In the aftermath of the Paris 2024 Olympics, Japan has asserted itself as a wrestling juggernaut. Japan has consistently outperformed its rivals, including the USA. A recent highlight was the defeat of American wrestler Mitchell Mesenbrink by Kota Takahashi, a Japanese wrestler, in the U23 World Championship. Among those in contrast to this year’s almost constant dull roar arrived with the captivating dismantling of U.S. wrestler Mitchell Mesenbrink at several efforts hands following a Japanese competition went on to procure the U23 golden trophy. Times like these and the increasing inquisitiveness around bring up a question: how has Japan become the best judo nation on earth?

Former Michigan wrestler Stevan Andrija Micic provides insight into this enigma. He talks repeatedly about Japan and how its unique “outside style” is a perfect storm of trials for even the most seasoned wrestlers. Angry, fast, and small. Do the Japanese need to play dirty? But more importantly, what is it that causes their exceptional success?

Japan’s Dominance in Wrestling

Japan’s dominance is not just a product of talent; it stems from skills and difficult training schedules. The nation’s commitment to the sport can be seen from the outstanding performance in the Paris Summer Olympics 2024 and also in the ongoing U23 World Championship. Athletes are trained to anticipate and face their opponent’s moves, resulting in an “outside style” that has proven effective as a wrestling technique.

While Japan is dominating the world, including America, Serbian-American Stevan Micic has revealed the real reason behind Japan’s success in the 2024 Olympics. Micic posted a video on Instagram with his thoughts about the same; he stated, “I think that Japan just having a very outside style, very quick athletic, you know, it’s really difficult to kind of get your hands on them, but also they’re so fast, they can find the leg and you have to always be cautious.” According to the 2023 World Wrestling Championship gold medalist, Japan has a different wrestling style as compared to other schools like Russia, the USA, Iran, and others.

Japan topped the medal tally of wrestling in the 2024 Paris Olympics, with 8 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze. Whereas, the United States of America stayed in third place with only 2 golds and a total of 7 medals. This proves how dominant Japan must be in the 2024 Olympics. With each Olympic cycle, Japan is crushing other countries in wrestling and pushing boundaries of excellence.

With the continuous victory and all the achievements of Japan in the sport, other wrestling federations need to rethink their skills, training methods, and strategies, particularly in the USA. With all eyes on Japan, the world is eagerly waiting for their next move in the wrestling saga.

Has Japan become a wake-up call for America?

Here comes the turn and around Japan’s rapid rise a heart-touching moment: when American wrestler Mitchell Mesenbrink met Kota Takahashi in the U23 World Championship. It was much deeper than a mat fight; it represented the competitive edge of professional wrestling that is more rampant today.

Promising talent pitting himself against USA’s Mesenbrink advanced high hopes of winning a bout but eventually failed to Takahashi, who went all the way and nabbed a U23 gold. The Penn State wrestler lost to his Japanese counterpart and had people talking about what it says of the state of American wrestling. And how long they can keep up with Japan’s progress.

Mesenbrink’s defeat, however, is both significant and indicative of a major turning point in U.S. wrestling. The fact that he was unable to adapt to Takahashi’s frenetic, unpredictable style of wrestling. During the course of the match, it was obvious that Mesenbrink had no answer to Takahashi’s agility and tactics, as he appeared lost trying to get some winning momentum.

It is an eye-opener for athletes in the USA, and as Stevan Micic said, Japanese wrestlers are very wiry and scrappy. It is indeed a wake-up call for American wrestling. Will America be able to respond to the new wrestling standard established by Japan? Or Japan has reached far beyond the other wrestlers of the world? Only time will tell.