Ishii two-times Japanese judo

TOKYO.

Japanese judo is feeling two-timed by Olympic champion Satoshi Ishii, who is getting ready for the world of mixed martial arts only two months after saving the Japanese sport's pride at Beijing.

The 21-year-old will miss the 2012 London Olympics because the tradition-bound Japanese judo authority bans grapplers from turning professional.

An enfant terrible with his no-holds-barred fighting style and rough way of speaking that upsets the sport's purists, Ishii was one of only two Japanese men to claim medals in Beijing, winning him a major fan base at home.

But the over-100kg star sat out the world judo team championships here on Sunday, citing a fresh injury, just as a press report said he was "determined" to join mixed martial arts.

The hybrid sport, which combines techniques from judo, karate, kick-boxing and wrestling, has become a popular fixture on Japanese television, with colorful personalities and rowdy battles.