“One match rather than 100 exercises” is an ironclad rule in sports. I’ve also heard the word “Jim Champion”. It’s a player who is very strong in practice but can’t show it in the game.
The tension is different in the gym, which is surrounded by spectators or has a live broadcast, and the gym, which only sees “relatives”. The practice partner is a companion, but the opponent in the match is desperate and comes to defeat himself. “I couldn’t put out what I’ve been practicing” is the most frequent phrase in post-match comments. It may be possible to call it “ability” only after being able to put it out in a match.
All of the above applies to Ren Hiramoto. On March 6th, he played his second MMA conversion and lost to Chihiro Suzuki. Two consecutive losses following New Year’s Eve 2020.
K-1’s top fighter goes to MMA. Definitely a big rookie. His debut match was brought to a ground fight and completely defeated. Over the next year and two months, he has been working on leveling up. He went to America alone and trained with the powerhouses. He studied under Shintaro Ishiwatari, who has just retired in Japan. He also sparred with Takeru before the match to further refine his favorite hits.
“I used to just put it in parentheses, but I was able to destroy myself (after losing the first match).”
“I’ve always kept in mind that it’s evolving.”
Hiramoto said at a press conference for the match. Ishiwatari was also impressed with Hiramoto’s daily growth.
A ring faced by a “man who has been biting” on SNS
The stage is the second tournament of RIZIN’s new brand “RIZIN LANDMARK” that started last year. The audience at the venue is very small, and the tournament is mainly for distribution. Hiramoto’s match was organized in the main event. All 9 companies including “RIZIN LIVE” were broadcast. From such a place, we can see the high degree of attention.
Today’s Hiramoto is more than just a “large rookie from the K-1”. He hadn’t played for over a year, but the topic about him was uninterrupted. He has been biting around on social media. It’s not just Mikuru Asakura of the same class at RIZIN. We talked with the talent So Takei and the rapper Ryofu Karuma without hesitation or sontaku.
Of course, some people think, “What are you saying while losing the game?” However, on the contrary, some people are attracted to the attitude of not retreating. And since Ren Hiramoto is a fighter, it is the match that determines the true value. No matter what you say on SNS or how much you get hit, if you win the game, you will be rewarded. It also means that if you lose, you don’t know what to say.
“I thought this world would change if I became really strong.”
“The day has come when I stand in the middle”
The ring that came to me saying that. Chihiro Suzuki, who confronted him, is the champion of the kickboxing event KNOCK OUT. He originally turned from MMA to kick and started participating in RIZIN as a “dual wield fighter” from last year. 1 win and 1 loss in RIZIN, this is the 10th race in MMA total.
