Category: Opinion

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: 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 →

ONE Championship Faces Balancing Act Head-On

ONE Championship has faced one problem since their inception more than a decade ago: how do you build a promotion that caters to the U.S. and Asia markets at the same time? This question hasn't been an easy one for them to crack. Each area cares about different talents. They consume the product through different … Continue reading ONE Championship Faces Balancing Act Head-On →

JMMA Monday: Can We See New Year’s Eve In September?

What is and isn't worth your time? You might not notice it, but this is a question that you confront yourself with on numerous instances every day. It dictates whether you take that trip to the movie theatre versus staying at home or watching a two-and-a-half-hour movie instead of a TV show. And if you … Continue reading JMMA Monday: Can We See New Year’s Eve In September? →

JMMA Monday: Grading International Accessibility

Accessing Japanese MMA has never been easy for international viewers. At any point in time, at least one promotion would have some issue that holds back international viewers from watching or even getting information about them. Accessibility will always be a relevant issue. Two years ago, we spoke to viewers around the globe to understand … Continue reading JMMA Monday: Grading International Accessibility →