Uchi Kaiten Nage with the Tantō – Downward Strike Finish

Tori holds the Tanto in Honte (normal grip), edge facing inward, and thrusts Tsuki. Uke steps to the outside to move off the line and parries by sinking his knife hand (Te Gatana) onto Tori’s elbow. Both withdraw a step, and Tori changes to Gyakute (reverse grip), still with the edge inward. He steps in again to deliver a second thrust from the reversed grip. Uke evades by stepping to the outside and seizing Tori’s wrist, but he enters less deeply than in the first exchange, allowing Tori to place his lead foot to the outside, adjacent to Uke’s lead foot. From there, Tori initiates a classic Uchi Kaiten entry, raising Uke’s arm while stepping outward and threatening an Atemi with the free hand to pass under Uke’s arm and execute a Tenkan pivot. As Tori pivots, he lowers the arm that is being held, causing Uke’s head to drop. Rather than completing the traditional Kaiten Nage wheel—where one hand pulls Uke’s head and the other pushes Uke’s arm—Tori converts the motion into a direct downward Tanto strike toward Uke’s midsection, forcing Uke to roll forward to avoid being stabbed.