(NOAH) "Martial arts are fireworks, pro wrestling is music" - Ulka Sasaki's true intentions for moving to America at age 36

RollingStone Japan

30th January 2026

Ulka Sasaki once said that martial arts are like "fireworks" and professional wrestling is like "music." From the world of MMA, where instantaneous firepower thrills audiences, to the world of professional wrestling, where the music lingers. Two years have passed since he fulfilled his childhood dream of becoming a professional wrestler after competing in the world's top MMA promotion, UFC, and later in RIZIN. 

On New Year's Day 2023, Noah held an event at the Nippon Budokan. Ulka Sasaki was in the audience watching a historic match between Shinsuke Nakamura, a Japanese superstar in the world's largest professional wrestling promotion, WWE, and The Great Muta, a living legend for wrestling fans worldwide. Backstage after the match, Nakamura asked him, "When are you going to do it?" That fall, he opened a time capsule he'd buried as an elementary school student and found a letter addressed to himself that read, "Are you ready to become a professional wrestler?" Fate descended upon him, and so, he became a professional wrestler affiliated with Noah. 

On New Year's Day 2025, it was a Noah show at the Nippon Budokan. After facing "the real Shinsuke Nakamura" in a singles match and being defeated, he felt lost. He decided to embark on a journey to America for training towards earning "fair recognition" as a professional wrestler. 

He discovered professional wrestling at age 12, signed with UFC at 24, and began a new chapter at age 36. We discuss the 12-year cycle of Ulka Sasaki's life and the next melody he will play as a professional wrestler.

Q: Was the decision to go to America a sudden one?

ULKA: It was really quite sudden, but I've always wanted to go to America.

Q: Did you always want to fight in America as a pro wrestler?

ULKA: Yes, I went there as a martial artist. I was with the UFC for about five years and spent my twenties over there. So I really wanted to experience America as a professional wrestler. Competing in the UFC was a huge asset and a special experience for me. I've always wanted to experience it in professional wrestling as well.

Q: Did Shinsuke Nakamura give you any advice?

ULKA: No, I don't think he did (laughs) He did give me advice on professional wrestling, but he didn't say things like, "Wouldn't it be better for you to experience America for yourself?"  

Q: Ulka, it's been exactly two years since you became a pro wrestler, It's rare for someone who's ranked in the UFC in modern MMA to become a pro wrestler, isn't it?

ULKA: There aren't any, are there? There are foreigners, but I don't think there are any Japanese.

Q: What have the past two years been like as a professional wrestler?

ULKA: It was incredibly difficult. I kept thinking, "Isn't this not enough time?" When I thought back to what I'd done in martial arts, it took a really long time to polish. I have a background in martial arts, but it's a different thing. I kept wondering, "Will I have enough time?" But Noah has a lot of shows, right? That was the best thing of all. Being able to gain that experience was huge.

Q: Tours are also a big part of it, aren't they?

ULKA: Yes. In martial arts, you'd have one match every three or four months, so it would be impossible to do that. You absolutely need a lot of matches, experience a lot of failure, and confront your own weaknesses.

Q: Have you ever wished you'd switched to pro wrestling a little earlier?

ULKA: No, my life is all about timing and connections, so everything has really come into play through chance, so I think it was all inevitable.

Q: I think over the past two years you've experienced both the difficulties and thrills of professional wrestling, as well as the benefits of having a background fighting at the top level of MMA.

ULKA: That's also really difficult. My MMA experience can sometimes get in the way. Even though I'm strong, there are times when it's difficult. I could go all out, but I don't want to do that in pro wrestling, so it's difficult.

Q: When a fighter with an MMA background steps into a pro wrestling ring, it's common for them to base their style on MMA and then adjust to pro wrestling. But I think the big difference with you, is that you were a pro wrestling fan to begin with.

ULKA: I had a real internal conflict about that. If I wanted to show off my martial arts skills and say, "I'm strong," then I should just do martial arts. But I think that would be boring as a pro wrestler.

Q: That's the point

ULKA: Pro wrestling is incredibly interesting, and I feel this even more strongly now as I'm doing it. There are definitely things that can only be done in pro wrestling, and there are definitely things that only I can do. So I know I won't find the answer that quickly. I think it's important to think about it.

Q: Can you put into words what it is that only pro wrestling can do?

ULKA: To put it into words... I have a very strong image of martial arts being like fireworks, but professional wrestling is more like music.

Q: It starts with the intro.

ULKA: That's right. I think the image you get is that it starts with an intro, then there's a rousing chorus, and then the music at the end lingers. Martial arts have a lot of explosive power, and everyone gets excited in that moment. But with pro wrestling, the afterglow lingers until the very end. Even after the match is over. A show is like an album, with songs changing and connecting. It's like a single package*. 

Q: Wrestlers have all kinds of different styles, too. Some have a punkish, ephemeral style, while others structure their matches like jazz.

ULKA: I have a strong image of wrestlers who you wouldn't think would get along working together, but then they unexpectedly get along and create an interesting symphony. Martial arts is all about instantaneous firepower, so you get excited from the hype video and then it explodes with excitement. Pro wrestling is enjoyable from start to finish, right down to the lingering afterglow. So you have to be able to immerse yourself in it, which is difficult.

Q: They're completely different kinds of pleasure.

ULKA: In terms of breadth, I feel like pro wrestling has a broader range.

Q: At the moment, what kind of music would you like to play in your matches?

ULKA: I like classical music, so I think classic pro wrestling would be good. I think I prefer a long intro rather than starting straight away with lyrics like modern songs.

Q: Have you always liked classical music as a genre?

ULKA: I learned piano, but it wasn't until I became an adult that I fell in love with classical music. I realized I absolutely love the sound of piano. I don't go to classical concerts, but I love the melodies and tone of piano music, and I listen to it when I'm alone. It's so calming. In pro wrestling, timing is so important. Martial arts is a sport that fills gaps, but pro wrestling, on the other hand, is a sport that opens gaps. I feel like I can really capture that and express it better.

Q: The audience also reads between the lines, and it's a battle of imagination between the wrestlers and the audience to see what they can feel from the lingering aftertaste after the match is over. There's a winner and a loser because it's a match, but what's more important in pro wrestling is what lies beyond that.

ULKA: That's really part of the challenge, isn't it? That's why it's so difficult. In that sense, the time before my match with Shinsuke Nakamura on New Year's Day 2025 was probably the hardest.

Q: Was it tough before the match?  

ULKA: Before the match, I was overthinking the question Shinsuke Nakamura posed, which was probably the toughest part (bitter smile).

Q: Nakamura asks philosophical questions, doesn't he?

ULKA: That's also part of his wrestling style.

Q: The question is, what kind of attitude should you have when answering that riddle?

ULKA: That's something that's unique to pro wrestling.

Q: What flipped the switch that made you want to become a professional wrestler in the first place was the match between Shinsuke Nakamura and Great Muta at the Budokan on New Year's Day 2023. That match was truly packed with the mysteries of professional wrestling.

ULKA: I was really shaken up. I thought, "What is this?!"

Q: The ending, with Shinsuke Nakamura, looking after Muta as he left the ring, was amazing, and his relaxed attitude afterwards was also amazing.

ULKA: That was amazing. I don't think I've ever seen a better match at a live show. Maybe it was even more so because I was watching from the audience.

Q: At that point, were you feeling about half-hearted about continuing on the path of MMA or maybe the time had come to fulfill your lifelong dream of becoming a professional wrestler?

ULKA: That's really how it felt at the time, and up until then I'd been fighting in RIZIN, so I was wondering, "Who's my next opponent?" But then I saw the match between Shinsuke Nakamura and Muta and I was like, "Wow! They can make matches like that!" I wanted to go backstage, but I couldn't. I was wondering what to do when I saw an acquaintance I hadn't seen in ages and he asked me, "Do you want to come backstage?" I thought, "What? Really?" and went backstage, and Shinsuke was there too. I shook his hand and said, "Shinsuke, that was amazing," and he asked me, "When are you wrestling?" That's when I thought, "Oh, I guess I'm going to do it". 

Q: That's an amazing story. If you hadn't gone backstage at that time...

ULKA: I might never have done pro wrestling...

Q: It's one of the mysteries of life

ULKA: It really does come down to fate. Furthermore, in the fall of that year, I contacted a classmate and we went to open a time capsule we'd buried in elementary school. When I opened it, there was a note that said, "Are you ready to become a professional wrestler?" I was a huge fan of Keiji Mutoh, and he'd actually retired that year. I was like, "Wow! What's this!?"

Q: That is too good to be true.

ULKA: Yes, it was just too good to be true. Then, the following year, I made my pro wrestling debut. And the following year, I was fighting Shinsuke Nakamura on New Year's Day. The person who had asked me "When are you going to do it?" was beating me up (laughs)

Q: After the Nakamura fight, I got the impression that you got lost for a bit. I think what you suffered in that match must have been quite big.

ULKA: I was really impressed. I saw the match between Muta and Shinsuke Nakamura live. Both have a background in America, and I could sense that somewhere. It was around that time that I started to want to try my hand at America. I had a match against Shinsuke Nakamura on New Year's Day 2025, and I decided to go to America in January 2026. I got beaten so badly by Nakamura that I thought, "I'm so discouraged," but over the past year, I didn't give up. Even though things didn't go well, I gained a lot of match experience and feel like I'm becoming a better professional wrestler.

Q: You've known Nakamura for quite some time, right?

ULKA: Yes, when I was doing martial arts, Nakamura was training at an affiliate of Wajutsu Keishukai so I had the opportunity to train with him there. We also trained together when I was living in New York.  

Q: How many years ago are you talking about?

ULKA: Maybe around 2017 or 2018? He said, "I want to practice Muay Thai," and we practiced together and it was really tiring, he pushed me so hard.

Q: He was big, wasn't he?

ULKA: He was big before, but it feels like he's even bigger now. He's an even bigger superstar in America than he is in Japan. Everyone knows him, saying, "Shinsuke! Shinsuke!" I thought, "Amazing!"

Q: Nakamura also has experience in MMA, so I think he had a lot of respect for you and was asking you the riddle of "Oh, so you're coming to this world," as a top professional wrestler, entertainer, and philosopher.

ULKA: What do you think?

Q: That don't talk much about Nakamura (laughs).

ULKA: I like them both. Shinsuke Nakamura and Shinsuke Nakamura from WWE.

Q: Is he a difficult person to talk about?

ULKA: Hmm, I think he has the characteristics of a strong person, although that may a bit selfish (laughs).

Q: He embodies the strength of freedom.

ULKA: That's definitely a characteristic of strong people, isn't it? I think that's a wonderful thing. I've learned a lot from him as a professional wrestler as well.

Q:Is there anything you can put into words that you learned from Nakamura?

ULKA: It's difficult to put into words. But the professional wrestling I had and the professional wrestling that Nakamura presented to me were different. 

Q: I'd like to hear more about that (laughs).

ULKA: I think we've talked enough about Shinsuke Nakamura (laughs)

Q: (Laughs) But of course, you had a view of pro wrestling that you had been building up over the year leading up to the fight with Nakamura.

ULKA: Well, that's just me as a rookie (laughs). But it really means a lot to me that I was given the keyword "America."

Q: When you were in America doing MMA, did you watch any pro wrestling?

ULKA: No, I didn't. Back then I only watched UFC because I spent all my time on that. On the other hand, since coming to pro wrestling I haven't watched MMA at all.

Q: Does it bother you?

ULKA: It doesn't bother me anymore. I still think it's an interesting sport. If I have acquaintances or juniors competing in RIZIN, I'll watch the matches, but I don't analyze them like I used to.

Q: Do you ever think, "If it were me, I would do it like this"?

ULKA: No, I just say, "He's strong! He's amazing! He's fun!" and that's it (laughs).

Q: So it's possible to become like that.

ULKA: Yes, on the contrary, I've started watching pro wrestling from an analytical perspective.

Q: That's probably your way of life. Concentrate on what's in front of you.

ULKA: That's true. Maybe it's because I'm awkward.

Q: Speaking of British style, Charlie Dempsey from NXT, who came to Japan to compete in Noah last year, was also amazing. His singles match with Kaito Kiyomiya was a great one.

ULKA: Kiyomiya also has incredible talent. I think he's a genius. That was the first thing that hit me when I came into this industry.

Q: I think it's because of the emergence of the dark hero that is OZAWA that the spotlight has begun to shine on the real side of Kiyomiya.

ULKA: I think that's a good thing.

From the perspective of his peers, Kiyomiya was probably last year's MVP. His rhythm, his expression, his timing. And above all, his uke (defense) is amazing. I'm sure it's the influence of Yoshinari Ogawa.

Q: Do you ever receive lectures from Ogawa at the dojo?

ULKA: Yes. But more than anything, I like him as a person. There aren't many people these days who can act cool. He can act cool. I think men who can act cool are cool. I had a master at a dojo in Shizuoka who took care of me a lot when I was a teenager, and Ogawa is similar to him. As an adult, he has strong beliefs and principles that he sticks to, he can say no to things, and as a respected senior and adult, I want to look up to people like that.

Q: On the other hand, do you ever lecture on MMA techniques at the dojo, Ulka?

ULKA: I don't lecture, although I did spa once (laughs)

Q: Do you think that's a hidden knife that a pro wrestler needs?

ULKA: I think it's absolutely necessary. If you get hit, you are going to hit back (laughs)

Q: You have the scariest look on your face today (laughs)

ULKA: You have to have that (laughs). I think it's fine to just let out that feeling, like, "Even in pro wrestling, if they throw me a whammy, I'll do it!" After all, pro wrestling is a live event, so isn't it better to enjoy those emotions as well?

Q: In that sense, it's important to be aware that if the switch is turned on, you might do something.

ULKA: It helps prevent injuries for both of you. It's definitely better to have some tension. It's dangerous without it. If you make a mistake, you could literally die.

Q: With that sensibility at the core, you'll also be learning the American style. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of pro wrestler you will become as a result.

ULKA: I'm looking forward to it too. It comes every twelve years for me. I'm 36 now, but I signed with UFC when I was 24. I discovered professional wrestling when I was 12.

Q:What do you most want to achieve in America?

ULKA: Judged on merit. As a professional wrestler, I want people to think, "This guy is a quality wrestler." That's what people thought when I was in UFC. I want to be properly recognized around the world. By fans in places where they don't know me as a professional wrestler, and by my fellow wrestlers.

Q: Respect in the locker room is also important, isn't it?

ULKA: I think it's extremely important.

Q: Wolf Aaron made his debut in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Like you, I think it's a rare pattern for an Olympic gold medalist to debut with the active desire to become a professional wrestler. Do you feel any sympathy for him?

ULKA: I do feel that way a little. I'm curious to see what he'll discover as a professional wrestler, as he will be facing pro wrestling in the future. 

Q: I think it would be interesting if there was a crossroads in the future where the two of you faced off. 

ULKA: I'd love to do that. When I come back from America, I'd love to fight him someday. 

Notes

Pro wrestling like music: This is very Babaesque. Kyohei Wada likened refereeing Four Pillars matches as like being conducting a symphony.

Translated from Rolling Stone Japan

Picture credits: Rolling Stone Japan