Ryo “Piranha” Chonan, a retired mixed martial arts champion and the owner of one of Japan’s top powerhouse gyms has continuously produced world-class athletes over the last decade The keys to Chonan’s success while running Tribe Tokyo MMA are severalfold he faced some of the best athletes on the planet and even earned a submission victory over Anderson “The Spider” Silva He spent time training overseas with Dan Henderson and other martial arts legends at Team Quest and he blends his home and abroad experiences when teaching at his gym in the Nerima district of Tokyo “Piranha” also impresses upon his athletes not only his trademark relentless attack style He is known for his frankness – never sugarcoating his advice – and for his strict attitude toward effort and consistency in training Not all of Chonan’s students make the cut, but two of them currently stand out in ONE Championship. Shoko Sato and Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu both embody the skills and ethics that the Japanese legend teaches during renowned training sessions at Tribe Tokyo MMA A post shared by 清水 清隆 kiyotaka shimizu (@k_shimizu) began training under Chonan in 2018 after dropping a loss in the Japanese promotion earlier that year Sato wanted to rethink his approach to training and competing requesting to join the grueling weekly sessions in order to address his weaknesses Not only did he avenge his loss to Yo Saito with a TKO victory in a rematch later that year “He used to stop at points where he should’ve kept moving so we focused on not losing in those positions,” Chonan says of Sato He takes what he learns here back to his own gym to work on.” Sato’s honest and humble attitude toward training has transformed him into one of the most polished bantamweights in the world today He is living proof that an elite athlete can evolve further by filling the holes in their game that once existed “He has become even more of an all-rounder,” Chonan says but his weak point was getting pinned when it went to the ground He has overcome that now … he is able to think and choose from various techniques He can take the fight freely on the feet or on the ground This all-around version of Sato possesses more than just the skill set needed to earn a World Title bout in The Home Of Martial Arts – he owns the necessary mindset as well the 32-year-old is a classic “Samurai style” martial artist who is serious and stoic Amid his student’s six-bout win streak, Chonan believes Sato will battle ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes at some point later this year I’d like him to fight Bibiano,” the Japanese legend says “The world is struggling with the coronavirus now While Sato came to Chonan as an established star, the TTMMA head coach is responsible for building Wakamatsu from the ground up One of Chonan’s top prodigies, “Little Piranha” originally moved to Tokyo from the Kyushu region of Japan. The Pancrase Flyweight Tournament Champion’s success story goes beyond his competitive accolades, as he also needed to overcome a rough upbringing “He came from nothing to make a living from martial arts,” the Japanese legend says of Wakamatsu He stuck with the process of breaking down and then rebuilding the youngster into championship material teaching his student the art of control along the way “He used to have ups and downs in training,” Chonan explains he is able to think more carefully when he moves “I give him a lot of detailed advice during training like striking combinations and escapes on the ground I’m always giving him small points to work on What. A. Knockout! Less than three months after taking out Geje Eustaquio, Japanese phenom Yuya Wakamatsu makes a quick turnaround against Dae Hwan Kim at ONE: CENTURY! Less than three months after taking out Geje Eustaquio Japanese phenom Yuya Wakamatsu makes a quick turnaround against Dae Hwan Kim at ONE: CENTURY 🗓: Tokyo | 13 October | ONE: CENTURY🎟: Get your tickets at 👉 http://bit.ly/onecentury19📺: Check local listings for global TV broadcast📱: Watch on the ONE Super App 👉 http://bit.ly/ONESuperApp 🏷: Shop Official Merchandise 👉 http://bit.ly/ONECShop👨‍💻: Prelims LIVE on Facebook | Prelims + 2 Main-Card bouts LIVE on Twitter Posted by ONE Championship on Monday Wakamatsu is now a fan favorite due to his explosive unassuming character betrays his lightning-quick “What makes him special is he doesn’t need to say much you’ll know what makes him special,” Chonan says Wakamatsu’s knockout power has led him to the global stage where he now showcases his speed and timing to a worldwide audience It all began six years ago when Chonan recognized talent bubbling below the surface “He has exceptionally strong punching power and a good feel for [martial arts] He punches with the power of two weight classes up.” his prodigy’s impressive growth – from troublemaker to hero – is an inspiration for those who are just beginning to train “We get young members joining now because they want to be like him,” he says of the 25-year-old “He’s like a sample brochure – a human advertisement.” A post shared by 長南 亮 (@ryo_chonan) In 2019, “Little Piranha” had his fierce boxing power tested to the limits when he faced 12-time Flyweight World Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson in the opening round of the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix at ONE: A NEW ERA in Tokyo Chonan believed his young knockout artist was ready to face the best flyweight in the world Despite Wakamatsu eventually tapping out to the American the coach says his student proved that he could hang with the all-time great We had no idea what it’d be like to face the world’s strongest,” Chonan recalls “It was about whether [Wakamatsu] could pass the test or not I decided he’d go for it and he decided he’d go for it I think he passed that test – he was able to fluster [Johnson] “I thought that if he had more takedown defense there was a possibility he could’ve ruffled him more and got the KO.” A post shared by 長南 亮 (@ryo_chonan) Chonan firmly believes “Little Piranha” is on course to become the top flyweight in the world’s largest martial arts organization he must continue proving himself on the global stage “He has the qualities to become World Champion,” the coach concludes. “He needs a match that will take him close to a title match. Someone like Reece McLaren It’s clear that with a guru like Chonan leading the way the future is incredibly bright for the talented Wakamatsu Read more: 3 Ways You Can Support Your Gym During Lockdown Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Japanese version For the entire first round Silva controlled Chonan with a body triangle, sucking the life out of the Piranha. When on the feet, the two competitors maintained an active pace trading leg kicks and knees. The scissor-take down to heel hook is considered one of the greatest finishes in MMA history. It was also the last time that Anderson Silva truly looked human in his MMA career. Footage has been released from backstage recently to see the emotions that both Anderson and Chonan were dealing with following the fight. Translation below from the youtube page: Hirotaka Yokoi: Oh my god that was amazing!Ryo Chonan: He was f**king strong!Hirotaka Yokoi: And you won against that. Ryo Chonan: My legs and loins hurts. My head too! Anderson’s trainer: Oh come on, you were just unlucky, you were actually winning the fight. And till today you’ve won so many so keep your head up and don’t cry, you’re a fighter!Anderson’s trainer: Is your leg okay?Anderson Silva: It’s painful! Maybe I got an injury? Reports that a South Korean warship was holed below the water line offer important clues to the cause of its sinking... Former "Submission of the Year" winner and DEEP Middleweight Champion Ryo Chonan announced earlier today that he plans to retire following his next fight which is scheduled to take place in two months (Oct 2013) in the main event of DEEP: Tribe Tokyo Fight at the Karakuen Hall in Tokyo According to Fight Sports Asia, the bout will be against current DEEP Welterweight Champion Dan Hornbuckle who defeated Chonan's teammate Yuya Shirai this past April to capture the belt Both men were originally supposed to fight back in 2010 for Sengoku but Hornbuckle was forced to back out at the last minute due to illness Chonan (21-13) is most widely remembered for his incredible flying scissor heel hook of former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva back at Pride Shockwave 2004 which won "The Piranha" the Submission of the Year. Up until Chris Weidman's recent upset Chonan held the honor of the last man to legitimately defeat Silva in mixed martial arts (MMA) competition Chonan most recently defeated Seichi Ikemoto this past April via unanimous decision In honor of his retirement, enjoy the below video of Chonan's submission against Silva (narrated by Josh Barnett): The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office plans to retry an accused murderer after a jury deadlocked during the first trial Prosecutors were attempting to secure the conviction of Meliton Lorenzo Lopez for the gang-related murder of 29-year-old Santa Monica resident Gil Verastegui who was shot along with another man while standing in an alley near the corner of 16th Street and Michigan Avenue in 2013 1 and the District Attorney's office said on Feb 2 they would retry the case with a pre-trial hearing already set for March 8 who was described at the time of the killing by police as a local gang member was in the alley to the rear of the building around 8:15 a.m with another man when Lopez and Christopher Chonan Osumi allegedly pulled up in a car and opened fire Both victims suffered multiple gunshot wounds and were transported to a local trauma center for treatment where Verastegui later succumbed to his injuries Osumi and Lopez were charged with one count each of murder and attempted murder with gang allegations The complaint alleged Osumi personally discharged a handgun was also arrested at a nearby apartment and charged with being an accessory Public Information Officer with the District Attorney's Office said Osumi pled no contest to one count of murder and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb Farris pled guilty in 2014 and is currently serving one year in county jail with three years of formal probation editor@www.smdp.com Ryo Chonan retired with 35 professional mixed martial arts bouts and the DEEP Welterweight World Championship on his resume he racked up wins against legends like Anderson “The Spider” Silva and Hayato “Mach” Sakurai while earning his “Piranha” nickname with a relentless and ferocious style Just as important, the 43-year-old laid the foundations for what is now one of the most acclaimed martial arts gyms in the world: Tribe Tokyo MMA which has churned out world-class competitors since opening in April 2012 This is the story of how a gym in the Nerima district of Tokyo became the monster it is today delivering a stable of World Champions that would become international heroes in ONE Championship Chonan originally trained as part of a well-known martial arts collective called Team MAD alongside former DEEP Light Heavyweight World Champion Yoshiyuki Nakanishi DEEP Welterweight World Champion Yuya Shirai the athletes had no official gym of their own and largely worked out at Yoshida Dojo and Tsuyoshi Kosaka’s Alliance gym Chonan decided to call the gym “Tribe Tokyo.” The name comes from the Japanese word “kakuto-zoku,” which means “martial tribe.” Chonan picked that name as a way to reflect the gym’s well-organized approach and family values And understanding the need to be known across the world he wanted to brand the gym with “Tokyo” to put it on the global map from its inception Chonan’s dream to improve people’s lives and raise World Champions was conceived out of personal adversity He squared off against former Olympian and mixed martial arts World Champion Dan Henderson at Pride Bushido 9 in 2005 “Piranha” was honest and humble in contacting the American legend to build international ties and make a request “I asked if I could train with him,” Chonan recalls the Japanese athlete flew to California in 2007 to train with “Hendo” at Team Quest Seeing the differences in the facilities and training overseas for the first time gave Chonan the idea of running his own martial arts gym It would be more than just a dojo – it would be a place to inspire others through both the arts and fitness I started to think about various ways to run a gym,” he says “There was nothing like that in Japan yet.” A post shared by 長南 亮 (@ryo_chonan) Land in Tokyo comes at a premium and renting space in the city – assuming fellow building occupants will even allow a gym – is notoriously difficult and expensive the vast majority of martial arts gyms are no bigger than a personal condominium space “I borrowed money from a successful business friend who used to do judo We talked about fighters who were struggling “I couldn’t have gotten such a big place with my own money [My friend] also invested to set the gym up with good equipment.” Chonan personally worked alongside the laborers as they gutted the entire basement and built the space for Tribe Tokyo A post shared by Yuya Wakamatsu 若松佑弥 (@yw0209c4) While many businesses experience a slow start Tribe Tokyo had just shy of 150 members by the second month of operations and business model made the academy an instant hit in the metropolis there were no other martial arts gyms around there,” Chonan says “I think a lot of gyms imitated us afterwards there were no places where you could do martial arts and weight training I think it’s more difficult for dojos to attract members These days, ONE Championship proudly boasts the best mixed martial artists from Japan on its roster, including a pair of highly-ranked Tribe Tokyo-trained athletes – the #4-ranked women’s strawweight contender Ayaka “Zombie” Miura and the #4-ranked flyweight contender Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu In addition to that, Chonan has polished Shoko Sato’s game, which has helped him become the #2-ranked bantamweight contender. Also, former ONE Lightweight World Champion Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki coaches and trains at the gym Tribe Tokyo’s professional training sessions are famously tough and well-structured using Chonan’s expert mixture of traditional and modern practices His unique amalgamation of styles from both home and abroad continues to help attract top talents from around the globe “It was my goal to coach and build professional athletes who could achieve higher levels than myself,” Chonan says “Our solid pro training attracts athletes from other gyms My athletes and members are very close – they get on very well Some members have been doing business together We’ve created a good place for social exchanges.” running the illustrious Tribe Tokyo and building its international success is a very hands-on process for Chonan His body and mind were both pushed to the limits as a professional mixed martial artist and he continues to sacrifice his own time to build a new generation of peak athletes and management are all personally overseen by “Piranha.” Despite the effort required he is happy to make a difference in his local community while building heroes on the global stage so it’s a very important thing for me,” the Japanese legend says That attitude is a big reason why the motto for Tribe Tokyo is: “Finish training with a smile.” Read more: The Untold Story Of Team Lakay Miyuu Yamashita won the Ito En Ladies golf tournament Sunday securing her place as the season points leader and making her the youngest "queen" in Japan LPGA Tour history at 21 years Yamashita eclipsed the previous youngest record held by Momoko Ueda who led the 2007 prize-money rankings at 21 years Japan's golf queen was determined by the prize-money list It was Yamashita's fourth win of the season and fifth of her career after a final-round 1-under 71 took her to a 12-under 204 total Yamashita clinched the season title with two events remaining in 2022 having recorded 20 top-10 finishes in 31 starts Golf: Miyuu Yamashita sets Japan LPGA Tour 18-hole record with 60 Golf: 19-year-old Haruka Kawasaki becomes youngest winner of Japanese major To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription Please check your inbox for a confirmation email Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible pulled the gi from shelves and responded directly to Jung with an open apology and a promise to halt their use of the image Even GSP put out an apology; overall a win for common decency Yesterday Ryo Chonan released the following comment to Samurai Life: “All the people complaining about the Rising Sun flag is an idiot Even though that might be too much for you idiots.” I don’t care about the comfort women (girls and women essentially held captive in a life of enforced prostitution in the Imperial Japanese Army) There is a lot of exaggerations and anti-Japanese education in regards to Japanese involvement in World War II.” Japan actually helped Korea and made it a developed country Also when Japan was there Korea was not divided between North and South.” Chonan’s feelings are by no means isolated to him alone, but they show an intensely dismissive attitude towards the suffering of others. And his directive that Korea can “make more statues” to mourn their victims, because Japan is “too busy,” is exactly the sort of message that Jung is hoping to counteract. (L to R) Christopher Chonan Osumi, Meliton Lorenzo Lopez, Noah Jason Farris. (Images courtesy SMPD) PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY — Santa Monica police officers have three men in custody for the gang-related murder of 29-year-old Gil Verastegui, who was shot along with another man while standing in an alley near the corner of 16th Street and Michigan Avenue on Tuesday morning. Police said Christopher Chonan Osumi, 19, and Meliton Lorenzo Lopez, 23, both of Los Angeles, tried to flee on foot before they were arrested Tuesday in the 1500 block of Armacost Avenue in West Los Angeles, an area that is known to be the turf of the Latino street gang Sotel. The two have been booked for murder, attempted murder and being involved in a criminal street gang. Bail for both was set at just over $1 million. During a search of a residence, police said they found a handgun believed to have been used in the shooting. A third suspect, identified by police as Noah Jason Farris, 32, of Los Angeles, was also arrested at a nearby apartment. He has been booked for accessory to a felony crime, participating in a criminal street gang and violation of his early release from prison. No bail was set. Verastegui, whom police said was a local gang member, and another man were in the alley to the rear of 1759 15th St. around 8:15 a.m. Tuesday when Osumi and Lopez allegedly pulled up in a car and one of them got out and opened fire. Both victims suffered multiple gunshot wounds and were transported to a local trauma center for treatment, where Verastegui later succumbed to his injuries. The second victim remains in critical condition at a local hospital, police said. Witness accounts helped detectives identify the suspects, police said. Anyone with additional information about the shooting is urged to contact the Santa Monica Police Department at (310) 458-8495. If you wish to remain anonymous, call WeTip at (800) 78-CRIME (1-800-78-27463) or submit the tip online at www.wetip.com. You will remain completely anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 if your information leads to an arrest and conviction. Callers can also call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS, texting from a cell phone or by visiting their website at www.lacrimestoppers.org. Callers may remain anonymous and may be qualified to receive a $1,000 reward by Crime Stoppers. Copyright © 2025 SMDP. All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2025 SMDP. All Rights Reserved. The North Korean sinking of a South Korean navy corvette could prompt significant changes in Seoul's defense programs... Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu became the man he is today thanks to the nurturing influence of the coach and mentor who took him under his wing – Ryo “The Piranha” Chonan Thanks to the guidance of the man he got his nickname from, the 24-year-old – who will face Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio at ONE: DAWN OF HEROES this Friday 2 August – has transformed from a troublemaking teen into one of the most talented martial artists in the world The Pancrase Flyweight Tournament Champion met his mentor shortly after he moved to Tokyo from his native Kagoshima, where he admits he often got into fights he finally had the opportunity to train mixed martial arts which would give him a healthy outlet to hone his aggression He was drawn to Tribe Tokyo MMA in the Nerima area of the Tokyo because of its head coach – the two-division DEEP World Champion who was known around the world for his performances in the PRIDE organization “The first time Chonan-san fought Hayato “Mach” Sakurai I’ll never forget the heart and hunger he showed,” Wakamatsu says Wakamatsu’s life changed dramatically after he joined the gym and found a team of professionals he could respect and look up to – all of whom trained under a role model who could guide him toward becoming a better person and a world-class athlete but when his trainer started to take an interest in his progress I wasn’t thinking about becoming professional,” he says “I was encouraged when Chonan-san told me I was getting stronger.” Wakamatsu realized he had a chance to chase his dream of becoming a martial arts star and the dream come true of training under his hero but he was always fair with anyone who gave 100 percent of their effort when they stepped onto the mats he’s there for us when we win and when we lose He does everything for us,” says “Little Piranha.” “He’s very harsh on anyone who misses training Some have quit because they couldn’t handle it “Chonan-san doesn’t bother about small things He’ll tell us individually about things like our foot positioning and finer points of technique while he watches.” Chonan’s guidance goes far beyond just physical training World Champions require the right mentality Wakamatsu talks of his mentor’s role as sempai – a senior which is a deeply rooted part of the Japanese culture – who has fostered a strong spirit among the collective at Tribe Tokyo MMA that places emphasis on the values of martial arts “The biggest things are how he’s taught me about [the right] attitude towards training and developing a fighting spirit which is most important for Japanese,” the flyweight athlete explains he’s taught me a lot of technique and skills Chonan has also guided Wakamatsu in his personal life He has encouraged him to learn English and be a respected member of society “The Piranha” has also helped his students through tough times their teammate Iyori Akiba died in a motorcycle accident Wakamatsu – like many of his teammates – was deeply affected but their leader helped them to cope with the tragedy and grow stronger together Chonan-san told us to never forget how much Akiba loved martial arts when we train and compete,” he says Kiyotaka Shimizu – we are the ones that must carry on together for him.” “Little Piranha” has become one of Chonan’s star pupils He put an incredible run together on the domestic scene with a 90-percent knockout rate, which earned him his spot on the ONE Championship roster and high-profile bouts like his battle with a former ONE Flyweight World Champion at the Mall Of Asia Arena in Manila Wakamatsu was destined for great things thanks to his prodigious talent and natural physical gifts but the Japanese star insists none of his achievements would have been possible without the big “Piranha.” I wouldn’t have had all the experiences I’ve had Having earned four scarf-hold Americana submission victories in just under three years, #4-ranked strawweight contender Ayaka “Zombie” Miura has established herself as the next challenger to divisional queen “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan Now, Miura will face the reigning ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion in the main event of ONE: HEAVY HITTERS, which broadcasts live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday, 14 January. Interestingly, the match pits the strawweight division’s submission queen against the weight class’ all-time knockout leader, making it a headliner fit for the organization’s first martial arts spectacle of 2022. However, before the third-degree judo black belt steps into the Circle for the biggest fight of her career, she recaps her journey through mixed martial arts – a journey guided by her coach and legend of the Japanese MMA scene, Ryo “Piranha” Chonan. At the peak of his career, Chonan was a Japanese Mixed Martial Arts Champion who competed in the biggest promotions all over the world. He even won accolades from top media outlets like Sports Illustrated. Chonan built his career by being a disciplined martial artist, and it’s a trait that he’s passed on to Miura. “Discipline is important for focusing on all the individual aspects of training,” she says. Indeed, it was discipline that successfully guided “Zombie” through her high school judo club, it was discipline that earned her the respect of established athletes at Tribe Tokyo MMA, and it was discipline that made her such a feared grappler. But sometimes, discipline wavers, as was the case for Miura on 28 May 2017. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 三浦彩佳 Ayaka Miura🇯🇵🧟‍♀️ (@ayaka_zombie) she was scheduled to face Brazilian Thiane Sauza in Pancrase but failed to make weight As the media watched – and as her opponent came in spot on – “Zombie” found herself under the spotlight and in an awkward position “I just wanted to disappear,” she admits. “But the day after the fight, I went with Mr. Chonan and Yuya Wakamatsu to our late team member [Iyori] Akiba’s grave.” she realized that by not giving 100 percent she let down her former teammate who had passed away in a traffic accident and could no longer follow his dreams “I knew I couldn’t show myself like this to [Akiba] I decided to raise more fighting spirit in me the Japanese star felt the urgency and experienced a shift in performance while under the watchful eye of Chonan she won three of her next four outings in Pancrase Miura dominated in her ONE Championship debut At ONE: CALL TO GREATNESS, she submitted former ONE World Title challenger Laura “La Gladiadora” Balin with her signature move Miura went on to use the technique to score two more second-round submission victories – first, against another former ONE World Title challenger in Samara “Marituba” Santos and then against a formerly ranked contender in Maira Mazar. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 三浦彩佳 Ayaka Miura🇯🇵🧟‍♀️ (@ayaka_zombie) Miura eventually succumbed to #1-ranked strawweight contender Tiffany “No Chill” Teo, but she later bounced back with another scarf-hold Americana of Rayane Bastos within weeks of her biggest mixed martial arts challenge the man who she believes is responsible for her success not only in Japan “There’s no way I could compete abroad without him he gives us solid support through all the tough times Because he actually knows the harshness [of the sport] Chonan is known for his unwavering sternness in the gym But he’s equally known for his fairness and kindness to those around him That’s the kind of coach it takes to build a World Champion It’ll be up to Miura to do the rest come 14 January Read more: Xiong Jing Nan Wants To KO Ayaka Miura, Eyes Atomweight Return If you were offended by George St. Pierre's walkout gi from his UFC 158 fight against Nick Diaz last month in Montreal That's according to former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight Ryo Chonan who thinks you might be too stupid to go out and educate yourself on the history involving Korea and Japan as it pertains to war crimes back in World War II From Samurai Life (via Middle Easy): "All the people complaining about the Rising Sun flag is an idiot Even though that might be too much for you idiots I don't care about the comfort women (girls and women essentially held captive in a life of enforced prostitution in the Imperial Japanese Army) There is a lot of exaggerations and anti-Japanese education in regards to Japanese involvement in World War II Also when Japan was there Korea was not divided between North and South." St. Pierre was openly criticized by fellow UFC star Chan Sung Jung (see his beef here) who called "Rush" out for sporting a Rising Sun flag that was the equivalent of the Swastika in terms of offensive symbolism Nevertheless, leading retailer of combat sports apparel, Hayabusa, promised to keep the offending gi off the market while St. Pierre promptly apologized for his unintended gear gaffe (read his statement here) forcing a mistrial for a reputed gang member charged in the killing of a 29-year-old man in a Santa Monica alley is charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder in the June 11 shooting that killed Santa Monica resident Gil Verastegui and left another man critically injured which got the case late Thursday afternoon informed the judge this afternoon that it was deadlocked 6-6 A motions hearing was set for March 8 at the Airport Courthouse when the District Attorney’s Office is expected to announce whether it plans to retry the case 16 sentencing date is set for co-defendant Christopher Chonan Osumi who pleaded no contest to one count of murder opened fire on the men in the alley in the 1500 block of Michigan Avenue 35-year-old Noah Jason Farris pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact The trio was arrested in West Los Angeles about an hour after the shooting Civil Rights Groups Say Law Enforcement Violated Students’ Rights Civil rights attorneys representing demonstrators at UCLA have filed a federal.. Freeway Rehab Project Through the Sepulveda Pass Has Been Put On Hold The planned Caltrans District 7 project to rehabilitate.. Police Riders to Arrive in Tribute as Culver City Remembers CCPD Officers  Law enforcement officials A great time was had by all at The Godfrey Hotel’s Derby Day where the mint juleps flowed all afternoon.. Former Palisades Resident Moved to the South Bay After Losing Home in Fire Braun Levi Investigation Underway After Intruder Breaches Star’s Property An unnamed man was arrested Monday after driving his vehicle through the front.. is celebrating one year of business this spring... Health Officials Urge Residents to Get Vaccinated Amid Rising Infections  The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has declared.. Retail Project Could Redefine Fox Hills Corridor A new chapter in Culver City’s Fox Hills neighborhood is beginning.. Eight-Lot Mulholland Estate Includes a 1950s Ranch Home 31 Acres A sprawling canyon estate in the Beverly Hills Post Office.. Displaced Families Are Reshaping Los Angeles’ Housing Market on the Westside Home sales and prices across Los Angeles surged in.. A catalog of programs and classes has opened for Summer at Crossroads an immersive experience for students to continue to.. Support Services Lead to Reduction in Frequent Emergency Calls A collaborative effort between the Santa Monica Fire Department and Wise&Healthy.. the Couple Parts Ways and Prepares to Sell Their Family Estate Actress and entrepreneur Jessica Alba and.. No injuries reported after unexpected landing in Pacific Palisades On Friday a Cessna 172  that was unable to complete its.. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and events in the Westside and the surrounding areas the Octagon returns to Atlanta for the fourth time with a UFC 236 card that features a championship doubleheader and a stacked slate of intriguing bouts as the promotion has always brought the big guns to the Georgia capital we take a look back at the UFC’s previous trips to Atlanta beginning with 2008’s premiere in the city - UFC 88 WATCH UFC 88 on UFC FIGHT PASS: https://www.ufc.tv/video/breakthrough Entitled “Breakthrough,” UFC 88 certainly was a breakthrough for Rashad Evans the Ultimate Fighter 2 winner was clearly on the right path to a shot at the light heavyweight title but a draw with Tito Ortiz and a decision win over Michael Bisping didn’t exactly get the fans on Evans’ side An impressive win over former world champion Chuck Liddell would change that situation especially since “The Iceman” was coming off a big win over Wanderlei Silva Chuck Liddell (blue shorts) - KO - 1:51 round 2 during UFC 88 at Philips Arena on September 6 (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Nate Marquardt TKO1 (1:22) Martin Kampmann Jason MacDonald Wsub2 (1:21 – rear naked choke) Jason Lambert We contribute to the health and happiness of people around the world through our pursuit of excellence in life science in general and our research and experience in microorganisms in particular with the passionate desire to “deliver good health to as many people as possible” who was founder of Yakult succeeded in fortifying and culturing a strain of beneficial lactic acid bacteria that could reach the intestines alive and set about providing it in the form of a drink the fruit of his passionate desire has continued to spread across the globe and Yakult’s dairy products are consumed daily by 40 million people in 40 countries and regions Yakult is imbued with this passionate desire from our founding and it is part of everything we do manufacture and sales of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics Under our corporate philosophy of “we contribute to the health and happiness of people around the world through pursuit of excellence in life science in general and our research and experience in microorganisms in particular,” we will continue to work for the benefit of our stakeholders Yakult was born out of the passion of Minoru Shirota poor hygiene and nutrition led to the deaths of many people in Japan from infectious diseases such as cholera and dysentery the young man set his sights on medicine and began studying at Kyoto Imperial University (now Kyoto University) in 1921 He started down the path of microorganism research which places emphasis not on treating illnesses he discovered that lactic acid bacteria suppress harmful bacteria in the intestines he succeeded in strengthening and culturing a strain of lactic acid bacteria that could survive digestive juices This strain is now known as Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota With the goal of providing this lactic acid bacteria to as many people as possible Shirota developed an affordable and delicious fermented milk drink and released it under the name of Yakult in 1935 which has since found popularity all around the world This serves as the foundation and the guide for all of our business activities so that by “caring enough to make home deliveries” we also strive for the ideals of “sincerity” and “harmony among people” The ideals of the company’s founder have endured to the present day unchanged by time and today Shirota-ism is still at the heart of Yakult Yakult has consistently pursued research tapping into the potential of probiotics With the goal of contributing to the healthy lives of as many people as possible we will continue to devote our efforts to discovering new powers of microorganisms and using those powers to further contribute to health In order to realize preventive medicine and contribute to people’s health and investigate the relationship between the intestinal microbiota and overall health from a variety of angles We use the results of these efforts in the development of food We are also focused on investigating microorganisms and natural products whose functions have so far escaped notice and are proactively researching these as potential new ingredients The Yakult Central Institute is the company’s hub for research and development and is comprised of seven buildings with advanced research equipment and facilities (Research Administration Building Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Research Building Quality and Technical Development Building we conduct a wide range of research including basic research applied research focused on the development of food and an analysis business dedicated to safe production and environmental protection Since its founding Yakult has been engaged in basic research of probiotics and intestinal microbiota which are now the topics interesting many researchers in the world Yakult has collaborated with other research institutions in recent years as part of its focus on exploring the further potential of probiotics Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (stained green) incorporated in a macrophage (the cytoplasm is stained red and the nucleus is stained blue) Findings suggested that the macrophage is the key to the immune regulation of Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota Based on genetic sequences unique to each species of intestinal microbiota YIF-SCAN® selectively quantifies the bacteria precise analysis of a wide range of bacteria from abundant bacteria to those relatively few in number Analysis of intestinal epithelial cells with a confocal laser scanning microscope The induction of Th17 cells by segmented filamentous bacteria was visualized with immunofluorescence technique It is expected that improving the intestinal environment will have a positive effect on the reduction of antibiotics use and the response rate of the anticancer drug We remain actively engaged in joint research with other cutting edge organizations including the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency a National Research and Development Agency We also launched joint research operations with the Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization This latter cooperation aims to help clarify the physiological significance of the intake of fermented milk drinks in terms of preventive medicine and create new forms of preventive and therapeutic medicine that target intestinal microbiota The cooperation is expected to extend through the end of 2020 Download references Today's print edition Home Delivery One of the first places Junichiro “John” Imaeda visited in Japan after spending three months in West Africa in 2008 was the Koenji Awa Odori musicians and revelers fill the streets after his trip triggered an aha moment “It made me realize that all humans share musical similarities that we all have rhythms that we move to and share,” Imaeda recalls “I started Ajate after that.”googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division There was a time well before he graced the UFC’s Octagon that Silva – while a good fighter with a promising future – wasn't someone that stood out across the globe or was anywhere near the average fight fan’s radar Silva made his way up the professional ranks first fighting in his home country of Brazil and then making a few ripples in Japan where he defeated the likes of former UFC welterweight champion Carlos Newton and highly regarded Japanese veteran Hayato Sakurai but lost bouts to Daiju Takase and Ryo Chonan It was a time when the payouts were paltry and the highest level of notoriety was being a big fish in a small pond MMA was nowhere near the pages of SI or in ESPN’s broadcasts or available for viewing on a major broadcast network like Fox It was a time that had Anderson Silva on the ropes like no fighter ever has It was a time that left him shaking his head ready to walk away from mixed martial arts altogether The loss to Chonan came at the end of his Pride contract and although he was a respectable 3-2 in the Pride ring and always competitive Silva believed that his dreams were quickly fading into oblivion That is when Silva went to his close friends the Nogueira brothers (Antonio Rogerio and Antonio Rodrigo) to tell them that he was done fighting they’re part of my family,” said Silva in a Fuel TV UFC From All Angles interview on Tuesday night “I love these guys because they help me stay together my dream Because one day I talk to Rogerio and Rodrigo ‘I no more fight bro.’” that Silva didn’t hang up his gloves But it was his friendship with the Nogueira brothers that made it possible for today’s fans to appreciate the skills of one of the greatest martial artists of all time he advised Silva to no longer fight for Pride Silva had no problems with Pride or fighting for them but he obviously listened to the man he considers his family and left Japan behind Silva went on to fight a few more times for Cage Rage a now-defunct British organization where he held the middleweight championship before making his way to the UFC and never looking back Silva won the UFC middleweight title in just his second fight for the organization His name is scrawled across the UFC record books At 38 years of age, Silva is entering into a new long-term contract with the UFC, is slated to fight Chris Weidman at UFC 162 in July (Follow @KenPishna on Twitter) Be sure to Like MMAWeekly.com on Facebook and Follow @MMAWeeklycom on Twitter. is confident that UFC Des Moines loss will fuel the fighter to take things to the next level Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version Foreign stable hands are increasingly working at regional racecourses now over 340 foreign stable hands are caring for racehorses across the country Behind this increase is a serious shortage of people applying for the job please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent By Sayaka Nambu / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer over 340 are now caring for racehorses across the country The reason behind this increase is a serious shortage of people applying for the job an Indian stable hand showered racehorses at the Hyogo prefectural Nishiwaki equestrian park in Nishiwaki whom he instructs with simple English and gestures who has been working at the park since March 2021 lives with his wife and their three children — aged 8 to 12 — in a dormitory near the stable cleans up the stable and trains horses in the saddle and he also gets paid a part of cash prizes from races Inda also worked as a stable hand in the United Kingdom and Australia He thought Japan would offer a good salary and an opportunity to learn a new culture “My children have become accustomed to their new schools I would like to work in Japan for a long period of time,” he said a horse racing association and the municipality interview applicants as part of their screening process who is responsible for 26 racehorses for regional racing began thinking of hiring foreigners around seven years ago he had sourced stable hands from within Japan many of them left their jobs after two or three months “I cannot trust [foreigners]” and “Who will take responsibility if something happens?” Chonan spent two years appealing to the Hyogo prefectural horse racing association He presented a plan outlining how to support the livelihood of foreign workers the association allowed him to hire foreign stable hands and the country has many people already equipped with the skills necessary to work in stables Seeing Indian workers work diligently at Chonan’s stable other trainers began hiring Indian stable hands one after another there were 39 Indians working at the equestrian park and other locations Skilled foreigners are now playing an essential role,” Chonan said There are 15 regional racecourses across Japan According to the Tokyo-based National Association of Racing according to interviews with associations organizing regional horse races and other sources Foreign stable hands hold a “skilled labor” status of residence granted to foreigners who engage in work that requires specialized skills in specific areas Stable hands fall under the category of “animal trainers” and 10 years’ experience is required to obtain the status The Hokkaido horse racing association was the first regional association to allow the employment of foreign stable hands The number of foreign stable hands has since increased to 69 as of Sept with Indians making up the vast majority at 64 The association organizes classes on domestic horse racing rules and Japanese to increase retention the Dominican Republic and other countries were working as of Sept Those from Latin America worked at racetracks in their home countries so they were able to hit the ground running the Japan Racing Association does not have any foreign stable hands despite also facing difficulties in hiring the association abolished their age restriction making it so applicants no longer need to be younger than 28 years old to enroll in a dedicated training course at the JRA horse racing school Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version Ryo Chonan made his pro debut in 2001. At Pride: ‘Shockwave’ 2004 he made history by submitting Anderson Silva with a flying scissor heel hook It is arguably the greatest submission in MMA history and gained added significance when the Brazilian went on to establish himself as the best pound for pound fighter on the planet Henderson also won the Deep welterweight and middleweight titles However it was a loss to Dan Henderson at Pride: ‘Bushido’ 9 in 2005 that would not only change his destiny but go on to shape the careers of a new generation of Japanese mixed martial artists After getting knocked out in 22 seconds by the American he knew immediately what he needed to do Chonan would eventually overcome these difficulties in order to train with Henderson at Team Quest This trip would prove to be the genesis for Tribe Tokyo I started to think about various ways to run a gym There was nothing like that in Japan yet.” But back in 2007 a facility in Tokyo was well out of Chonan’s financial reach Fortunately he found a friend who was willing to invest money to make his dream a reality I couldn’t have gotten such a big place with my own money.” The timing proved prescient as Tribe Tokyo offered something that was missing from the local scene at that time “A lot of people live in that area and when we opened there were no other martial arts gyms around I think a lot of gyms imitated us afterwards but at the time there were no places where you could do martial arts and weight training While Tribe Tokyo has always been open to the general public Chonan’s focus is more on finding elite mixed martial artists Having fought on some of the biggest shows of the Pride era and gone on to compete for the UFC he can look back on his career with satisfaction The 43 year old is now hoping his team will provide a platform for the new generation of Japanese fighters looking to enjoy similar opportunities inside and outside of the cage Some members have been doing business together (and) we’ve created a good place for social exchanges.” Chonan won several titles and beat one of the best fighters of the century in spectacular style He has every reason to be proud of what he achieved during an MMA career that spanned an entire decade However he remains ambitious and Chonan’s dream is to nurture fighters who will eventually achieve even more than he did “It was my goal to coach and build professional athletes who could achieve higher levels than myself.” Next week’s ONE: ‘A New Tomorrow’ card consists mainly of Muay Thai bouts. But an intriguing MMA matchup will take place early in the evening when Ayaka Miura takes on Maira Mazar Miura has won two fights out of two for ONE Championship and comes into 2020 on the back of a five fight winning streak The 29 year old is on the cusp of a title shot and another win would surely put her over the edge The Japanese strawweight is one of the best in the business when it comes to finishing opponents with arm or wrist locks. Both her previous wins for ONE Championship came by way of americana She holds a third degree black belt in judo and says this is where her love of martial arts began what I love is the feeling of scoring a clean throw Miura got into MMA after a chance encounter with Ryo Chonan and some of his Tribe Tokyo fighters at her place of work “I decided to get into mixed martial arts when I was working at a bone-setting clinic where Chonan-san and some of the Tribe Tokyo MMA athletes came for treatment I was intrigued and wanted to go to their gym.” She would go on to establish herself as one of the top strawweights on the Pancrase roster before signing with ONE Championship. Her record currently stands at 9-2-0-1 and she is clearly a leading contender to challenge champion Xiong Jing Nan in 2020 First up comes a tough test in Bangkok next Friday Miura has been matched with a Brazilian for the second fight in succession and is wary of Mazar’s stand up skills “I imagine she’ll come straight in with long jabs and crosses more than kicks I have to be ready so I don’t get hit (and) I’ve been working with (Ryo) Chonan on improving my movement I’ve been doing drills in anticipation of her attacks,” she said Miura’s judo gives her the ability to get opponents to the ground and she is a proven finisher The 29 year old has six submission wins on her record although one of them was changed to a no contest by Pancrase because she missed weight by 0.1kgs She is very up front about where her strengths and weaknesses lie and has been working hard on the latter “My strength is good thanks to heavy weightlifting but my movement is bad so I’ve been working on angles and reflexes to improve my quickness,” she said The Brazilian came to ONE Championship’s attention after being selected at the Evolve MMA tryouts last year. She has a 2016 loss to Weili Zhang on her record but Mazar is otherwise an unknown quantity to Asian fans But Miura has been studying her intently and will have a point to prove in Bangkok “I want to show the fans how I deal with her striking and how I can pull her into my game This is a very important fight for me (because) I want everyone to see how I’ve evolved Mixed Martial Arts has more than its fair share of ‘Holy Jesus!’ moments- from flying side-kicks to flying armbars – the sport has it all The sport’s top organisations such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) showcase a wide variety of stylistic matchups- some technical there are a few fights that transcend the run-of-the-mill MMA bouts; involving insane skills and manoeuvres that challenge the laws of physics a group of gifted athletes elevate our sport as well as themselves to the next level of martial science; by their larger-than-life in-cage/in-ring moves Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more Ryo ‘Piranha’ Chonan (22-13) is an MMA veteran of Pride FC Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silva (34-8-1) is a former UFC Middleweight champion with a record 10 title defences to his name Silva’s MMA base is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and Muay Thai He trained in Taekwondo and capoeira as a child as well Chonan faced the mighty Silva at Pride Shockwave 2004 in Saitama tagging him at will and toying around with the Japanese karateka on the feet Chonan looked to be on his way to getting knocked out by Silva he successfully executed a flying scissor-lock takedown on ‘The Spider’ Chonan immediately secured position and slapped on a heel-hook submission on his Brazilian foe Ryo Chonan’s flying scissor takedown and simultaneous heel-hook that are usually two different manoeuvres were integrated seamlessly to form a perfectly choreographed submission sequence Pride’s 2005 NYE event forever lives on in the minds of MMA fans Uriah ‘Primetime’ Hall (12-8) is a Jamaican kickboxer and MMA fighter Gegard ‘Dreamcatcher’ Mousasi (41-6-2) is a Dutch-Armenian former Strikeforce and DREAM Light-heavyweight champion and former DREAM Middleweight champion Hall entered the 2015 fight against Mousasi as a huge underdog getting thoroughly outworked in the first round Mousasi secured top position on Hall and had dominated him on the feet as well as the ground having the obvious grappling advantage over his opponent Hall timed Mousasi’s takedown-attempt perfectly and flung his entire body into the air spinning to create torque and landing a back-kick on his Dutch opponent Mousasi lost his balance and wobbled back towards the fence Hall finished the fight with a few follow-up shots and secured the biggest win of his career Now although Mousasi would avenge this loss in a rematch with Hall in 2016 Hall’s flying spinning back-kick will forever remain a staple of the UFC’s highlight reels Anthony ‘Showtime’ Pettis (19-6) is a former UFC and WEC Lightweight (LW) champion with an MMA base of Taekwondo and BJJ ‘Smooth’ Benson Henderson (24-7) is also a former UFC and WEC LW champion Pettis owns a pair of victories over Henderson- a five-round decision win in the WEC followed by a submission win in the UFC Henderson was the defending champion in both fights with their WEC matchup being one of the most entertaining fights in the promotion’s history Pettis and ’Bendo’ fought a back-and-forth fight going toe-to-toe on the feet as well as the ground shone through in most of the standup exchanges with the icing on the cake being a spectacular flying head-kick that he successfully landed on Henderson’s face Pettis initiated the attack by propelling himself off the cage with his right foot flying through the air and landing his right foot perfectly on Bendo’s face; knocking him down This flying head-kick off the cage was thereafter popularly referred to as the ‘Showtime kick’ Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silva (34-8-1) is a former longtime UFC Middleweight (MW) champion and one of the greatest fighters in our sport’s young history Forrest Griffin (19-7) is a former UFC Light-heavyweight (LHW) champion with an MMA base of boxing Rumours were rife in the lead-up to the fight that Griffin would open up with a 1-2-headkick combo Griffin’s attempted combinations fell short of ‘The Spider’ who used his slick footwork to pivot out of harm’s way Regardless Griffin pursued the smaller Silva This is where Silva’s otherworldly head-movement came into play slipping almost all strikes thrown by the former 205-pound champion and catching Griffin with accurate counters from awkward angles Silva’s sharp counters started adding up and after getting tagged clean Griffin made the critical error of following the ‘Spider’ in a straight line Silva slipped his opponent’s telegraphed strikes and caught his American opponent clean with a jab Anderson Silva’s entire performance against Forrest Griffin is now widely regarded as an essential case-study for aspiring MMA fighters and martial arts practitioners Silva is Michael Jordanesque Neo-like in his head-movement Toby Imada (30-18-1) is an American kick-boxer and MMA fighter of Japanese and Mexican descent Jorge ‘Gamebred’ Masvidal (32-11) is an American boxer kick-boxer and MMA fighter of Cuban descent Imada faced Masvidal at Bellator 5 in 2009 in the promotion’s inaugural Lightweight Championship tournament The two slick fighters fought each other in the tournament’s semi-final bracket with Imada scoring one of the most incredible moves of all time; a moment that is now considered iconic in the savage science’s young history After getting outworked by his opponent on the feet for the better part of two rounds Imada started off the third round busted up Masvidal looked to be cruising to a victory when Imada sprawled on a takedown-attempt and instead of regaining his stance Masvidal on his part did the right thing by trying to slide his opponent off of his back Imada miraculously hung on to Masvidal head locking on the submission and putting Masvidal to sleep The referee stepped in to stop the fight and Imada celebrated amongst a large round of applause from the raucous crowd in Dayton Toby Imada’s standing reverse triangle submission of Jorge ‘Gamebred’ Masvidal is one of the most iconic moments and unlikeliest submissions in MMA history Now although many fans would argue with Imada’s performance being rated above the ‘Spider’ we must note that submissions can be just as dynamic as strikes- it is Mixed Martial Arts to chime in with your favourite ‘MMA Matrix’ moves in the comments Keep training and watch out for more spinning Send us news tips at [email protected] Follow One Championship News, Schedule & Results at Sportskeeda Your perspective matters!Start the conversation