We found it interesting to take a look back at this tournament held in 2013. This version of the All japan Open had a strong support of fighters from other nations as well, and if we take some of the profiles – that can in matter of fact face each other again in the 7th World Championship coming up in September.
As mention The 45th All Japan Open was supported with several countries. Strong nations as Poland and Kazakhstan could challenge many of the top fighters from Japan and the did. Spain and Australia did also attend, but could not reach the same results as Poland And Kazakhstan.
Some of the top fighters from this championship are in the line up at the 7th World Championship in weight categories. The 45th All Japan Open was open weight, but many of the top fighters that we are pointing out compete in the same weight category in in the 7th World Championship – Men heavyweight +85 kg. Will we get some rematches?!
The winner of the 45th All Japan became Kosei Ochiai / Japan. On his way to the top, he fought among others the now EC champion Maciej Mazur. At the time Mazur had just entered the seniors category the year before (2012) and captured 3rd place. The same result happen in EC 2013. Identical results was also the fact for countryman Marek Wolny – 3rd place in the EC in 2012/13.
Marek Wolny on his side fought non other than Kembu Iriki, and that was during his fifth fight in the championship. Before facing Iriki, Wolny got notable wins against Kenta Mori and Kensaku Tsuji. Marek Wolny ended 5th in this tournament, and became the best non Japanese fighter this time. We pick the Iriki vs Wolny fight and the fight with Kenta Mori vs Wolny as well.
Kembu iriki / Japan would be one of the absolute favorites looking forward to the 7th World Championship. In 2013, we can say that Iriki was also on his way up – and that this year became a turning point, taking his first All Japan Open tittle (weight categories) ,and manage to reach third place in this tournament, 45th All Japan Open. Previous Iriki had made it into top 8 (8th in the 44th All Japan) A really test of strength and endurance came in the 3rd fight, facing Kazakhstan’s heavy weight fighter Ilya Yakovlev.
Ilya Yakovlev came top 16 in the 10th World Open Championship 2 years before this, victorious over Kosei Ochiai / Japan among others. Before facing Iriki this time, Yakovlev fought up and coming Japanese fighter Kazuya Yamamoto. We take at look at Ilya Yakovlev vs Kembu iriki.
Maciej Mazur was as mention at his start around this time, and we all know how good that went out. Reaching the final in the 12th World Open Championship was the top results for the multiply EC champion. We mention that Wolny reached 5th in this All Japan Open – and in matter of fact, Mazur did the same some year after in 2017, in the 49th All Japan Open version. Lost to Yuji Shimamoto at that time. Now we have to hold on to what happen in 2013 – Kosei Ochiai vs Maciej Mazur.
Poland did also bring in female fighter Agata (Kaliciak) Winiarska. We might say that the same pattern count in this case, Agata (Kaliciak) Winiarska made a great break-trough this year, entering the European podium (and almost been there since!) reaching the final in the heavyweight category. The female category had 33 fighters, and below the fight between Agata (Kaliciak) Winiarska and Araki Shisaki.
Worth to mention is that Kazakhstan had two more fighters in the line up: Merey Suyunov and Vladimir Artyushin, both well known did not manage to reach higher up in this tournament. Maybe some remember that Vladimir Artyushin broke his leg in his second fight against Gou Kusubae. We can take a look at the first fight of Artyushin, when he is up against Ken Matsubayashi.