I am relatively new to the judo and am looking for suggestions as to who to watch.
I have watched some of Illiadis, Shinjiro Sasaki, Takahashi, Inoue, Mifune and Travis Stevens.
Any recommendations?
If you want to know who the best players are today, go to this channel and watch the highlights.
http://www.youtube.com/user/judo
Before he took time off (body broke down from judo) after winning the 81k gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics Jae Bum Kim 81K (South)Korea was amazing judo. There are so many. I like Keiji Suzuki Japan 100+K for his all around judo. Ole Bishof 81K (GER) for his grip fighting and all around judo.
I've been watching the European Championships this morning on http://www.ippon.tv
The amazing Kim Polling (NED) has overcome her injuries and is back to decimating her opponents. She just won her gold medal match against Vargas-Koch (GER) with an incredible utsuri goshi in the first 7 seconds of the match!
Shohei Ono and Naohisa Takato have been playing highlight film judo over the last year.
In the future, I think Crista Deguchi, Kyle Reyes will have some great moments. Beiker as well.
Add to that "players to watch list" Alexander Wieczerzak (81k) from (GER) who fought his 1st fight at the EJU vs. Tchrikishvili and there was no score after 5 minutes so I assume he lost by shito's.
Europe and Asia always have amazing up and coming players. Sometimes guys who cannot win in Korea or Japan get sent to a tournament like Paris and win the damn thing-- yet there is that one guy at home they can't get past.
One way to see some great historic players is to go to www.judoinside.com and search for former tournaments like the world championships, olympics, paris, moscow, germany, european and asian championships... then try to click on the medal winners and from there look at their videos.
Pawel Nastula (POL) is a great guy to watch. Fantastic armlock and seionage.
Ariel Ze'evi is a great guy to watch-- some of the best, smoothest Judo in the 100kg division.
from Brasil a great guy to watch for newaza is Flavio Canto and for throwing there is none better than Tiago Camilo.
For me:
Greece: Iliadis. Strong as an ox, he must win.
Ukraine: Zantaraia. Could probably work for Cirque Du Soleil after his judo career is finished,
Korea: Kim Won-jin. Has that raw Korean grittiness. Kill or be killed mentality. Still remember vividly when he took out Galstyan in Paris.
Japan: Takato. Speaking of Olympic gold-medalist Galatyan, Takato made him look like a child. Takato was undefeated in 2013 and I think he's still riding that unbeaten streak this year. Like his modified kata-guruma.