TEAM CARPE DIEM
——What did you think of the matches?
SARAMI It was a lot of fun to fight as a team. That's all I have to say. I think I was able to enjoy my fight because everyone was there for me.
Mitomo Moriwaki (Moriwaki) It was the first time for me to participate in a team tournament, and I wondered whether I could contribute to the team, but thanks to everyone, I could do better than fighting alone. I'm glad the team was able to win. I'm happy that we won together.
Haruki Ishiguro (Ishiguro) It was a team competition, and CARPE DIEM was a team of highly skilled fighters. I didn't have to worry about anything. Even if I couldn't win, I was sure someone else would win for me, so I was able to give it my all. I was glad to win.
Yuki Uchiyama (Uchiyama) I think we were a very well-balanced team, so everything went as planned. Everyone had been practicing very hard, and I think the results showed that. I have to apologize that I was the only one who exceeded the weight limit, so thanks for making me fit in (laughs). I'm happy that I was able to contribute a bit.
Satomi Suga Being part of a team was much more encouraging than fighting on my own, and I was able to do my job well. But everyone was too good. I wanted to fight in a few more matches (laughs).
——You've always wanted to compete in a women's tournament, and now that you've realized that and also won in the match, how do you feel?
Ishiguro I can only say that I'm happy, but I'd like to fight against a different team next time since we matched up with the same team twice today.
——I think you had a lot of energy to give in the finals. How much did you want to show that off?
Uchiyama I was planning to tie it with Carolina. Sakamoto was very good at escaping, so I couldn't win against her. I participated in a match at the end of February, so I could only practice no-gi style fighting for about nine days. Since I was able to get to the third fighter this time, I thought I did okay. I'll practice more no-gi next time, so I can win against all five fighters! It was tough for me to win in the four-minute bout because I'm physically heavy.
——体重差があっても4分は短いと。
内山 ノーギの方が滑るので。QUINTETのルールってポジションをキープしてはいけないので体重あるからといって有利なわけではないなとは思います。重い人って遅いので、速いとポジションがどんどん変わっちゃうし、それでゆっくりしてたら指導きちゃうしっていうプレッシャーの中で闘わなきゃいけないので体重だけではないなという感じはしました。
——普段の柔術の個人戦とここが違うなと感じられた選手はいますか？
石黒 かなり違いますね。個人は個人、チームはチームっていう全然心強さとか、後ろにいるからっていうのはあります。
内山 最初のオーダーがね、ちゃんとみんな後ろに任されるよっていうオーダーを作っているので。
守脇 遥希ちゃんが言ってくれた「後ろにいてくれる」っていう、なんか信頼できる強さをみんなが持っているというのは心強かったです。自分もどんどんトライできるし。
内山 みんな極めの強さを持っていたから、誰が決めてもおかしくないという感じだったので。
——桜庭さんからメダルをもらう機会ってなかなかないと思いますが、どうでしたか？
石黒 父が大ファンなんですよ。昔から桜庭さん知っていて、よくサクフィギアも家にあったので私はずっと知っていてなんかその人からいただけるのは嬉しいです。
TEAM Fairtex
——What did you think of the matches?
Kanon Kishida (Kishida) I enjoyed it. I could team up with people I don't usually get to fight with as a team. I had three matches, and it was really fun. My most memorable match was with Haruki (Haruki Ishiguro). We've been good friends for a long time, and we had a bout today. I had never won her with a chokehold before, but I was able to win. Although it was only for a short while, I'm glad that I could practice for this tournament.
Ryoko Yoshida It was my first time fighting in a no-gi match. I only had about three weeks to practice, but I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would. I hope I have a chance to participate in a no-gi match as a member of this team again.
Carolina De Amorim Kuwahara Fairtex is the best team that I've ever fought with, and I really enjoyed it. It was great to have so many matches this time. It was the first time for me to play in a no-gi match, but I enjoyed it more than I expected. My match did not turn out as good as I had hoped, though. Please invite me again, as I would love to fight again.
Julyanna Laurentino I got to match up against people with different belt colors, so it was a lot more fun than I thought it would be. It was indeed a great experience for me.
Kazuko Sakamoto First of all, I had terrific fun. The people of Fairtex were lovely, and I enjoyed being with them. I screwed it up by getting a foul in the first match, but my team did a good job winning again in the second match, so I was thrilled to compete in the finals.
——Is Quinter very different compared to fighting individually in jiu-jitsu?
Kishida Yes, I think so. The team members would cheer me on while I was fighting, and even if I lost, the match would continue with another fighter. The match keeps going on.
TEAM Coroblock
——What did you think of the matches?
Yuki Ono I really wanted to win the first bout and get an advantage for the next fighter, but I could only tie. I love grappling, and I've always wanted to be a part of QUINTET, so it was both fun and full of regrets for me today. I wanted to win the playoff match.
Emi Fujino I wanted to do better, but the fighting order was perfect. My plan was to win and tie the next bout, but I couldn't. That was a miscalculation. Julyanna moved around a lot, but I wasn't afraid of her at all. I also thought her arms were very flexible.
Norika Ryu (Ryu) Yes, Carolina was mighty. I mean, seriously, I think she was as strong as a man, or maybe even stronger. Her power in pulling me in was something I'd never experienced before. I'm pretty strong physically, but I couldn't escape from that guard at all. That was hell.
——Weren't you worried when you got two penalties?
Ryu Not at all. I made sure with everyone in my team in advance that it was okay to get a penalty, so I tried to get a draw from the beginning. The match may have turned out to be boring for the audience. I must say that Carolina was incredible.
WINDY Tomomi I'm the only one on this team who lost. Everyone did their best and got a tie, and I wanted to win an Ippon. However, it turned out to be the other way round, and I lost with an Ippon, so I must have put a lot of pressure on Hashi. But Hashi did her best to make up for my loss. I want to thank everyone on my team. A Quintet match is something you can't do on your own.
Takayo Hashi The last time I joined, I was an amateur, and I couldn't make it to the fifth bout, so this time I wanted to. Actually, I was able to fight in the final bout this time, but I was disappointed that I couldn't win. I don't think I can get over it unless I win the next match. Kishida took an open position, not a closed one, but I couldn't attack her aggressively, which is something I need to work on. I wish I could redo the fight.
——Any final comments?
Fujino I think everyone did a great job. I'm so glad I could fight with this team. However, I really wanted to win!
Special Single Match
Tomoshige Sera Nakamura was good and strong, wasn't he? He is a tough fighter to defeat. I think jiu-jitsu fighters would find him the most challenging type of fighter to beat. But his positioning at the beginning was a bit lax as I had expected, so I tried to tire him out instead of going for an Ippon right away. (Did you have any plans to win with a specific technique?) No, I didn't have a plan at all, and I wasn't particular about any methods. I went for a win, but it wasn't easy. I had control over him, but I don't usually have opponents like him to train with, so it wasn't easy to think of any strategies. If I have the opportunity to fight with him again, I think I'll make the same moves. I guess most jiu-jitsu fighters wouldn't like Nakamura's fighting style since he doesn't care about which position he is in. You need to be careful because if you try to get into a certain position too much, you'll get tired, and in the latter half of the fight, when you're exhausted, you might get caught with an Ippon. (It's been a while since you fought in QUINTET FN5.) As a matter of fact, I wanted to win by Ippon, but I'm glad that I was able to win anyway. We moved a lot and were able to show off our techniques, so I thought we wouldn't get any penalties. However, it would have been better if I could win by Ippon.
Daisuke Nakamura I knew that Sera was strong, so I looked forward to seeing how much I could do, but I couldn't go as aggressively as I wanted to. I wanted to overcome my limits in my own way, but Sera was strong, so I must do something about that. I believe I have learned a lot from the match this time. I've just started practicing ground techniques, so I want to master them over the next 10 to 20 years. I want to master my own grappling, or rather my own professional wrestling career. Sera was really strong and cool, and he taught me where I am now and what I need to do to get there. (Sera mentioned that you are a tough fighter.) That's true, and I noticed that a lot. I always watch vigilantly for an opportunity to attack, but Sera didn't give me any chance to jump in. I need to study more so that I can find the opponent's unguarded moments. But I had a really good time again today. Quintet is nothing but fun. Even if you lose or win by Ippon, it's fun, and Quintet becomes an even more memorable event if you win. I'm a member of the UHF family, and I hope Quintet and its rules that Sakuraba designed become a more common thing and that more people get to see it. Quintet is absolutely fascinating to watch. I was in a tough match with Sera for eight minutes, and I kept moving, but I didn't feel that my physical strength was waning. I'm 40 years old now, and I believe I haven't even reached my prime yet. It's just about to begin.
Special Iron Man Match
Kazuhiro Suzuki I knew Saku Jr. was a senior in college, and he didn't have a lot of grappling experience, so I wondered if he was that strong, but he was sturdy in the exhibition Special Iron Man Match. His father is called the master of Kimura lock, or the Gracie Hunter, and I thought Saku Jr. has inherited the Kimura side. (You also got an Ippon in the first round.) Right. I managed to get a kneebar. I'm glad that I was at least able to show a win.
SAKU Jr. I enjoyed it, but I also got extremely nervous. My body was killing me from halfway through. Suzuki was tough. I'm sure he knew I was a judo fighter, so I focused on leg locking techniques and tried to get a win from there, but I couldn't. I'm glad I got an armlock. (Did you learn the technique you used to win from your father?) No, I trained by myself!
Kazushi Sakuraba It was a good match. I don't have any other comments.
——You seemed to have hurt your leg, but were you all right?
SAKU Jr. Yes, I'm fine. I think I got a leg cramp because I was trying hard to hold on.
——You mentioned that your goal was to be better than your father.
SAKU Jr. That's true. I meant not only in MMA but in everything.
- Don't you watch your father's matches?
SAKU Jr. Not really. I watched his fights when I was little, though.
——Sakuraba was previously the champion in NOAH?
SAKU Jr. He bragged about that.
Kazushi Sakuraba I didn't brag about myself. I was talking about Sugiura, my tag partner!
——Today you fought in the exhibition match, and you will start working next month. For example, do you have any plans to work as a businessman during the day and join matches as a fighter in the evening?
SAKU Jr. That's cool, but I don't think I'll do that.
——Do you plan to join Quintet once a year in the future?
Kazushi Sakuraba (towards Kazuhiro Suzuki) He shouldn't underestimate Quintet, right?
SAKU Jr. Yes, I don't think fighting a Quintet match is that easy. You can't win much if you only practice once in a while. You might find me practicing in secret, though.
Opening Match
Reon Niwa I wanted to win by Ippon, but I couldn't, so I learned a lot from my experience this time. For now, I'm relieved that I could win. In Quintet rules, you have to go for a win aggressively, so I think I could deliver an exciting match. However, by rules, you have to win by Ippon to win, so that's what I'm disappointed about. I would love to join Quintet again if I have the opportunity. Next time, I'd like to win by Ippon. I'm also interested in participating as a member of a team next time. I don't usually have the chance to participate in team matches, so it should be a new experience for me.
Shota Nagano I had a great time in the Quintet match today. It was great to be able to fight on such a big stage. Niwa's strength in holding from the back was incredible. I couldn't escape at all. (Did Hideo Tokoro give you any advice?) He told me to have a blast. He also gave me some advice on my strategies, but they were difficult to follow. I'd love to come to a Quintet match again, and I'd like to thank Mr. Tokoro and Mr. Sakuraba for giving me the opportunity this time.
Message from Kazushi Sakuraba, producer of Quintet
Kazushi Sakuraba (Sakuraba) CARPE DIEM was strong in the finals, but I think Fairtex had the most challenging time today. They had to fight three matches, so maybe the result would have changed if the match-ups had been different. I had to excuse myself for a few minutes during the first match between CARPE DIEM and Fairtex, and there was a foul, right? That was a pity. Without that, Fairtex might have won. I thought the three-way playoff was also good. I was hoping Fairtex would win in the end, not because I dislike CARPE DIEM or anything, but because I thought it would be exciting for the audience if Fairtex could win today.
——In Quintet, I feel the audience's atmosphere changes depending on how the fight goes.
Sakuraba That's right. Also, in a regular Quintet match, we decide the opponent team, then the orders. In this tournament, it was slightly different. We chose the orders first and then the match-ups. The way the fighters fight changes from their regular pattern in a tournament, so that's why Quintet's team fights are so exciting. My eldest son appeared in the exhibition Special Ironman Match, and that was pretty interesting too. Daisuke and Sera also did well in the Special Single Match, didn't they? For Sera, I think the timing was off. I hope both of them will join Quintet matches in the future again.
——How about the women's matches?
Sakuraba I would like to see 10th Planet join Quintet. I'd love to have Grace Gundrum as well. 10th Planet is exciting because they don't fight like jiu-jitsu, even though they call it jiu-jitsu.
——Did you get nervous about your son's game, or were you rather embarrassed?
Sakuraba We had a graduation ceremony for my son and his judo teammates after my son's match, and I had to remember my lines for that ceremony. Honestly speaking, I was so busy trying to remember my lines, "Gather around, judo team! You all did a great job in judo for 22 years!" I had to keep saying that over and over while I was watching the match. I was more nervous about those lines than my son's fight.
——The promo video shown before the fight introduced the match as a professional wrestling versus jiu-jitsu MMA match.
Sakuraba I personally didn't feel like it was like a professional wrestling versus jiu-jitsu match at all. If they were able to throw punches or if general rules or wrestling rules were applied, I would take it as a professional wrestling versus jiu-jitsu match. But since Quintet doesn't allow punches, it was more like a fight between Daisuke and Sera.
——Do you find it difficult to decide the match-ups every time?
Sakuraba At every match, I always try to look for fighters I would like to see in my next match. I found some good fighters today as well. I'd also like to build the strongest team in Japan and fight against 10th Planet. There are many good Brazilian fighters, so I'd like to invite them to QUINTET too. Polaris Pro Grappling based in the U.K. has only men's teams, but I'm sure they have good female fighters as well. It would be nice to have a four-nation tournament between Brazil, the U.S., the U.K., and Japan. It's been a while since we've had a tournament, and I love to see the excitement and passion that comes with it. You can't get that kind of feeling in a one-time match. I hope we can change the rules a bit again to make Quintet even more engaging.
