Rei Tsuruya, prospect report UFC 303

[HuskySamoan]

Haven't heard enough buzz about Rei Tsuruya. We hear a lot of people talk about Tatsuro Taira being the possible first Japanese born UFC Champion buy Tsuruya is another hopeful in this regard that doesn't get talked about enough.

Rei is 22 years old, he's 9-0 professionally having won the Road to the UFC tournament beating 13-2 Jiniushiyue of China and AKA's 10-2 Mark Climaco of the US. Rei grew up in martial arts, his father Hiroshi Tsuruya was an MMA fighter, BJJ and Judo Black belt who opened the Paraestra gyms in Japan where Aoki, Makoto Shinryu, Tatsuro Taira and others train. Rei had his first amateur MMA fight at 15, was wrestling Greco Roman from youth where he won the Japanese national championship at the Cadet level and competed at the Cadet world championships. He's also a purple belt in BJJ, another sport he competed at when he was quite young. He's got a pretty dynamic grappling style, keep your eyes out tomorrow.

WWE wrestler Shinsuke Nakamura will apparently be in his corner as well. This isn't your everyday contender series prospect, Reis a real one.

 

[The Siege]

Thanks for the report, will watch closely.

 

[rear naked ankle pick]

Thanks for the report, will watch closely.

No problem

 

[Uber_Noober]

Good info, and as a bonus there’s a goat sighting in this thread.

 

[don't ask]

He's got a pretty dynamic grappling style

Well, damn, you know how to make me interested in someone.

I need to start writing down a list of the prospects I want to follow. there's a bunch that I keep forgetting because I haven't seen them fight, only heard about them.

 

[HuskySamoan]

Well, damn, you know how to make me interested in someone.

I need to start writing down a list of the prospects I want to follow. there's a bunch that I keep forgetting because I haven't seen them fight, only heard about them.

That's what Tapology is for, making lists and following their careers and junk. The sad thing about following prospects is when you realize a lot of the best ones don't get picked up by the UFC. Or when they become incredibly inactive for seemingly no reason. Or when they sign with a really shitty promotion just for a payday and no I don't mean PFL or ONE, but obscure shit. As for prospects to follow in the UFC, honestly there always seems to be way less than there should be.

 

[don't ask]

That's what Tapology is for, making lists and following their careers and junk. The sad thing about following prospects is when you realize a lot of the best ones don't get picked up by the UFC. Or when they become incredibly inactive for seemingly no reason. Or when they sign with a really shitty promotion just for a payday and no I don't mean PFL or ONE, but obscure shit. As for prospects to follow in the UFC, honestly there always seems to be way less than there should be.

Now that's a really compelling way to figure out how tapology works. I'm going to do that today.

 

[Safton]

He has such an entertaining grappling style. Some of the subs he was hitting on Road to UFC and the positions he was putting people in are things you simply do not see from Western grapplers in the UFC. Watching him grapple is very reminiscent of the old-school Pancrase/catch wrestlers/shoot wrestlers.

 

[don't ask]

He has such an entertaining grappling style. Some of the subs he was hitting on Road to UFC and the positions he was putting people in are things you simply do not see from Western grapplers in the UFC. Watching him grapple is very reminiscent of the old-school Pancrase/catch wrestlers/shoot wrestlers.

This is exactly the type of fighter I want to see! Your description made me look up some highlights of him and there are some cool moves in here:

 

[OldFashion]

He done good against indonesian cab drivers on road to ufc. Most of those guys got fraud-checked immediately in the UFC. Let's see if he is the exception

 

[ComeChooDaddy]

That Japanese jaw is going to be touched

 

[Hellowhosthat]

He done good against indonesian cab drivers on road to ufc. Most of those guys got fraud-checked immediately in the UFC. Let's see if he is the exception

He beat Climaco who's a pretty legit guy who's fought in the LFA a bunch so he's got a decent win.

 

[HHJ]

Good info, and as a bonus there’s a goat sighting in this thread.

You mean @rear naked ankle pick ?

I dunno, Im still mad at him for calling Jiri chinny

 

[TempleoftheDog]

I’ll be keeping an eye on him. No expectations. Just wondering how far he may go. But it’s far too early for me to even hazard a guess.

As usual. I’m on the fence. Until I get more data.

 

[Uber_Noober]

Maia mang

 

[OldNick]

His dad beat Andy Wang. That should be added to his list of accomplishments.

 

[OldFashion]

He beat Climaco who's a pretty legit guy who's fought in the LFA a bunch so he's got a decent win.

Seen that but then you dig into who that guy lost to and discover this guy who's a complete tomato can: https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/49609-yuma-horiuchi

I still picked Tsuruya just wouldn't be surprised if he disappoints

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Seen that but then you dig into who that guy lost to and discover this guy who's a complete tomato can: https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/49609-yuma-horiuchi

I still picked Tsuruya just wouldn't be surprised if he disappoints

Yuma isn't a can, a bunch of his losses were very debateable, including one to Charles Johnson who's currently doing very well in the UFC. A lot of people thought he won that one.

 

[blaseblase]

As for prospects to follow in the UFC, honestly there always seems to be way less than there should be.

They aren't hiring for some reason. Feels like they rely on brand recognition rather than ensuring they have the best fighters in the world.

 

[don't ask]

They aren't hiring for some reason. Feels like they rely on brand recognition rather than ensuring they have the best fighters in the world.

Good fighters cost more money and fans tune into any garbage the UFC puts on. It's a pretty easy decision if all you care about is making money and don't care about the sport.