Items19The creator’s order
  1. 1Masahiko KimuraMasahiko KimuraSignature: ude-garami, the bent-arm lock that grapplers everywhere now simply call "the Kimura". He used it to beat Hélio Gracie in 1951, and before that went unbeaten in Japanese competition for around 13 years. Start here to understand how much of modern submission grappling traces back to judo's…0i
  2. 2Anton GeesinkAnton GeesinkSignature: kesa-gatame, the scarf hold. The Dutch giant pinned Akio Kaminaga with it to win the open category at Tokyo 1964, in front of a stunned Budokan crowd, after becoming the first non-Japanese world champion in 1961. The footage shows how a hold-down, applied with patience, can be as…0i
  3. 3Yasuhiro YamashitaYasuhiro YamashitaSignature: osoto-gari, followed into newaza. Yamashita retired on a 203-contest winning streak with four world titles and the 1984 Olympic open gold, won on a torn calf. Watch how often a throw that only half lands becomes a pin within seconds: his transitions to the ground were as feared as the…0i
  4. 4Neil Adams (judoka)Neil Adams (judoka)Signature: juji-gatame, the cross armlock, usually rolled into from a turnover. Britain's 1981 world champion and a two-time Olympic silver medallist made the armbar a scoring weapon rather than a scramble. Today he is the voice of IJF broadcasts, so newcomers can hear him explain the technique he…0i
  5. 5Toshihiko KogaToshihiko KogaSignature: ippon-seoi-nage, the one-arm shoulder throw. Koga's entry was so low and quick that bigger men were airborne before they felt the turn, which is why he was nicknamed "Heisei no Sanshiro". He won three world titles and Barcelona 1992 gold at 71 kg despite a knee injury suffered days…0
  6. 6Hidehiko YoshidaHidehiko YoshidaBorn 3 Sept 1969Signature: uchi-mata, the inner-thigh throw, taken from a powerful collar grip. Yoshida won Olympic gold at 78 kg in 1992 and the 1999 world title at 90 kg before moving into mixed martial arts. His uchi-mata is a clean model of the textbook version: high lift, full rotation, opponent flat on the…0i
  7. 7David DouilletDavid DouilletSignature: uchi-mata and harai-goshi from a dominant grip. The French heavyweight won Olympic gold in 1996 and 2000 and four world titles, including both heavyweight and open in 1995. His final against Shinichi Shinohara in Sydney, decided by a disputed uchi-mata counter, is the best single lesson…0i
  8. 8Tadahiro NomuraTadahiro NomuraSignature: seoi-nage at 60 kg. Nomura is the only judoka to win three consecutive Olympic golds (1996, 2000, 2004). At the lightest weight, his shoulder throws show the importance of timing over strength: entries made as the opponent steps, not after.0i
  9. 9Ryoko TaniRyoko TaniBorn 6 Sept 1975Signature: seoi-nage and ouchi-gari at 48 kg. Tani won seven world titles, Olympic gold in 2000 and 2004 and medals at five Games in total. Her speed into the shoulder throw, often after feinting a foot attack, is the best place to see judo's combination logic at its smallest scale.0i
  10. 10Kōsei InoueKōsei InoueSignature: uchi-mata at 100 kg. Inoue won Sydney 2000 gold with a string of spectacular throws and three world titles. Many coaches use his uchi-mata as the reference version, and he later coached Japan's men to their strong showing at Tokyo 2020.0i