Olympic Judo Gold Medalist Satoshi Ishii Wants to Join UFC

Japanese Olympic judokah gold medalist Satoshi Ishii plans to leave Japan and fight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) sometime in 2009.

Japanese competitors have been rather unlucky as of late in the UFC and WEC, but Ishii’s renowned Judo skills and young age will give him plenty of time to develop into a possible heavyweight contender in the UFC.  It’s possible the UFC will take a chance and sign him so they can develop him, rather than take the risk of him remaining in Japan for a few years.

Instead of building a name for himself in Japan first — which would make a possible transition to the UFC easier — Ishii hopes to use his worldwide judoka recognition to hopefully hop in the deep end of the pool first.

“I’ve had the UFC on my mind as my ultimate goal,” Ishii told Japanese media.  “I had thought about fighting a few matches in Japan at first.  But if this were train travel, my credentials would be an express ticket.  I wonder why I should bother to go by a slow train.”

After news the 21-year-old wanted to fight MMA and showed no interest in competing in the 2012 Olympics, the All Japan Judo Federation was obviously not pleased with the news, though there is very little they can do to stop Ishii.

Ishii and his agents have not spoken with the UFC yet, but he plans to head to the United States for a few weeks after he graduates from college in March.  He plans to train with American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Flo., to help him learn more about the United States training environment.