SatoshiIshii Posts -- FanHouse

Latest SatoshiIshii Stories

Sengoku Notes: Sengoku vs. Dynamite!!; Omigawa-Hioki Set for Nov. 7

Posted: Sep 23rd 2009 7:47AM by Ray Hui (author feed)
Filed under: Sengoku

World Victory Road announced Wednesday during Sengoku 10 that it's New Year event this year will happen on New Year's Eve -- directly against its No. 1 competitor FEG's event, "Dynamite!! 2009."

The promotion had been deciding between New Year's Eve or Jan. 3, and last year avoided going head-to-head against Dynamite!! by booking "Sengoku No Ran" on Sunday, Jan. 4. Perhaps the big name signing of 2008 Olympic judo gold medalist Satoshi Ishii has given the promotion the confidence to run a show on the most important television date of the year in Japan. Ishii will make his MMA debut at the event against 1994 gold medalist Hidehiko Yoshida.

Continue Reading Sengoku Notes: Sengoku vs. Dynamite!!; Omigawa-Hioki Set for Nov. 7

UFC in 'Exclusive Negotiations' With Olympic Judo Gold Medalist Satoshi Ishii

Posted: Dec 28th 2008 6:22PM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: UFC

6 COMMENTS

Satoshi Ishii, the Japanese heavyweight who won a gold medal in judo in Beijing, has said from the moment he got off the medal stand that he would like to try mixed martial arts.

Now the world's premier MMA organization, the UFC, says it's in "exclusive negotiations" to sign Ishii. From UFC.com:

"I was impressed with the training programs here in Las Vegas and the UFC event," said Mr. Ishii. "I am looking forward to working with the UFC and to developing my mixed martial arts skills."

"Satoshi Ishii has the potential to be very successful in mixed martial arts," said Dana White, UFC President. "We can't wait to start working with Mr. Ishii, we look forward to helping him with his training, his career, and his eventual debut in a professional fight."

It's not quite clear what "exclusive negotiations" means, and until a contract is signed, this isn't a huge deal. But it is a sign that the UFC is serious about making an impact in Japan.

Knockout Night at UFC 92

Wanderlei Silva begins to fall after a knock out punch by Quinton Jackson, right, during their UFC light heavyweight mixed martial art match Saturday, Dec. 27, 2008 at The MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)

Quinton Jackson celebrates his first round KO over victory over Wanderlei Silva during their UFC light heavyweight mixed martial art match Saturday, Dec. 27, 2008 at The MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)

Wanderlei Silva is worked on after being knocked out by Quinton Jackson during the first round of their UFC light heavyweight mixed martial art match Saturday, Dec. 27, 2008 at The MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)

Wanderlei Silva is worked on by medical staff after being knocked out by Quinton Jackson during the first round of their UFC light heavyweight mixed martial art match Saturday, Dec. 27, 2008 at The MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)

Forrest Griffin, left, takes a right from Rashad Evans during their UFC light heavyweight mixed martial art championship match Saturday, Dec. 27, 2008 at The MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Evans won by TKO in the third. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)

Forrest Griffin is worked on by his corner just before the third round during his UFC light heavyweight mixed martial art match against Rashad Evans, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2008 at The MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Evans won by TKO in the third. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)

Rashad Evans, left, takes a right from Forrest Griffin during their UFC light heavyweight mixed martial art match Saturday, Dec. 27, 2008 at The MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Evans won by TKO in the third. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)

Rashad Evans, right, trades punches with Forrest Griffin during their UFC light heavyweight mixed martial art championship match Saturday, Dec. 27, 2008 at The MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Evans won by TKO in the third round. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)

Rashad Evans connects with a right to Forrest Griffin during the third round of their UFC light heavyweight mixed martial art match Saturday, Dec. 27, 2008 at The MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Evans won in the third round by TKO. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)

Rashad Evans celebrates his third round TKO victory over Forrest Griffin during their UFC light heavyweight mixed martial art match Saturday, Dec. 27, 2008 at The MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)

Video Blog: Dana White Chats With FanHouse as He Prepares for UFC 92

Posted: Dec 28th 2008 10:09AM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: MMA Videos, UFC

0 COMMENTS

Here's the latest installment of UFC President Dana White's video blog:

Included in his Friday activities was his FanHouse live chat, and if you listen closely you can hear my voice when White is on the phone.

More significantly, White visits with Japan's Olympic judo gold medalist Satoshi Ishii, and both men say they hope Ishii will sign with the UFC. White also tells UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta that Rampage Jackson can't make weight, although as it turned out, Jackson did manage to get down to the light heavyweight limit of 206 pounds.

Next for Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic: Not Alistair Overeem, Not Satoshi Ishii, Then Who?

Posted: Dec 1st 2008 11:27AM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: DREAM

0 COMMENTS

We know that Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic will not have a rematch with Alistair Overeem on New Year's Eve, but what is in Cro Cop's future? This TV report sheds some light on why Cro Cop-Overeem 2 didn't pan out:

The report indicates that Cro Cop is going to fight on New Year's Eve, but not against either Overeem or the judo gold medalist Satoshi Ishii. My own feeling is that Dream/K-1 would like to match Cro Cop up with someone like Hong Man Choi for New Year's Eve, but at this point Cro Cop's future is anyone's guess.

A full translation of the above video is below.

Continue Reading Next for Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic: Not Alistair Overeem, Not Satoshi Ishii, Then Who?

Judo Gold Medalist Satoshi Ishii Wants to Fight Mirko Cro Cop, Hong Man Choi in MMA Ring

Posted: Nov 4th 2008 1:07PM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: DREAM

1 COMMENT

After Satoshi Ishii won the Olympic judo gold medal, he promptly said he'd like to fight Fedor Emelianenko in a mixed martial arts match.

That doesn't look like it's going to happen any time soon, but Ishii is ready to try MMA, and he has his sights set on a couple of well-known opponents, the former Pride star Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic and the Korean giant Hong Man Choi.

Ishii is quoted in an article at dnevnik.hr saying that he knows he's starting from scratch in MMA, but he would like to fight a big name like Cro Cop, who is back to fighting in Japan after an unsuccessful stint in UFC, or Choi, the 7-foot-2 kickboxer who took on Fedor last New Year's Eve.

An English translation of the article is below.

Continue Reading Judo Gold Medalist Satoshi Ishii Wants to Fight Mirko Cro Cop, Hong Man Choi in MMA Ring

Olympic Judo Gold Medalist Satoshi Ishii to Make MMA Debut

Posted: Oct 28th 2008 10:13PM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: DREAM

3 COMMENTS

Satoshi Ishii won the Olympic judo heavyweight gold medal in Beijing, and that made him a star in Japan.

But the 21-year-old Ishii is giving up on judo and taking his talents to a new sport: mixed martial arts. The Japanese newspaper Sports Nippon is reporting (via FightOpinion.com) that Ishii will make his MMA debut and appear at the New Year's Eve at K-1 Dynamite event at Saitama Super Arena.

Ishii, a 5-foot-11, 238-pounder, has been talking about switching to MMA since almost the moment the gold medal was put around his neck; he challenged Fedor Emelianenko in August and has been talking about MMA regularly since then. With few opportunities to make a living in Olympic sports like judo, taekwondo and wrestling, MMA is likely to be the professional option for increasing numbers of Olympians.

UPDATE: After the jump, see the translation courtesy of our friend Suki MMA.

Continue Reading Olympic Judo Gold Medalist Satoshi Ishii to Make MMA Debut

Next for Fedor Emelianenko: Ishii? Cro Cop? Overeem? Arlovski? Barnett? Freak Show?

Posted: Sep 24th 2008 11:06AM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: Affliction, DREAM, MMA Videos

3 COMMENTS

We still don't know whether Fedor Emelianenko's next fight will be for Dream on New Year's Eve in Japan, or for Affliction ~~on January 17~~ some time in the first quarter of 2009 in Anaheim.

But to me, a more important question than the when and the where is the who. A quick look at some of the names that have been mentioned as a potential next opponent for Fedor:

Satoshi Ishii (pictured): After winning the gold medal in judo in the 220-pound and over weight class, Ishii challenged Fedor. And when Fedor addressed the crowd at Dream.6, the one potential opponent he mentioned by name was Ishii. But I don't think it's going to happen. Dave Meltzer reports that Japan's national judo federation is totally opposed to a Fedor-Ishii fight, and the 21-year-old Ishii wants to be the biggest star in judo for years to come. This is a fight that shouldn't happen and probably won't happen, at least not any time soon. But as for fights that could and should happen, there are four possible names...

Continue Reading Next for Fedor Emelianenko: Ishii? Cro Cop? Overeem? Arlovski? Barnett? Freak Show?

Fedor Emelianenko Likely to Fight for Dream on New Year's Eve; Affliction Is Screwed

Posted: Sep 23rd 2008 6:06AM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: Affliction, DREAM

7 COMMENTS

Fedor Emelianenko attended today's Dream.6 event in Japan and addressed the crowd during the intermission, and he suggested that he'll be back in Japan to fight on New Year's Eve for the sixth straight year.

That would be terrible news for Affliction, which has said it will have Fedor -- who is widely regarded as the best heavyweight in mixed martial arts -- in its January show in Southern California.

It should be noted that Fedor was speaking in Russian, it was translated to the crowd into Japanese, and I'm basing this post on the words of the HDNet translator who translated from Japanese into English. So it's possible something got lost here. But all indications were that as Fedor finished talking to the crowd, the fans were under the impression that they'll be seeing him on New Year's Eve.

Continue Reading Fedor Emelianenko Likely to Fight for Dream on New Year's Eve; Affliction Is Screwed