▼5th Match / Ganryujima Rules / 3 Rounds of 3 Minutes / Open Weight
〇 Terutsuyoshi (Sumo/Japan)
Push-out, Round 1, 1:29
● Yasuhiro Kido (Kickboxing/Japan)
Terutsuyoshi, a former sumo wrestler known for his aggressive and forward-moving style, rose to the rank of Maegashira 3. Though he retired from sumo in March 2024, at only 29 years old, his fighting spirit still burns bright, leading him to make his Ganryujima debut in September of the same year with a TKO victory.
His opponent, Yasuhiro Kido is a veteran kickboxer who has reigned as a top fighter in both the old and new K-1. Kido is known for his versatile kicks and excellent counterattacks, and he was the runner-up in the 2017 K-1 Super Welterweight Championship Tournament.
While former sumo wrestler Terutsuyoshi has a physical advantage, can Kido counter it by utilizing his speed in the fight?
In the first round, Kido circled around and took a southpaw stance, but Terutsuyoshi immediately pushed him out. Kido fell out of the ring, resulting in his first fall. Kido threw a left low kick, but Terutsuyoshi once again pushed him out, leading to a second fall with ease. After being pushed out twice, Kido loudly exclaimed, “Impossible, impossible!” He desperately tried to avoid Terutsuyoshi, but in the end, Terutsuyoshi chased him down and pushed him out one last time, securing the victory.
Commentator Sadaharu Tanigawa remarked, “You could’ve tried a little harder (laughs).” Kido responded, “This is impossible, seriously. How am I supposed to handle being pushed out like this? It’s sumo, come on, throw some strikes at least. Did you really want to win that badly?” Terutsuyoshi then commented, “I won. The match was arranged just six days ago, and I wasn’t sure if it could happen, so I’m thankful he accepted. I appreciate his warrior spirit. This rule set definitely worked in my favor, but I hope this fight showed how strong sumo can be under these conditions.”
Comments from the post-fight press conference
Terutsuyoshi (Sumo/Japan)
ーHow do you feel?
I wish I could’ve exchanged more strikes, but my opponent backed up when we got close to the edge, so I thought, ‘If he’s backing up, I might as well push him out.’ (You won by oshidashi—pushing out)
I thought he would apply more pressure, but he kept backing off. Once it got to that point, it was in my favor, and all I needed to do was keep the pressure on.
ーWhat about the high kick?
He threw a high kick in the middle of the match, but I dodged it, so I think I did well there. (Was it expected?)
Well, I saw it coming. I practiced for it, and I managed to dodge it well. He also threw a spinning backfist, but I closed the distance. That was one of the challenges I worked on. To someone watching, it might have seemed like an underwhelming match, but from our perspective, it was a tactical exchange.
ーKido said pushing out shouldn’t count
Even if he says that, he didn’t apply any pressure, and he backed up so far. It almost felt like an invitation to push him out, like a setup. It reminded me of the Dachou Club joke: ‘Please don’t push me out!’ It felt like that, like he was giving me an opportunity.
ーYou said you were going to have chanko nabe after the fight
Yeah, when I met him after the fight, he was surprisingly a really nice guy (laughs). During my sumo days, I was friendly outside the ring, too. But once we’re in the fight, it’s a different story.
ーDid you feel any real hostility?
Did it not look like it? Maybe it’s something only people inside the ring can understand, but there was some tension. He threw low kicks and high kicks, so he was doing what he needed to do. That’s how the fight played out. For us, there was definitely some intensity.
ーWhat’s next for you?
I didn’t lose, so I’ll keep training and getting stronger to help boost Ganryujima (the event). I’ll keep fighting. Mr. Tanigawa scouted me, so I’ll take on anyone who comes my way.”
Yasuhiro Kido (Kickboxing/Japan)
“Alright, let’s get started! Ask away!
ーYou’re not satisfied with the result?
It’s not about being satisfied or not. It’s simpler than that. First of all, the weight difference was huge. And then I got pushed out. If that’s what he’s going to do, there’s no way I can win (laughs). Everyone could see that coming. I said it in the promo videos and at the press conference, and I thought even the organizers would be mad if that happened. I was nervous, I had a plan—like if he did this, I’d land a right hand or something. I trained hard even in the short time I had. My heart was racing during my entrance, and I was pumped with my team. But then it ended with a push-out. It felt like a prank on YouTube or something. It was like a prank.
ーDid the loss affect you?
I didn’t lose anything. My career isn’t damaged even by 1mm. I didn’t take any punches, I’m not out of breath, and I didn’t get injured.
ーTerutsuyoshi joked about how he said not to push and then did
That’s not true (laughs). If you watch, you’ll see I was fully prepared, thinking about not getting taken down, defending against low kicks, knees to the face, all that. But if it turns into a sumo match… well. But those were the rules, so I can’t complain. And I’m not complaining. I haven’t lost anything. I got my fight money, so it’s all good. To be honest, the money was nice. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have taken the offer six days before the fight. Plus, I’ve got a fight in China in four weeks. I’m unscathed, so nothing was lost.
ーIf you could suggest something for the event?
If I could ask for something, I’d love for them to put powder or something on the outside of the ring. Like a powdered side, a sticky side, or a muddy side, and if you get pushed out, you fall into something messy. Not dry ice or anything—something fun like that!
ーHow was the physical collision with Terutsuyoshi?
Impossible. When a rikishi pushes you, you just go flying. If there’s no out-of-bounds rule, I’d like them to extend it to 10 push-outs or something. Then it would be like once every 18 seconds, so there’d be more time to land a kick.
ーWas there any strategy in the fight?
Definitely. I was aiming for a KO, but he was smart, keeping his distance and avoiding any attacks. He’s good at maneuvering around the dohyo (sumo ring). I thought I could escape by moving my feet, but he was too skilled.
ーWhat about your fall outside the ring?
The first time I fell, I didn’t even realize what happened and thought, ‘Oh no!’ The second time, I exaggerated a bit when I fell. The crowd enjoyed it, and that’s what entertainment is about. I’m all set for my fight in four weeks.
ーYour kicks didn’t land
He was probably avoiding getting hit. In a ring, it would have been different. If it were in a ring or cage, it would’ve been more of a fight. But in the end, it’s not really about winning or losing.
ーWill this match be recorded on Wikipedia?
I wonder. I’ve had 84 fights, so this will be my 85th, right? I’m aiming for 100 fights, so they should record it. One win by oshidashi! (Or you were pushed out?)
Oh yeah, one loss by oshidashi!
ーDo you think you could have avoided being pushed out?
If it was a normal match, I think I could have used my speed, but once he went for the out-of-bounds strategy, it was hard to avoid. If you get cornered without a ring, there’s nothing you can do. Even if I knew what his strategy was, the result would be the same. Maybe I’d land a few low kicks, but eventually, I’d be pushed out. But it’s fine—I took the fight.
ーWhat about forming a tag team?
That could be fun too.
ーWere you trying to become like Gaoklai, who knocked out Mighty Mo despite being smaller?
In this format, even Kaoklai would’ve been pushed out. He’d lose by yorikiri (force out). It was all just fun.”
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/
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