage, but Gomi succeeded with his takedowns, and was more aggressive.

I felt Sandro, Jung and Gomi all won their fights, but I didn't think any of the bout were the "Robbery of the Year." Of course, the decisions are questionable, but after finding Sengoku's judging criteria, it makes more sense. Hopefully you can consider them, and not just assume it's hometown favoritism with the judging.

I also want to point out how Japanese people felt about these fights, as these judges decisions were questioned in Japan, too. Kanehara-Jung was the most criticized. Omigawa's aggressive, forward attitude made an impression on live spectactors, compared to Sandro's passive attitude. However, in Kanehara-Jung, most spectators felt Jung won due to his damage from strikes.

There is a contradiction in these decisions. If Kanehara won against Jung, Fabricio Monteiro should have won the decision against Nick Thompson. Of course, people judge fights themselves, so there will always be discrepencies, but if Sengoku can at least create a central tendency for their judges and criteria, there can be transparency.

Big thanks to Jordan Breen for English support.