(Original air date: Apr. 13th, 2022)

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0:00 Disclaimer/Content Warning/Legalese

1:00 Thoughts on “The Bad Guy” Scott Hall (featuring the Smoke DZA song “Machismo” from the “Ringside EP”)

6:20 Opening/Rundown

9:11 Billy Dixon (BIPOC/LGBTQ+ Deathmatch Wrestler; Game Changer Wrestling among others)

32:05 Promoting #ForTheCulture & GCW’s “Collective 2022 Slate” on FITE TV

33:30 Chris Gary’s thoughts on a “Ruthless” individual (it’s not a dude, by the way)

37:40 Leading into Interview #2

38:45 Pedro “Lowrider” Ortega (Husband of Hardcore Luchadora Sadika & Mexican Born, Texas Based Luchador; Texas All-Star Wrestling & LOKO Wrestling)

1:11:10 Chris Gary plugs LOKO Wrestling (shoutout to Jaime Martinez) and the Title Match Wrestling Network (shout to Telly Bistis)

1:12:37 Leading to Interview #3

1:14:10 David Fuller (owner of the International Heroes of Wrestling Excellence & Insane Hardcore Wrestling; wrestling promoter since 1998; Native of the DFW [Texas] Metroplex)

2:26:32 Chris Gary puts over the North Texas Contingency that had shows on Mania Weekend (VIP Wrestling IHWE & DFW All-Pro) in addition to the Texas Independent Wrestling Scene & the Reality of Wrestling’s make-up show later this month

2:29:48 Leading into the Snippet of Interview #4

2:30:49 A Former NJPW L.A. Dojo Young Lion turned soon-to-be Full-Time NJPW Star & Current Bloodsport Wrestler (Listen for yourself.)

2:37:35 Chris Gary puts over the FITE TV events where you can see the ex-NJPW L.A. Young Lion at

2:38:02 Closing & Slight Putting Over (featuring a clip of Scott Hall & The Fugees’ “Ready or Not”)

With The Most STUPENDOUS 2-Night Weekend in All of Wrestling (pal)™️ in the rear-view mirror, our own “Chillmeister” Chris Gary enjoyed watching everything happen. So much so that simply forgot to upload this episode BEFORE that weekend. So, better late than never, he supersized this one with all the interviews he collected over that weekend and complied them all into this new episode of Focus Fights Audio that we simply call “The MANIA WEEK SPECIAL.”

In this episode, you’ll hear from BIPOC/LGBTQ+ Deathmatch Star Billy Dixon about what led up to his groundbreaking bout vs. Hoodfoot which Main Evented the #ForTheCulture show on Apr. 1st. Mexican Born Texas Bred Luchador Lowrider will put over his war stories & what he (and someone VERY close to him) is currently doing in LOKO Wrestling & throughout the world. And finally, Chris will chat with longtime North Texas Wrestling Promoter David Fuller as Mania Weekend not only marked a return for his International Heroes of Wrestling Excellence/Insane Hardcore Wrestling Promotion, but the potential Mr. Fuller is looking to build as he marks a big milestone in his career.

In addition to that, Chris will also mark the passing of ”The Bad Guy” Scott Hall (in his own way), speak on a certain Ruthless competitor who did more than just snub an interview inquiry of his prior to returning to the Squared Circle (something that is deemed unprofessional in some parts of the world) & shamelessly put over the world of Pro Wrestling at large.

If you enjoyed what you heard, share it out to the masses on Social Media! Follow us on Facebook (@FocusFights), Twitter (@Focus_Fights) and subscribe to our YouTube channel! (Our Instagram & Primary Website are both currently under construction at the moment. When one of both are officially up & running, you — the listener or follower of our platform — will be the first to know.)

In this special Focus Fights Audio Short Interview, our “Chillmeister” J. Christian Gary spoke to French MMA Stalwart Stephane “SMASH” Coignon.

Coignon, fighting out of Nagoya, Aichi, Japan via “The City of Lights” Paris, France, stands in at 6’4 (192 cm), weighs in at 214 lbs (97 kg), and has an MMA Record of 3-3 w/1 KO. He’s a veteran of promotions such as HEXAGONE MMA, ARES Fighting Championship, Shootboxing (1-0 in the sport/promotion) & GRACHAN.

In this interview leading up to his DEEP MMA Debut, SMASH spoke to Chris about his teammate — Hidetaka “Kaiju Killer” Arato — fighting in RIZIN (vs. “The Hero of Foul Play (& Not Giving a Damn” Sina Karimian), what can French MMA learn from other promotions around the world such as those in Japan, his fight career as a whole & his thoughts on his upcoming opponent, Masashi Inada, at the DEEP OSAKA IMPACT 2025 event on Jun. 29th, among other things.

The White Tiger & SMASH were supposed to have fought each other at RIZIN LANDMARK 10 last fall, but the bout fell through.

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The DEEP OSAKA IMPACT 2025 show will be exclusively on PPV via the DEEP MMA YouTube Channel. If you want to know more about how to get it & how much it’ll cost, click here: https://www.youtube.com/live/NRmM2wS1tbI?si=EutiqYiLp-y_0J95

And don’t forget to check out their Social Media Platforms & Website as well:

https://www.youtube.com/@deep2001MMA

https://www.facebook.com/deepfightingchampionships

https://www.instagram.com/deep2001official

https://twitter.com/jewels_deep

https://deep2001.com

Follow Stephane “SMASH” Coignon on the Meta Platforms:

https://www.instagram.com/smashmuay

https://www.threads.com/@smashmuay

https://www.facebook.com/SmashMuayThai

And, be sure to follow us & Chris on our respective platforms:

And, you can check out Chris & JayWolf’s Handles as well as ours & the others we put over:

https://linktr.ee/focusfights

https://www.facebook.com/JChristianGary1992/

⁠http://twitter.com/JChrishGary

https://www.instagram.com/christiangary1992

And, join the RIZIN FF FANS Discord Server as well!

(Photo via: Stephane “SMASH” Coignon’s Facebook Page)

• ​0:00 Disclaimer + “Gloria” by Eiichi Saeki
• ​1:41 Show Intro + Summary Thoughts
• ​15:55 The Featherweight Pecking Order (Karamov x Kimura; Nazimov x Nii; Suzuki x Yamamoto; Kolesnik x SASUKE)
• ​49:12 Horie got HANDS (& BOWS) in KO’ing Nishikawa (Future Lightweight Contender?)
• ​56:05 The Good, The Bad & The Ugly at Heavyweight (Sina Karimian’s MMA Debut vs. Hidetaka Arato; Last Heavyweight GP Quarterfinal)
• ​1:13:28 MACHI Fukuda wants a Women’s Strawweight Division after beating Haruka “SALT” Hasegawa! (Should RIZIN focus on their Women’s Divisions more?)
• ​1:25:45 The Men’s Bantamweight Division Pecking Order (Goto beats, yet doesn’t twist out, Kashimura; Nakajima slugs out Seika Izawa’s hubby; Ando shines in RIZIN Debut)
• ​1:38:45 Raiki Endo “strong arming” RIZIN’s 2nd Ever Chinese Fighter
• ​1:52:50 Talk of the competitors in the upcoming RIZIN Flyweight Grand Prix (& who was left out)
• ​2:02:03 Brief Rundown of SUPER RIZIN 4
• ​2:03:33 Closing Summary & The Best of The Rest
• ​2:22:50 Shoutouts & Show Outro

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With RIZIN LANDMARK 11 — the 2nd Event for the RIZIN FIGHTING FEDERATION in as many weeks — now in the rear view mirror, our “Chillmeister” J. Christian Gary is joined by the ever-energetic JayWolf as well as Isha from The City Life Project to review all the Superior Ruleset Action inside the cage & read all the comments that took place on the livestream as well as briefly preview the upcoming SUPER RIZIN 4 event next month at the Saitama Super Arena.

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You can catch the encore presentation of RIZIN LANDMARK 11 on RIZIN.TV PPV for $20 (via the website around the World sans Japan or through their Roku App in the U.S.): https://rizin.tv/product/ZkwPA1UIYl19v7qbq8gBTfBiBldvwzGaz40IPTvHSus

Or, you can get the RIZIN PREMIUM PASS for $3 less ($17 a month) & get access to future RIZIN PPVs here: https://rizin.tv/product/iWTs7W4gho-6qsqwLuIVXw

Follow all of what ⁠RIZIN has in store here:

https://linktr.ee/rizinffofficial (Japanese)

https://linktr.ee/RIZINtv (English)

Check out all of what Isha has in store with The City Life Project:

https://facebook.com/TheCityLifeProject/

https://twitter.com/VISportsTalk

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ju6Mvbw1WFlNy6KyOrMcQ

https://www.thecitylifeproject.com/

Join like-minded Fight Fans on both the RIZIN FF Fans Discord Server & r/RIZINFF Subreddit…..

And, you can check out Chris & JayWolf’s Handles as well as ours & the others we put over:

https://linktr.ee/focusfights

https://www.facebook.com/JChristianGary1992/

⁠http://twitter.com/JChrishGary (@ChrisGary92 is currently down due to 2FA Issues)

https://www.instagram.com/christiangary1992

⁠http://onlyfans.com/ChrisGary92 (It's not what you think; Chris REALLY just wants someone to talk to and chill with)

https://twitter.com/JayYolf1

https://twitter.com/WeAreRIZINPod

http://twitter.com/abenja1

http://instagram.com/abenja1

(Photo courtesy of @PPV_RIZIN & RIZIN FF on Twitter/X.)

After an exciting debut in (South) Korea almost felt like a complete drubbing nearly 3 weeks ago, the RIZIN Fighting Federation — Japan’s premier combat sports promotion — returns to Japanese Soil for their 2nd Consecutive Cage Event this year: RIZIN LANDMARK 11 from Makomanai Sekisui Heim Ice Arena in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.

In 4 of the 5 post-Intermission fights, some Japan’s best at 145 lbs/66kg will collide (some against other domestic fighters, others against the best of Europe) with the Main Event pitting Former RIZIN Featherweight Champ Vugar “Vugi” Karamov vs. Undefeated 1st Round KO Artist Shuya Kimura. The winner of that fight will go on to SUPER RIZIN 4 at Saitama Super Arena 6 weeks from now to face current RIZIN Featherweight World Champion Razhabali Shaydullaev.

There are 19 fights on this upcoming event. But since this is a show on a 3 hour time limit, only 12 of the bouts will be discussed including thoughts on SUPER RIZIN 4, the Heavyweight Grand Prix, why is Sina Karimian just now fighting fighters his own size, the urge for a credible Lightweight Contender, the urge by Machi Fukuda for a Women’s Strawweight Division & the upcoming Flyweight Grand Prix of which the 8 Fighter Field will be announced in the Intermission of RIZIN Landmark 11.

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You can catch RIZIN LANDMARK 11 live on RIZIN.TV PPV for $20 (via the website around the World sans Japan or through their Roku App in the U.S.) at 1 AM EST/10 PM PDT: https://rizin.tv/product/ZkwPA1UIYl19v7qbq8gBTfBiBldvwzGaz40IPTvHSus

Or, you can get the RIZIN PREMIUM PASS for $3 less ($17 a month) & get access to future RIZIN PPVs here: https://rizin.tv/product/iWTs7W4gho-6qsqwLuIVXw

You can also check out the Fight Guide for this event from Australian Commentator par excellence “The Voice” Michael Schiavello: https://youtu.be/ACjvN09F5gI?si=1Kud4ituhurJembG

Also, check out the retirement video for now-former RIZIN & Pancrase Fighter Hirotaka “The Rich” Nakada: https://twitter.com/hirotaka_mma/status/1931730288012570644

Mike has no social media presence, but you can check him out in RIZIN FF Fans Discord Server: https://discord.com/invite/uNbVJzU

Check out all of what ⁠RIZIN has in store here:

https://linktr.ee/rizinffofficial (Japanese)

https://linktr.ee/RIZINtv (English)

And, you can check out Chris’ Handles as well as ours & the others we put over:

https://linktr.ee/focusfights

https://www.facebook.com/JChristianGary1992/

⁠http://twitter.com/JChrishGary (@ChrisGary92 is currently down due to 2FA Issues)

https://www.instagram.com/christiangary1992

⁠http://onlyfans.com/ChrisGary92 (It's not what you think; Chris REALLY just wants someone to talk to and chill with)

https://twitter.com/WeAreRIZINPod

http://twitter.com/abenja1

http://instagram.com/abenja1

https://www.facebook.com/share/1WpRq4SxKi/?mibextid=wwXIfr

https://youtube.com/@wearerizinpodcast5159

.....

0:00 Disclaimer + "The Other Side of RIZIN" by Eiichi Saeki

1:48 Show Intro, Memorial Day Shout-out & Plug to Put The Show Over

4:15 Brief Talk of RIZIN's 1st International Show + Why Kyung Pyo Kim isn't on the "RIZIN in KOREA" Card

7:38 Rundown of the Structure of the show & the Japan x Korea Format

11:03 Roberto Satoshi de Souza vs. Won Bin Ki [Non-Title Main Event]

23:21 Johnny Case vs. Juri Ohara

35:48 Shoko Sato vs. Soo Chul Kim

44:20 Koji Takeda vs. Hyuk Min Ji

50:16 Yuto "Kintaro" Hokamura vs. Ji Yong Yang (+ Explanation of Soo Chul Kim x Ji Yong Yang No Contest)

57:57 Yoshiki Nakahara vs. Young Jae Song

1:03:40 Kate "Lotus" Oyama vs. Yu Ri Shim

1:11:16 Sho Patrick Usami vs. Si Won Kim

1:20:54 Kota Miura vs. Yong Chul Kwon [MMA Debut]

1:26:45 Kickboxing Fight Rundown (Seiya Inoue vs. Bum Jun Kang & Meison Hide Usami vs. San Hae Cho)

1:30:43 Final Thoughts on the Card, Issues About the Show Pace, Brief Preview of RIZIN LANDMARK 11 & Possibility of more RIZIN International Shows

!:50:13 Closing Comments & Plugs

(⁠Video Version also available.⁠)

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Fresh off of having an event with a sold out crowd of over 40,000 people in attendance at Tokyo Dome 3 weeks ago, the RIZIN Fighting Federation — Japan’s Premier Combat Sports Promotion — looks to pitch their tent outside The Land Of The Rising Sun for their 1st International Show in slightly over 2 years: RIZIN WORLD SERIES in KOREA. Or, affectionately known as, RIZIN in [South] Korea.

In this preview, our own “Chillmeister” J. Christian Gary is joined by proud Buckeye State native Mike Soltez as they talk about the entire 11 fight card (a collaboration between RIZIN & native promotions MAX FC, ROAD FC, BLACK COMBAT, Angels FC & Zombie Fight Night/Chan Sung Jung), the possibility of RIZIN hosting more international shows, show length being toned down (considering the last show was 8 hours long after the 10 hour NYE Extravaganza) and tons more.

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The “RIZIN WORLD SERIES in KOREA” event will take place from Paradise City in Incheon, Seoul, South Korea. The usual suspects (“The Voice” Michael Schiavello & Damien “Beatdown” Brown on commentary; Lenne Hardt as the shrilling Scream Queen) will provide their uniqueness in English on RIZIN.TV as the show will also air on SOOP TV in South Korea & the usual platforms in Japan.

The event costs $20 on RIZIN.TV and coverage starts at Midnight Eastern (May 31st)/9 PM Pacific (May 30th). You can order the event & preserve you chance to witness the action here: https://rizin.tv/product/BrlwCW81ca49OpUIBgZNFUThce873bzKvkqk6IC481c

Or, you can get the RIZIN PREMIUM PASS for $3 less ($17 a month) & get access to future RIZIN PPVs here: https://rizin.tv/product/iWTs7W4gho-6qsqwLuIVXw

Mike has no social media presence, but you can check him out in RIZIN FF Fans Discord Server: https://discord.com/invite/uNbVJzU

Check out all of what ⁠RIZIN has in store here:

https://linktr.ee/rizinffofficial (Japanese)

https://linktr.ee/RIZINtv (English)

And, you can check out Chris’ Handles as well as ours & the others we put over:

https://linktr.ee/focusfights

https://www.facebook.com/JChristianGary1992/

⁠http://twitter.com/JChrishGary (@ChrisGary92 is currently down due to 2FA Issues)

https://www.instagram.com/christiangary1992

⁠http://onlyfans.com/ChrisGary92 (It's not what you think; Chris REALLY just wants someone to talk to and chill with)

https://twitter.com/WeAreRIZINPod

http://twitter.com/abenja1

http://instagram.com/abenja1

https://www.facebook.com/share/1WpRq4SxKi/?mibextid=wwXIfr

https://youtube.com/@wearerizinpodcast5159

DUE TO SOME LANGUAGE & CONTENT MENTIONED, LISTENER DISCRETION IS STRONGLY ADVISED.

After a phenomenal (for the most part) event in front of over 40,000 people at the World Famous Tokyo Dome, this episode not only recaps the atmosphere of what went down at RIZIN Otoko Matsuri, but also puts over potential happenings & what lies ahead for the RIZIN Fighting Federation as a whole.

Our “Chillmeister” J. Christian Gary & JayWolf are joined by RIZIN FF Front Office Member Hafid Darbaki in recapping the fun of Otoko Matsuri while discussing amongst themselves the potential of RIZIN’s Future with the Heavyweight Grand Prix beginning, the Flyweight Grand Prix on the way & upcoming events in Seoul & Sapporo on the way. (The former of the 2 coming up very soon.) Plus, JayWolf had a laundry list of topics to talk to Hafid about. It’s a wonder that Chris even had a word in edgewise. Still, it’s worth a listen.

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If you missed out, be sure to check out the replay of “RIZIN Otoko Matsuri” here: https://rizin.tv/product/MdPzaWnCv9yvlGECUyuSJzvZ_hEFf0usac3do_PyHhk

Check out all of what ⁠RIZIN has in store here:

https://linktr.ee/rizinffofficial (Japanese)

https://linktr.ee/RIZINtv (English)

Follow Hafid on his Social Platforms:

https://twitter.com/spotdodge_upb

https://www.facebook.com/share/1ATTSfieAJ/?mibextid=wwXIfr

https://www.instagram.com/hafiddarbaki

https://youtube.com/@mrmfgoon21

Check out Chris & Jay’s Handles as well as ours:

https://linktr.ee/focusfights

https://www.facebook.com/JChristianGary1992/

⁠http://twitter.com/JChrishGary (@ChrisGary92 is currently down due to 2FA Issues)

https://www.instagram.com/christiangary1992

⁠http://onlyfans.com/ChrisGary92 (It's not what you think; Chris REALLY just wants someone to talk to and chill with)

http://twitter.com/JayYolf1

https://cash.app/$JChrisGary (Cash-tag for CashApp)

And be sure to check out the RIZIN FF Fans Discord Server: https://discord.com/invite/uNbVJzU

(Video Version also available.)

For the first time since the summer of 2021 & in front of what will be a packed house of right around 50,000 people, the RIZIN Fighting Federation — Japan’s premier combat sports promotion — will take its talents & action to the World Famous Tokyo Dome on May 4th for a night of Superior Ruleset Action known as “RIZIN: Otoko Matsuri!”

In this preview podcast, our “Chillmeister” J. Christian Gary & known Superior Ruleset Fan JayWolf talk about how the 19 fights that will shake the dome with force, the start of the Heavyweight Grand Prix, the showcase fights in the Flyweight & Featherweight Divisions (including the highly anticipated Co-Main Event between Mikuru Asakura & Chihiro Suzuki and the Main Event Title Fight between Kleber Koike Erbst & Razhabali Shaydullaev) and tons more!

You can check out ⁠RIZIN’s “Otoko Matsuri” event This Weekend (Sunday May 4th at Midnight EST/Saturday May 3rd at 11 PM CST, 10 PM MDT & 9 PM PDT) for $20 at this link: https://rizin.tv/product/MdPzaWnCv9yvlGECUyuSJzvZ_hEFf0usac3do_PyHhk

Check out all of what ⁠RIZIN has in store here:

https://linktr.ee/rizinffofficial (Japanese)

https://linktr.ee/RIZINtv (English)

Follow JayWolf on Twitter/X: @jayyolf1

Check out Chris' Handles as well as ours:

https://linktr.ee/focusfights

https://www.facebook.com/JChristianGary1992/

⁠http://twitter.com/JChrishGary (@ChrisGary92 is currently down due to 2FA Issues)

https://www.instagram.com/christiangary1992

⁠http://onlyfans.com/ChrisGary92 (It's not what you think; Chris REALLY just wants someone to talk to and chill with)

https://cash.app/$JChrisGary (Cash-tag for CashApp)

And be sure to check out the RIZIN FF Fans Discord Server: https://discord.com/invite/uNbVJzU

Video Version Also Available:

https://youtu.be/nmXKkqopYl8