Ryuga Tanaka’s opening match win was a spectacular one with a tewaza that sent Otari Kvantidze (POR) rolling onto his back. Tanaka made it seem effortless.
His next match, against Mark Hristov (BUL), was just as impressive. He opened up the accounts with a slick kouchi-gari for yuko, and eventually finished with a dynamic cross-grip tai-otoshi.
With Muhiddin Asadulloev (TJK), Tanaka once again started off with a small ashiwaza, this time a kosoto-gari for yuko. He later finished it off with kata-gatame for ippon.
Tanaka had a harder time with Leonardo Valeriani (ITA) and had to be content with a yuko win from ouchi-gari. He also didn’t have it easy with Dayyan Boulemtafes (FRA) and won with a waza-ari from osoto-gari.
His final match, against Makhmadbek Makhmadbekov (UAE), was the hardest of the day for Tanaka. Makhmadbekov played a largely tactical match which dragged into Golden Score. But within a minute, Tanaka was able to finish it was a sharp ouchi-gari that scored yuko. Since it was Golden Score, that’s all it took to win.
