Comedian Michio of the comedy duo Tom Brown dominated a judo sparring session against Taraku Kizaki of Gion, following a training session designed to prepare the 79-kilogram comedian to face the 109-kilogram heavyweight on an October 15 broadcast of the ABC Television variety show Yasutomo no Itatte Shinken desu, hosted by Tomoyo Yasuda and Tomoko Umihara.
Judo Training and the Psychology of the Tatami
The match stemmed from a previous television appearance where Kizaki attempted to showcase self-defense techniques against Michio, only to be lifted effortlessly by his heavier opponent. To bridge the massive weight gap, Tom Brown member Hiroki Fukagawa—a judo black belt—stepped in to coach Kizaki. Fukagawa weighed in at 79 kilograms compared to Michio’s 109 kilograms, and declared that a smaller fighter could overcome a larger opponent.
Over a three-hour training session at a local judo dojo, Fukagawa demonstrated counter-techniques such as “Uchi-mata sukashi”—a counter-throw designed to exploit Michio’s favored inner-thigh throw, known as Uchi-mata. Alongside physical counters, Fukagawa introduced psychological tactics, instructing Kizaki to use foot sweeps to frustrate Michio and disrupt his composure before executing a throw.
The Provocation That Triggered a Rampage
Beyond standard mat work, Fukagawa introduced an unconventional mental strategy involving verbal insults. According to the coach, Michio particularly disliked being accused of eating his own boogers, prompting Fukagawa to instruct Kizaki to taunt his opponent with the remark during their upcoming rematch.
When Kizaki deployed the insult during the subsequent bout, the strategy backfired immediately. Michio retaliated verbally before grabbing Kizaki, dragging him across the floor, pressing him against a wall to apply a forearm choke around his neck, and tossing the smaller comedian around by his judogi. Fukagawa later admitted that the provocation had pushed Michio past his breaking point, apologizing for choosing an insult of that magnitude. Kizaki voiced his frustration on set, shouting that the reality of the match sharply differed from their expectations.
The Rematch Outcome
Following a brief pause to reset the match, Kizaki attempted a clean restart in a serious contest against the heavy-set comedian. Despite the instruction and the three-hour preparation, Michio secured a decisive ippon victory, leaving Kizaki unable to achieve his desired revenge against the heavyweight.
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