Judo in the mixed martial arts: PRIDE (SHOCKWAVE), 25 March 16 2003Judo is again going through a revival due to the notable success of Hidehiko Yoshida, Unfortunately we haven’t caught the bug here in Britain yet but who knows. Yoshida since that controversial win over the Brazilian Jujutsu master, Royce Gracie, has gone on to defeat the MMA king Don Frye. What’s more he is developing a camp all of his own training other Judoka to enter the MMA arena. The latest Pride saw the debut of Kazuhiro Nakamura. He fought well and at some point during the fight he didn’t actually look like he had a traditional Judo style. But that didn’t last for long as he took the Jujutsu master, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, to the ground with a beautiful Ko-tsuri-goshi. All the more impressive as they didn’t wear traditional kimono. Nakamura eventually lost to the more experienced fighter by maitta due to an Ude-hishigi-juji-gatame. The Judoka did show tremendous punching power so I assume Yoshida brushed up Nakamura’s hands for the fight. This striking ability did impress me, as most shiai-Judoka tend to run head first into the clinch. Maybe the difference is the Japanese use of kata in their training. Hint, hint!!! The young Judoka fought stand-up with the Brazilian who was clearly uncomfortable on his feet with the Judoka. But the Brazilian knew that once on the floor he would have the psychological and technical edge. This could be a chance for IJF to halt the shiai emphasis and return to a more traditional practice. The only criticism I had of the Judoka was that when he was able to throw the he should have brought the Jujutsuka down on his head trying to knockout his opponent. But no, Nakamura brought him down squarely on both shoulders. This only resulted in the Brazilian being in the position he wanted to be in. but just out of his own control, on the ground. I am not saying that Judoka cannot beat a Ju-jutsuka on the ground as we did this in the Yoshida Fight. But when Nakamura threw him as in contest to achieve an ippon he denied himself the one weapon judo gives us over BJJ, the ability to take out an attacker just by moving his/her body at such speed through the air that any impact with the floor would almost certainly be fatal. The match as you would imagine was decided on the floor. No doubt that the judoka will return to the MMA arena but I hope he will have better results. The brilliance of the Shihan Kano was that great that he himself looked into the future and saw that the fighter in modern times would have to be able to fight on the ground and standing up. At distance we should be able to fight as well as those in karate using the very many effective striking techniques that belong to judo. Also being able to wrestle while standing up resulting in a throw to take the bigger attacker to the ground. That’s if we hadn’t knocked them out, standing, with an atemi-waza (striking technique) or a Shime-waza (choking or strangling technique) or brought them under complete control with a Kansetsu waza (joint locking technique). Not to mention are unique ability to fight on the ground (Kumiuchi), (Katame waza) or (Ne-waza) ground techniques. We should be able to fight on the ground just like the Brazilians. Mixed Martial art contests are arriving at a truth that was revealed nearly 120 years ago. I just hope we, the custodians of that truth, are able to realise and fulfil it. Kata, practiced as it should be, is a start. The techniques of kata are just as valid as the techniques of the gokyu. So hopefully Budokwai will lead the way by teaching kata before it is implemented by the BJA. What do you say Ray, Syd et al?? Sam
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