Magazine article on Masato

In an edition of the Japanese martial arts magazine " Kakoutugi tsushin " Andre Mannaart and Andy Souwer tell about their memories of Masato as a fighter and friend from the first time he came to Amsterdam, Holland 10 years ago until there final face off in Tokyo on the last day of 2009.





Andre, Sensei of both fighters, remembers those day's very well. Masato came to the Jordaan in Amsterdam, as many Japanese before and after him, and found a hotel room around the corner of Mejiro Gym on the Lauriergracht.



He left his ex-gym and "friends" in Japan full of fear of an uncertain future. The Japanese society around him clouded his mind, he couldn't think for himself anymore and decided to fly away to the Netherlands and practice his skills at Mejiro Gym.



At the first training I saw a modest and hardworking good fighter with a unique orbit(track) kick that I had not seen before, when Masato kicked he twisted his leg staright to the body.During his stay in Holland he called me many times to go out together. Masato was homesick and in need of Japanese social contact. In his own time he would look for Japanes people in the city to go and eat together.(Japanese reporter is surprised to hear that).



When Masato returned, with a clear mind, shortly to Japan he noticed a lot of things. He heard that there started a rumor around him leaving his ex-gym and ex-sparing-mates. Now suddenly people he sees as his friends are not anymore, some have two faces, he lost all respect with them. In Japan it is almost impossible to change from gym. Once you choose a gym, preferably in your same living-area, you represent that gym for ever, other gyms, in different area's, are opponents and their gym enemy territory. Just talking about the idea of changing to another gym can create riots.



He didn't do anything wrong in our perspective, fighters constantly exchange gym's in Holland, players/fighters have individual freedom and are not a piece of property. We work hard to make everyone feel welcome and part of our Mejiro-family, when people want to leave, for what ever reason,they are free to do so, no hard feelings. Masato left to "where ever", to go and look for himself, "who is Masato?". And from that moment he knew all these hectic times until back in Japan, that experience mad him "Masato".



For the last match of Masato against Andy the expectations where very high in Japan. With the departure of Masato from the K1 kickboxing scene, Japan was going to lose their ambassador of martial arts in the K1 arena. Japanese try to make a big scene about this match, but infact it's just a confrontation between two trained individuals in a fatal face off.



"This match will be a stand off between K1 and SB(Shoot-boxing), what do you think?"
I see a match as an instant contest between two individuals, whatever background they come from. Masato has never won from Andy, winning or loosing are both possibilities. A lot depends on Andy and how much he has recovered his condition after previous mach. He has the abilities to hit Masato K.O. so don't have to high expectations for New Years Eve. I think Masato has completed building up is power and stamina level, but Andy is still stronger.



"Andre, What is your vision on the future of the K1 Max from 2010?"
What becomes of it and where it's heading is up to the K1 organization. We can do nothing more then train our players good and prepare them to play good matches.



Andy is worried about Japanese players who have to bring a successor, or more, to follow Masato's footsteps. Europe brings many great and middle great players to the K1 ring like, Andy, Giorgio Petrosyan, Albert Kraus, Arthur Kyshenko and many more are coming. Thailand produces also many good fighters, but Japan's talent growth has slowed down to a alarming level. And I fear the day that the K1 tournament is not represented by Japanese players anymore. Japanese are very nationalistic and traditional so they need their Japanese heroes. Holland is a bit less particular about the nationality of their sport heroes. That someone is strong and talented is enough for us, most of the time.
Andre says In Japan they looking for fighters with the complete package who stand their ground. But that is very difficult to find out and so I, just like Andy, am very worried about the Japanese future within K1 Max.



"Whit which words did you send Andy towards this match?"
Andre tells he only advices where it's needed. There is no need for commanding and in-doctrine, important is that Andy learns from all the training and advises of Andre to be ready for a match. Andy must be able to learn from his mistakes and make conclusions for himself after hearing advise from Andre.

good article, glad to see kid on the front cover, still as popular as ever