Ryoto ready for world title contention

Fighter profile of Ryoto Takahashi by Chris Karter

Calling a year in which you earn your second title shot in four fights a “tough one” seems strange, but that’s where Ryoto Takahashi is at the moment. The 30-year-old Japanese fighter who fights out of Convicted Fight Club is scheduled to take on all-action veteran and SMASH featherweight and lightweight double champ, Mama Tosen. It's a quality matchup between a couple of the finest fresh talents at 145 pounds, although Tosen is a bit more battle-tested coming off a string of impressive finishes over Biabas Kitjakarn, Rob Roy, and Taylor Jack. While it’s a pairing that serves Takahashi well should he get his hand raised, it didn’t add any extra zest to his training camp. “I don’t need motivation,” Takahashi told us. “This is my job. I go, every day, to my job and do what I have to do. That’s it. Sometimes I have motivation. Sometimes, (I don’t). I don’t look for motivation…I do what I have to do. That’s it.” 5-1 in his last 6 professional fights, Takahashi entered SMASH known more for his grappling prowess. In his first four fights on the regional scene, all four wins came via submission. However, something shifted as he trained with the coaches at Convicted Fight Club. 6 of his opponents have since suffered stoppage losses quite literally to Takahashi’s hands. Takahashi said those results are less about his quality of striking – which he says has always been strong but improving – and more so about the gameplan he brought to the fight. Additionally, if anyone has any sort of doubts about his grappling, he points to the trilogy fight with Taylor Jack, which featured Takahashi knocking his rival to the floor with a big punch before diving in to finish him off with a kimura. Tosen does represent Takahashi’s first crack at a legitimate Top 10 ranked opponent, but he isn’t putting any more expectation or pressure on himself because of that. “Every fight is my biggest test,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if my opponent is Mama Tosen or Frito Lei. Every fight is the most important fight of my life.” His own mentality aside, Tosen presents an intriguing puzzle to Takahashi. He is a marauding grappler with an intelligent aggression about him when he pursues submissions. Tosen chains those attempts together well while keeping control, so the wrestling exchanges will prove crucial. He also has some fight stopping firepower on the feet, which he's showcased in his last 6 fights. That said, Takahashi’s confidence is perhaps one of his best traits. Whether he is pressing the action or fighting on the back foot, he never wavers in his ability to work a problem out and find a path to victory. “Tosen is a skilled fighter on the ground, but that’s it,” Takahashi said. “People think it’s a tough matchup for me, but (only) people think like this. Not me. I don’t think so. I think it’s a normal fight for me. He’s number 1 in the rankings. He’s a tough guy, but I’m going to put him to sleep in the first round.” As 2022 reaches its conclusion, Takahashi sees big things ahead in 2023. After beating Tosen, he expects to be the top ranked featherweight in the weight class. Takahashi doesn't rule out moving up to Lightweight to rematch Tosen for his Lightweight title should he successfully take the featherweight title from him this weekend. “I’m better anywhere the fight takes place,” Takahashi said. “I’m better than him. Somebody is going to lose, and it’s not going to be me. If I take one title, why not two?”

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