Aaron Wolf shows amazing shape with All Japan title

Aaron Wolf captured the All Japan title for the first time in his life. In the final the 2017 World Champion defeated Hirotoshi Kato in the Nippon Budokan by wazari with an excellent Sasae tsurikomi ashi. For Wolf it is a great comeback after a tough year of injuries.

Wolf was already selected for the World Championships this year in Tokyo fighting U100kg. Today the AJJF announced the additional heavyweight for the team, which is Hisayoshi Harasawa, None of his rivals outperformed today. Harasawa was today’s defending champion and finished fifth.

"I'm more than 10 times happier than I imagined I would be. Winning here gives me the confidence I can compete among the world's best," Wolf said.

Wolf was on fire today with a variety of techniques defeating his heavier opponents. In the semi-final he bested Yusei Ogawa, son of 7 time champion Naoya Ogawa, by ouchi-gari for ippon.

His opponent in the final Kato was 10 years older, both left athletes and both slim fit as both athletes compete U100kg and Kato even started U81kg a few years ago. Kato defeated Ota in the semi final and Ota was the one who caught Harasawa in the quarter final.

Last two decennia many different champions came out whereas in the past Naoya Ogawa, Yasuhiro Yamashita, Shinichi Shinohara and Kosei Inoue could dominate for years in a row. For the first time an athlete with a American background won the All Japan title, unique in the Japanese history.

Draft Selection for Tokyo

-60kg TAKATO, NAOHISA

-60kg NAGAYAMA, Ryuju

-66kg MARUYAMA, Joshiro

-66kg ABE, Hifumi

-73kg ONO, Shohei

-81kg FUJIWARA, Sotaro

-90kg MUKAI, Shoichiro

-100kg WOLF, Aaron
+100kg HARASAWA, Hisayoshi