MMA News Forums - Genki Sudo on his image, state of MMA, and more

This guy just started his blog, and already he is producing some really interesting stuff:

MMA News From Around The World - August 23rd, 2008

Quote:

I think MMA fans around the world would like to hear the words of Japanese fighters. This is the first of what should be many posts taking the highlights of interviews and bringing them to "World MMA."

Speaking in a recent interview, on taking advantage of the US as a fighter, Sudo spoke of finding an image or character with which to "sell yourself" into the business.

"Whether the US can be used, I am not sure but... Looking at me, I am not so big... [when thinking about how to enter] my conclusion was I need a 'niche strategy'. Just like there are niche industries that fill [certain] needs."

"When I first started training, there were no other fighters at my gym with tattoos. I originally wanted to be a musician, so I had a lot of tattoos. And there weren't even really any other [Japanese] fighters with tattoos, so I thought, I will get [another] tattoo and make my debut.

Asked, "You were thinking about what sort of character you could sell..."

Genki replied, "Along with that, the ring entrance performance, the impact of the music... I saw the live concerts of bands like "Electric Groove" and the Red Hot Chili Peppers and I really thought that what was missing was that feeling of entertainment. I take the fight seriously but I also think that taking some things from the Japanese Pro-Wrestling scene into MMA is quite important."

Genki felt it was important to go to the US to help with his debut due to a number of factors in Japan, include being teased or bullied by the higher-ups because of his tattoos.

So, based on what he saw from foreign fighters in Pancrase, he went to the Beverly Hills Jiu-Jitsu Club to train with Bas Rutten, Mark Kerr, Marco Ruas, Oleg Taktarov and others.

How does Genki feel about Japan in the world of MMA?

"In Japan, MMA boomed faster than in other countries. It has been broadcast on free television from years back. Japan could be called an 'MMA Paradise'. But now, America and Korea are receiving a lot of attention, and Japan has lost its steam - it is in a period of decline. But there are various periods - of growth, of decline."

"This period of decline doesn't mean that Japanese MMA is just going to end. It can return to a state of growth and regain popularity. The question is how to do it. First, everyone has to try to make this period of decline as short as possible because timing is important.

He then talks about how different the US and Japanese business models are - the US is simply #1 with a lot of smaller organizations vying to move near it - whereas the biggest boom in Japan was with two equally popular organizations - Pride and K-1. However, he feels that in today's scene, it would be best if the attention and popularity weren't divided (between Sengoku and Dream).

Asked, "But there are also people that think if there isn't a rivalry, there won't be a rise in popularity..."

Genki replies, "No.. as it is, Japan doesn't have many fighters, there is a lack. And there are a lack of fighters in the limelight, they haven't been pushed properly. This is because it's a top-down approach [in Japan]... The US is completely bottom-up." (Full of people working their way from the bottom up).

"In capitalist/materialist society, it can't be helped that the US rose above. For Japan, the #1 thing is to attract fighters to want to fight in a Japanese ring. There needs to be an alluring power like Pride had. I think there is such a power that even the UFC doesn't have. Finding those aspects the UFC lacks and using them is the way for the Japanese promotions to prosper."

Genki sees the key points as bringing more of the entertainment aspect and linking that with appeal to the hardcore "maniac" fans, and to present the special "Japanese-ness" along with special rules and production quality ("Japan's special stage").

In Dream, as Japanese-only fights, Genki would like to see Shinya Aoki face J.Z. and Uno face Kawajiri. He thinks that the overall differences between the US and Japan can be used to allow MMA to prosper in both countries.

He doesn't believe Gomi's attitude would work well in the US, saying:

"He probably doesn't need to try to take advantage of the US. And the US is full of fighters with a similar style already. I believe instead of him, Aoki in US would be better. I mean, there's basically no one with a style like his in the UFC. It would be amazing to see him gogoplata someone in the UFC."

On Japanese fighters becoming more popular in the US, he believes they should present their "Japanese-ness" while also speaking English well, which is becoming more important as more Japanese fighters make their way to the states. They need to show their personality.

The interviewer comments that he has heard that among the Japanese fighters trying to appear in the UFC, a large portion of them are in English conversation classes.

Genki is the author of 8 books in Japanese, including this "Happiness Collection" which finds him traveling to various remote regions of Japan, talking about his philosophy of happiness, and includes many of his photos taken along the way. All of his books are very interesting and remain untranslated to English.

Also included are some pics and a translation of the Genki Sudo trading card. I highly recommend checking out the full post, and bookmarking this site

MMA News From Around The World

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