Reinventing Kazuyuki Miyata

Given that Japanese MMA is heavily concentrated in Tokyo where space is at a premium, Miyata’s new Saitama gym is significant in that it will be only the second such facility in the Kanto region -- Yoshihiro Akiyama’s Cloud Dojo is the other -- to house both a full-sized cage and ring. Spaciousness and the inclusion of a dormitory may make it an ideal place for Japanese fighters who are looking to improve their cage skills.

“I want my fighters and myself to be ready to fight abroad at any time,” Miyata said. “In my current gym, I’ve already welcomed guys like [Tatsuya] Kawajiri and [Mitsuhiro] Ishida to practice with me. Once I open the Saitama Brave gym, I’ll be ready to host and train with many more big names in Japan and abroad.”

So Long to Safe Driving

As things change, some invariably stay the same. While Miyata has admittedly become more conservative in the ring, he remains committed to maintaining the media-friendly looks that helped him through the kakutogi door six years ago. Good looks do not win fights, but Miyata seems no less dedicated to his standard of a well-kept physique and impeccably coiffed hair. In fact, so meticulous is Miyata’s hair maintenance that Frew often quips that he spends more time styling it than training.

Miyata’s weight-cutting regime is also crafted to a science. Outside of a single stress-relieving Saturday per week in which he allows himself to eat anything he wants, Miyata’s diet leading up to a fight consists exclusively of raw foods, including raw vegetables and meats such as fish and beef. The regime has produced impressive results on weigh-in days, as the tanned Miyata is usually the most chiseled and ripped fighter in the room.

“I suppose my fixation on style and looks is because my parents used to cut my hair and buy my clothes up until I hit high school,” he said. “They had little fashion sense, so it didn’t look good.”

When interviewed, Miyata was several days away from a kickboxing bout against former JBC featherweight champion Kazuhisa Watanabe in K-1 World MAX 2010. It was a curious fight for Miyata to accept given his momentum in MMA and striking qualms.

“I want to get rid of this conservatism,” he said. “So long as my mind is in the fight and if I do what I’m able to in training, I’ll win. In kickboxing, I don’t have that luxury of resorting to ‘safe driving.’ I have no choice but to accept striking.”

It was difficult to tell then whether Miyata was genuinely convinced that facing a former national boxing champion dubbed “The Foul King” in only his second K-1 rules bout would actually help him overcome his fears. Regardless, Miyata racked up low and middle kicks on Watanabe. He did not escape unscathed, as the desperate Watanabe swarmed in the final round, connecting with many power shots -- the kind that would normally make Miyata seek takedowns. Instead, Miyata took his lumps, stayed upright and won a unanimous decision.

The most telling aspect of Miyata’s personal progress that night could be found in Frew’s comments, showing pride and elation at what would normally seem like a superfluous detail.

“Miyata even braided his hair for this fight. I was surprised,” Frew said. “It’s like he knew he had to get serious and didn’t even bother to make his hair up for once.”