Athletes
Rei Tsuruya Doing What He Loves
Undefeated Road To UFC Winner Thrilled To Be Making Debut Saturday At UFC 303
It doesn’t get any bigger for a young fighter (or any fighter, for that matter), than making their proper UFC debut in front of a packed house at T-Mobile Arena on International Fight Week. Add in that the walk is in Las Vegas, halfway around the world from your home, and the pressure has to be immense.
Rei Tsuruya is taking it in stride.
“I'll be very, very excited,” the Road to UFC winner said when asked what he thinks the emotions will be like on Saturday when he meets Carlos Hernandez. “But I’m ready for everything.”
Order UFC 303: Pereira vs Procházka 2
Not bad for a 22-year-old, but the Chiba native is not your average debutant. Already a Junior Olympian who competed in the Worlds as a wrestler, Tsuruya also has fought in the Pancrase and DEEP promotions back home, making his adjustment to the bright lights of the UFC an easier one.
“I was able to earn the title belt in Pancrase and that gave me confidence that I could compete with the best fighters in the world,” said Tsuruya. “That experience on a big stage has helped lay the foundation for my fighting career today.”
Add in that he earned a UFC contract on the heels of a three-fight run through the Road to UFC Asia tournament, with the final taking place at the APEX, and Tsuruya has learned and experienced a lot.
Fight By Fight Preview | UFC 303
“I was able to get a sense of how it is to fight outside of Japan, and a bit of how it is to fight in the UFC,” he said. “It was a learning experience in terms of cutting weight and how it is to fight against non-Japanese opponents. It was a great opportunity that I'm very grateful for.”
If the path sounds familiar, Tsuruya’s journey resembles that of the late, great Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto, a former wrestler who became an MMA icon. Of course, that’s completely unfair to place the charismatic Tsuruya in that category before he’s even made his UFC debut, but the potential is there for him to become something special, and if he can be mentioned in the same sentence as his hero one day, that would be a welcome development.
“I still watch his footage before my fights; it brings me great inspiration,” Tsuruya said. “He’s my hero and it’s my goal to be held in the same regard as him.”
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That’s a ways off, but nice to know that’s a possibility. It’s the beauty of being 22, unbeaten and invincible. And while most would assume spending those late teen and early twenties years locked in a gym would be rough, Tsuruya doesn’t agree.
“I just keep doing what I love every single day,” he said. “I’ve invested most of my life into MMA, but I don’t really consider that a sacrifice. I love this sport with all my heart, and now I have the opportunity to compete at the highest levels.”
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Having a dad who knows his share about the fight life doesn’t hurt, either.
“My father is happy because he’s a fighter, too,” Rei said of his dad, Shooto vet Hiroshi Tsuruya. “I have tremendous support from my family.”
And rightfully so, because it looks like Tsuruya is the real deal. But no nerves at all before the biggest fights of his life? Okay, maybe just a little before his tournament-winning effort over Jiniushiyue.
“I wasn't really nervous about my opponent, but I was more nervous than usual since the UFC contract was on the line,” he said. “It was just another fight, but the stakes were very high.”
We’ll call those good nerves.
UFC 303: Pereira vs Procházka 2 took place live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 29, 2024. See the Final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
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