Highly touted Japanese featherweight Hatsu Hioki had a very successful debut inside the Octagon at last night’s UFC 137.
Taking on veteran George Roop, Hioki took a hard fought split decision victory on Saturday.
After the fight, Hioki talked with MMA H.E.A.T.’s Karyn Bryant about the win and coming to Las Vegas to fight for the first time in his career.
“I was relieved,” Hioki said. “I was really surprised to win.”
Hioki had trouble dealing with Roop’s reach, unable to implement his own game plan on his opponent.
The former Sengoku Featherweight champion had a tougher than expected debut inside the UFC as the road to victory was a war.
Hioki wanted to prove that Japanese fighters could compete in the UFC, as their track record with the promotion has been up and down in recent years. He wishes he could have won the bout more decisively and promises a better performance next time he steps in the Octagon.
The Japanese star extends his win streak to five in a row, having not lost since 2009 to Michihiro Omigawa, who is also now in the UFC.
Hioki improves his record to 25-4-2.
He also commented on the fight scene in Japan right now, saying that it is in a tough situation.
“It’s time to change,” Hioki said, saying that the way fighters are brought up in Japan needs to change in order to find success in the mixed martial arts scene at large.
Hioki believes that the mindset of Japanese fighters as well as the way they fight needs to evolve.