Top 10 Greatest Judokas of All Time

Top 10 greatest judokas of all time.
Judo was created in Japan in 1882, and since then the sport has been widespread, especially in competitive tournaments. Over time, the philosophy and pedagogy of judo served as a model for the development of other modern Japanese martial arts. Judo became a worldwide phenomenon in the sports and martial arts industry and led to the development of several offshoots, such as Brazilian jiu-jitsu and sambo. Thanks to the widespread popularity of judo around the world, many successful judokas have won great respect among millions of fans of this martial art, they are admired, they are set as an example of mastery, and people try to repeat, and even to surpass their success.
In today's video I present to you some of these successful and well-respected judokas, namely the ten greatest judokas of all time who have managed to reach the highest heights in judo. The main criterion for compiling this list is the victory of these judokas at the most prestigious international competitions, such as the Olympics and world championships.

[@aarnt09]

In Japan it is said "No one before Kimura, No one after Kimura"

[@gregorygagua7455]

Well, "never say never" as it said....

[@Rambo-John-J]

Exactly I came here after watch a Kimura documentary right before this and figured for certain Kimura would be number one or at least top 3 lol I’m not an expert or anything though

[@stevediamond7128]

It's astonishing that this ranking completely omits Isao Okano. In my opinion, he is number one on the list. As a middleweight, he won the All Japan Judo Championships twice...in the OPEN division....defeating men who outweighed him by nearly 100 pounds (1967 and 1969. He was second in 1968). And of course, he won gold in the 1964 Olympics, and gold in the 1965 World Championships.

[@matktm]

岡野は全日本を2度制覇しました 同級の選手に勝つのは、極く当たり前の事でした そして、木村政彦は岡野よりも、更に強いです

[@neildillon837]

Naa...I lived and trained at Seki Juku in the early 70's. As much as I admire his work ethic, he's not close to being "best 10 of all time"

[@stevediamond7128]

@@neildillon837 Thanks for your comment. While I certainly respect your personal experience in the matter....just the objective criteria for his accomplishments are what inform my opinion. You are well aware of the magnitude of the All Japan Judo Championships...and the extraordinary feat of a middleweight winning the Open division....even once. At any rate....as much as I admire the other top guys....Okano's accomplishments are - to me - what set him apart from all others.

[@stevediamond7128]

@@matktm ありがとう。 ただし、指摘しなければならないのは、岡野選手は全日本選手権の無差別級で優勝したのです…自分の階級ではなく…ミドル級としてです！

[@dakotamiller6274]

@@stevediamond7128 you are so right, i mean it is like enho becoming yokozuna. that would outweigh even 45 yushos won by hakuho.

[@werffjvander]

Shohei Ono -73 kg ??????????????????

[@gmeister3022]

I think that Kano, Mifune, Kimura also deserve a spot here truthfully

[@alecempire1499]

kawaishi!

[@RiggerHippie]

Mitsuyo Maeda as well

[@PEDRO-ut7fo]

What about Shiro Saigo?

[@RiggerHippie]

@@PEDRO-ut7fo worth mentioning Yoshitsugu Yamashita, Sakujiro Yokoyama and Tsunejiro Tomita since you mentioned Shiro Saigo

[@user-br1ts4fg3c]

Georgia🇬🇪 👍💪🥇

[@christophermaksymowicz3149]

You missed Pawel Nastula --312 consecutive wins from Feb 1994-March 1998.

[@hemmage]

Ummm… Kimura???

[@paweurba6546]

Paweł Nastula had the longest series of victories, he defeated over 200 opponents, from 1994 to 1998 he was undefeated. He became the Olympic champion in Atlanta in 1996, a two-time world champion and a three-time European champion

[@konradmaximilian3037]

And Waldemar Legień - 2 x Olympic gold plus European champion. 3x World Cups/Continental Open, and 8 x national ...

[@WuchtaArt]

Totally agree, his achievements are huge

[@blairbradbury786]

How about a judoka that has won 5 Olympic Medals (2 are gold) and 7 consecutive World Championships in an era when World Championships were every second year rather than every year. Easily the best pound-for-pound judo competitor ever. Affectionately known in Japan as "Yawara Chan", she is Ryoko Tamura/Tani

[@mustard..]

you are absolutely, 100%, undoubtedly correct.

[@matktm]

彼女と野村こそ天才です

[@benohara284]

100% number 1 every time, I was in the stadium in Barcelona in 1992 when she got her first Olympic bronze medal, she was 17 years old or something, the great karen briggs of Britain was brilliant that day also

[@jp.i9039]

Thanks a lot for your video. I may have missed something but I didn't see Shōzō Fujii, four consecutive world champions (1971, 1973, 1975, 1979). I can assure you that those who saw him fight still remember him, he was certainly one of the most beautiful judoka of all time.

[@emildegas4213]

-Teddy Riner -Judoka Pick one

[@PGGMusic]

Wim Ruska being in this is list is well deserved.

[@TheMrBennito]

Yes, he has always been underestimated. He was strong AND had excellent technique

[@stephenmclean288]

I've been fortunate to train with many world Olympic champions, kosei was a incredible judoka , but in my opinion yamashita was really special, and I can honestly say a absaloute gentleman, the only world class elite judoka I trained with since taking up the sport in the 70s who was a genuinely kind and respectful man , he would fight to you're level in randori which was obviously a,lot lower than his ,he was friends with my coach George kerr so I was fortunate to be able to train with him,also double Olympic gold medalist Peter seisenbaker ,but he would hurt you if you gave him a chance, the mark off a true champion yamashita never wanted to hurt or humiliate his opponent I feel lucky to this day to have done randori with him on several occasions. The greatest judoka who ever lived.

[@FlaMerZea]

My list : Masahiko Kimura, Shozo Fuji, Wim Ruska, Toshihiko Koga, Kosei Inoue, Yasuhiro Yamashita, Tadahiro Nomura, Ryoko Tani, Shohei Ono, Ilias Iliadis,

[@BenTa950]

What about teddy riner?

[@Kiev-en-3-jours]

No westerner. No gay. No black. Vladimir is approving your list!

[@TheDrunkenGrape]

Riner is the best judoka ever, far more titles than anyone and he would have eaten anyone on this list in a match in his prime. Ono should be here too, and Koga.

[@magnuschucholowski8565]

In Japan they have a saying: no one before Kimura, no one after. He lost 4 Judo matches during his life time, all in 1935 at age 18. He never lost a match again.

[@SOG-xb4qh]

Having trained in Boxing,,, Muay - Thai,,,BJJ,,,Jeet-Kune-Do & Kuntao Silat,,,I still feel incomplete in a sense. I have always had a deep respect for Judokas,,, because that life is not easy & it takes the heart of a Lion to push & persevere thru all the adversity. I hope soon to start practicing & add to my skillset this fine beautiful & deadly art.

[@damianayre2130]

My father knew a guy that was the Judo world champion many years ago. He was in his late 60's when my father knew him. He was in a bar once and two guys in their 20's tried to start a fight with him. He didn't want to fight so he left. The morons followed him outside and attacked him in the parking lot. He threw both of them and they landed on the hood of a car. Fight was over and the crowd watching burst out in laughter. They couldn't show their faces in that bar for a long time.

[@ghigopigo8317]

Great Video! However is sad not to see some great names on this list like Ono, Koga, Galstjan, Isaev, Kim Jae-Bum and more

[@alhuzayl6029]

Thank you!

[@paulamartin3323]

Peter Seisenbacher He competed in the middleweight category (−86 kg) at the 1980, 1984 and 1988 Olympics and won two gold medals, in 1984 and 1988.[2] He also won a world title in 1985 and European title in 1986.[3]

[@user-yq3iv9nb5w]

My dream story is a match between Yamashita-sensei and Teddy Riner 💪compose Not lose Mr. Yamashita's It would be overwhelming

[@OlivierLecerf]

And Jeon Ki Young ?... Koga ?... I understand, it's not easy even if there are logic champions like Yamashita, Saïto, Ruska, Geesink and, of course and especially, Riner... But I have other names in my mind...

[@danielfromsweden]

Agree, my first thought was, where is Toshihiko Koga?

[@franciscojosegarciasimon901]

Y koga?

[@lukasrba1]

As a Czech I´m kinda dissapointed to not see Lukáš Krpálek in this list. He won in two heaviest cathegories continent and world championships and is 2 times olympic winner too

[@CiposawPierd]

thx nice

[@jamesa375]

Shohei Ono and Jae-bum KIM best technicians iv ever seen.

[@Drbranicap]

Wery funny comments?Founder of judo Kano Jigoro is a father of our sport so he is above ranking lists.This list is a PRIVATE CHOICE of one obviously young man.Advice:in any ranking of anything one looks at the legacy and influence that person or a thing left .In that regard in this list Kosei Inoue is a very strong cause his style got coppied all over the world.Seccondly,magnificent Koga intorduced new variations of seoi nage and sode and created an unike style.So he should be a must here.No dissrespect to nomura but his morote is abrilliant but classic technique,Koga is a fenomenon and novelty.Kimura is copied all over the world in judo and BJJ and sambo.even techniques are named after him. Isao Okano was a God of Judo in his prime in japan.both as a fighter and a coach he was a fenomenon.but youbg peole do not know about him .

[@user-ro9ms4hq5y]

I had trained with Ilias Iliadis in 2003 in the Hellenic championship, his trainer (the Greek national team trainer) is a cousin of my trainer, i was in the 90Kg he was in the 81Kg, we "sparred", more like he played with me, although almost 10Kg difference the dude felt like he was double my weight, i had literally 0 chance in winning.

[@ArpMadore1]

When Yamashita was active, the World Championships were held every two years. In addition, he missed the opportunity to compete in the 1977 World Championships and the 1980 Olympics. It was for political reasons that had nothing to do with him. He was scheduled to compete in the over 95kg weight class and the open at the 1980 Olympics. So he coulda won three more world titles. He's a graduate of Tōkai University, founded by a pro-Soviet socialist, and has remained extremely involved in that university ever since his graduation. That's why he was close to Putin, although as of now he has distanced himself from Putin. Like the IOC, he feels that Russian athletes should be allowed to compete in the Paris Olympics. His attitude is probably based more on his own experience of being at the mercy of politics in the past than on his relationship with Putin. In both cases, though, the seeds were sown by Russia.

[@AlwaysfitnessInternational]

I met Anton Gesink in Brussels European championships in 1980, I was a 60 kg competitor, he was already retired and was huuuge, twice my body size hahaha nice big man. I remember Yanashita too :-)

[@kwanitaheie2968]

Masahika Kimura: Am I a joke to you?

[@littlecabinknits7135]

"in one hundred thousand nine hundred ninety nine" - I love this one 😂

[@KarteurFR]

Teddy Riner 💪

[@PGGMusic]

He's talking about Teddy as if he's retired, but Teddy is still active?

[@aurelien1241]

@@PGGMusic yes, is still active, he will be at the paris olympic games in 2024

[@zcomme]

Robert Van de Walle Gold Medal Moscow Olympic 1980

[@frknbne5089]

many others deserve a spot but with 1 world champions title believe Teddy Riner should be no 1 as the count is still on going.....

[@MMALover9]

As for me there should also be ono shohei and kimura masahiko in that list. Even kosei inoue said that ono ist in his opinion the best judoka, because he combined all aspect you would need speed power technique.

[@levanikorobakidze492]

No Shavdatuashvili or Bekauri?

[@heretolearn5084]

Do top 10 judokas in mma

[@luisgutierrezjudo]

A very European list, without detracting from the names. How is it possible that they are not there; Shoei Ono, Toshihiko Koga, Isao Okano, Ryoko Tamura, Shozo Fujii, Kimura, also the unbeatable Pavel Nastula. Any of the Japanese on the list has a more technical judo than the Europeans named. Sorry if I forget some great Judoka.

[@DrWillJamesReports]

Teddy Riner has dominated the most difficult era of Judo. I’d put him number one.

[@sososo3366]

the less technical era of judo **

[@Drbranicap]

No he did not.

[@DrWillJamesReports]

@@Drbranicap he literally was undefeated for 10 years. How did he not?

[@ichichu]

It's all relative and I don't doubt any of Riner's accomplishments. He is great, but I think people forget that Yamashita didn't win as many big tournaments, because they did not exist, including competing in a day and age where winning the World Championships 4x in a row and going undefeated throughout the whole time meant you were undefeated and on top for a minimum of 10-12 years as the world championships back in the day were only once every 4-years. Japan also boycotted the 1980 Olympics so he only competed in them once. He also decided to retire at 28, so my biased opinion says his ranking number one on this list is viable.

[@geraldthievon6040]

We cannot compare heavyweight with -90 or -73 for example because it is far less competitive. What Iliadis or Inoue or Ono or Koga achieved is much more difficult because their catégories are much more complicated to dominate.

[@henryks1000]

Is that your personal choice of the best judokas? Miss a lot of great judoka.

[@Yeahturismo]

What about Masashi Kimura????

[@bertgroeneveld57]

It's Auto Geesink and not Gijsken. Next to winning Olympic gold in Japan, he also became a legend during these Olympics by ordering his coach of the tatami after his victory. Hereby winning the respect of all Japanese Judokas and the public in Japan.

[@Klont123]

No. It’s Anton Geesink.

[@simonpantera]

Waldemar Legien should be here- won two Olympic golds in two different weight categories

[@eliotquintana9802]

Judo popular in Japan Olympics 🇯🇵 gold vary good judo throw background

[@DisingenuousComment]

Nomura was a beast. All Japanese Judokas are masterclass

[@hereandnow990]

This voice over AI is quite good quality.

[@benohara284]

Top 10 greatest judokas can't be talked about without mentioning ryoko tani

[@alexanderburman4194]

Yamashita was a great inspiration for me in the onethousand-ninehundred-eighties (as the narrator says :-))

[@ZeroZen27]

is the voice from the video AI? Just curious.

[@mrnm6482]

I dont think people realize how incredble Geesink's win was in 1961. It was unheard of that a non japanese could beat them at their own game

[@keithwollenberg5237]

Pretty strong bias in favour of the heavyweight category. Now, you did say that one of your criteria was success at prestigious tournaments, and some would argue that the heavyweight division is more prestigious, but I still find the bias pretty extreme.

[@burntgod7165]

"One thousand nine hundred and ninety nine..." this AI nonsense makes me switch off.

[@maxidecimus1527]

Hello, it's David Douillet

[@alfarabi73]

Jeon Ki-young was undefeated at both Olympics and worlds - two locations where it mattered.

[@joaopaulojopa1919]

What about Koga?

[@mx7079]

There are some notable omissions in the choice : where is Okano for example ? And also some errors: the French heavyweight's name is David Douillet, and the Dutch judoka is Anton Geesink.

[@stoopidpants]

I met Geesink (Spelling?) back in '96. He was about 6'5'' with about a 30'' inseam (he has unusually short legs relative to his height). Wasn't the nicest guy. You got #1 right, Yamashita was something else.

[@Xsarxass]

Gdzie jest Nastula?

[@dany1441]

5:28 His name was Anton Geesink.

[@joepworther2284]

Precies !

[@BruceHarms]

The name is Anton Geesink: 10thdan en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Geesink

[@judgeroybean6930]

All these lists are "personal opinions", who I favour someone else may not. However, I would definitely include Abe Uta. Shereally has Class

[@freddiemercury4864]

what about Koga? ^.^

[@jo1512]

Nr 1 is Koga.

[@RedKing64]

Toshihiko Koga? No? REALLY?

[@luismiranda8401]

Ono....check him out he still competing but he is also great.

[@hereandnow990]

Shota Khabareli, from Georgia?

[@mark9104]

Pretty hard to limit it to 10 to be honest, lots of great are going to be missing, e.g. where is Tamura? How about Koga? If you need to do a ranking I guess you have to set some sort of criteria or it just become a matter of taste

[@geneboynton9356]

Okano should be at the top of list

[@patriceboccara]

David Douillet, not Duet

[@CptShelby]

good video, but unfortunately has a very distracting computer narration and the plural-s (Japanese plural doesn't add an s; Judoka is singular and plural)

[@timfronimos459]

Back in the 1980s (?) there was a Judo athlete from I believe the former Soviet Union by the name of Alexi ____ (HAM ho ev). Has anyone ever heard of someone with that name.

[@misnomer4231]

Riner is a shuto player not a judo player and where ryoko tani tamura and koga.....?

[@werffjvander]

Anton Geesink

[@pR-ms4cr]

Evidemment Teddy Riner n° 1. C'est indiscutable. Il est devant Yamashita et Nomura.

[@helderfrancisco7115]

How can you put The great Teddy riner as if he already retired?

Put the names of the judokas on the screen. Japanese, and even French, names with an English accent are incomprehensible

[@aca8952]

You forgot about Toshihiko Koga best ipons in world championship, and Olympics

[@jeffkodiac]

Teddy Riner is the greatest !

[@taltezy2941]

Inoue #10 - child please!!

[@joubex]

Please put the right name for all these great athlètes: David Douillet not Daut, Teddy Riner and not Reiner..... Who are you from??

[@jenssperling6020]

I Miss the brillant east German Dietmar Lorenz and the great english Judoka Neill Adams.anyway,i think its very diff.to list up the "best" ,expect Sensei Yamashita and Anton Geesink.they are Legends,No doubt.

[@avisilvermann2838]

Judoka practitioners are strong people

[@bartofilms]

I’m sorry, but you excluded Toshihiro Koga. The men you mention were up there, but for me Koga should be at the top of any list.

[@alamakotayo555]

The first thing it is really embarrassing is that you do not include Jigoro Kano. The second is more subjective, however ... a short text from wiki about Paweł Nastula: Between February 1994 and March 1998 Nastula was unbeaten in Judo, having 312 consecutive wins over a period of those 1,220 days and winning every competition. Besides this as someone stated here: the Olympic champion in Atlanta in 1996, a two-time world champion and a three-time European champion Seriously, strange ranking.

[@jeanlucwilain7662]

Teddy Riner. 10 times W champion. 5 olympic medals Inc. 3 gold. 3rd? Is it à joke??

[@oscarontheroad]

11 Times world champion 😎

[@marcg.3666]

@@oscarontheroad 12 times now

[@oscarontheroad]

@@marcg.3666 … sorry but it’s 11 times …

[@xxPanteraxxx]

Wim Ruska, David Douillet, Toshihiko Koga, should be considered also.

[@patrickpasson7247]

It is Anton Geesink :S

[@Vaitamanu]

I can't keep watching your video, since I understand you ranked among the ten... It doesn't seem necessary, and since Inoue Kosei is the 10th if I understand... I think beauty, and technical abilities is important. You said "Judokas". Perhaps you should have written "competitors" ? Because Kano Jigoro needs to be quoted, no?

[@jakubkielar9708]

Where are Paweł Nastula and Waldemar Legien of Poland?

[@DavidsCoimbra]

Okano, Koga 😢

[@michaelfarar4232]

I dont see Segals name anywhere

[@erikafein4353]

Misspellings (Daut, Gijsken, Reiner) ought to be corrected.

[@kingscourtchess]

Anton Geesink, not Anton Gijsken.

[@NoName-zm1ks]

That last throw, no power, just redirecting his opponent’s flow!

[@SylvesterStaline.]

David Douillet was a beast to. Teddy Rinner before teddy rinner.

[@marcgooglegauthier]

En fait ils ont deux à quatre fois la force d'un homme ordinaire. Ce sont des haltérophiles qui s'entrainent à tous les jours. Le judo y est pour une part moindre.

[@fritzgrud8922]

Es fehlt Peter Seisenbacher aus Österreich. Ich erwähne in trotz seiner nicht ehrenhaften Vergangenheit. 2 mal Olympiasieger hinter einander.

[@richardhrubes4585]

just have you ever heard about any one who would win two olympic golds in different weight categories ?