[Serial “Reason for Living” 150]Judo gold medalist Masato Uchishiba talks about “the joy of being able to go to the competition venue with his students” ~ Today, 19th, JAPAN MARTIAL ARTS EXPO PROLOGUE Participation

Masato Uchishiba, who won consecutive titles in the men’s 66 kg judo category at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympics, currently works as a manager at a hot springs facility in Kumamoto Prefecture. In 2018, he became the general director of judo in the Kyrgyz Republic, and after returning to Japan in the fall of 2019, he became a working adult, practicing jujutsu and judo while working.

Since spring 2023, he has been teaching at EDGE & AXIS, a judo and jujutsu dojo run by his wife in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto.

What kind of days has he spent so far? Mr. Uchishiba himself writes a series of columns about mental scenes, and this time he talks about the joy of being able to go to the match venue with his students.

Today, the 19th, the “JAPAN MARTIAL ARTS EXPO PROLOGUE” martial arts tournament will be held at Yokohama BUNTAI in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture.

Mr. Uchishiba will compete against “TEAM RIZIN” as a member of “TEAM SAKU” in a 5-on-5 elimination match using QUINTET rules (grappling).
Uchishiba’s disciple, Jumanazarov Ratbek, who followed Uchishiba from the Kyrgyz Republic and came to Japan often, eventually becoming a player on the corporate team in Kumamoto, will also be participating.

The night before the match, he confessed his desire to participate.

The joy of being able to participate in a match with my students,
I feel sad that judo can’t match that.

I wrote what was in my heart.

He was scouted as a leader by a certain country.

The days pass by at a dizzying pace.
From a certain point on, even when I made time to write, I couldn’t seem to move my fingers.

Also,
There were also stories that were going on behind the scenes, so there were times when I couldn’t write about them even if I wanted to.

The first thing I refused was.
I was scouted by a certain country as a leader, but at the last minute I decided not to go.

It’s unfortunate and unavoidable, but
I have no regrets.
My future was made possible because I heard your voice.
If I hadn’t heard your voice, it wouldn’t have happened.
As far as my current situation is concerned, I valued my current situation.

That was all there was to it.

Simply put
Four times your current salary and future stability in that country.
Honestly,
It was fine for me to work as a migrant worker, and if I couldn’t sign a contract as a commuter worker, I wouldn’t go.

This turned out to be a contract between the Kumamoto dojo and that country, so I was really worried.

To serve as the general manager of “TEAM SAKU”

Now,
I have a match tomorrow.

tomorrow,
My junior, Hirata (Naoki)
(Sakuraba) Taiyo-kun, who lost once
Mr. Deka (Sotaro) was active at the time when I admired and watched Quintet.
He then takes part in a match with his former student Ratbeck, who was a child when he was coaching in Kyrgyzstan.

The order of the games is
Originally, regardless of age
They’ll probably ask you to take it out first.
However, there are many things that have led me to this point.
Stop being selfish and listen to everyone’s opinions
The end of the team match
I have decided to serve as the general manager.

Spearhead, Ratbeck.
This is my first team competition with my students.

For the rest of my life, I will never be able to officially bring athletes into the venue at a domestic or international judo tournament.

Meanwhile, tomorrow
I can go to the competition venue with my judo students.

Together with my teammates who have experience in judo.

An experience that will never last a lifetime

Enjoying the joy of competing against RIZIN players who have more respect than admiration.
I will be competing against my judo juniors.

thank you.
thanks so much.

In judo, you never even get second.

The game is tomorrow.
「JAPAN MARTIAL ARTS EXPO PROLOGUE」

Ganryujima, RIZIN, K-1, QUINTET.
I will be competing against the RIZIN team as a QUINTET player.

Personally
properly and personally
I teach judo to athletes and children at a local dojo in Kumamoto.

Even at children’s games
Even when I was coaching the Kyrgyz Republic,
I never took the second line in the match.

That will continue to be the case.

The joy of participating in a team competition with my students

but,
Although the event is different this time
I will be participating in the match with my students.

Zhumanazarov Ratbek (Kyrgyzstan national team)

I’m a judo player.
He is a young man who will also participate in the Grand Slam that will be held in Tokyo in December.

Even if Rutbeck performs many miracles and makes his dream of participating in the Olympics come true.
I can’t even go to the Olympics.

The same goes for the children I teach now.
lifetime
I won’t be there to support you in the final moments of your fight.

I will be able to experience the match with Rutbeck.

Radbeck, the vanguard
I’m the general.

We talked a lot so that Lato could have an exciting match.
I would like to send them off with all my heart at the venue tomorrow.

In addition, the next group of players have experience in judo.

There were some juniors, and there were players who played against each other and lost.
Some of the players were active in the games I watched when I first started admiring QUINTET.

When it’s my last turn to perform, I want to step onto the mat with all my heart.

thank you.

(Masato Uchishiba)

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◆Uchishiba Dojo “EDGE & AXIS” official website

uchishiba-dojo.com

◆EDGE&AXIS official shop

umhy171911.base.shop

◆Video distribution of judo instruction by Masato Uchishiba

In April 2022, Mr. Uchishiba began distributing videos that include instruction, focusing on practice sessions he currently holds for elementary school students to university students in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto.
We have also started distributing membership information for more detailed information.
In the membership distribution, we are also uploading videos about the dojo creation this time.
For details, see the YouTube community section below.

www.youtube.com

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Masato Uchishiba

Born June 17, 1978 in Koshi City, Kumamoto Prefecture. Started judo in 3rd grade, and won the national junior high school competition in his 3rd year at Ichinomiya Junior High School in Kumamoto. Won Inter-High Championship in 3rd year of high school. In 1999, when he was in his second year of university, he won the Kano Jigoro Cup Tokyo International Tournament by defeating Tadahiro Nomura in the semifinals. After struggling to lose weight, he moved up to the 66kg weight class in 2003 and won the gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics, winning all five matches. Beijing won the championship in 2008. Announced retirement in fall 2010. In 2011, he was charged with assaulting a student, and his appeal was dismissed. Released in September 2017. His specialty is Tomoe throw. 160 cm. He remarried his current wife in 2018 and has one son. Worked at current workplace since January 2020. In April 2013, his wife opened a judo and jiu-jitsu dojo called EDGE&AXIS in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto, where Mr. Uchishiba teaches as an instructor.

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