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Interview Yamato (K-1 Max -63kg Champion)
Tetsuya Yamato becomes champion in the new 63 kg league at the Japan finals with a KO in every match. It's fair to say that Yamato has become the top fighter among all of the veteran fighters with his complete victory. How will he change the 63 kg league? Here's an interview to commemorate the victory.
The phone wouldn't stop ringing.
How does it feel to be at the top of Japan's 63 kg league?
Yamato: I'm relieved. I'm both happy and relieved because it's the first time the 63 kg tournament was broadcasted on Golden and I won with all KO's. Even in the finals I was down so I'm happy. It turned out all right in the end, but wasn't it a huge turnaround?
How was the reaction?
Yamato: When I looked at my blog, there were so many comments going up that I couldn't log on, and the phone wouldn't stop ringing.
Because you're the new champion.
Yamato: Like Mr. Masato. It has a good ring to it.
You have a calling to be here in this rank.
Yamato: Of course. But it's not just me. All seven of the guys in this tournament are strong fighters, and I want to keep going with them. I think the guys who weren't in the tournament and Haruaki Ohtsuki and Masahiro Yamamoto, who weren't in the finals, also have the same feeling. But since I'm the one named champion of this rank, I want to be the first to take off running.
Without doubt, you're center-stage now. If you get off-track, it's over.
Yamato: I'm going to keep a firm ground and take it a step at a time to keep from getting off-track.
You beat Masahiro Yamamoto, who was favored to win, Hiroki, Sugai, and in the finals Yuhta Kubo, all with KO's. It's safe to say you completely beat everyone.
Yamato: I think that in the beginning when Masahiro got in a hit, things turned around. Since my first rival hit me in one match, I had a big advantage to crush him. I used up all of my confidence to win. I also had a big advantage beating Hiroki in the first round of the finals. Even though there was all this noise around us, I thought to win I had to tune it out and not pay worry about it. Then I could get back to my own rhythm.
Wait a second. You think if someone knocks you down, you can take advantage of it ... but you have to knock all of them down!
Yamato: No, when you get some damage somewhere and fight a strong guy, it's better to fight from the start.
I think there are people expecting a close match.
Yamato: I shouldn't say it, but it's a good feeling. I think there are people who want to see who really won. It's a good thing, not a betrayal. It's good that the tournament is so exciting.
There were high expectations for Daisuke Uematsu and Yuhta Kubo at first.
Yamato: I can't complain. I KO'ed both of them. It wasn't a slow match. It was fought beautifully, and I knocked them down in one shot.
 
 
 
 
 
Happy to have male fans too!
Tanigawa the producer was saying that next year he wants to get in to the world tournament. How do you feel about fighting the champions overseas?
Yamato: I'm looking forward to it. Above all, I want to fight strong guys because there are people who come out to see me fighting guys like that and are really into it. There are probably people who look up to K-1 and will start doing martial arts. That's that world I'm hoping for.
From here on, you have big expectations.
Yamato: I might be a little too optimistic, but I'm not all worked up. Even though I became first-time champion in this tournament, I'm not at all worked up about it. I got a good sleep the day before and I want to keep it like that. If I get all worked up I'll just burn out and get nothing done, so I want to put the energy to use and get myself moving.
How is it fighting in K-1?
Yamato: It feels good. From the ring I have a great view of everything. Martial arts are what got me into K-1. I started after I saw Masato win a tournament, so it's really a strange feeling to be winning here.
You weren't nervous?
Yamato: It's better for me not to get nervous. No matter how many people are watching, my stomach stays settled. That's why this is a good sport for me.
You're really popular among both the ladies and the guys.
Yamato: I'm happy to hear that. Of course I'm happy to have a lot of female fans, but if guys like me, that means it's not for looks but for my fighting style. That's good to hear.
I make my opponent remember my punch
It looked like Kubo got you when you were down.
Yamato: I tried to see everything around me. I was told my eyes were darting around, but inside of me I was thinking that I could win.
You thought you could win even though you were down?
Yamato: Well. At first I thought Kubo couldn't hit me. But after I was down, I thought there was a turnaround coming. I thought we were definitely going to start fighting. After I stood up, we hit each other a bit, and then in the next round we were hitting each other in a second.
You definitely made a comeback in the second round and took over in the last round.
Yamato: After the second round finished, I was told I'd better win after taking that down. So then I went in and knocked him down.
It was a showdown when Kubo went to knock you down.
Yamato: I had a strong feeling that my punch would work. If I'd stepped back to get out of his way, it wouldn't have happened like that, but it was still luck.
You are the champion. Don't you think that was fate?
Yamato: It's the best, and I'm happy to have so many people cheering me on.
Masato made K-1 MAX into a major high-pressure event. And now you're going to be in it.
Yamato: I'm so happy to be the one.
It seems like you're going to continue working at the paint shop.
Yamato: Since it's dangerous for me to work there after getting hit in the matches and having kind of unsteady footing, they're going to let me take a break, but I will continue working there. I was happy that everyone came to support me. We were hitting each other at the very end of the final match. Kubo was the one on the ground and I was the one standing. I think it was my friends were getting my back, supporting me up. Of course I wanted to win but even more than that I wanted to pay back all of the people who are supporting me. That's why I really think they were supporting me, helping me keep standing.
The quality of your punch was different from other fighters'.
Yamato: My punch didn't just come from wanting to win. It was for my fas and, even though it's hard to understand, for Hiroki and Sugai, who I fought in the first round.
You work from morning to night at the paint shop and go straight to practice right after you finish. Don't you think about work when you go to practice?
Yamato: Yes I do. Isn't working the basis of human life? There are some people who can live without working, but that's basically the root of life for people. Right now I can't eat and live on the money I get from fighting. That's why I keep working at the paint shop and getting more life experience. The people who take care of me come and support me and I think that comes out in the ring. I think that when a strong person gets in the ring, it's not just hits and kicks coming out, but life itself and personality.
So that means that this time, your life really came out.
Yamato: That strength of feeling doesn't come just from me, but is also given to me by the fans, my teachers, and all of the people who come to support me.
You work from eight to five, go to practice without a complaint, and stay for interviews. You are really an amazing champion.
Yamato: Those practices after work have a lot of meaning to me.
I've become the world champion of the 63 kg league!
You're always saying you want to paint things your color. What in the world is that color?
Yamato: I think that depends on the person. I don't think I decide my own color, but the person watching me decides it. For example, even though a guy watching me and a girl watching me have a different image of me, it's still the same color. It's not a color I can choose. Q:So how do you want to be seen?
Yamato: Hmm. Not as someone who wants to hit people and does martial arts, and not as someone who gets into fights fast. I want to get stronger and I do start fights, but I to start to be seen as someone who wants to be champion. That way, if I can become champion, I can pay back all of the people around me. Everyone around me says I'm strong, but for me I think that's just the environment made by the people arounnd me that makes me able to work so hard. I am a person supported by the chairman of my bym, my coach, my boss, my friends, and all of the people who support me.
So, that is Testuya Yamato. This is kind of a mean question, but would it bother you if someone didn't like that?
Yamato: Not really. However you see things is your right. There might be people who say I don't really think that and say it just to look good. But there are people of all kinds and there's nothing you can do about it. If I lose next time, there will be a ton of criticism. When you win, you have to plan to get criticized, take the good with the bad, and prepare to deal with it. I'm ready for it.
Can you feel the weight of the 63 kg league belt?
Yamato: I can feel it coming down on me. I feel it when I look at it. I'm in the eight, and it's an unusual thing to step up into that ring. In there, I know I've been chosen and I can feel that weight. It's like that. The first time, I thought I could feel the impact, but the second time I really realized, "Wow this is amazing." I think feeling that impact is my job as the champion.
Now you have to fight world champions.
Yamato: I've fought strong opponents from around the world before, but this time it will be for K-1. I want to become number one in the world fighting with K-1's rules.
Do you think a Japanese person can become first in the world?
Yamato: Of course. I'll become it. This is official. This is my duty!! Next time I'll fight with seven other people in mind, and I'll be stronger.
With the current lack of events, this is breaking
news. Oh Tanikawa, why dont you make a
cruiserweight -91 kilo division. F.U. for that! So
the heavyweight could die out. Who would give a
damn about it with a strong cruiserweight league?
Yamato v.s. Kubo = one of the best finals ive seen
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Yuichiro "Jienotsu" Nagashima vs. Andre "Dida" Amade - K-1 WORLD MAX 2010 FINAL 16
K-1 MAX (-63 kg) Semi-Final: Kubo vs. Matsumoto
K-1 MAX (-63 kg) Semi-Final: Saiga vs. Yamato
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