Skip to content
The BJJ Story
Search
Back to people
Two training partners meeting on the mat.Drawn in cream, forest green, and muted terracotta. People and objects are symbolic illustrations.
Portrait unavailable. General BJJ illustration; not a likeness of this person.Illustration: The BJJ Story

Shoya Ishiguro

Shoya Ishiguro built a career across gi and no-gi, adapting his technical game while teaching at Tokyo's ARTA BJJ Mita.

Biography

Shoya Ishiguro is a Japanese jiu-jitsu black belt whose competitive life has increasingly crossed between gi and no-gi, the formats with and without the traditional uniform. For a time, he turned down matches that permitted heel hooks. Later, he asked training partners to attack him with those same leg locks so he could learn to deal with them. His development as a competitor has taken place alongside a working life spent teaching, from children's camps and private lessons to instruction at ARTA BJJ Mita in Tokyo. Born in Fukuroi, Shizuoka Prefecture, in 1996, Ishiguro became interested in fighting through the PRIDE and DREAM events he watched. He told MMAPLANET that he started jiu-jitsu at twelve, initially with mixed martial arts in mind. In his own account of those beginnings, his father encouraged him to join Bonsai in nearby Hamamatsu. He was still in middle school, training alongside adults, and the ground skills he had wanted for MMA became an interest in their own right. His early international results included silver at the 2017 IBJJF World Championship, representing Bon-Sai Jiu-Jitsu in the adult purple-belt roosterweight division. Around the end of university, he decided to make his living through jiu-jitsu and moved to Tokyo to join Carpe Diem. Yuki Ishikawa promoted him to black belt on December 8, 2019. Learning to work without the grips Ishiguro's move into no-gi involved changing what he was willing to encounter in a match. After competing at QUINTET in 2021, he began seeking out heel-hook attacks in training instead of avoiding competitions that allowed them. A January 2022 meeting with Masakazu Imanari brought several unfamiliar problems together: leg locks, palm strikes and a cage. This was combat jiu-jitsu, which allows palm strikes, and preparing for its enclosure required more than practicing on an open mat. Ishiguro worked against a wall because it would limit the rolling escapes he could otherwise use. He said Imanari himself was the reason he accepted the match. He also hoped that succeeding in grappling would give him greater confidence when he returned to gi competition. Ishiguro won in overtime. The preparation did not suspend his teaching work: during that fight week he continued regular classes and private lessons and helped run a winter camp for children. He described instruction as his job, and one he enjoyed. By March 2023, he could explain more precisely what moving between the formats was changing. His gi game used clothing grips in De La Riva and reverse De La Riva guard positions. Without those grips, he needed to control his opponent's joints more directly. He told MMAPLANET that this work was already finding its way back into his gi jiu-jitsu. A match with Yosuke Saruta at Unrivaled02 in February 2023 supplied a concrete example of that adaptation. To reach an opponent who kept retreating, Ishiguro had practiced deep half guard, using the position to close the distance and attack the nearer leg. He accepted the risk of conceding position to pursue a submission and won with a kneebar. His explanation centered on solving that particular problem: how to bring an elusive opponent close enough to attack. He approached physical preparation in similarly specific terms. In a 2023 interview, he recalled starting strength training at sixteen at Bonsai and attending a university that offered personal-trainer qualifications. He was applying what he had studied about anatomy and nutrition to his teaching, and choosing strength exercises in relation to the pushing, pulling and holding actions he used in grappling. His academy biography also describes a period of difficulty after a professional defeat. In his telling, changes to practice, physical preparation and his mental approach helped him improve; he does not identify the match or date that experience. Competing in both formats Ishiguro resisted the idea that gi and no-gi demanded an exclusive choice. In 2023 he described them as useful to each other and planned to enter both his weight division and the open division in each format at the Sydney Open, while pursuing World Championship qualification. The organizer's report of the April 2 event records what followed: two gold medals, one silver and one bronze across the featherweight and open divisions. His subsequent adult black-belt results made room for both kinds of competition. Representing Carpe Diem, he took light-featherweight bronze at the IBJJF No-Gi Worlds in 2023 and again in 2024. In gi competition, he won the same weight class at the 2024 Asian Championship for Carpe Diem Mita, then earned European silver and World Championship bronze in 2025. By the 2026 European Championship he was competing for Arta, taking another light-featherweight bronze. Before that year's Pans, he discussed his preparation with interviewer Akira Hosokawa: he was working on opponents who used strong grips to establish a two-point advantage and then protect it. He practiced counters, borrowed parts of that approach himself and sought high-level sparring. His most frequent partner was fellow ARTA Mita light-featherweight Sueru Okaizumi, whose similar size and movement made the sessions particularly useful to him. Ishiguro finished the Pans with silver and added bronze at the Brazilian Championship, both in the adult black-belt light-featherweight division. His professional no-gi results also included decision wins over Toshiyasu Sagae and Hiryu Niwa in ONE. He submitted Bruno Azevedo with an inside heel hook at ONE Friday Fights 64 and Denny Sisti with a neck crank at ONE Friday Fights 115. Teaching beyond the classroom ARTA lists Ishiguro among the instructors at its Mita academy. He also offers an online academy that arranges technique lessons by category and includes training notes and community discussion. Alongside match analysis and seminar recordings, its higher-tier service offers individual feedback on members' sparring and competition footage, extending his instruction to the specific situations they encounter on the mat.

Sources for this profile

  • BJJ Heroes, Shoya Ishiguro, undated profile.(opens in a new tab)

    • Shoya Ishiguro is Japanese.

      Where in the source: Opening identification — Japanese

      Accessed:

    • Ishiguro was born in 1996 in Fukuroi, Shizuoka Prefecture.

      Where in the source: Biography opening — September 1996

      Accessed:

    • Yuki Ishikawa awarded Ishiguro his black belt on 8 December 2019.

      Where in the source: Promotion paragraph — December 08, 2019

      Accessed:

  • Shoya Ishiguro's online academy, public biography, undated.(opens in a new tab)

    • In his own account, Ishiguro joined Bonsai in Hamamatsu while in middle school, encouraged by his martial-arts-loving father. He initially wanted ground skills for MMA but became absorbed in jiu-jitsu and trained alongside adults.

      Where in the source: プロフィール — middle-school beginnings paragraph

      Accessed:

    • Ishiguro says that around the end of university he committed to earning his living through jiu-jitsu, moved to Tokyo and joined Carpe Diem.

      Where in the source: プロフィール — university and Tokyo paragraph

      Accessed:

    • In his online academy biography, Ishiguro recalls his first serious slump after losing a professional match. He attributes his subsequent improvement to changes in practice, physical preparation and his mental approach.

      Where in the source: プロフィール — slump and training paragraphs

      Accessed:

    • Ishiguro's online academy offers categorized technique lessons, training notes and community discussion. Its higher-tier service also offers feedback on members' sparring or competition footage, alongside match analysis and seminar recordings.

      Where in the source: Service section — 技術 & フィジカル

      Accessed:

  • MMAPLANET, Ishiguro interview before IRE06, part one, 7 January 2022.(opens in a new tab)

    • Ishiguro told MMAPLANET in January 2022 that he began jiu-jitsu at twelve after watching PRIDE and DREAM and initially wanting to compete in MMA; jiu-jitsu soon became his main interest.

      Where in the source: Interview answer recalling the start — 12歳

      Accessed:

    • Before meeting Masakazu Imanari in January 2022, Ishiguro said he had previously declined grappling invitations that allowed heel hooks. After his 2021 QUINTET appearance he began asking training partners to attack those submissions so he could learn to handle them.

      Where in the source: Closing interview answer — ヒール

      Accessed:

    • During fight week for IRE06, Ishiguro continued teaching regular classes, private lessons and a winter children's camp. He described instruction as his job and said he enjoyed it rather than reducing the workload for a match.

      Where in the source: Opening interview exchange — KIDSキャンプ

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, 2017 World Championship final results.(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2017 IBJJF Worlds, Ishiguro represented Bon-Sai Jiu-Jitsu and finished second in the male adult purple-belt roosterweight division.

      Where in the source: Male / Adult / Purple / Rooster — Shoya Ishiguro

      Accessed:

  • ARTA BJJ, official instructor directory, undated.(opens in a new tab)

    • ARTA lists Ishiguro as a black-belt instructor at its Mita academy in Tokyo.

      Where in the source: INSTRUCTORS — Shoya Ishiguro

      Accessed:

  • ARTA BJJ Mita, official instructor directory, undated.(opens in a new tab)

    • Ishiguro teaches at ARTA BJJ Mita.

      Where in the source: INSTRUCTORS — 石黒 翔也

      Accessed:

  • MMAPLANET, pre-IRE06 interview, part two, 8 January 2022.(opens in a new tab)

    • Preparing for Imanari meant adapting to palm strikes, heel hooks and a cage. Ishiguro said he practised against a wall because the enclosure would restrict rolling escapes; he accepted the match specifically because Imanari was the opponent and believed succeeding in grappling could strengthen his confidence in gi competition.

      Where in the source: Interview body — wall practice and acceptance answers

      Accessed:

  • MMAPLANET, pre-KIWAMI interview, part two, 16 March 2023.(opens in a new tab)

    • Ishiguro defeated Masakazu Imanari in overtime in their January 2022 combat jiu-jitsu match.

      Where in the source: First question — オーバータイム

      Accessed:

    • Ishiguro said he began strength training at sixteen at Bonsai and studied at a university offering personal-trainer qualifications. By 2023 he was applying anatomy and nutrition knowledge in his teaching and linking strength exercises to the pushing, pulling and holding actions of grappling.

      Where in the source: University and conditioning answers — 解剖学

      Accessed:

    • In 2023 Ishiguro rejected the idea that he had to choose between gi and no-gi. He viewed the two as mutually useful training and planned to enter both weight and open divisions in each format at the Sydney Open while pursuing World Championship qualification.

      Where in the source: Sydney and cross-training answers — シドニー

      Accessed:

  • Shojiro Kameike for MMAPLANET, pre-KIWAMI interview, part one, 13 March 2023.(opens in a new tab)

    • In March 2023 Ishiguro explained that gi grips underpinned his De La Riva and reverse De La Riva guard game, whereas no-gi required more direct control of the opponent's joints. He said the no-gi work was already influencing his gi jiu-jitsu.

      Where in the source: Opening technical answers — デラヒーバ

      Accessed:

    • Against Yosuke Saruta at Unrivaled02 in February 2023, Ishiguro won with a kneebar. He explained that he had trained deep half guard as a way to close the distance on a retreating opponent and attack the nearer leg, accepting positional risks in pursuit of a submission.

      Where in the source: Saruta discussion — ディープハーフ

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, Sydney Open event report, April 2023.(opens in a new tab)

    • The IBJJF's report of its 2 April 2023 Sydney Open records Ishiguro competing in gi and no-gi and earning two gold medals, a silver and a bronze across featherweight and open divisions.

      Where in the source: Event report — Shoya Ishiguro

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, 2023 No-Gi World Championship final results.(opens in a new tab)

    • Ishiguro won bronze for Carpe Diem in the male adult black-belt light-featherweight division at the 2023 IBJJF No-Gi Worlds.

      Where in the source: Male / Adult / Black / Light Feather — Shoya Ishiguro

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, 2024 No-Gi World Championship final results.(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2024 IBJJF No-Gi Worlds, Ishiguro again took bronze in male adult black-belt light-featherweight, representing Carpe Diem.

      Where in the source: Male / Adult / Black / Light Feather — Shoya Ishiguro

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, 2024 Asian Championship final results.(opens in a new tab)

    • Representing Carpe Diem Mita, Ishiguro won the male adult black-belt light-featherweight division at the 2024 IBJJF Asian Championship.

      Where in the source: Male / Adult / Black / Light Feather — Shoya Ishiguro

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, 2025 European Championship final results.(opens in a new tab)

    • Ishiguro earned silver in male adult black-belt light-featherweight at the 2025 IBJJF Europeans, representing Carpe Diem; Diogo Reis finished first.

      Where in the source: Male / Adult / Black / Light Feather — Shoya Ishiguro

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, 2025 World Championship final results.(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2025 IBJJF Worlds he earned bronze in male adult black-belt light-featherweight for Carpe Diem Mita.

      Where in the source: Male / Adult / Black / Light Feather — Shoya Ishiguro

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, 2026 European Championship final results.(opens in a new tab)

    • Representing Arta, Ishiguro won male adult black-belt light-featherweight bronze at the 2026 IBJJF Europeans.

      Where in the source: Male / Adult / Black / Light Feather — Shoya Ishiguro

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, 2026 Pan Championship final results.(opens in a new tab)

    • Ishiguro took silver for Arta in male adult black-belt light-featherweight at the 2026 IBJJF Pans, with Diego Oliveira Batista first.

      Where in the source: Male / Adult / Black / Light Feather — Shoya Ishiguro

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, 2026 Brazilian Championship final results.(opens in a new tab)

    • Ishiguro added male adult black-belt light-featherweight bronze at the 2026 Brazilian Championship, representing Arta.

      Where in the source: Male / Adult / Black / Light Feather — Shoya Ishiguro

      Accessed:

  • Akira Hosokawa, JIU JITSU DAYS interview with Ishiguro before the 2026 Pans, 24 March 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • Before the 2026 Pans, Ishiguro told Akira Hosokawa that he had been preparing for opponents with powerful grips who establish a two-point lead and defend it. Training included counters to that approach, adopting aspects of it himself and seeking high-level sparring.

      Where in the source: First answer — グリップ力

      Accessed:

    • For the same Pans preparation, Ishiguro named fellow ARTA Mita light-featherweight Sueru Okaizumi as his most frequent sparring partner, saying their similar size and movement made the sessions useful.

      Where in the source: Third answer — 岡泉選手

      Accessed:

  • Fachrul Sidiq, ONE Championship announcement of Ishiguro–Alvarenga, 15 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • ONE's September 2026 report credits Ishiguro with decision victories over Toshiyasu Sagae and Hiryu Niwa, an inside-heel-hook victory over Bruno Azevedo at ONE Friday Fights 64, and a neck-crank victory over Denny Sisti at ONE Friday Fights 115.

      Where in the source: Career recap after opening — four victories

      Accessed:

Competition results

Recorded tournament results, newest first
YearEventResultDivision
2026IBJJF Pan ChampionshipSource: ibjjf.comGiVerified2nd place (silver)GiVerified
2025IBJJF European ChampionshipSource: ibjjf.comGiVerified2nd place (silver)GiVerified
2025IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: ibjjf.comGiVerified3rd place (bronze)GiVerified
2024IBJJF Asian ChampionshipSource: ibjjfdb.comGiVerified1st place (gold)GiVerified
2024IBJJF World No-Gi ChampionshipSource: ibjjf.comNo-giVerified3rd place (bronze)No-giVerified
2023IBJJF World No-Gi ChampionshipSource: ibjjf.comNo-giVerified3rd place (bronze)No-giVerified

Lineage

View in lineage tree

Trained under