[Xianti]

Originally Posted by Hody

I'm assuming that u want to compete in a amateur Shooto tourney. If so, u just fill out the application form, which is of course in Japanese, and submit it along with a registration fee to Shooto and a tourney fee. In most cases, u would be a member of an official Shooto gym or an affiliate. The process is rather easy and straight forward, minus all the Japanese.

I don't know what the procedure is in the States. U should contact Rich Santoro about that. I think he has an account here at Sherdog.

To go pro, from memory, u have to place in the top 3 in the All Japan tourney or petition Shooto, in which case, if you're a pro already or they see something special about u, they will allow u to go pro. I think Enson was the first and maybe last person who didn't have a pro fight that skipped amateur Shooto and went straight to Pro.

Hope this helps.

Hody

Thanks Hody and Enson.

Hody, are you the guy who did the write up on Bueikan in Sakai-shi? I went there before I saw that, and I agree with you that guy is slick and a great teacher. He didn't mind my gaijin-ness or complete lack of understanding about Japanese etiquette.
His daughter did give me a nickname. When everyone was changing, I was putting on a clean shirt and she noticed that my chest has hair on it (being white and such). She asked my girlfriend, "Why does he have hair? It looks like a gorilla. Gori! Gori!" and then some other people there started calling me that =P

[Pink Butterfly]

Originally Posted by Enson Inoue

There is really no Amateur Shooto license. You just have to train at a Shooto sanctioned gym and they have to agree that you are ready for amateur competition.

If you don't mind sharing... How did you go straight to pro in SHOOTO? Did you compete in an exhibition match or something and SHOOTO officials saw your talent?

[Hody]

Originally Posted by Xianti

Thanks Hody and Enson.

Hody, are you the guy who did the write up on Bueikan in Sakai-shi? I went there before I saw that, and I agree with you that guy is slick and a great teacher. He didn't mind my gaijin-ness or complete lack of understanding about Japanese etiquette.
His daughter did give me a nickname. When everyone was changing, I was putting on a clean shirt and she noticed that my chest has hair on it (being white and such). She asked my girlfriend, "Why does he have hair? It looks like a gorilla. Gori! Gori!" and then some other people there started calling me that =P

Yes, I did a write up on that school and Fukuoka-sensei. I started out under him and Nakao. They were both teaching at Shooting Gym Osaka. At the time, I was one of two foreigners there so Fukuoka-sensei got used to my "foreign" ways. It took some time though....he didn't really speak to me for the first year or two, after that, he really warmed up to me and gave me a lot of one-on-one lessons, which he didn't do for everyone. If he sees u train hard and you're dedicated, he's really cool. For example, I would be one of the first people at the gym before classes started, usually lift, spar, or go over technique with one of my friends or Fukuoka-sensei. Then we would have beginner and intermediate classes back to back, open mat time, and then cleaning of the gym. I was there for all of that, which made for a long day. But one day I remember he mentioned to one of the my friends who was gonna leave early, he said "Hody doesn't leave early, he even stays til closing and helps clean the gym." For some strange reason, it kinda made me happy that he even noticed, cause in JPN that is something they expect, so the fact I was doing that....was nothing special.

Very nice guy once u get to know him. How's his English coming along? He started using more English towards the end, I think in part, cause of me, but also he started dealing with more foreign fighters at the Pro Shooto events. He would always pick up some cool new technique from visiting fighters. IE... Rico Chiapparelli showed him a nice face crank which he in turn demonstrated on me "so I could learn it".

If u see him again, please give him my best.

Hody

[Xianti]

That's really cool. The Bueikan is a really mellow place and seems to suit his personality well, at least what I saw of it. In some ways more like a lot of the Southern California BJJ gyms than the other Japanese kakutogi places I went to.

His english is coming. It really helped that I had my girlfriend with me, though. He's a good instructor and I still remember a lot of stuff, especially the stability ball exercises, and he worked really hard to break the language barrier.

If I go back I'll definitely say hello for you. I hope I go back to Sakai, that place was nice. I have to buy me some Sakai knives.

[WICKEDpriest]

just wanted to say that ur matches is just about as exiting as fighting sports can get. u brought alot people in to the world of mma...

[Enson Inoue]

Originally Posted by Pink Butterfly

If you don't mind sharing... How did you go straight to pro in SHOOTO? Did you compete in an exhibition match or something and SHOOTO officials saw your talent?

I called them while I was waiting for the Pancrase new boy test and sparred with a guy that was at the gym. I mounted him, passed his guard, etc. only to find out later that this guy was Nakai Yuki. They asked me to make my pro debut in 3 months and the rest is history.

[Enson Inoue]

Originally Posted by WICKEDpriest

just wanted to say that ur matches is just about as exiting as fighting sports can get. u brought alot people in to the world of mma...

Thanks for that comment.....

[Juan Pendejo]

I like your sub against randy couture, great fight!

[Pink Butterfly]

Originally Posted by Enson Inoue

I called them while I was waiting for the Pancrase new boy test and sparred with a guy that was at the gym. I mounted him, passed his guard, etc. only to find out later that this guy was Nakai Yuki. They asked me to make my pro debut in 3 months and the rest is history.

thanks for your response

[Enson Inoue]

Originally Posted by Juan Pendejo

I like your sub against randy couture, great fight!

Me too