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Hidehiko Yoshida will retire on 4/25
By Zach Arnold | February 8, 2010
He will have a retirement show on 4/25 in Tokyo at Nippon Budokan (show title = ASTRA). J-ROCK, the agency that backs Yoshida and was in charge of Sengoku, is promoting the event. The current plan is for the show to air on SkyPerfecTV as opposed to a free-TV network. It was noted that the reason Yoshida wanted the event at Budokan is because that is the same building that hosts judo championships and major judo events.
With Yoshida retiring in April, it eliminates the possibility of him getting booked against Asashoryu should K-1 sign him. (Unless, of course, Asashoryu and Yoshida do some sort of “exhibition” match.)
Topics: Japan, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 9 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
“With Yoshida retiring in April, it eliminates the possibility of him getting booked against Asashoryu should K-1 sign him.”
LOL
As if an athlete ‘retiring’ means anything more than ‘taking a break until the next big payday comes along’.
If the money is there, Yoshida will come out of retirement, just like every other aging athlete who has a chance to make one last big payday.
I’ll miss Yoshida. I have a fond place in my heart for that dude. Really I guess it is missing PRIDE. I almost always rooted against Yoshida. But I always appreciated him and enjoyed seeing him. With his Judo gi, Olympic resume and the excitement he brought out of the Japanese crowds. “Yo-cheata” was one of the great heel personas for the hardcore America MMA fans during the glory days of PRIDE.
JROCK needs something to get headlines/bums on seats for Yoshida’s next fight
Despite Yoshida’s retirement fight; my money is on Asashoryu/Yoshida NYE fight
there’s too much money in that for everyone involved for it not to happen; and there arent any other Japanese money fights right now
Hell of a coincidence that Yoshida announces his impending last fight, especially after winning his last fight and retaining an above .500 MMA record. He wants to retire with an above .500 record (even if it does end up being only one more win than losses. His current record is 9-7-1).
But as Steve said, he will probably come out of retirement if the opportunity (see: big payday) arises.
Just what MMA in Japan needs; more fractional nonsense. Longer this keeps up, the tougher it’ll be to get momentum.
It would be nice if J-Rock could reconcile with Sengoku, or just defect to DREAM, but this Astra show is bound to be good with Kokuho back at the helm. I’d expect a lot of competitive Japanese vs. Foreigner fights
“this Astra show is bound to be good with Kokuho back at the helm”
i needed a solid laugh today… thanks
i suppose you mean Kokuho will work that special magic that he’s been applying to Yoshida for the last few years to Astra not to mention his matchmaking skills which have caught the imagination of the japanese public for WVR
What do I care if they capture the imagination of the Japanese public? Kokuho put his money where his mouth is as Sengoku boss, delivering competitive fights between relevant international talent card after card. In other words, the kind fights I want to watch.
I realize it is impossible to say something positive about Japanese MMA on this site without getting some smug responses, but you’re trying too hard.
“kokuho put his money where his mouth is”
you’re probably right that Kokuho’s money is close to his mouth – i dont want to think where his mouth might be though : )
but kokuho’s money didnt go into WVR; WVR was financed by DonkiHote’s owner; kokuho’s matchmaking is and was crap and got the thumbs down from the japanese like it deseved