Heads up MiddleEasy readers, we were scheduled to interview a US judoka directly from the 2012 London Olympics but our questions were 'too insensitive.' Keep in mind, this is after removing questions like 'Did you bring any condoms to the Olympics?' Shame on us for trying to harness something interesting out of an Olympic athlete and giving something back to our fans. If you guys really want to see the email we were sent last week from the judoka, then we'll publish it on MiddleEasy. Although, I'm sure you guys just want to get to this story of France's Teddy Rinner completely bagging on MMA.

With the help of a French-to-English translation by UptownRilla, we now know that Teddy Riner believes MMA has no 'moral values' and that we shouldn't expect the judoka to transition to mixed martial arts anytime soon. Check out this quote from an interview with Le Monde.

It is a sport where there is no moral value. The rules are basic: Do not strike in the eyes and genitals ... It's the least we can require, right? I have two nephews and a niece, and I mainly did not want to see them fight like that. When there are violent sports on TV, it's simple, I zap!

Fighting in a cage doesn't appeal to me. There is no moral code in MMA. I am a warrior on the tatami, but you always have to respect your opponent.

Apparently he was even offered a fight against Satoshi Ishii back in 2009 but turned it down. Teddy Riner competes on August 3rd against Poland's Janusz Wojnarowicz in the 100kg division, so feel free to cheer him on -- or other stuff.

Comments   

 

+10 # Guest 2012-07-31 14:15

He just doesn't understand the beauty of the sport.

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+40 # IceColdShadow 2012-07-31 14:23

He just doesn't know shit about the sport

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

0 # Cage234 2013-04-29 13:44

what are you talking guys?im now in mma but i was before also in a asian martial art. for sure mma is not beautyful and .judo has something spiritual which lot of respect.mma is to hit the other effective to get him down.the crowed around wanna see the blood and the injuries...tedd y riner is right what he saying,so dont hate...

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+34 # Paul Harris 2012-07-31 14:25

Id bet he just doesn't like getting hit.

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+24 # Guest 2012-07-31 14:31

there has been more respect in mma then i have seen in judo in the olympics. because i haven't seen a single match yet. fuck nbc

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+18 # KevZeeBest 2012-07-31 14:39

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+23 # Guest 2012-07-31 14:40

fuck you and your tatami mats asshole.

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+1 # renerocker 2012-07-31 14:41

+100 kg, he weighs around 130 kg.

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+4 # boloblack 2012-07-31 14:59

Lets see the email!

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+7 # Guest 2012-07-31 15:11

Well at least he is sound educated enough... for a politician. Really we are not in 1994, if you don't like MMA that fine but don't bash it asshole.

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+23 # Guest 2012-07-31 15:22

cheick kongo should teach him some manners

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+5 # Patrick 2012-07-31 16:08

Okay, I've been watching this Olympic judo and it is like watching a Jon Fitch fight. Occasionally there's a nice throw, but mostly it's just pulling and hugging.

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+7 # tetsuhana 2012-07-31 18:47

Thats what happens when you take away the submissions, leg attacks and one technique after another. "Sport" Judo is a joke and there's a reason why most of the judokas can't do shit in mma.

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+6 # Guest 2012-07-31 18:52

that really does piss me off how you're only allowed to attack the legs if you attempt throw/sweep first or your opponent attempts initiates a throw/sweep. i do like how you have to get to work on the ground right away otherwise they stand you up.

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+13 # Guest 2012-07-31 16:15

Judo has transformed from a martial art designed to kill into a "Please rate if my throw is beautiful or not". Throw someone... and then what? Why did you throw them?

Great as it is, Judo is only half a martial art. Mr. Judo here is saying MMA isn't watered down enough for him.

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+24 # Guest 2012-07-31 16:16

He's french, of course he does'nt like anything approximating actual combat..

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+20 # Guest 2012-07-31 17:09

I'm french and here judokas have been shitting on mma for years.
If you never watched high level judo, let's just say you would be very lucky to see a throw per tournament. Nothing never happens, watching judo is far more boring than wqtching Jon Fitch fights.
However these guys seem to think they are really tough.
Don't misunderstand me. Teddy Riner is a fucking monster, he is 6"8 and 300, without fat. He 's young, he's huge, he's fast. He 's like a young black Brock Lesnar with good wrestling, super throws and good grapppling.
But he never took a punch in his face. And I bet he is not half as brave as Yoshida or Ishi.
In the name of french people, i say "Fuck you Teddy Riner!!!"

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

0 # Guest 2012-07-31 18:47

"If you never watched high level judo, let's just say you would be very lucky to see a throw per tournament."
That statement is false, cool channel btw.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_Os-G0ONgk&list=PL5006FE37FE6DCED4&index=3&feature=plpp_video

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+7 # Guest 2012-07-31 17:13

Nigguh is 6,8 and 280 pounds lol da fuck

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+5 # Twinny 2012-07-31 17:37

If he fought MMA I'd be willing to bet he'd be tapping to strikes faster than Bob Sapp.

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

0 # Guest 2012-07-31 23:20

Maybe...but bet this nigguh would fold you up like the CHEAPEST of suits SON... despite his strange attitude to MMA

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+6 # Guest 2012-07-31 22:09

Mitsuyo Maeda and Masahiko Kimura disagree.

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+2 # Guest 2012-08-01 00:24

go eat some crapes fag, its easier to be a one dimensional judo player than it is to go out of your comfort zone and mix it up

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

-3 # Guest 2012-08-01 03:22

Teddy is only 23 and is about to become one of the most decorated judokas of all times.
hes a freak of nature and if he changes his mind in the future he can easily smash the shit out the HW division.

Im french too and i say fuck you to those who cant even comprehend what it takes to become an olympian in wrestling or judo.
( theres Millions of people practicing Judo in the world, so u must have a little of skills to even walk the tatami )

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

0 # Guest 2012-08-01 04:55

Quoting maafaka:

( theres Millions of people practicing Judo in the world, so u must have a little of skills to even walk the tatami )

That's terrible logic.
Seriously, it is awful. Please re-assess this statement, and never ever base a judgement off of it ever.

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+2 # Guest 2012-08-01 08:13

being the best of a group of millions of practicioners doesnt require any particular skillz ?

Shut.The.Fuck.Up.

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

-1 # Guest 2012-08-02 06:35

Why would he 'easily smash' the HQ division? Because he's big?

Silly. Look at Bob Sapp, Poo-ja-now-skee , Tim Sylvia, etc. Big and muscular doesn't mean he's a beast. He just looks like a beast.

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

0 # Guest 2012-08-01 07:00

Post that email, lets see what the whiny American had to say.

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

0 # jgpenate 2012-08-01 18:37

Watch Nate M vs. Damian M. And tell me there is no moral code.

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

0 # Guest 2012-08-03 00:31

MMA is nothing short of pikey fights, and I've seen quite a few. A friend of mine had his jaw broken and his lung punctured .. REALLY folks is that a sport !!! It cost him alot of money from being out of work and this was a legitimite event.

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

0 # Guest 2012-08-03 08:23

He just won a gold medal a bit ago. In a very passive fight too. He probably doesn't like getting hit, that's why he's against MMA. Or he still thinks of MMA back the way it used to be. Lots of people are ignorant about something when they live in a bubble, I doubt he knows much about the sport, all he knows is Judo 24/7. Obviously he's a big guy and a helluva athlete. MMA just isn't his thing, and, truthfully, it's not for everybody.

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+3 # Guest 2012-08-05 16:50

RINER is only obliged to repeat what the French Judo Federation tells him to say.

He talked about Fedor to Bertrand AMOUSSOU, the brother of the future BELLATOR champion Karl AMOUSSOU and said that admired this man.

And don't forget he's only 23! He seems to be an adult but sometimes he talks like Jon JONES, sayng bullshits.
The former french Judo champion said he hated MMA...of course, the videos he had seen were UFC 1!:)

It is possible thaht one day RINER changes his mind and decides to turn MMA.
And I think it would be a very good thing for MMA in France 'cause in this country, MMA is forbidden.

This guy is an athlete. Train him hard in Boxing and U'll see thaht LESNAR was a joke compared to him.

Somme people say he'll be scared to be hit!!!lol

U remember LESNAR's boxing skills???A joke!
And U also remember that this man who was scared by stand up won the UFC Belt!!!lol

No, seriously, if this guy turns into MMA, nobody will be able to floor him without knocking him out!

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

 

+1 # MMAd 2013-02-05 11:50

MMA is great but there's a little bit of show wrestiling in UFC if you compare it to olympic judo. If Dana White says you're legit youre in. If you don't entertain, you're out. In judo there's no shortcuts. You need to make the national team in one of the 200 countries participating the olympics, then do 2 years of ranking contests all over to qualify and then win. It's a sport, not a show for the spectators. Every judoka who's involved with the MMA says practising and competing in judo is physically way harder than MMA. More practise, more strain, more contests, more injuries. Riner is a bit arrogant. But he's sitting on the top of the fighting world so who are we to judge him?

Reply | Reply with quote | Quote

 

Refresh comments list
RSS feed for comments to this post

Add comment

Name (required)

Refresh

Send

Cancel

JComments