Satoshi Ishii, the Olympic gold medalist in Judo, has always followed an unconventional path…
And, despite his successes in Judo, he decided to leave it behind and give his attempt at MMA.
Reflecting on this choice, Ishii explained:
I appreciate Judo, and I love Judo, but I want to try MMA.
[Even though I’m dissatisfied with the Japanese Judo Federation], it is not the reason why I left Judo.
It is my passion right now, first priority…
I want to try new challenges.
Ishii spoke fondly of his time in Judo – but also expressed dissatisfaction with the changes of rules in the sport, particularly the ban of leg grabs:
Our generation was much more difficult to beat, like in the Olympics and world titles.
I felt shame [about the rules change]… It’s like no more, not the same sport.
If you are good, you should defend and attack all the body.
His criticism extended to the leadership of the International Judo Federation (IJF):
The IJF President… He doesn’t know anything about Judo, just he has money.
Despite his move to MMA, Ishii remains deeply connected to Judo and everything that it has given him:
Judo… it’s a part of life, not just to win a gold medal.
