When I considered interviewing for the website, Kenta had to be the first person I chose to do it with. The interview was conducted in Japanese, but I translated it for global readers.

The impact of CJI2

— It’s been exactly a week since CJI. How has the response been?

Kenta: This has been the biggest reaction I’ve ever had. In the past, even after a match, I often didn’t really have much to show for it. But this time, because I was able to put on a good performance, the response has been huge. I’ve been getting messages like “That was amazing,” lots of people saying they bought my instructional, and offers asking me to do seminars.

— So this time it felt like a result you could really be satisfied with?

Kenta: Yeah, I felt it. I feel like I can step up to the next stage as an athlete. Up to now, even if a match ended, I didn’t really convert that opportunity into anything. This time, I thought I should do it properly—actively promote seminars and instructionals and make sure I get a return. “Strike while the iron is hot,” you know?

— Of course, this match was a breakthrough, but I feel like the fanbase you’ve been building globally through your ongoing activity finally exploded this time.

Kenta: That’s true. I’ve been at this since 2019. When I first made ADCC, I personally felt like that was huge, but just appearing once didn’t really change how people saw me. I think it’s because I’ve kept showing up consistently since 2019 to now.
Among the guys who were at ADCC with me in 2019, only a handful are still active and really succeeding. Back then ,I was the lowest on the totem pole, but I’ve managed to survive among them. That gives me some confidence—it’s a good thing.

VS Kyle Boehm

— Let’s look back at the matches themselves. On day one, you faced Kyle Boehm in the 99kg+ slot, right after Belal got submitted. Did Lachlan tell you the order ahead of time?

Kenta: Lachlan decided the order for everything. Strategically ,it was a positional game, and he trusted that I would absolutely win if it went to a decision, so he put me last. A lot of our other guys play the leg-lock game, and if it goes to a decision ,it’s less clear if they’d win. So I was placed as the anchor, the “taishō-sen.”
Honestly, we all—including Lachlan—figured Lucas Kennard would just finish everyone. But PJ Barch shut that down strategically. That was impressive.

— So the team had already calculated that if you won, the team would win?

Kenta: Yeah, if I won, the team would be solid. But he was big—really big.

— He was huge! Long legs, too. His leg pummeling looked annoying; he even tried to up-kick you.

Kenta: The up-kicks were fine, but his frame was strong and he pushed my jaw sideways at some point. Something went “piki” (a sharp pop). That night and the next day I couldn’t open my mouth well and couldn’t eat much.

— That’s real damage. Was it from the rubber guard frame?

Kenta: Yeah, probably. I was also driving with my head. I heard that “piki” deep in my ear—basically a sprain.

— Besides the size, anything that surprised you once you tied up?

Kenta: This is my personal theory, but big guys who can’t wrestle are easy to beat—they willingly go to the bottom. And big guys on the bottom aren’t that scary. If I get on top, it’s not that hard to work.

— That reminded me of your match with Ryan Aitken a few years ago—he voluntarily sat to guard. On the flip side, you’ve said (after the CJI trials) that your wrestling lets you fight well even against big guys. So you’re fairly confident versus bigger opponents?

Kenta: To be blunt, the 77kg division has a higher technical level than the heavyweights. The guys doing the really detailed technical stuff are mostly at 77 or 88. If you have real technique, size and weight differences don’t matter that much. I roll with guys like Mica Galvão—those matches scare me more.

VS Nicky Rod

— From a spectator’s viewpoint, beating a giant still looks awesome though. Your second match was with Nicky Rod—did you anticipate that?

Kenta: I didn’t know until I stepped on stage. When they announced “ADCC silver medalist,” I thought, “Maybe…”

— What went through your head when you heard it?

Kenta: Honestly… I was ready for anyone. It was just, “Okay, time to deploy.”

— I figured Lachlan thought hard about day two’s order, especially with Belal injured.

Kenta: Actually, we expected either Nick Rod or Victor Hugo to come out first. But it ended up being Chris—that was unexpected. We saw Victor Hugo and Nicky Rod warming up and planned to open with Lucas to steal one, but it was a trap from their side.

— In the end, Lucas got PJ Barch first and then Wojcik—both tough stylistic matchups. So B-Team engineered that?

Kenta: I think Nicky planned it. Backstage, you can kind of sense who they’ll send, even though we’re in separate rooms.

— Was it already clear in the morning that Belal couldn’t go?

Kenta: Yeah, he couldn’t walk at all.

— CJI, AIGA, and the upcoming POLARIS are all team events but with different rules. Comparing CJI and AIGA, what do you think?

Kenta: AIGA is better because there’s a real decision. Having proper judging creates real stakes—it encourages fighting to a result instead of playing for a draw. With sub-only, it inevitably goes a certain way. CJI didn’t get great reviews this time, right? That’s what happens with sub-only.

— If you optimize for “not losing,” matches stall. Sub-only might not pair well with team formats—since you can’t lose for the team, fights get more conservative. After your Nicky Rod match on day two, did you feel good right away?

Keta: Honestly, my camp didn’t go well. In training, I didn’t feel good. Early on, I wasn’t sleeping, the camp wasn’t long, my form never really came back, and my sparring wasn’t great. So I decided to separate training from the match. Training is training; the match is different. I went in planning to fight with the limiter off. If I did what I’d been doing in training, I’d lose. Maybe that’s why the performance was good.

— You’ve probably trained with Nicky Rod—how was that?

Kenta: We rolled once, and he submitted me twice (laughs). Training and competition are truly different. A good example is Jay Rod—he’s not that strong in practice, has ups and downs, but his performance in competition is great. I take notes from that.

Hunter x Hunter Mindset

— Mentally, how do you get yourself ready on the day?

Kenta: Like “vows and restrictions” from Hunter x Hunter. Kurapika is strong only against the Phantom Troupe—that mindset. I went in believing I would absolutely win in a match, like having a needle in my heart—back to the wall. He’d gotten me in the gym; if I went in like practice, I’d definitely lose. So I went in with a “burn the boats” mentality.

CJI 1 and 2, and what comes next

— Not many athletes have done both CJI 1 and 2. As one of the few, did anything feel different this year?

Kenta: Last year was bigger. It felt like nothing could top it—the hype and the energy of the event.
I’m a little worried about where grappling goes from here. Last year, CJI really boosted the scene, but after this, I don’t think Craig will continue doing that kind of thing. Because Craig existed and cared about the grappling world, CJI happened, and athletes were treated well. But Craig retired, Gordon’s stepping away, and the top layer of strong guys is dropping out. Now what—back to ADCC? But after seeing CJI, ADCC looks a bit… You know.
I do want the ADCC title. But even if I get it, will my stock price rise beyond its current level? I’m not sure. Right now, I’m receiving seminar offers and such—would that change if I win trials or place top three at worlds? Hard to say.

— I think Craig has said similar things. He never won ADCC, but he still became an icon—by having compelling matches (like vs. Gordon), communicating around the matches, and building an audience. Winning ADCC doesn’t automatically lead to that path.

Kenta: Titles are what people remember most, though. In the end, people remember who became champion of what. So they matter. There used to be an image that winning ADCC meant you were set for life, but maybe not anymore—probably true across combat sports.

— So winning is important, but it’s not everything, and it doesn’t guarantee stability.

Kenta: Right. And I don’t like it when someone does only self-promotion, loses, and still tries to make it look good. You need to earn the right to do that. I want Japanese grapplers to step onto that stage—challenge ADCC as a way to break out.

Japanese grapplers should step up

— Exactly. In grappling, especially, the market size is vastly different between Japan and the rest of the world. You have to get recognized in the big markets like the U.S. To earn that “right,” you first have to get on the stage.

Kenta: I don’t want people to stay only in Japan. Ultimately, more should aim overseas. Poland is well recognized globally. Australia and the U.S. keep producing strong athletes. As a breakout route, if you win ADCC trials or make ADCC, your name goes up.

— The clearest ticket is ADCC. If you win trials, you get on the stage. You can’t just decide to appear on WNO. In this sense, ADCC is a significant event. Will you start again from the trials?

Kenta: For me now it feels a bit like, “Ugh, again?” Like, “I’ve already won all of them.” It doesn’t excite me. But I’ll probably do it.

The level of Asia/Oceania trials

— From the perspective of Asia-Oceania at 77kg, it’s rough—you’re the wall to get past. However, that status has shifted somewhat, even as recently as last time.

Kenta: Yeah, it’s as if people expect me to win. And when you think about it, Australia’s level is really high. If everyone at 77 in Australia/Asia enters trials, it’s a crazy level: Levi, me, Jozef… At 88, you’ve got Isaac Michel, Lucas Kennard—top guys. If everyone entered, those trials might even be harder than the U.S. trials. I’ve beaten the Brazil trials winner; Declan just won the Europe trials; he did the Asia trials last time. Joseph also won the European trials. Levi was the CJI runner-up. If everyone gathers, the level is insane.

— In Japan, there aren’t that many pure grapplers compared to jiu-jitsu, and even jiu-jitsu itself still has room to grow when you consider Japan’s total population.

Kenta: Grappling is fun though. Some think grappling means you must wrestle, but you can do it without wrestling. (Wrestling is fun too, though.)

Polaris, Ocean BJJ, and seminars

— Your next one is POLARIS on September 12, and then more after?

Kenta: I have another match the week after—in Sardinia, Italy. It’s a tournament with €10,000 to the winner, plus fight money.

— So it’s back-to-back.

Kenta: After Sardinia, I go to Pisa—like the Leaning Tower—to do a one-day seminar at a gym. Then that weekend, I will head to Estonia. After Estonia, Germany. Then Spain. After Spain, I will move to Barcelona the following week.
All of these offers came after CJI. Back in 2019, Mr. Fujiwara from Let’s BJJ told me, “Strike while the iron’s hot.”

— Jozer seems to be doing very well with seminars too.

Iwamoto: What’s important is being the real deal. Jozef is the real deal—no doubt. When you’ve proven you’re legit and have credentials, teaching technique brings people in and sells instructionals. If you’re still a fake and you sell things in a way that misleads people, that’s not good.

— Lastly, any words about POLARIS?

Iwamoto: I just want to show my performance, fight, and get the win if possible. The teammates I’m close friends with are Igor and Lucas Kennard, so it would be nice if the three of us—me, Lucas, and Igor— lead the team to win.

— Anyone on the other team you’re watching?

Iwamoto: There’s one really strong guy.

— Charles Negromonte?

Iwamoto: I hear he’s strong. He beat Isaac at ADCC with a knee bar. I think he’s the strongest one. I don’t really know the others.

— If that matchup happens, that’ll be fun.

Iwamoto: Honestly, I’d like a break (laughs). As Shinya Aoki says, “The reward for work is more work.” I’ll think of it that way and do my best.

— Thanks for coming today and talking through CJI and all things grappling. Thank you, Kenta!

Full Interiew (Japanese)