Skip navigation
Site powered by
Latest news:
msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines: Adele is big winner, Houston honored at Grammys

Olympic judo gold medalist moving to MMA

Japanese champion Satoshi Ishii makes move to professional fighting

Image: Satoshi IshiiAP
Gold medalist Satoshi Ishii of Japan displays his medal at the Beijing Olympics.

TOKYO - Olympic gold medalist Satoshi Ishii is giving up judo to take up a career in mixed martial arts, according to a published report.

Ishii, who won the gold medal in the men's over 100-kilogram event at the Beijing Olympics, informed Japanese judo officials on Friday of his decision to become a professional mixed martial arts competitor, Nikkansports said.

He will become the third Japanese judo competitor to switch to professional martial arts following 1992 Barcelona Games 78-kg champion Hidehiko Yoshida and Makoto Takimoto, who won the 81-kg title at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Mixed martial arts is very popular in Japan. Events often attract as many as 60,000 fans. Ishii is expected to sign with the DREAM promotion.

© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

advertisement
Video: MMA from NBC Sports
UFC 100 - Frank Mir v Brock Lesnar
Getty Images
Biggest non-title UFC fight?
Dana White discuss the upcoming bout against Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem.

Click here to email MMA Fight Weekly

  UPCOMING MMA EVENTS  
  
UFC 95: Sanchez vs. Stevenson
February 21 - London
WEC 39: Brown vs. Garcia
March 1 - Corpus Christi, Texas
UFC 96: Jackson vs. Jardine
March 7 - Columbus, Ohio