Yushin Okami reflects on UFC 104: "It was a complete, utter defeat. Reflecting on the fight, I...

Yushin Okami reflects on UFC 104:

"It was a complete, utter defeat. Reflecting on the fight, I have thoughts like, ‘I should have done this, I should have done that,’ but they are indications that my ability as a fighter proved insufficient. Sonnen was tough. When I stuffed the first takedown, I found myself in the clinch position which is normally my domain; however, I was surprised to be scooped up from underneath and thrown on the mat when I tried to fire off a knee from the position. He was more powerful than I imagined, and left me confounded as to what I should do next, and he kept up with his offense. I have never experienced anything like this before. For this fight, I had the best training possible, so I am disappointed about this loss."

"At the same time, I think I saw the limitation of the environment in which I find myself in (in terms of training). In Japan, I inevitably face a shortage of training partners and I often find myself on the offensive during training. Though I try to improve and diversify my training routine, I probably hit the ceiling at some point. I have the option of uprooting myself and training overseas… if I continue to train in Japan, I feel that I will end up becoming complacent, so I want to go back to square one and challenge myself. I feel that there is a need for me to train with training partners who are bigger than me."

HT: MMA Mania via mmaplanet.jp

25 days ago Scott Haber 35 comments 0 recs |

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Hope he comes over and trains at a major camp, might be a good fit at Jackson’s due to their lack of 185’ers and their accepting attitude towards Japanese fighters coming in (see: Yoshida) which would make the transition easier.

Hope Okami gets back to being the great neutralizer.

The mat is my church, the ground is my heaven, Jiu-Jitsu is my religion. And once you hit the ground you're in my world. My world is like the ocean, I’m like a shark and most people don't even know how to swim - Draculino

by AboveThisFire on Oct 26, 2009 11:00 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

as long as he stays away from the elite wrestlers

he should be fine. But if the UFC is smart they’ll feed him to C.B. Dollaway next.

Follow me on Twitter @KidNate

by Kid Nate on Oct 26, 2009 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

CB would dive directly into a submission.

by Razz on Oct 26, 2009 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

maybe so

Yushin did almost catch Chael with that kimura.

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by Kid Nate on Oct 26, 2009 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It was really close, if Chael wasn’t sorta cheating then it probably would have worked. On that note I am getting sick of MMA fighters grabbing their own shorts during kimura attempts from the guard in order to stop the arm from popping out; it’s not a gi fight and refs need to look at that.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about:

For a good kimura from the guard to work you have to make sure that the arm clears the body (i.e. the arm is not in front of the core of the person you are applying the hold to) in full gi jiu jitsu the common defense to this lock is just grabbing your own gi jacket or gi pants and holding on until your opponent gives up because they can’t pop your arm out and over; In MMA though you aren’t supposed to use material to an advantage and this specific defense method shouldn’t be allowed but I’m sure 99% of refs don’t know a kimura from an omoplata so as far as shoulder locks they probly just don’t even give a shit.

by AboveThisFire on Oct 26, 2009 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t know if its on the books, but McCarthy said grabbing your own shorts is legal.

by Michaelthebox on Oct 26, 2009 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So Sayeth the McCarthy!

by Razreshat on Oct 26, 2009 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Whoah really? That surprises me, I’d always thought it would be illegal, can’t use your own shorts, can’t use your opponents shorts kinda thing.

by AboveThisFire on Oct 26, 2009 1:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m pretty sure you’re allowed to use your own shorts but not your opponent’s shorts. Of course, that means fighters who wear board shorts have an advantage over fighters who wear vale tudo shorts, which brings to mind the whole grappling pants debate and immediately gives me a headache.

Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam.

by FRANKIE on Oct 26, 2009 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sonnen SOLVED Okami

I’m kicking myself for picking Okami. In retrospect it’s obvious that a fighter whose game 100% relies on getting top control is going to be in big trouble against a far better wrestler.
And Sonnen, as I noted pre-fight is absolutely an elite wrestler.
The main thing he did though was in the standup. Okami likes to stalk his opponents at a leisurely pace, firing the odd jab or combo as he looks to force the clinch game.
Sonnen completely seized the initiative and never let Okami establish any rhythm at all. Great fight. Great performance by Sonnen.

Follow me on Twitter @KidNate

by Kid Nate on Oct 26, 2009 11:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

That’s why I thought they matched to two together. It’ no excuse, fighters should be ready to take on any style, but at the same time, the best way to take out a man who lives by out wrestling his opponents by pitting him against a top wrestler. As soon as they announced that match, as a preliminary no less, I though “the UFC really has no love for OKami”.

by nottheface on Oct 26, 2009 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Classy reaction to the loss.

A lot of fighters don’t have it in them to admit that they got flat-out beat. Seems like he knows what he needs to fix with his game, and is already working on how to make it happen.

Hard not to like that.

by Vlad on Oct 26, 2009 11:03 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It’s refreshing to hear a fighter, or anyone for that matter, be so honest about a defeat.

by nottheface on Oct 26, 2009 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Awesome words from Okami, I’m a huge fan of his. He’s young and if he joins ATT or AKA, etc…. he can still be a contender.

by Nick Thomas on Oct 26, 2009 11:06 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

He still IS a contender

Sonnen is just a tremendous fighter as well. Candid words from Okami, and here’s to hoping that he does seek training from other camps if he’s plateau’d in Japan.

AKA would be fantastic for him, IMO. Maybe even MMAA

Supporting all Las Vegas MMA. Xtreme Couture FTMFW.

'09 is the year of the FW's.

by ElliotMatheny on Oct 26, 2009 2:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow, this guy is incredibly well spoken. I also dig the fact that he made no excuses and admitted being overwhelmed so candidly.

by IImastersII on Oct 26, 2009 11:06 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I am guessing this is a translation, not that it makes your point irrelevant.

by szucconi on Oct 26, 2009 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I love this man.

by Meshuggeth on Oct 26, 2009 11:18 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The most honest post fight assement by a fighter I have read. No BS…the facts. Smart guy…if his skills rise to the level of his mind, he will be a winner.

by MusicCityBeatdown on Oct 26, 2009 11:21 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Such a classy guy. He’ll be back.

by oasis77 on Oct 26, 2009 11:28 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

There are two camps of opinion on Okami. There are those that think he is ungodly boring and way over rated. and there are those that love the man and think he is awesome. I am the later. This fight and this post, I think has brought the two camps together in terms of expectations. Its time for everyone to jump on the Okami fan-wagon. He is young, smart, large, and the sky is the limit for him. He didn’t lose so dominantly vs. Franklin and this loss could teach him a lot.

by szucconi on Oct 26, 2009 11:52 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

A lot of people thought the Okami defenders overrated him, but that missed the point. I personable didn’t rate him any higher than #6 (Hendo, Maia, Nate, and Vitor) were all above him) in the UFC MW division, but I couldn’t help but grow annoyed that a fighter who kept winning matches was never given better fighters on the main card. It just seemed counter to the idea of mma as a true sport that a fighter could be denied his chance to excel because he wasn’t exiting or charismatic enough.

by nottheface on Oct 26, 2009 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I couldn’t help but grow annoyed that a fighter who kept winning matches was never given better fighters on the main card.

Huh?

Okami won four fights to start his UFC career and then got knocked off by Franklin, won two more fights and was set to get a shot at Silva (which was scuttled due to injury), then won one more fight and was given a shot against another top 10 opponent in Sonnen. Yushin’s problem is not that he is not being given the opportunity to face tough opponents, it’s that he is not doing anything with those opportunities.

by Steve4192 on Oct 26, 2009 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The problem people have is that he is always on prelims. He is a top ten fighter and was in a position several times to rematch a man who he has a win against for the title and they still don’t put him on the card. I don’t think he is boring, I like watching him fight. Call me crazy, but I like it when people win.

by szucconi on Oct 26, 2009 3:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Okami IS boring, but since I am a sports fan (rather than an entertainment fan) I have no problem with guys who have boring but effective styles. I have no problem with Okami and wish him well in future endeavors (hopefully with the UFC). My only beef was with the Okami apologists who claimed the UFC was ‘screwing’ him by putting him in prelims and moving him to back of the line after his injuries.

Yushin is a very good fighter, but he really doesn’t have any signature wins that establish him as a GREAT fighter. Every time he has stepped in the ring/cage with an elite fighter he has lost (excluding his DQ win over Sillva). Jake Shields handled him, Rich Franklin handled him, and now Chael Sonnen has handled him. He was ranked primarily based on attrition rather than any real big wins.

by Steve4192 on Oct 26, 2009 2:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rich Franklin did not “handle” him. Sonnen did.

by szucconi on Oct 26, 2009 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rich pretty much handled him for 14 out of the 15 minutes they fought. The only difference between that fight and the Sonnen fight is that Chael managed to prevent Okami from popping out the kimura attempt and Rich did not.

by Steve4192 on Oct 26, 2009 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

wrong. Okami won round three clearly and almost to the point of 10-8. And the first two rounds were won by Franklin because managed to hit one or two punches. Okami did zero in the first two rounds. He clearly lost in the ten point must system, but had it been Pride judging, he would have won the fight. the kimura was not the only thing Okami did in the third round.

by szucconi on Oct 26, 2009 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

At the same time, I think I saw the limitation of the environment in which I find myself in (in terms of training). In Japan, I inevitably face a shortage of training partners and I often find myself on the offensive during training.

This was one of the reasons I heard a few months back when lots of guys started leaving Wajutsu Keishukai. I wonder if Okami’s still spending time there, or if the problem has migrated with the WK guys over to Team Cloud.

Glad to hear that Okami’s taking something from this loss. I’m sure he’ll bounce back just fine.

by Chris Nelson on Oct 26, 2009 12:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hopefully the Team Cloud guys are all smart enough to realize that they can spend their non-camp time at Team Cloud but for the major part of training camps they need to branch out and come to America, study the American training regimens and techniques and then take them back to Japan in order to improve the general mma training scene there.

by AboveThisFire on Oct 26, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If I recall correctly

Roxanne Modaffieri (who guestblogs over at Fightlinker) herself also left Keishukai less than two months ago, and previously posted a photo of two signs at Enson Inoue’s gym indicating a possible… zealousness about training, whether or not warranted. One was basically “if you’re not training, screw you,” and the other: “To everyone: Are you training? That is all.” (That last line being more of ’that’s all I had to ask,’ rather than ‘training is everything’ like the first photo seemed to say.)

by Chortles on Oct 26, 2009 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Very refreshing to hear a fighter be so honest with and about himself. No excuses, just looking for ways to improve so that he doesn’t get schooled again. Much better than hearing “Well, my opponent fought great, but if I hadn’t of hurt my knee in training…..”

If Okami comes to the States to train, hopefully he looks at joining with a place like ATT, which has proven to be pretty adept at rounding out the skill sets of wrestlers and making them pretty dangerous all around.

by McEwen on Oct 26, 2009 1:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

War Okami

That is all.

"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito Ortiz on Vitor Belfort at Affliction:DOR

by Rundownloser on Oct 26, 2009 3:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

way to go yushin
hopefully he’ll get better in terms of putting together combos
he CAN be a force

by CC11 on Oct 26, 2009 5:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Man i was so disappointed with the result of the fight. But am just super glad Okami is taking the loss in stride and should come back stronger. I really think it would be awesome for him to go down to Jackson’s gym but unsure if he would due to Nate’s presence. But another great camp for him would definetely be AKA. Somewhere where he would get used to fighting of his back and going against Top class wrestlers.

by pRoXiMo on Oct 26, 2009 7:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs