RENA has bitten off more than she can chew

[chamcham]

It’s clear from the recent RIZIN Confessions videos that RENA has almost no ground game.
Rumina Sato was shocked at how little she knew about fighting on the ground.




I still don’t know why RENA thought it was necessary to get an immediate rematch. She should have started over and maybe learned grappling for a year or so before challenging Asakura again. Like some kind of road to redemption.

I also had no idea that Megumi Fujii (WMMA GOAT) was training Asakura.

Even if RENA somehow gets a lucky shot and pulls off a win, i don’t see her being champion for long.

I feel like Asakura’s main weakness is that she doesn’t have KO power, probably isn’t an expert striker, and isn’t very strong (although she has improved a lot due to strength training). But she was a wrestling prodigy (coached by her dad).

Asakura lost to Syuri Kondo. I think mainly because Syuri was too strong for her. So i think if she meets someone stronger than her, she might lose. But i think that’s normal in wrestling.

One unknown factor is the fact that Kanna Asakura and Tenshin Nasukawa are now a couple. I don’t know what role that will play. I don’t see RENA as the type that will play mind games and intimidate her opponent.

 

[lukeuidswords]

inb4 post-fight bump

 

[PurpleStorm]

Agree but still looking forward to it. RENA's a good striker. To the extent she can keep it standing she should do all right. Having said that, Kanna's young, improving and training with Fujii - who looks as good a coach as she was a fighter.

 

[executionermma]

redemption coming

 

[JkMMA]

Word on the street is that tenshin and Rena had a 1 night stand.

 

[Gitanos]

What i saw in her last fight that she didn't make that much progress. I think its strange you know, you lose from Kanna Asakura on 31 December. If you don't have any injuries, you give yourself one week free from training to get the right mindset back and then you gone train two times a day with the weekend off. When you got a fight contracted you also take the weekend with maybe only sunday off. I think then its hard that you cannot make any progress especially in the area's where she is not so good like wrestling and BJJ and that her stand up stays as good as it is!

 

[chamcham]

What i saw in her last fight that she didn't make that much progress. I think its strange you know, you lose from Kanna Asakura on 31 December. If you don't have any injuries, you give yourself one week free from training to get the right mindset back and then you gone train two times a day with the weekend off. When you got a fight contracted you also take the weekend with maybe only sunday off. I think then its hard that you cannot make any progress especially in the area's where she is not so good like wrestling and BJJ and that her stand up stays as good as it is!

I think RENA was depending too much on her raw talent.
So it wasn't until her loss to Kanna that she realized that a ground game was necessary.
I actually think she might be stubborn and still think that she doesn't need a ground game to beat Kanna.

I was a little disappointed when RENA thought that the fight went well except for that one mistake (Kanna taking her down at the end). It makes he think that RENA believes Kanna was just lucky and that 8 or 9 out of 10 times she (RENA) would win.

I really want to see RENA evolve.
But i wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't and only sticks to what she knows best.

There was one line in a previous RIZIN confessions, where RENA says she wants to prove that RIZIN isn't a show without her. Also, she mentioned that she decided to play hell, but what's wrong with it if it is more entertaining. I don't know how RENA will act if she doesn't get her revenge. She said she would have retired from Shootboxing if it wasn't for RIZIN.

 

[Danespina]

I think RENA was depending too much on her raw talent.
So it wasn't until her loss to Kanna that she realized that a ground game was necessary.
I actually think she might be stubborn and still think that she doesn't need a ground game to beat Kanna.

I was a little disappointed when RENA thought that the fight went well except for that one mistake (Kanna taking her down at the end). It makes he think that RENA believes Kanna was just lucky and that 8 or 9 out of 10 times she (RENA) would win.

I really want to see RENA evolve.
But i wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't and only sticks to what she knows best.

There was one line in a previous RIZIN confessions, where RENA says she wants to prove that RIZIN isn't a show without her. Also, she mentioned that she decided to play hell, but what's wrong with it if it is more entertaining. I don't know how RENA will act if she doesn't get her revenge. She said she would have retired from Shootboxing if it wasn't for RIZIN.

That's why Kanna's the girl. 20yo, constantly working hard, no talk of retirement after things don't go her way. Just humbly pushing herself forward, potentially on route to being one of JMMA's best.

 

[leto1776]

That's why Kanna's the girl. 20yo, constantly working hard, no talk of retirement after things don't go her way. Just humbly pushing herself forward, potentially on route to being one of JMMA's best.

Kanna is th sleeper star. The fans liked Rena, but turned on her after she got into the ring asking for an undeserved rematch.

 

[Bobby Boulders]

She's the Japanese Gina, no doubt. She did much better last night than in their first fight though. Kana is a pretty solid grappler, but she will have trouble for the same reason RENA will, just in reverse. Her striking needs work. Maybe Tenshin turns her around.

 

[Big Al's Texas BBQ]

Word on the street is that tenshin and Rena had a 1 night stand.

Good for Tenshin.

 

[Danespina]

Rena looked better than I thought she would. Was a enjoyable fight.

 

[Gitanos]

What i already thought just happend with Rena, she didn't develop enough! If she continues with MMA on this level, she needs to be more complete. Get a better sprawl better scrambling to get to her feet, better submission defense but also offence if somebody shoots at you try a guillotine things like this. If i where her i would go and train in the states learn some new things. The stand up is good that have to stay at that level but the rest needs significant development if she want to grow in this sport. My advice go and train with CYBORG for a couple of months and go back to Japan as Little Cyborg!

 

[Big Al's Texas BBQ]

What i already thought just happend with Rena, she didn't develop enough! If she continues with MMA on this level, she needs to be more complete. Get a better sprawl better scrambling to get to her feet, better submission defense but also offence if somebody shoots at you try a guillotine things like this. If i where her i would go and train in the states learn some new things. The stand up is good that have to stay at that level but the rest needs significant development if she want to grow in this sport. My advice go and train with CYBORG for a couple of months and go back to Japan as Little Cyborg!

Huh? Cris Cyborg? She should be training at ATT with Kyoji and Joanna so she can learn to be an effective MMA striker.

 

[Gitanos]

Huh? Cris Cyborg? She should be training at ATT with Kyoji and Joanna so she can learn to be an effective MMA striker.

Cyborg can give her some tips about the wrestling and BJJ and also how she exploit her striking. Why is this so strange she is the best women fighter there is on this moment so why she cannot learn RENA some things? I know the other girls are more of her own weight but she don"t have to spar with Cyborg!!

 

[Big Al's Texas BBQ]

Cyborg can give her some tips about the wrestling and BJJ and also how she exploit her striking. Why is this so strange she is the best women fighter there is on this moment so why she cannot learn RENA some things? I know the other girls are more of her own weight but she don"t have to spar with Cyborg!!

Cyborg relies heavily on her size and strength and has made a career out of mostly beating undersized girls. She should be training with someone closer to her size that can teach her things more applicable to an Atomweight than a Featherweight.

 

[Gitanos]

One thing is for sure she have to make a plan for her self how she can develop, otherwise it gone be can crushing instead of championship material! She will be stuck with the tools that she have now and nothing more!

 

[chamcham]

Kanna definitely outclassed RENA on the ground, but i feel like she was tagged by RENA too many times. I think she needs to work on her striking defense. She’s not very good at handling the striking exchanges. She is way too exposed when she throws her punches. Of course, she’s only 20. So she has time. Her wrestling base is exceptional. Now she needs to integrate some striking.

There were a few times where i thought RENA was going to go for a liver shot.

Overall, RENA did better than expected, but i still felt like the rematch was too soon.

 

[lukeuidswords]

What i already thought just happend with Rena, she didn't develop enough! If she continues with MMA on this level, she needs to be more complete. Get a better sprawl better scrambling to get to her feet, better submission defense but also offence if somebody shoots at you try a guillotine things like this. If i where her i would go and train in the states learn some new things. The stand up is good that have to stay at that level but the rest needs significant development if she want to grow in this sport. My advice go and train with CYBORG for a couple of months and go back to Japan as Little Cyborg!

She had six months of development time and did a hundred times better
Cyborg isn't even notably good as a sparring partner, she just trains under a top boxing coach in Parillo, RENA's boxing doesn't need work, and her grappling looks way better now after working with Sato

 

[Big Al's Texas BBQ]

I want to take a bite out of Rena: