Road To UFC: Takeya Mizugaki Talks About Impact of Tournament In Asia

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Takeya Mizugaki, a veteran of the UFC and a pioneer in the bantamweight division, discusses the impact of the Road To UFC tournament in Asia and its benefits for MMA athletes on the continent.

With an impressive career spanning two decades and over 40 fights against top-tier opponents such as Aljamain Sterling, Dominick Cruz, Urijah Faber, and Miguel Torres, Mizugaki brings his wealth of knowledge to his role as a UFC Commentator in Japan.

In this capacity, he shares insights into the sport on a weekly basis. Here, he emphasizes the significance of the Road To UFC tournament in Asia.

Reflecting on last year's inaugural season of Road To UFC, Mizugaki praises the format created by the UFC. He acknowledges that despite having many young and talented fighters in Japan, it has been challenging for them to break into the number one organization - UFC.

Therefore, he was thrilled to see Japanese fighters participating in Season 1 of Road To UFC with two securing contracts. The matches showcased not only their passion and determination but also resonated with fans.

While historically Japan, South Korea, and China have been at the forefront of MMA in Asia, Mizugaki expresses surprise at witnessing the evolution of fighters from countries like India and Indonesia throughout the tournament.

This expansion presents significant opportunities not only for Japanese fighters but also suggests that these emerging countries could become formidable contenders as their fighters continue to improve.

"Historically, Japan, South Korea, and China have led the MMA scene in Asia, but I was surprised to witness the evolution of fighters from countries like India and Indonesia as the tournament progressed," Mizugaki said.

"This tournament presents significant opportunities for Japanese fighters, but I also feel that as these other countries' fighters continue to improve, they could become formidable contenders."

However, Mizugaki highlights that obtaining a UFC contract may not be every fighter's ultimate goal. He believes that if fighters from countries like India and Indonesia excel in future editions of Road To UFC competition alongside those from Japan, South Korea, and China - it will raise expectations.

"It's important to note that obtaining a UFC contract isn't the ultimate goal for every fighter. Besides Japan, South Korea, and China, if fighters from countries like India and Indonesia also excel and raise the overall level of Road To UFC competition, it will boost expectations for their performance in the UFC after securing contracts," added Mizugaki.

In conclusion,Mizugaki expresses his hope that Road To UFC will continue to be held regularly as it contributes to raising both overall skill levels within Asian MMA and the sport's popularity throughout the region.

Looking ahead, the second season of Road To UFC is currently underway. Next week, Singapore will host the tournament's semifinals at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, taking place a day after the highly anticipated UFC Singapore 2023: Holloway vs. The Korean Zombie event.