Tag: move

Junna Tsukii retires from karate, makes move to MMA

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Filipino karate bet Junna Tsukii.

MANILA, Philippines — Junna Tsukii has kissed her karate career goodbye, embarking on a new journey to the world of mixed martial arts.

The Filipino-Japanese karateka on Wednesday announced that she is calling it quits in karate after a storied 26-year career.

“Thank you for your warm support. I have decided to graduate from an active karate player for 26 years and move on to MMA,” Tsukii wrote. “The stage will change, but I will try my best to make it exciting with all of you, so I would appreciate your continued warm support.”

The 32-year-old Tsukii made history winning the country’s first-ever gold medal in the 2022 World Games. She also won gold in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games but settled for silver last year marred with controversy.

READ: Junna Tsukii wins PH’s first gold in 2022 World Games

She fell in the round of 16 in the 19th Asian Games, yielding to Srey Phea Chonn of Cambodia,  3-2, in the women’s 51kg kumite event.

Tsukii recalled her journey in karate before taking on a new challenge in the MMA stage where she faces Ruka Sakamoto on August 31.

“’You better get married already.’ ‘You’ve worked hard. It’s time to settle down.’ I’ve heard these a lot since turning 30. But my body is much, much stronger than before,” Tsukii said. “I want to put what I learned so desperately while traveling around the world to better use in my life. I want to have more fun with everyone.”

“More than anything, I don’t think it’s right to give up on the challenges of my life just because of my age or what society thinks. Of course, there are many conflicts, but I believe there is a story that only I can write, so I will continue to forge ahead,” she added.

Celtics land biggest punches again to move closer to title

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Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, top left, looks on as Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, bottom, is fouled by Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, center, during the first half in Game 3 of the NBA basketball finals, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

SCHEDULE: NBA Finals 2024 Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks

DALLAS — Joe Mazzulla is a big fan of UFC matches and splices highlights of fights into some of the basketball video he shows the Boston Celtics.

He doesn’t do it for entertainment purposes or to make players laugh. He does it for a simple reason. He wants the Celtics to have a fighters’ mentality.

“If you’ve ever been in a fight with someone and you think you’re about to beat ’em, you usually get sucker-punched,” said Mazzulla, the second-year Celtics coach. “The closer you are to beating them up, the closer you are to losing.”

Translation: He wanted the Celtics ready for a fight. And in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, they were.

A pair of big runs — 23-8 in the first half, 20-5 in the second half — represented what became the knockout blows in this game, and maybe this series. Boston frittered away almost all of what was a 21-point lead before winning 106-99 to take a 3-0 lead in the NBA Finals, moving one win away from what would be their record-setting 18th championship.

READ: Celtics hold off Mavericks for commanding 3-0 NBA Finals lead

“Our guys have a great basketball IQ and have a great understanding of are we playing the right way, taking the right shots and giving up the right shot.” Mazzulla said. “They know exactly when we are not doing that. So, they have an innate ability to control the runs of the game with the philosophy that we have.”

As is often the case with fights, the judges — in this case, the referees — had a big decision to make and it wasn’t one that was popular. Luka Doncic fouled out with 4:12 remaining, a call that held up under review despite Dallas’ arguments that Jaylen Brown initiated the contact on that play, and the Mavs were without their best puncher in what amounted to the 12th round of this fight.

“We couldn’t play physical,” Doncic said. “I don’t know. I don’t want to say nothing. … C’mon, man.”

Doncic fouled out with the Mavericks having gotten within three; there was no miracle finish. Boston did enough to hang on, and now a championship could be in its hands as early as Friday night when the teams meet in Game 4.

And the big punch — sometimes early, sometimes not — has been a theme for Boston throughout this series. Dallas ran out to a 25-12 lead early Wednesday; that lead was basically gone by the end of the first quarter.

“We expected their first punch,” Celtics forward Jayson Tatum said.

Control of Game 1 was seized early with a 23-5 run by the Celtics. In Game 2, a 15-4 run in the second half proved to basically be the difference. In Game 3, there were the two big spurts. Mazzulla warned the Celtics that any spell where focus is lost could cost them games. Clearly, they’ve listened.

“Closer you think you’re going to submit someone, is usually when you get submitted,” Mazzulla said.

There’s no championship belt, like the ones fighters get, coming when this series is over. But the trophy is within sight now.

“We’ve got to keep fighting,” Tatum said. “We can’t relax.”