Despite Andy Souwer‘s injury claims, Toby Imada‘s defeat of the Shoot Boxing great in Imada’s debut exceeded all expectations, including his own.
“This was a huge achievement for me. A big accomplishment. It’s the first time I’ve competed in Shoot Boxing, especially with this calibre of fighters. It’s completely new to me. I won my first match and it was a good fight and I was very impressed with myself. And Andy Souwer… well, I didn’t expect it but this is what I do. I go out and I fight and I don’t give up,” Imada stated post fight.
Imada wouldn’t be at the top of the list for successful kickboxing converts as he is primarily a grappler but with Shoot Boxing allowing throws and standing submissions, Imada believes his grappling roots gave him the edge.