6/25 Kobe Shoot Wrestling Festival

Two MAX-J ambassadors - "Judoka" Jimmy Winner and Shigeru "Starboy" Toyama - were sent by MAX-J at the request of the All-Japan Sports and Wrestling Commission (AJSWC) to represent the brand at the Kobe Shoot Wrestling Festival which took place downtown at the Suteki Dome yesterday. This event was attended by well over 20,000 individuals over the course of the morning and afternoon, though the number of onlookers at any one event was obviously far less than that. 

This event, however, was less about selling tickets and more about showcasing the unique Sport Form rules touted by the AJSWC as the future of shoot wrestling. The two competitors would square off against one another under this rule set and, as an added incentive, the winner would receive an invite to the 2024 J1 SUMMIT.

With a lot on the line, it was a competitive bout, with the opening round showcasing both fighters' proficiency with judo - Toyama's more seasoned technical ability versus Jimmy's more dynamic athleticism - that definitely caught the eyes of passing spectators, many of whom stopped to watch a rather even first round between the two wrestlers.

At the start of the second round, Jimmy changed his tactics by opting for more of a standup game. With the power of strikes being limited by only open-hand strikes with the palms and kicks with the top of the foot covered by kickpads, Jimmy went more for flurries of strikes that made Toyama discombobulated, frustrating his ability to go for takedowns. After a few minutes, Jimmy caught Toyama on the chin with palm strike that made Starboy woozy and the referee called the match in favor of the American with a TKO! A disappointed Toyama recovered after a few minutes and shook hands with Jimmy who, being visibly happy, was still a gracious victor.

Minutes after the result was officially logged, Jimmy informed MAX-J that he would accept his invite to the J1 SUMMIT, stating that this would be a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity given that he'd never competed in a tournament quite on the level of the J1. 

As the only American ambassador for MAX-J (due to the fact that he resides in Japan as a permanent resident), he stated that he has been training hard at Thunder Mask's Kaminari Dojo to add more technique, admitting that Toyama was a superior judoka and he had to revert back to some of his prior MMA training with the likes of Alexander Irvine to triumph on the day.

Despite the humility, a reformed Jimmy Winner - less cocky and more mature - has impressed MAX officials. The sport form win over Toyama was his second receiving a MAX sponsorship, defeating Devlin Masters via submission at GRAPPLING SONATA last year. There are rumors that MAX-J is interested in sending him on a similar excursion this upcoming year as they previously did when Earth Warrior competed in the Masked League. Jimmy is of course no stranger to the Great Lakes as he wrestled both in the Lion's Road and PMLL rings for several years, with his notable accomplishments including an MMA victory over Jeremy Squire and winning the PMLL Scramble Championship. Overall, Jimmy Winner has come a long way from some rather humble beginnings in the industry.

In the present, the future currently seems bright for the American and some believe he's a dark horse to reach the semifinals of the tournament. Will he have what it takes? Can "Judoka" Jimmy Winner become "J1" Jimmy Winner? We'll find out in August!

Date: 6/25/2024

Location: Suteki Dome, Kobe, Japan

1. Sport Form Rules: Jimmy Winner defeats Shigeru Toyama (R2 3:39) via technical knockout (palm strike).