Shoya Ishiguro

Carpe Diem has established itself as one of Japan's foremost Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academies, consistently producing competitors capable of performing at the highest international levels. Shoya Ishiguro, born in 1996, ranks among the most notable athletes to emerge from that system, representing Japan across multiple major grappling organizations in the 64kg range.

His development through Carpe Diem reflects the academy's methodical approach to building well-rounded competitors — athletes who navigate different rule sets, organizations, and competitive cultures without a drop in performance. Ishiguro's rise through the ranks demonstrated that the team's reach extended well beyond a single weight class or regional circuit, spanning the full breadth of competitive BJJ across the Asian and international landscape.

Sweeping the Major Titles

The 2018 competitive calendar served as a defining stretch in Ishiguro's career, establishing him as one of the most consistent performers in his weight class across Asia and beyond. He claimed gold at four distinct tournaments across three separate organizing bodies within a single calendar year: the IBJJF Asian Open, the JBJJF All Japan, the UAEJJF Grand Slam Tokyo, and the Rickson Gracie Cup. The breadth of that achievement speaks not only to his technical ability but to the physical and tactical preparation required to sustain elite performance across a demanding schedule.

Abu Dhabi World Pro Silver

His run extended to the international stage when he reached the final of the UAEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro in the 69kg division. Facing Lucas Rodrigues in the gold medal match, the contest was stopped due to a cut on Ishiguro's face, awarding Rodrigues the victory. The silver medal arrived through injury rather than a technical defeat — a difficult conclusion to an otherwise exceptional season, and a measure of how close he came to completing one of the most complete tournament runs in Japanese BJJ that year. His 2018 campaign also signaled Carpe Diem's growing footprint on the international grappling stage.

On May 24, 2024, Ishiguro competed at ONE Friday Fights 64, one of ONE Championship's weekly event series held in Bangkok, Thailand. Facing Bruno Azevedo, he secured a submission victory via Heel Hook at 9:17 — a finish executed deep into the contest, with less than a minute remaining on the clock.

Rather than forcing an early finish, Ishiguro worked methodically through the match before capitalizing when the opening appeared. The timing of the submission underscored the patience and composure that has defined his approach as a grappler, and reinforced his reputation as a finisher capable of closing out competitive opponents on a high-profile international platform. The result further demonstrated the practical application of the Heel Hook skill set that has become increasingly central to submission grappling at the elite level.