Every fighter has a story. Some are clean as can be. Others… not so much.
Yoshinori Horie’s origins in MMA aren’t exactly ‘safe-for-work’. The former UFC fighter who currently fights out of RIZIN, would get his career where it needed to be. However, funding his MMA career and keeping his dreams intact would come at a cost.
Sex Work
As a newcomer to MMA, Horie knew he needed money to train, so he could eventually get somewhere within the sport. On Sunday, the Japanese fighter would reveal his secrets on how he got the money. He would share his backstory on his Twitter.
“Five years ago, when I was with a friend, I was told that I could get money just by handjob in Shibuya, but I followed him, but I thought it was like that AV! Lol I was told to hide my face with a solid mosaic and it was explained that it was not like that, but I was deceived in various ways lol I didn’t have the money and I really wanted to do martial arts on my own!
“I got 20,000 yen in less than an hour, but it was pretty big! I was able to face martial arts in a short time, exceeding the amount of 2 days of part-time work that I do for 8 hours while standing!”
1時間もしないで確か2万円を貰ったけどかなりデカかった！立ちっぱなしで8時間やるバイト2日分を短時間で超えて格闘技に向き合えた！
— Yoshinori Horie 堀江圭功 (@yossy05101) December 26, 2021
今はかなり辛いけど生きている限り俺は夢を追いかけることができる！
そして同性愛者じゃなく女性が好き！
格闘技をするために生きていくお金のタメやった！
Horie Isn’t Homosexual
Horie may have done a homosexual act, but it was all for the money. The payments for the sex work would go towards his dreams. Horie wasn’t proud of doing this and denied the notion he was homosexual.
“It’s pretty painful now, but as long as I’m alive I can chase my dreams! And I like women, not gays! I’ve done the money to live to do martial arts.”
Now holding a record of 12-3 as a pro, ‘Rising Star’ has left the sex industry completely. The fight game is the only thing Horie has to worry about now. He currently rides a 3-fight win streak under the RIZIN banner.
Horie also spent a brief moment inside the UFC Octagon, but was knocked out by Hakeem Dawodu. The unsuccessful UFC debut would send him packing back to the regional scene. Despite this, Yoshinori Horie may be well back on his way to the promotion someday.
