Japanese martial artist
Masakazu Imanari (Japanese: 今成正和, Imanari Masakazu, born 10 February 1976) is a Japanese mixed martial artist and submission wrestler. He currently competes in the Bantamweight division of Rizin Fighting Federation. A professional competitor since 2000, he is a veteran of ONE Championship, DEEP, ZST, Pancrase, PRIDE Fighting Championships, and Cage Rage. He was in the final Cage Rage Featherweight Champion, DEEP Bantamweight Champion, two-time DEEP Featherweight Champion and DREAM Japan Grand Prix Finalist.
Imanari is a successful submission wrestler, placing as runner-up twice at the All-Japan Combat Wrestling Championship.[1][2] He is the namesake of the "Imanari roll" maneuver.[3]
Mixed martial arts career
After a childhood marked by a spinal condition which required surgery three times, Masakazu had his first contact with combat sports at age 18, training kickboxing and catch wrestling at the Fujiwara Dojo by Satoru Sayama's mediation.[4] He later moved to Antonio Inoki's Universal Fighting-Arts Organization, and then Kingdom Ehrgeiz, where he trained shoot fighting (a fighting style based on catch wrestling) and MMA with Hidetada Irie before doing his amateur debut.
ZST
Imanari gained popularity during his mixed martial arts career in Japanese promotion ZST fighting the likes of top Lightweights including Dokonjonosuke Mishima, Jorge Gurgel and Marcus Aurélio despite being a much smaller Featherweight. He defeated Gurgel, who is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt former UFC fighter via catch wrestling staple submission (heel hook) while being lighter in weight. Imanari also defeated former Cage Warriors Featherweight Champion Danny Batten. In the first round Batten took Imanari down on the ropes but Imanari attempted a triangle choke. Batten escaped it but Imanari then transitioned to an armbar causing Batten to submit in just over 40 seconds.
DEEP
Imanari moved on to compete in DEEP where he defeated a top WEC contender and the former WEC Featherweight Champion Mike Brown via submission (heel hook) where Brown's leg became dislocated. Imanari now a top contender in DEEP went on to compete for the title shot against Yoshiro Maeda in which he defeated Maeda via submission (toe hold) to become the new DEEP Featherweight Champion. Imanari made his first KO victory in his first defense for the belt against Takeshi Yamazaki with an up kick.
Cage Rage
His next fight, which was his first fight outside Japan, was in London, England where he became the Cage Rage World Featherweight Champion by defeating Robbie Olivier with a flying armbar at Cage Rage 20. This accomplishment made him the only mixed martial artist in the Featherweight division to hold belts in two separate major promotions (DEEP and Cage Rage). He defended his Cage Rage belt for the first time against Jean Silva, winning by reverse heel hook in the first round, injuring Silva's knee in the process.
DREAM
DREAM Featherweight Grand Prix
Imanari was a participant in the Dream Featherweight (63 kg / 138 lb) Grand Prix[5] and won his first-round matchup against Atsushi Yamamoto by split decision at DREAM 7 but lost to current DREAM Featherweight Champion Bibiano Fernandes by unanimous decision at DREAM 9.
DREAM Bantamweight Grand Prix
In 2011 Imanari returned to DREAM to take part in the DREAM Bantamweight Japan Tournament. He won his first two tournament fights in a single night defeating both Keisuke Fujiwara and Kenji Osawa at Dream: Fight for Japan!. The tournament finals took place at Dream: Japan GP Final where Imanari faced off with Hideo Tokoro. Tokoro defeated Imanari to win the tournament, the second-place finish gained Imanari entrance into the Bantamweight Grand Prix. Imanari faced Abel Cullum in the opening round of the Bantamweight Grand Prix at Dream 17 at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, on Sept. 24.[6] He won the bout via submission in the third round. In the semifinal round at Fight For Japan: Genki Desu Ka Omisoka 2011, Imanari lost to Antonio Banuelos via split decision.
ONE Fighting Championship
On January 31, 2012 it was announced that Imanari would be fighting for ONE Fighting Championship, who have a partnership with DREAM which allows both organizations to share fighters. He faced unbeaten URCC Flyweight Champion Kevin Belingon at ONE Fighting Championship 3 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on March 31.[7] He won the fight via submission in the first round.
After over a year away from the sport, Imanari returned to face Yuta Nezu at Road to ONE 3: Tokyo Fight Night on September 10, 2020.[8] Imanari lost the fight by unanimous decision.
Rizin Fighting Federation
Imanari faced Kenta Takizawa in the opening round of the Bantamweight Grand Prix at Rizin 29 on May 30, 2021.[9] He lost the bout via unanimous decision.[10]
Imanari faced Takeshi Kasugai on October 10, 2021 at Rizin Landmark Vol.1.[11] He won the bout via armbar in the first round.[12]
Imanari faced Chihiro Suzuki at Rizin Landmark 4 on November 6, 2022. He lost the bout via unanimous decision.[13]
Submission wrestling career
Imanari competed at the 6th All Japan Combat Wrestling Championship on March 20, 2000 in Tokyo. He placed second in the 69 kg division behind Kazuya Abe.[1]
Imanari competed at the 7th All Japan Combat Wrestling Championship on March 20, 2001. He placed second again, this time in the 76 kg division behind Rumina Sato.[2]
Imanari competed at Quintet Fight Night 5 on October 27, 2020 as a part of Team Tokoro Plus α 2nd. He registered two draws at the event but his team won the tournament.[14]
He then faced Kenta Iwamoto in the main event of Battle Hazard 8 on November 22, 2020.[15] He lost the match by submission after Iwamoto caught him in an arm-triangle choke.[16]
Imanari competed against Mikey Musumeci in a submission grappling match at ONE 156 on April 22, 2022.[17] Musumeci submitted him with a rear-naked choke at 4:09 that earned a $50,000 'Performance Bonus'.[18]
Team allegiances
Imanari left catch wrestling-based team Paraestra in 2008 and founded Nippon Top Team with Shinya Aoki and Satoru Kitaoka. However, Aoki left for Evolve MMA of Singapore, whereas Kitaoka joined Lotus Paraestra, Setagaya branch of Paraestra. Consequently, Imanari became a member of Team Roken.
Imanari is an A-level shoot wrestler (better known as catch wrestling in the west) under Yuki Nakai. He was later also presented a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt by Marco Barbosa.[19]
Fighting style
Imanari is primarily a grappler, and is universally known for his skill and preference for leglocks,[20] which gained him the nickname of "Ashikan Judan" ("The Great Master of Leg Submissions"). Though his striking game is considered inferior,[20][21] Imanari often engages in stand-up battles in order to bait the opponent to the ground, usually by dropping down after or while seizing control of his leg[21] or by way of ashi garami.[22] He stands out for his dexterity in toehold and heel hook variations, and is an avid user of the 50/50 guard in order to transition between submission attempts.[21] He describes his signature leglock style as not based in sambo as it is popularly believed, but "purely self-taught",[4] and explained his preference for it as "because it hurts the opponent".[23]
The "Imanari Roll"[3][24] (rolling from a stand up position into a leglock) and the "leggy neck choke"[25][26] (a combination of an omoplata and a rear naked choke) are grappling moves named after him due to his usage of them.
