JMMA Monday: LANDMARK Vol. 4 Quick Takeaways

RIZIN returned this weekend with their b-tier of events, "LANDMARK." After the "TRIGGER" series folded this year, "LANDMARK" is now the sole secondary show that RIZIN hosts. The evening included more than a dozen MMA bouts in a fast-paced presentation from the Dolphins Arena in Nagoya, Japan. And, to the delight of some and the … Continue reading JMMA Monday: LANDMARK Vol. 4 Quick Takeaways →

JMMA Monday: A Friendly Competition

RIZIN will go to battle this New Year's Eve. On their biggest card of the year, the promotion will put some of their top names against champions and headliners from Bellator for a five-fight series. As announced this week, the December 31st card from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan will be a co-promoted … Continue reading JMMA Monday: A Friendly Competition →

JMMA Monday: No Surprises Here

RIZIN 39 this Sunday provided some intriguing performances but overall had incredibly expected outcomes. It's rare that someone can flawlessly predict an entire MMA card. I have come close a few times on UFC shows, getting maybe 10 or 11 of the bouts right. But on the flip side this week, it almost felt like … Continue reading JMMA Monday: No Surprises Here →

JMMA Monday: Juntaro Ushiku Doesn’t Hear The Noise

Juntaro Ushiku is entering RIZIN 39 this weekend as a champion, but it feels like the focus isn’t on him. Is it fair to say that Ushiku might be getting overlooked currently? Maybe. This Sunday he’s facing Kleber Koike in the main event of a show from Fukuoka, and it feels like Koike is the … Continue reading JMMA Monday: Juntaro Ushiku Doesn’t Hear The Noise →

JMMA Monday Audio 10/3/22: RIZIN 38 Fallout, Reaction To New RIZIN 39, LANDMARK Matchups

The podcast version of "JMMA Monday" is back this week! Christopher Aguiar joined us to discuss RIZIN 38 fallout, plus the recently booked fights for RIZIN 39 and the fourth-ever "LANDMARK" event. A big thanks to Aguiar for hopping on the pod for the second time! You can check out his work at AguiarMMA.com, and … Continue reading JMMA Monday Audio 10/3/22: RIZIN 38 Fallout, Reaction To New RIZIN 39, LANDMARK Matchups →

JMMA Monday: RIZIN 38 Quick Reactions

RIZIN's latest venture at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan this weekend had all the surprises, drama, and action that was expected. The event will go down as RIZIN's biggest event of the year, at least when judging exclusively off the notoriety that it received. This is almost entirely due to the presence of … Continue reading JMMA Monday: RIZIN 38 Quick Reactions →

JMMA Monday: A Conversation With RIZIN’s Shingo Kashiwagi

If you are ever wondering who is behind a certain decision at RIZIN, there's a good chance the answer is Shingo Kashiwagi. Kashiwagi wears many hats in the top JMMA promotion and is constantly making big decisions for them. He's their matchmaker, talent scout, and English translator, just to name a few of his titles. … Continue reading JMMA Monday: A Conversation With RIZIN’s Shingo Kashiwagi →

JMMA Monday: Ougikubo’s One Big Goal

There are few people in the world who can say they have beaten Hiromasa Ougikubo. The pro has fought more than 30 times since debuting in 2006. Along the way, just five of those fights have seen him suffer a loss. But of those losses, few have not since been avenged. The year is 2009 … Continue reading JMMA Monday: Ougikubo’s One Big Goal →

JMMA Monday: The September Reflection

Welcome to the latest "JMMA Monday" column. This week, we'll be introducing a new monthly edition to the series: the reflection. This article gives us a chance to unpack JMMA topics from the past month in a quick-hitting format. Each reflection will include three parts: looking back (a thought on something that just happened), looking … Continue reading JMMA Monday: The September Reflection →

JMMA Monday: The Changing of Mikuru Asakura’s Image

The identity of Japanese MMA's top promotion has always been unique in the combat sports world. For decades, most MMA promotions have marketed the idea of witnessing some of the best athletes compete in a cage. But that hasn't always been the situation in JMMA. In many cases, and right now with RIZIN, a different … Continue reading JMMA Monday: The Changing of Mikuru Asakura’s Image →