Full interview available on YouTube and Spotify (Japanese)
Interview by Kennosuke Shimizu

This article features highlights from our full-length podcast interview with Sosuke Oshima, who will be competing in QUINTET.

Early Life and Background

— First off, could you introduce yourself briefly?

Oshima: I’m Sosuke Oshima from Kotobuki Jiujitsu, and I’m 18 years old.

— When’s your birthday?

Oshima: February 20th.

— So you’re still 18 for another six months or so. Can you tell us a bit about your background?

Oshima: I’ve been doing martial arts since I was three. I started with karate and kickboxing, then joined a wrestling club in third grade and continued until sixth grade. After that, I moved to Osaka, then Tokyo. I was planning to keep doing wrestling, but there was a jiu-jitsu gym nearby, so I started training there.

— Was that at Physical Space?

(Physical Space is a jiu-jitsu gym in Ogikubo. It’s also where I first met Sosuke during training.)

Oshima: Yes. I trained there for a while, but when COVID hit and everything shut down, I moved to Coach Sagae’s dojo. I was around 13 or 14 then.

— Did you move because you wanted to do grappling specifically?

Oshima: Around that time, there was a grappling tournament featuring guys like Iwamoto and Sera. I watched it and thought, I want to do that. That’s what made me switch.

— That was the tournament with Onosan and Kagiyama-san too. During COVID, that was one of the few things to watch—it was great timing. So you transferred to Toikatsu Higashi-Nakano, where Coach Sagae was, and also started going to Imanari Jiu-Jitsu, right? Do you remember your first major competition?

Oshima: At first, I only did amateur tournaments. I wasn’t winning much, but then I got my first win at the Jiu-Jitsu Koshien. After that, I got on a roll—won about 9 or 10 in a row—and then started getting invited to bigger events. The first big one was probably the IRE Combat Jiu-Jitsu event on ABEMA. I was in ninth grade then.

The Turning Point

— Is there a match in your career that really changed something for you?

Oshima: My match against Sera-san definitely changed me. At that time, I wasn’t doing any strength training—just relying on technique. But after feeling his wrestling-based physicality firsthand, I started taking strength training seriously.

On QUINTET

— Let’s talk about QUINTET. How did the invitation come about?

Oshima: I got a call from Igor asking, “Can you do QUINTET?” I said yes right away.

— Have you been doing team training?

Oshima: I haven’t been able to join yet since I was in Osaka until recently, but I’ve heard they’ve been training together and will continue to do so.

— Aside from Igor, are the other teammates new to you?

Oshima: I’ve trained once with Haisam, and we talked quite a bit then. I met Daisuke Nakamura and Sakuraba for the first time just recently.

— How’s the team atmosphere?

Oshima: It’s great! Everyone’s really positive.

— Any particular opponents you’d like to face?

Oshima: PJ Barch and Lucas “Hulk” Barbosa.

— Both are on Bob Sapp’s team, so that would likely be in the finals.

Oshima: Yeah. The Nogueira team also has a big guy who was on Team Modolfo in AIGA, so it won’t be easy. I heard he even beat Haisam before.

— What’s your impression of your first-round opponent, the Renzo Gracie Team? The most accomplished guy is Thalison Soares, but he’s smaller, so under QUINTET rules that could be tough. Still, since draws can play a big role, it’s unpredictable.

Oshima: Right. So I plan to go for a quick submission from the start. Even if I get top position, I’ll fake a pass and then pull guard—just to hunt for the finish.

— That’s what everyone will be expecting from you! Anything you’re personally looking forward to besides the matches?

Oshima: The first grappling event I ever bought a ticket for was QUINTET, so I’m just happy to compete in it. During the pandemic, I watched Gordon Ryan and Craig Jones in QUINTET, so standing on that same stage now makes me really happy. The venue also looks huge, so I’m excited for that too.

— Yeah, Coca-Cola Arena looks like the kind of place UFC events are held. Big stage, big moment. What’s next after QUINTET?

Future Plans

Oshima: Next is the ADCC Trials in December. I’ve competed a lot this year, but that’s my main goal. Everything so far—every match—has been part of building toward ADCC. I want to end the year strong by giving my best at Trials.

— You’ll compete at 88 kg again?

Oshima: I could probably make 77 if I pushed for it, but I want to stay at 88 and rematch Izaac Michell to get that one back.

— 88 kg is stacked—Kaya Rudolph, Lucas Kennard, Bob Frias, and there’s even talk that Jozef Chen might enter.

Oshima: Yeah, the Trials can depend on bracket luck, but the Aussie guys will probably be ready for my leg game now.

— Any other goals for next year?

Oshima: Nothing fixed yet, but when I go abroad to train, it’s usually only for two weeks. I want to do a longer stay—maybe a few months somewhere—and really train hard.

— That would be perfect after QUINTET—you could even announce sponsorships for that trip. Best of luck at QUINTET, Sosuke. We’ll be cheering for you!

Oshima: Thank you!