Nori Date Interview

One of the more curious and interesting developments on the Japanese MMA scene over the past 6 years has been the emergence of Team Date. A search on Tapology reveals more than 25 fighters. They are known for their unique costumes, style, and personalities. Perhaps the best way to describe Team Date to those outside of Japan is to explain that it is as a talent group of entertainers who entertain through fighting, comedy and other various acts. One of their more successful fighters is Nori. At only 22 years old, Nori has competed in Shoot Boxing against former champion Ai Takahasihi, and in MMA against Mizuki Inoue and Emi Fujino. Her next fight is this Sunday, against Pancrase staple and former boxing champion, Raika Emiko. The fight can be watched via PPV here for 3,000 Japanese Yen (roughy $27.50) if you purchase in advance. (The cover photo is courtesy of Akihito Tatematsu)

We had the opportunity to speak to Nori before the fight and ask her some questions. Please enjoy.

CJ: Let’s start by introducing yourself to the non-Japanese audience. Can you talk about your martial arts background and how you got into MMA?

Nori: Nice to meet you. I’m Nori Date, the third daughter of the Indian royal martial arts (“IRMA”) group, Team Date. My background is in IRMA! (It is a combination of Maharajan Kalaripayattu and Yoga) For those who are unfamiliar, it is a martial art originally used by Indian royalty for self-defense. Kalaripayattu forms the striking base and Yoga covers the ground fighting. There are many theories, but it is said to be the first martial art. It’s a pretty impressive fighting style, mainly because of the kicking techniques from Kalaripayattu.

I made my professional debut as a Muay Thai fighter in 2014. I was curious abut how IRMA could be applied to other disciplines and how it compared to other martial arts. I also wanted to see to what extent I could use it! So I entered the ring.

I made my debut in Muay Thai because I knew the organizer from when I had competed as an amateur. They asked me to fight in a professional match for them. Afterwards, I also competed in Kickboxing and Shoot Boxing. I’ve been in the ring against a variety of standing martial arts! Now I know for sure that IRMA is all-mighty. Naturally, I was also interested in MMA, which also involves ground fighting. As the rules of MMA are less restrictive than those of the standing martial arts, it allows me to fully express my IRMA.

CJ: Can you talk about how you got interested in martial arts?

Nori: I first came into contact with Indian royal martial arts when I was a pre-talent student at talent agency. One of the lesson courses included Indian royal martial arts and I gradually become addicted to it. That is when I became interested in martial arts.

CJ: Can you also explain Team Date? I imagine some people may be unfamiliar.

Nori: All members of Team Date are involved in IRMA. We are also an entertainment group that is involved in martial arts, entertainment, and comedy! We are martial arts entertainers! Team Date = Indian royal martial artists. We are working everyday to be recognized as such. You can find more information on our website, so please check it out! (link) BJPenn.com has tweeted about us in the past, thanks to the success of Satoshi-S Date (Tiger Date) so Team Date is getting more famous.

CJ: Back to you, your last fight was in 2019 and the fight before that was in 2017. Is there are reason for the long gap?

Nori: My match schedule depends on an offer coming from a promoter, that is why there was a long delay.

CJ: You are still quite young, can you talk about any goals that you may have in MMA?

Nori: Thank you for saying that I am still young. My goal is to be involved in IRMA for life! It does not have an age limit. I hope I can practice and train and be in good health until I die. Also, I’ve never been a champion in martial arts, so I’m doing my best to become the Pancrase champion as long as they keep giving me offers.

CJ: With the goal of becoming champion in mind, what does your training schedule look like?

Nori: Well, COVID-19 has made everything a little different, but with IRMA you are training 365 days a year. For this match, this will be the first time I’m facing a former world boxing champion, so I’ve been working on how to counter her punches more than I normally would.

CJ: You’ve already talked about how you’ve adjusted your training but can you talk about your upcoming fight some more?

Nori: This is my first time fighting a former world boxing champion, so I’m nervous. But even if she used to be highly ranked, I want to use my kicks well and take this opportunity.

CJ: What do your friends and family think about you being a professional fighter?

Nori: They are very happy to see me fight. I want to repay all my teammates and fans who support me everyday by getting good results.

CJ: On a similar note, what do you like to do outside of fighting and training?

Nori: I like make-up, designing jewelry, and sewing. I love doing makeup, not just for myself but also for others. I’m all about that “glamour” lol. I like manga and anime but I like anime more. I also like movies that make me cry, like the Bodyguard, starring Whitney Houston whose song I use for my entrance music. I also like Ghost and Titanic. When I want to cry, I watch foreign movies. People recommend movies to me and I usually end up watching them. My favorite coming-of-age movie is La Boum! I adored it! I also like all kinds of sweets, I think matcha is the best. Basically, I like all sweets, Japanese or Western, they all make me jump for joy!

CJ: Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions! Do you have any message or comment for the fans?

Nori: Thank you very much! I’d be happy if this article can help you all get to know Team Date and understand IRMA a little better! Also, just so everyone knows, the Date in Team Date is read like date in the phrase going on a date, not the typical Japanese pronunciation “da-te”, so please keep that in mind!

Last but not least, I’ll be in the first fight of Pancrase’s first show in 2021! (In Tokyo) Thank you for your support!