Waru (bad boy) is an anything-goes fighting tournament started by movie producer and all round entrepreneur, Yamamoto Yoshihisa. The tournament is now about as rough as it gets when it comes to organized fighting in Japan. There's no K1 or Pride-style sheen to proceedings and no pretty boy posturing or dramatics by the participants either. There are rules but not many of them: no biting, no hits in the dick, and no hits to the face when a player is down. Submissions are forbidden and KOs pay extra dollar, so that's the end goal; though usually "matches end up pretty much just like street fights with someone stepping in to break things up" says Yamamoto. Waru is all-out blood, sweat, and tears, as the red stained rags used to mop the ring after matches will testify to.
Nishinari-ku (西成区) is one of the 24 wards of Osaka, Japan. It contains some shopping and entertainment areas, such as Shinsekai and Tamade. It lies directly south of the Namba transport hub and extends further south toward Sumiyoshi Park. It is served by the Nankai Railway lines as well as the Yotsubashi and Sakaisuji subway lines. Nishinari-ku is also home to a number of shitamachi ("lower-town") shopping streets, increasingly a rarity in fast-developing urban Japan. Kamagasaki in Nishinari-ku is home to a large number of day-laborers and most of the homeless people in Osaka.
Vale Tudo Japan is the biggest MMA event in Japan at the moment and Ryuto is seen competing alongside legends such as Hideo Tokoro and Caol Uno in their 3rd tournament on Oct. 5. The world famous Kid Yamamoto was also in attendance, explaining that he "knew of Sawada since he was little, and he has tremendous power in the ring."
Sawada's mentor, as well as pound-for-pound MMA queen Megumi Fuji, will also have her retirement fight / revenge match in the same event against Jessica Aguilar.
