TEAM SAKU’s captain, Olympic judo gold medalist Masato Uchishiba, declares, “I’ll finish it off strongly.” TEAM RIZIN’s captain, Yusuke Yachi, says, “We’ll put on an aggressive match.”
On October 18, a weigh-in and press conference were held in preparation for the “10.19 JAPAN MARTIAL ARTS EXPO PROLOGUE.” This event will feature a Quintet Rules one-match fight, TEAM SAKU vs. TEAM RIZIN under Quintet rules, Ganryujima rules matches, and a boxing match between Koji and Buakaw, divided into four segments for a total of five matches in the second half. All participating fighters appeared on stage.
The third match, “TEAM SAKU vs. TEAM RIZIN,” will be a 5 vs 5 elimination-style team battle under Quintet rules. The total weight limit for the five fighters is set at 380 kg. The matches will generally be 8 minutes long, but if there is a weight difference of more than 10 kg between opponents, a 4-minute match is allowed. If a fighter shows passive behavior during the match, they will be given a warning, and three warnings result in disqualification.
TEAM SAKU is led by Taisei Sakuraba, the son of “IQ Wrestler” Kazushi Sakuraba. At 25 years old, Taisei comes from a judo background and made his professional fighting debut in September 2023 at a Quintet event, where he showcased his potential by defeating Olympic judo gold medalist Masato Uchishiba with a kneebar in his first match. He is joined by four fierce competitors: Masato Uchishiba, Shutaro Debana, Naoki Hirata, and Dzhumanazarov Ratbek, forming TEAM SAKU.
On the other side, TEAM RIZIN will be represented by five elite fighters from RIZIN, one of the top Japanese martial arts organizations: Yusuke Yachi, Satoru Kitaoka, Takesji Yokoyama, Kazuma Kuramoto, and Suguru Nii, all of whom are active fighters in RIZIN.
The order of the fighters was revealed at the press conference.
TEAM RIZIN
1st: Takeji Yokoyama
2nd: Satoru Kitaoka
3rd: Kazuma Kuramoto
4th: Suguru Nii
5th (Captain): Yusuke Yachi
TEAM SAKU
1st: Dzhumanazaravo Ratbek
2nd: Naoki Hirata
3rd: Shutaro Debana
4th: Taisei Sakuraba
5th (Captain): Masato Uchishiba
The fighter matchups were announced by calling out names during the press conference, and there were surprised reactions as each fighter took the stage. The battle between these two teams, focusing on their strategies, techniques, and power, has drawn great attention.
Comments from TEAM SAKU and TEAM RIZIN at the press conference
◎TEAM RIZIN
1st fighter, Takeji Yokoyama:
“Hello, I’m Takeji Yokoyama. I’ve always wanted to fight in a Quintet, and although I’m the youngest, I asked to go first. My senior teammates agreed, so I’m aiming for an exciting match. Please support me!”
2nd fighter, Satoru Kitaoka:
“Well, I’ll be treating this like an entertaining exhibition match.”
3rd fighter, Kazuma Kuramoto:
“I’m the lightest in the team, and I was placed in the middle. I’ll ask my team and coach later about the reasoning behind that and make sure I complete my mission.”
4th fighter, Suguru Nii:
“I’m the fourth, so I’m not sure when my turn will come, but I plan to beat everyone and finish by submitting my childhood hero, Uchishiba-san.”
Captain, Yusuke Yachi:
“So, is there a chance to reconsider the order? (laughs) No? Alright, we’ll stick to this lineup. I plan to showcase an aggressive match under Quintet rules. Thank you.”
◎TEAM SAKU
1st fighter,Dzhumanazarov Ratbek:
“I’m Ratbek. I’ll do my best tomorrow. Please support me!”
2nd fighter, Naoki Hirata:
“I’ll aim to fight as many matches as possible tomorrow, have fun, and make sure everyone enjoys watching. Thank you!”
3rd fighter, Shutaro Debana:
“I go by the ring name Captain☆Africa in MMA, but in the Quintet, I’m using my real name, Debana. Sorry for the confusion. I’ll do my best tomorrow.”
4th fighter, Taisei Sakuraba:
“I’m Taisei Sakuraba. Yesterday, I said I’d take down all five opponents, but I chickened out and ended up further down the order. I hope to showcase the fun of team battles and grappling tomorrow. Please support us.”
Captain, Masato Uchishiba:
“Thank you for your support. Everyone wanted to go first, but based on enthusiasm, I ended up last (laughs). I plan to finish things off strongly and show an aggressive fight. Thank you.”
Comments from the fighters competing in the Quintet Rules One-Match
▼ 2nd match / Quintet rules / 8-minute match / 64 kg contract
Carolina Kuwahara (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu / Japan):
“This is my second time in a Quintet, and I’m aiming for a submission.”
Azuki Nakao (Judo / Japan):
“I’ve been training in martial arts for less than a year, but I’m going all out to beat top fighters.”
▼ 1st match / Quintet rules / 8-minute match / 49 kg contract
Yukari Kido (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu / Brazil):
“I’ll fight with full belief in my potential.”
NOEL (MMA / Japan):
“I’m honored to be fighting on the Quintet stage, which I’ve always admired. I’ll give it my all.”
Event Overview
Noto Peninsula Earthquake Charity Event
JAPAN MARTIAL ARTS EXPO PROLOGUE
Event Date: Saturday, October 19, 2024
Doors Open: 12:30 PM, Event Starts: 2:00 PM
Venue: Yokohama BUNTAI (2-7-1 Furocho, Naka Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa 231-0032)
Organizer: Japan Martial Arts Consortium
Ticket Prices: Arena Reserved Seats ¥10,000 (excluding tax) / General Admission (Free Seating) ¥3,000 (excluding tax)
Tickets on Sale: From Tuesday, October 1, 2024, via ePlus and other ticketing services.
How to watch：
12:30-（JST) U-NEXT（Only in Japan・Free）
https://video.unext.jp/livedetail/LIV0000006877?rid=FS00040
14:00-（JST) TrillerTV（Worldwide exlculding Japan・PPV）
https://www.trillertv.com/watch/japan-martial-arts-expo-2024/2pfqy/
14:00-（JST) Fight Plus（Worldwide excluding Japan・PPV）
https://fightplus.eu/item.html?id=4949480
Official Website：https://jmaexpo.com/
For the latest updates, please check the official social media channels