Kazushi Sakuraba

Kazushi Sakuraba(Japanese:Anh đình cùng chí,Sakuraba Kazushi,born July 14, 1969)is a Japaneseprofessional wrestler,submission wrestlerand formermixed martial artist,currently signed toPro Wrestling Noah,where he was formerly one-half of the formerGHC Tag Team ChampionswithTakashi Sugiura.He has also competed in traditionalpuroresuforNew Japan Pro-Wrestling(NJPW) andshoot-stylecompetition forUWFiandKingdom Pro Wrestling(KPW). He has fought in MMA competition in theUltimate Fighting Championship,Pride Fighting Championships,Hero's,Dreamand most recentlyRizin Fighting Federation.He is known as theGracie Hunteror theGracie Killerdue to his wins over four members of the famedGracie family:Royler Gracie,Renzo Gracie,Ryan Gracie,andRoyce Gracie.Sakuraba is famous for beating 15 champions of different top MMA organizations; opponents who were often many weight-classes above him.

Kazushi Sakuraba
Sakuraba in 2015
Born	(1969-07-14)July 14, 1969 Shōwa, Akita,Japan (nowKatagami, Akita,Japan)
Other names	The Gracie Hunter
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	75.75 kg (167.0 lb; 11 st 13.0 lb)
Division	Welterweight Middleweight Light Heavyweight Openweight
Reach	186.7 cm (74 in)
Style	Catch Wrestling Shoot Wrestling
Stance	Southpaw
Team	Takada Dojo Laughter7
Teacher(s)	Nobuhiko Takada Yoji Anjo Billy Robinson
Years active	1996–2011, 2015 (MMA) 1993– present (Wrestling)
Mixed martial artsrecord
Total	46
Wins	26
By knockout	4
By submission	19
By decision	3
Losses	17
By knockout	10
By submission	3
By decision	4
Draws	1
No contests	2
Other information
Mixed martial arts recordfromSherdog

Known for his excellent skills incatch wrestlingand unorthodox fighting style, he is considered to be one of the greatest mixed martial art fighters of all time,and also holds notable victories over 7 UFC champions, 3 Pancrase Champions, a DREAM champion, a King of the Cage champion and Battlecade Extreme Fighting champion; formerWelterweight ChampionCarlos Newton,two formerLight heavyweight championsVitor BelfortandQuinton Jackson,formerHeavyweight ChampionKevin Randleman,3-timeUFC Tournament championRoyce Gracie,formerSuperfight championandKing of PancraseKen Shamrock,formerKing of PancraseMasakatsu Funaki,DREAM Super Hulk Tournament ChampionIkuhisa Minowa,formerKing of the Cage Light Heavyweight championVernon White,and formerBattlecade Extreme Fightingchampion Marcus Silveira. He is also the first of only two Japanese champions in UFC history. Sakuraba's Pride fights routinely draw more than20 millionviewers in Japan.Sakuraba is the founder of the submission wrestling promotionQuintet,where he has competed since 2018.

Early life

Sakuraba became a fan ofJapanese professional wrestlingduring his childhood thanks to theTiger Maskmanga,with the eponymousNew Japan Pro-WrestlingwrestlerTiger Maskbeing his favorite.After being convinced against dropping out of high school to pursue professional wrestling, Sakuraba began a career inamateur wrestlingat the age of 15, hoping to gain a useful background to achieve his childhood dream.A high school stand-out, he finished as high as second in the nation before joining thefreestyle wrestlingsquad ofChuo University,a team which had countedOlympicgold medalistsShozo SasaharaandOsamu Watanabeamongst its ranks. He won the East Japan Freshman championship in his first year and served as their team captain thereafter. In his senior year, he finished fourth place in the All-Japan tournament. Amongst his notable wins was one over futureOlympicbronze medalistTakuya Ota.Upon graduating from college, Sakuraba initially thought about remaining withChuo Universityas a coach. However, at the last minute, he decided to continue his road to professional wrestling.

Professional wrestling

Background

Having weighed 68 kg (150 lb) for most of his amateur wrestling career, Sakuraba was encouraged by his peers to gain weight, as it would be difficult to compete as a smaller fighter in pro wrestling. After working to gain the weight needed to compete, he never wanted to lose it anymore, something that would be reflected in his MMA career.Finding himself attracted by theshoot wrestlingmovement, which had been by his childhood idol Sayama, Sakuraba considered joining themixed martial artsorganizationPancrase,but he ultimately chose the promotionUnion of Wrestling Forces International,aprofessional wrestlingleague that was nonetheless known for its highly technical and realistic-looking bouts.

Union of Wrestling Forces International (1993–1996)

His time in the UWF-i would prove to be a formative experience for Sakuraba. He received his initial instruction in both grappling and striking under main trainerYoji Anjo,later honing hiscatch wrestlingskills under the tutelage ofBilly Robinson.He also trained inmuay thaiunder master Bovy Chowaikung, the main UWF-i striking teacher. Those disciplines would serve as the base of the unorthodox game that would later lead him to success in thePride Fighting Championships.Over time he became one of Takada's four main trainees, along withKiyoshi Tamura,Yoshihiro TakayamaandMasahito Kakihara.

Sakuraba in November 2013

In spite of his amateur pedigree, Sakuraba was forced to work his way up from the bottom of the UWFi's rung, as it is traditional inpuroresu.Sakuraba lost his debut on August 13, 1993, to Steve Nelson and went winless through his rookie year with the league. It is also popularly alleged that under the eye of Kiyoshi Tamura, he was made to perfectly perform menial chores about the dojo.Still undeterred, Sakuraba steadily built a working knowledge of submission holds upon his freestyle wrestling base until his efforts were at last rewarded with a win over Mark Silver in October 1994.

Though his record remained below.500, Sakuraba continued to edge his way closer to mid-card status through the rest of the year. Then, in 1995, theUWFibegan an interpromotional feud withNew Japan Pro-Wrestling.The vast majority of UWF-i workers came out on the losing end of the booking to the larger and more mainstream promotion and Sakuraba was no exception. He was defeated in high-profile bouts toTokimitsu Ishizawa,Koji KanemotoandShinjiro Otani,bringing Sakuraba a new level of exposure to the public. Thering psychologyand technical prowess he displayed in the bouts also impressed the management of the UWF-i enough that he was finally pushed towards main event status.

New Japan's dominance in the feud injured the marketability of the UWFi promotion, which had pressed the perception that their athletes boasted legitimate skill in real fighting. In a bid to regain credibility,Yoji Anjotravelled to California to perform adojo challengeonRickson Gracie,only to be swiftly and brutally defeated before the assembled Japanese press that had followed him there. With the UWFi's formerly fearsome reputation in tatters, its attendance numbers swiftly decreased, with the federation closing its doors once and for all in December 1996. In their final show it was Sakuraba who at long last headlined, defeating Anjoh by submission.

Kingdom Pro Wrestling (1997–1998)

Following the close of the UWFi,Nobuhiko Takada,the most popular of the UWFi workers amongst the mainstream public foundedKingdom Pro Wrestling,taking in Sakuraba and the majority of his fellow UWFi alumni. In the vein of its predecessor, Kingdom was primarily a league devoted to shoot-style realistic-looking works. Having by now established his ability, Sakuraba was this time booked as a main-eventer from the outset. However, unlike the UWFi, Kingdom struggled from the beginning to draw substantial crowds.Mixed martial artswas growing in popularity, and the dominance of theGracie familyand their fellowBrazilian jiu-jitsupractitioners over the field and more specifically overprofessional wrestlers,left the Japanese public ever more unconvinced as to the fighting ability of Kingdom's stable of athletes.

New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2012–2016)

Sakuraba in June 2013.

On August 12, 2012, Sakuraba, alongsideKatsuyori Shibata,started appearing inNew Japan Pro-Wrestling.It was Sakuraba's first work for the company since 1995, and the first ever as a free agent instead of a representative from another promotion.Sakuraba and Shibata wrestled their first match on September 23, defeatingHiromu TakahashiandWataru Inouein a tag team match.Sakuraba and Shibata, collectively dubbed Laughter7,continued their winning ways at the following twopay-per-views,King of Pro-Wrestlingon October 8 andPower Struggleon November 11, both times defeating the team ofTogi Makabeand Wataru Inoue.Also at Power Struggle,Shinsuke Nakamuranominated Sakuraba as the next challenger for hisIWGP Intercontinental Championship.On December 2, Sakuraba won his first exchange with Nakamura, when Laughter7 defeated Nakamura andTomohiro Ishiiin a tag team match to remain undefeated since their return.On January 4, 2013, atWrestle Kingdom 7 in Tokyo Dome,Sakuraba suffered his first defeat since his return to professional wrestling, when he unsuccessfully challenged Shinsuke Nakamura for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship.Sakuraba and Shibata returned to their winning ways at the following pay-per-view,The New Beginningon February 10, where they defeatedHirooki Gotoand Wataru Inoue in a tag team match.On April 7 atInvasion Attack,Sakuraba and Shibata suffered their first tag team loss, when they were defeated by Hirooki Goto andYuji Nagatavia referee stoppage, when Sakuraba injured his right elbow, after taking abelly-to-back suplexfrom Nagata, and unable to continue the match.New Japan later announced that Sakuraba would be sidelined for two to three months.Sakuraba wrestled his return match on July 20, defeating Yuji Nagata via submission.On September 8, Sakuraba and Shibata took part in theWrestle-1promotion'sinaugural event,defeatingMasakatsu FunakiandMasayuki Konoin a tag team match.Sakuraba continued his rivalry with Yuji Nagata at the September 29Destructionpay-per-view, where he and Shibata defeated Nagata andManabu Nakanishiwith Sakuraba pinning his rival for the win.

On October 14, Sakuraba was defeated by Nagata in a singles rematch between the two. Following the match, Sakuraba and Nagata came together to accept a challenge issued byDanielandRolles GracieOn January 4, 2014, atWrestle Kingdom 8 in Tokyo Dome,Sakuraba and Nagata defeated the Gracies via disqualification, after Nagata was choked out with a gi.A rematch between the two teams took place on February 11 atThe New Beginning in Osakaand saw Rolles submit Sakuraba for the win.Sakuraba suffered another loss against the Gracies on May 3 atWrestling Dontaku 2014,where he teamed with Shinsuke Nakamura.On May 25 atBack to the Yokohama Arena,Sakuraba ended the Gracies' win streak by defeating Rolles in a singles match.Sakuraba then started a new rivalry withMinoru Suzuki,while also forming a partnership withToru Yano,who was also involved in his own rivalry with Suzuki'sSuzuki-gunstable. The partnership led to Sakuraba becoming an associate of Yano and Nakamura'sChaosstable,eventually becoming a full-time member.The rivalry between Sakuraba and Suzuki culminated in a match on January 4, 2015, atWrestle Kingdom 9in Tokyo Dome, where Sakuraba was defeated.

On April 5 atInvasion Attack 2015,Sakuraba submitted Katsuyori Shibata in a tag team match, where he and Yano defeated Shibata andHiroshi Tanahashi,igniting a rivalry between the former Laughter7 partners.The two faced off on July 5 atDominion 7.5 in Osaka-jo Hallin a match, where Shibata was victorious.

Pro Wrestling Noah (2019–present)

Sakuraba in January 2023 atThe Great Muta Final "Bye-Bye"

After wrestling sporadically for independent promotions for a few years, Sakuraba returned to wrestling full-time forPro Wrestling Noah,aligning himself with the Sugiura-gun faction headed byTakashi Sugiura.On 30 August 2020 Sakuraba and Sugiura defeated AXIZ (Go ShiozakiandKatsuhiko Nakajima) for the vacantGHC Tag Team Championship,Sakuraba's first ever pro-wrestling title. In September Sakuraba entered the annualN1-Victorytournament as a singles competitor, finishing on 4 points with 2 wins and 3 losses. As of 22 November Sakuraba and Sugiura have successfully defended the GHC tag titles on two occasions.

Mixed martial arts

Early career

Though sourcesoften cite Sakuraba's match withKimo Leopoldoon July 14, 1996, as his first experience with mixed martial arts, there is debate about whether it was a shoot or a worked match. Sakuraba himself has stated that he doesn't remember it.However, his first contact with MMA can be traced to his different style fight at 26 June 1996 against Dutch kickboxerRene Rooze,which was won by Sakuraba via ankle hold.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

In an attempt to gain attention for the embattled Kingdom Pro Wrestling league,Hiromitsu KaneharaandYoji Anjohsigned on to compete in theUltimate Fighting Championship's Ultimate Japan tournament. Kanehara was injured in his training for the tournament, and Sakuraba wound up as his late-hour substitute. The tournament was intended for heavyweights, but Sakuraba who weighed 183 pounds (middleweightby modern standards), was nearly twenty pounds beneath the UFC's 200 pound designation for the weight class. Having reported himself as 203 pounds (Light heavyweightby modern standards) in order to gain entry, Sakuraba was paired off against the 240 poundBrazilian jiu-jitsublackbelt and former Extreme Fighting champion, Marcus Silveira.

The match saw the two grapplers exchangingleglockswithout any decisive movement. Following a barrage of light blows by Silveira, Sakuraba dropped for a lowsingle legtakedown, but refereeJohn McCarthystopped the fight before Sakuraba could complete it, believing he had been knocked out by the punches. A loud protest followed from the crowd and an angry Sakuraba attempted unsuccessfully to take the microphone and address the Japanese audience. However, after reviewing tape, McCarthy changed his decision to a no-contest.AsTank Abbott,who had earlier defeated Anjoh, had dropped from the tournament due to an injured hand, it was ruled that Sakuraba and Silveira faced off once more that night in what would be the championship bout of the tournament.

Silveira opened their second match taking Sakuraba's back, which the Japanese wrestler answered by attempting to apply aKimura lock.After freeing his arm, Silveira capitalized on another Kimura attempt by Saku to try to twist it into anarmbarfrom hisguard,only for the Japanese to escape to his knees. Silveira then tried his own Kimura, but at that moment Sakuraba reversed it in the same way and locked the armbar, making the Brazilian submit.Afterwards, in the post-fight interview, Sakuraba famously stated, "In fact, professional wrestling is strong"(プロレスラーは bổn đương は cường いんです,Puroresurā wa hontōwa tsuyoi n desu).With the victory Sakuraba remains one of the last UFC tournament champions to date.

WithNobuhiko Takadahaving left Kingdom to challengeRickson Graciein an event calledPride Fighting Championships,the still struggling promotion capitalized on Sakuraba's newly found popularity establishing him as Kingdom's top talent. He embarked on a winning streak against several foreign mixed martial arts competitors including Paul Herrera, Rene Rooze,Mark Halland Orlando Weit. However, Kingdom continued to flounder and finally folded in March 1998.

Pride Fighting Championships

Pride 2 through 8

Entering the Pride Fighting Championships on the heels of a defeat of stablemateNobuhiko Takadaat the hands ofRickson Graciein the organization's initial event, Sakuraba was paired off againstVernon White,then a veteran of 32 bouts inPancrasewho also boasted a 20-pound weight advantage. Showcasing a balance of wrestling and submission prowess, Sakuraba came after White with constant takedowns and unceasing submission attempts. White held Sakuraba off for the first two rounds, but was ultimately submitted by armbar towards the end of the third round.

Next, in Pride 3, Sakuraba was matched against Ultimate Fighting Championship veteranCarlos Newton.Though relatively new tomixed martial arts,Newton had recently disposed of the reigningShootolight heavyweight championErik Paulsonwith a swift armbar victory and already developed a reputation as a talented grappler. Accordingly, the match was a back and forth grappling affair between the two fighters. At the second round, after several exchanges on the mat, Newton looked to capture Sakuraba's back, but the Japanese trapped him in a rollingkneebarand finished him.

Eager to capitalize on Sakuraba'sshoot wrestlingprowess to reverse the perception that Japanese professional wrestlers were inferior to Brazilian combatants (in part perpetuated by his teammates' own defeats), Sakuraba's next three bouts were scheduled against Brazilian jiu-jitsu black beltsVitor Belfort,Allan Goesandluta livreblack beltEbenezer Fontes Braga.In a trend that would continue through Sakuraba's Pride career, each opponent occupied a spot near the top of the 205-pound class at the time of their meeting with him and held a weight advantage of around 20 pounds.

Sakuraba's match against Goes would be an instrumental point in his fighting's style evolution, pitted against an opponent with a strong defensive guard. Through the bout, Sakuraba attempted several moves to bypass the stationary Goes's defense, includingleglocks,dives and kicks to the legs, but he also would have to defend, as Goes was relentless in his upkicks and submission counterattacks. Sakuraba was threatened by a rear naked choke several times, and in turn he almost finished Allan as well with an armbar, but none of it came to fruition. Due to the absence of judges in Pride's ruleset at the time, the match was ruled a draw. Sakuraba, always humble, stated "I fight his style, not mine. I think I lost the fight",although Goes, aCarlson Gracieprotege, would similarly state in a later interview "I've been training my whole life on the ground, and to me, [Sakuraba] was the best guy I ever faced on the ground".

Belfort would be a different matchup, as his bo xing prowess was known aside from his great grappling credentials. However, despite several big flurries by the Brazilian to open the match, Sakuraba went unscathed and took Belfort down, proceeding to landground and pound.As Belfort would not leave the mat through the match, in part due to a broken hand in one of his own combos, Sakuraba deployed his improved strategy and punished Vitor with leg kicks and jumping stomps to the head, as well as landing unanswered striking combinations every time Belfort was called up by the referee. At the end, as Pride had just implemented the judges system, Sakuraba was awarded his first decision victory unanimously.

Unlike the previous two matches, Kazushi faced in Braga a consistently aggressive opponent, with the luta livre practitioner landing effective muay thai knees and kicks until Sakuraba put him down. The Japanese wrestler continued his signature guard assault, but also outstruck Braga in his last standing segment before taking him down again and lock an armbar for the tap out.

"The Gracie Hunter"

After defeatingAnthony Maciasat Pride 7, Sakuraba was matched againstRoyler Gracie,who had previously conquered Sakuraba's stablemateYuhi Sano.It marked the largest weight advantage Sakuraba has enjoyed in his career to date (being around 30 pounds heavier than Royler). Royler, unable to score a takedown or strike effectively from a standing position, remained on the ground in an effort to bait Sakuraba into a grappling-oriented contest, while Sakuraba, standing, landed punishing kicks to Royler's legs, thighs and head. Eventually, with less than two minutes remaining, Sakuraba finally engaged Royler on the ground and instantly caught him in aKimura lock.As Sakuraba wrenched on the submission, the referee intervened with 1 minute and 44 seconds remaining on the clock, ending the contest and awarding Sakuraba the win by TKO.

Sakuraba's victory over Royler constituted the first loss by a Gracie in professional fighting in several decades and as such, sent ripples of shock and controversy through the mixed martial arts community. Some protested that the victory was tainted due to the fact that Royler (although placed in a debilitating submission hold) never conceded defeat and was little time away from the final bell when the bout was stopped. It is worth noting that the last Japanese athlete to defeat a Gracie prior to Sakuraba's win against Royler, legendaryjudokaMasahiko Kimura,had used the very same technique Sakuraba utilized to beat Royler. That time, the recipient had been Royler's father,Hélio Gracie,who had, like Royler, also refused to submit but likewise lost.

Pride 2000 Grand Prix

Main article:Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Royce Gracie

While the Japanese fightmediarejoiced and elevated Sakuraba to superstar status, theGracie familytook great umbrage over the incident, feeling that they had been cheated by Pride. Despite Sakuraba challenging Royler's older brotherRickson Gracieafter the match, it was his younger brother and formerUFCChampionRoyce Graciewho, compelled to set the record straight and re-assert the dominance of his family, returned to the sport of mixed martial arts in 2000 and entered the 16-Man Pride Grand Prix alongside Sakuraba and several other top fighters of the era. Placed on the same side of the bracket, a special set of rules were requested by the Gracies in the event of a Sakuraba-Royce match, including no referee stoppages and no time-limits, the fight ending only in the event of a submission or knock-out (something prohibited in modern MMA because of the widely adoptedUnified Rules of Mixed Martial Artslimiting matches to 25 minutes overall, 5 x 5 minute rounds).

In his first fight of the 2000 Pride tournament Sakuraba once again found himself matched up against a heavier opponent, this time the well-regarded 205 pound fighter, former King of PancraseGuy Mezger.After a closely fought 15 minutes the judges requested an overtime round, and the fight ended in controversy when Mezger's coachKen Shamrockforced his fighter back to the locker room claiming that no additional rounds were agreed upon in the contract. Sakuraba ended up winning the match by forfeit. Meanwhile, Royce defeatedNobuhiko Takadaby unanimous decision and thus set the stage for their much anticipated showdown.

In the tournament quarterfinals Royce and Sakuraba battled for an hour and a half (six 15 minute rounds). Gracie opened the fight aggressively, raining punches from Kazushi's back while the Japanese fighter worked an armlock from standing, but Sakuraba kept calm, knowing Royce had no knockout power and expecting him to waste his energy;he even came to the point of smiling to the cameras during the attack. Towards the end of the round, Sakuraba nearly ended the match with akneebar,while Gracie came back with aguillotine chokeat the second, but Kazushi again joked to show he was out of danger by simulating topull downRoyce's gi pants. Sakuraba switched to attack at the third round, dominating the stand up and making Royce lie repeatedly on the ground to avoid him. As the confrontation stretched on, the Gracie's own no time-limit rules began to work against Royce as Sakuraba'swrestlingskills and balance nullified Royce's ability to score a takedown and—in some instances—even pull guard. Even Royce's ever-presentjiu-jitsugibecame a weapon for the wrestler to use against him as Sakuraba used it to help him control Gracie on the instances the fight did come to the ground. However, with Sakuraba's control of the takedown, these instances of ground warfare became increasingly sporadic. After Kazushi landed a long series of punishingleg kicksin the fifth and sixth rounds, Royce's brother, Rorion threw in the towel.

Exhausted from his battle with Royce, Sakuraba surprised many when he emerged from the locker room for the tournament semi-finals. His opponent,Igor Vovchanchyn,outweighed him by close to sixty pounds (Sakuraba had come into the bout with Royce lighter than usual, at 176 pounds) and was considered to be the top heavyweight striker of the day. Sakuraba surprised many by taking Vovchanchyn down and nearly finishing him with an armbar. Sakuraba was actually leading the fight past the 10-minute mark, but near the end Igor was able to reverse a takedown and draw the first round even with ground strikes. After the first round was declared a draw Sakuraba's corner threw in the towel before the beginning of overtime, primarily due to fatigue.

Pride 10 through 15

Following the Grand Prix, Sakuraba was christened the "Gracie Hunter" by the Japanese sports media. Keeping in tow with his new nickname, Sakuraba sandwiched a swift victory viaachilles lockagainstShannon Ritchbetween fights against brothersRenzo GracieandRyan Gracie.In contrast to Royler and Royce, Renzo and Ryan were products ofCarlson Gracie's approach tojiu-jitsu,which placed a stronger emphasis on combat-ready skills and training without agi.

At the time of his bout with Sakuraba, Renzo's only loss in 10 bouts was a closely contested decision to Sakuraba's formerUWFistablemate and rival,Kiyoshi TamurawhileMaurice Smith,Oleg Taktarovand Abu Dhabi championSanae Kikutanumbered amongst his victims. Renzo's stylistic differences from his cousins were in evidence from the outset of his contest against Sakuraba, as he pressed the pace of the bout with a variety of kicks and punches, although few connected. Sakuraba responded in kind, and the striking seemed to go to a stalemate. Throwing hiswrestlinginto the equation, Sakuraba timed a number of double and single leg takedowns against Renzo's flurries from where he alternately attempted tocartwheelpast Gracie's guard, malign his legs withkicksfrom the standing position and even attack with abaseball slide.However, Renzo's defensive skills from bottom nullified the entire gamut of Sakuraba's offensive attempts, and after using an entry derived from theDe la Riva guard,he took the wrestler's back, pressing him against the turnbuckle as mere seconds remained in the battle. With time ticking away, Sakuraba locked in akimurafrom the back and spun around, flipping Renzo to the canvas even as he wrenched his arm behind his back. Like Royler and Helio before him, Renzo refused to submit to the hold despite his elbow being snapped prior to hitting the ground and, even as the referee stopped the contest due to the injury, which awarded victory to Sakuraba.

Renzo took the microphone and, before the 35,000 fans assembled at theSeibu Dome,stated that Sakuraba was "the Japanese version of the Gracie family". Renzo has since referred to the bout as his proudest moment in mixed martial arts.Similarly, years later Gracie called Sakuraba "his hero" and remembered their match as "one of the biggest lessons he learned in his life".CommentatorStephen Quadrosstated too: "if any fans still doubted the abilities of Kazushi Sakuraba in MMA competition, they are now silent."Ryan Gracie,who had fought on the same card and emerged victorious, jumped into the ring issued a challenge to Sakuraba, which was accepted.Vitor Belfortalso demanded a rematch, although Sakuraba had stated not to be interested in rematches due to his interest in facingFrank Shamrock,Tito OrtizandDan Henderson.

The fight between Sakuraba and Ryan was scheduled to happen atPride 12.Due to a shoulder injury, the fight was limited to a single 10-minute round, where Ryan's spirited efforts were generally stymied and controlled by Sakuraba, who noticeably avoided attacks on his younger opponent's injured arm. Despite it, Kazushi later argued in an interview that he believed Ryan would have been faking the entire injury in order to catch him off guard.Nonetheless, the Japanese threw some of his usual antics during the match, at some points delivering chops to Ryan's rear while controlling him.

Following the win against Ryan, Sakuraba was slated to battlePancraseveteranBas Rutten,but the latter declined and was replaced by Brazilianmuay thaispecialistWanderlei Silva.Sakuraba was a heavy favorite to win, but he was fighting through a significant weight disadvantage. The bout was also contested under Pride's new rules, which allowed kicks and knees to the head of a downed opponent, a change that greatly benefitted Wanderlei.During the match, a Sakuraba willing to trade strikes managed to knock Wanderlei down with a right hook, but the Brazilian recovered and dropped the wrestler with a barrage of punches and kicks. As Sakuraba turtled while attempted a takedown, Silva delivered multiple knees to his head and ultimately finished him off with kicks to the face.It marked Sakuraba's second defeat in mixed martial arts and his first loss in the 205-pound division. Sakuraba then shocked the audience further by giving Silva his belt withSakuengraved on it. Wanderlei then stated that he would willingly give Sakuraba a rematch if Sakuraba wanted one,which the Japanese accepted.

After sitting out the next Pride to recuperate, Sakuraba found himself across the ring fromQuinton Jackson,a former collegiate wrestler who had compiled a record of 10–1 on the American circuit. At the sound of the bell, Sakuraba immediately took the bigger man to the canvas with a low single-leg takedown. However, Jackson's superior size and enormous physical strength allowed him to muscle out of Sakuraba's submission attempts. After locking his legs around Jackson for atriangle choke,Sakuraba found himself hefted into the air and repeatedly slammed to the canvas in the way of apowerbomb.Later, he attempted anarmbaragainst Jackson, only for the Tennessee native to again lift him up and this time attempt to drop him from the ring. His expression unchanging through the course of Jackson's assault, Sakuraba continued to flow from one lock to another. Eventually, he took the back of an exhausted Jackson and submitted him with his firstrear naked chokevictory.The contest was a launchpad for Jackson's career, leading to a long-term contract with Pride where he eventually became regarded as a top middleweight competitor, and later, a UFC champion.

Title bout with Silva, losing streak

The Jackson bout also re-established Sakuraba's proficiency in dealing with larger opponents and placed him back in line for another shot atWanderlei Silvain Pride's next event, this time to decide Pride's inaugural 205-pound champion. Usually prone to humorous entrances, it was a somber and focused Sakuraba that came down the aisle for his rematch with Silva. As with Jackson, Sakuraba was able to score an early takedown in the bout, where he then worked from Silva's guard. After several minutes searching for aleglock,he finally found one when Silva attempted to escape to his feet. Sakuraba started to control the fight, avoiding Silva's strikes and threatening him with clinches and takedown attempts. Halfway through the round, the Japanese locked on a tightguillotine choke,but was countered by a wild slam from Wanderlei which ended up breaking his collar bone. The wrestler managed to end the round with submission attempts from the bottom, but not willing to let him go on so hampered, his corner threw in the towel between rounds.

Sakuraba took time off to let his shoulder heal, also briefly training basicBrazilian jiu-jitsuwithSergio Penhaat Takada Dojo.He then returned against heavyweight kickboxerMirko Cro Cop.Sakuraba was proposed a special ruleset of no strikes on the ground as part of the "K-1 vs Pride theme", but he rejected the offer, not wanting any special rule for him.Ironically, although he managed to take Cro Cop down through hard kicks, Sakuraba would end losing the match while exchanging strikes on Mirko's guard when an upkick from the kickboxer broke his orbital bone.

Finally assenting to place him in competition against fighters of his own weight class, Pride management put him against French jiu-jitsu champion Gilles Arsene in a bout Sakuraba dominated and then against Rickson Gracie protegeAntônio Schembri.With a win over Schembri, it was speculated that Sakuraba might be then groomed for a championship fight in a new weight division for fighters of his size. Sakuraba controlled the fight initially, landing plenty of hits and breaking Antônio's nose, but when he was going for one of his trademark Mongolian chops, Schembri stunned him with a series of knee strikes (controversially preceded by an illegal headbutt), winning by TKO.

After the defeat to Schembri, Sakuraba expressed desire to gain weight and move up to the heavyweight division, hoping to fight eitherBob Sappor PRIDE Heavyweight ChampionFedor Emelianenko.However, nothing of this was realized, and instead Sakuraba faced Wanderlei Silva for the third time at Pride Total Elimination. The bout reminisced their first encounter, as Sakuraba flashed again a comical entrance and traded strikes with Silva in his own field of specialty. The Japanese utilized a strategy of faking takedowns and attacking withuppercuts,followed by a real takedown attempt which Silva blocked with knees to the head. Sakuraba escaped and kept trading hits, but despite his best efforts to match his opponent's striking acumen, Wanderlei knocked him out with a jab-cross combination.After the fight, there was talk of Kazushi planning to retire, but nothing came from it.

Those defeats seemed to mark a turning point in Sakuraba's career; though he was unbeaten in his first nine Pride bouts, he thereafter split his next six matches. He had a notable victory overKevin Randleman,a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, widely remembered due to his ring entrance asMario,a pun intended to reflect the Japanese media referring to Randleman asDonkey Kong.In the match itself, Randleman was fast in showing his wrestling accolades at taking down Sakuraba, but the Japanese countered by setting submissions from every available position, until the American made a mistake and was caught in an armbar in the third round.

At Pride Shockwave 2003, Sakuraba would faceAntônio Rogério Nogueira,brother to the famousAntônio Rodrigo Nogueira.The Brazilian, having promised to knock out the Japanese, opened the match lunging at him with punches, but Kazushi answered in kind and opened a cut on Nogueira's eye which almost stopped the bout. The action resumed, both men battled for several minutes, with Rogério gaining the upper hand in striking and Sakuraba in wrestling, allowing him to get in Nogueira's guard and inflict significant damage again. During the second round, Nogueira managed to catch Sakuraba in a triangle choke/armbar combo, but the Japanese escaped the hold and sought his own submission, to no effect. Finally, the third round saw Nogueira taking over with punches and knees, exchanging strikes with Sakuraba almost until the last minute, and ultimately winning the decision.

Pride 2005 Middleweight Grand Prix

After a quick TKO victory over decorated judokaYoon Dong-Sikin the opening round, Sakuraba suffered a particularly devastating yet controversial loss againstRicardo Aronain the quarterfinal of the tournament in June 2005. Although Sakuraba put Arona on his back and seemed to put to work his signature jumping stomps, the heavier and stronger Arona soon overpowered him, landing a series of brutal knees to the head, as well as hard soccer kicks to the face. The Brazilian's toenail accidentally slashed open the skin over Sakuraba's left eye, which Ricardo then capitalized on by squeezing the cut and digging his finger into it in order to force the doctor stoppage.The Japanese tried to keep on, but Arona hit another flurry of knees to the head, and ended the fight landing soccer kick after soccer kick, rendering Kazushi's face severely swollen and bloody. Sakuraba would eventually lose the fight by technical knockout after his corner called a stop to the fight at the conclusion of the second round, due to the amount of damage he had sustained.

Following the loss, Pride president Sakakibara suggested Sakuraba might move down in weight to compete in their newly formed 183-pound division. However, instead of moving down in weight, Sakuraba began training atChute Boxe Academyin Brazil alongside his one-time rival Wanderlei Silva. The move had also a symbolic value, as Chute Boxe was at the time in a rivalry with Arona'sBrazilian Top Team.

Post Grand Prix

Upon completion of his training, he made his return to the ring to engage in yet another contest at the 205-pound limit, this time against fellowshoot wrestlerKen Shamrock.Three minutes into the bout, Sakuraba struck through Shamrock's guard with a left hand. Shamrock staggered back and ultimately fell into the ropes, his head hanging out of the ring and his back turned to Sakuraba. Sakuraba rushed in to follow up but before any meaningful offense could be launched, the fight was halted by refereeYuji Shimada.Shamrock got up following the KO and protested vigorously. Opinions were mixed regarding the KO's legitimacy, though Ken's adopted brother and rival,Frank,stated to believe the stoppage was justified: "He got clocked. He went down. According to the rules, he was no longer defending himself and that's the end of the fight."

Prior to Pride'sShockwave 2005New Year's Eve event, Sakuraba strongly petitioned for a match against fellow shoot wrestler and professional wrestling proponent,Kiyoshi Tamura,even going so far as to publicly request a bout with Tamura. However, with Tamura refusing to face him, Sakuraba recommended another shoot wrestler,Ikuhisa Minowa,who referred to himself as a "real pro wrestler." Sakuraba did not request the match due to any grudge against Minowa, but rather because he believed that he and Minowa would put on a fight worthy of the Shockwave event. The bout was a competitive one, with Sakuraba choosing to fight from the bottom and using both men's submission attempts to force scrambles. After long minutes pinned under Sakuraba, Minowa escaped and took his back, but Kazushi applied a Kimura lock which, although Minowa would not tap to it, nonetheless prompted the referee to halt the contest.The victory marked his final bout under the Pride banner; it also marked one of the few times he was matched against an opponent of his own size from the 183-pound division and his first bout against a Japanese fighter.

Hero's

Leaving Pride

On 3 May 2006, Sakuraba surprisingly appeared with Hero's headAkira Maedaat a Hero's event wearing his street clothes (yellow shirt and blue jeans) and a pro wrestling mask in the style of one of his childhood heroes,Tiger Mask.He did not reveal himself, but it was apparent that it was a masked Sakuraba and that he signed with K-1 and FEG. A day later, Sakuraba appeared at a FEG press conference to announce he would fight in Hero's. His defection to Hero's was a culmination of several signs that suggested he was leaving Pride. It was reported that Sakuraba leftTakada Dojo(run by Pride's general manager,Nobuhiko Takada), and conspicuously was not entered into Pride's 2006 Open Weight Grand Prix Tournament.

Hero's Light Heavyweight Tournament

Sakuraba was then scheduled to compete in Hero's Light Heavyweight Tournament. His first opponent was the 16–5 LithuanianKęstutis Smirnovas.Sakuraba opened the fight striking aggressively, even flooring Smirnovas with a kick, but as he was coming in to follow up he was caught and knocked down to his knees and hands. Kazushi then turned over, sliding beneath the bottom rope, and Smirnovas unleashed repeated blows to his head. As Sakuraba seemed at this point unable to defend himself, when the referee stepped between the two fighters it seemed likely he was moving to put an end to the contest. However, instead of halting the battle, the referee re-positioned the fighters from underneath the bottom rope into the ring and resumed the bout. Though the restarting of fighters who have found themselves near or outside the ropes is common practice, it was nonetheless controversial.Following the restart, Smirnovas picked up where he'd left off and proceed to pound a turtled Sakuraba, but the Japanese managed to escape to his feet and land a sharp combination, staggering Smirnovas and bloodying his face. Having turned the tide of the match, Sakuraba began dominating the Lithuanian on the striking segments until Smirnovas dropped to the ground to escape the assault. Sakuraba then accomplished an armbar, forcing his opponent to give up.

Initially there were some doubts as to whether Sakuraba would be able to make it into the next round of the Hero's tournament based on the severity of the damage he endured against Smirnovas. However, Sakuraba reported that a follow-upCAT scanhad found no irregularities and was then slated to face one-timeOlympicjudoka,Yoshihiro Akiyamain the tournament's semi-finals on October 9 in whatK-1hoped would be a high revenue match-up. The winner of that bout was to face the victor betweenMelvin ManhoefandShungo Oyamato determine a tournament champion. However, during a hard sparring session for the upcoming bout Sakuraba began vomiting and fainted. After being rushed to the hospital he was diagnosed with vertebrobasilar damage that restricted blood circulation to the head and neck area. The doctors determined the damage was caused from years of untreated head injuries dating back to his college years.

K-1 Dynamite!!!

In spite of this revelation, rather than being granted a break to recover and possibly undergo surgery Sakuraba scheduled to return to action on December 31, 2006, againstYoshihiro AkiyamaatK-1 Dynamite!!.During the bout, Sakuraba was hit with several punches and he rushed to get the takedown, but in doing so he slipped from Akiyama's body. As the sequence repeated itself over and over while Sakuraba took punishment, he opted to drop to his back and attempt akneebarfrom there, but his grip on the judoka inexplicably failed again. Having Sakuraba trapped against the ropes and struggling for his submission, Akiyama was free to attack withground and poundfor the referee stoppage.Words were exchanged between Sakuraba and referee Yoshinori Umeki prior to the stop, which was brought on by the sounding of a bell at the behest ofAkira Maeda,the event coordinator, the referee separating the fighters following the bell rather than initiating the stop himself.

Afterwards, the usually soft-spoken Sakuraba surprised many with complaints that Akiyama's body had been greased. The referee in charge subsequently checked Akiyama's body and gave indication to ringside officials that he had not found anything unusual. In the aftermath of the fight the controversy escalated drastically and new accusations of weighed gloves also surfaced. To deal with the growing controversy,K-1launched an investigation to look into the accusations against Akiyama. Although Akiyama's gloves were found to be regulation, video-tape revealed Akiyama administering alotionto his skin. Akiyama—who attested he was simply treating his dry skin—was found to have been "negligent" and disqualified. The fight was subsequently declared a no-contest and Akiyama's purse was withheld. A press conference followed, wherein Akiyama—now heavily maligned by the Japanese sports media—offered a public apology.

Although Sakuraba wore a shirt into the ring against Akiyama which read "K Sakuraba: End of Service", his experience against Akiyama apparently changed his plans regarding retirement and at Heros 8 he submitted the winless Yurij Kiseliov byarmbar.

Following that win, he would next share the mixed martial arts ring with his fellow shoot wrestler andUWFialum,Kiyoshi Tamura.Once again donning the guise of his childhood hero, Tiger Mask, as he had to signal his exodus from Pride Fighting Championships to Heros, Sakuraba this time wore the mask to mark the occasion of his return to Pride at their final DSE promoted show, Kamikaze. Before the assembled crowd at the Saitama Super Arena—Pride's most frequented venue—Sakuraba and Tamura publicly voiced their willingness to meet in a Pride ring, before shaking hands and embracing. A bout between Tamura and Sakuraba had been one of Pride's most frequently promised match-ups, one that had never been delivered upon in spite of several efforts to put it together.

Main article:Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Royce Gracie § Rematch

On 2 June 2007, Sakuraba rematched Royce Gracie in K-1 Dynamite!! USA. While Sakuraba knocked Gracie to the canvas in the opening seconds, the bout itself was fought at a relatively slow pace, with Kazushi scoring multiple takedowns and Gracie scoring a number of flailing kicks to the legs and face from the bottom, as well as standing knee strikes to Kazushi's injured and bandaged knee. The Japanese wrestler also besieged Gracie on the ground, finishing the bout having taken the back of Gracie and searching for an armbar. Royce won by unanimous decision, which many viewers and MMA sites disputed immediately on the feeling that Sakuraba won the fight.Sherdogscored it 29–28 in favor of the Japanese fighter.Moreover, Gracie tested positive for steroids after the bout.

Sakuraba versus Funaki

Sakuraba returned to the ring on 17 September 2007 at K-1 Hero's 10 against former NJPW pro wrestlerKatsuyori Shibata.Prior to the bout, Shibata's trainer,Masakatsu Funakihad challenged Sakuraba on the basis that their styles would make for an entertaining contest. Shibata came out striking aggressively, but was soon taken to the canvas by Sakuraba's trademark single leg. Shibata unleashed a torrent of blows off his back, but the more experienced Sakuraba responded with strikes of his own before transitioning into an armbar and finishing the bout.

Following his victory, Sakuraba praised the fighting spirit of Shibataand accepted Funaki's challenge. Much like Sakuraba, Funaki was trained inshoot wrestlingand emerged into the world of mixed martial arts on the heels of a career in theUWF(the direct predecessor of Sakuraba'sUWF International). Both men also held in common a past history of submission wins over world-class opposition and recognition as two of the top Japanese mixed martial artists to date. Appropriately, their bout took place in the main event of K-1's year endDynamite!!show, which garners more TV viewers each year than any other televised mixed martial arts event in Japan. The two fighters exchanged colourful entrances at the arena, Sakuraba's featuring him andbaseballplayerTsuyoshi Shimoyanagidressed in identical fighting gears andUltramanmasks.

Once in the match, Sakuraba was able to sneak in a double leg takedown after Funaki committed heavily to a missed right cross. Funaki closed guard around Sakuraba before opening it up to spin for a kneebar, and for a moment Funaki appeared to secure Sakuraba's leg, but he was thwarted by a combination of Sakuraba's submission acumen and their position against the ring ropes. Sakuraba then maneuvered to Funaki's back, only for the Pancrase founder to roll back into the guard position. Breaking away momentarily from the grappling contest, Sakuraba stood up and began to assault Funaki's legs with a series of kicks, which Funaki answered with an upkick of his own, cutting Sakuraba's eye. Kazushi then returned himself to the ground, where Funaki immediately attempted to sweep him, but Sakuraba blocked the attempt and secured a Kimura lock or double wristlock, eventually forcing Funaki to submit.

After the match, event producerSadaharu Tanikawaspoke about a possible matchup between Sakuraba and Rickson Gracie the next year, which the former approved.However, nothing came from it.

Dream

In 2008, it was announced that Kazushi Sakuraba would compete in the Middleweight Grand Prix of the new MMA promotion,Dream.On 29 April 2008, Sakuraba defeated Andrews Nakahara in the main event atDream 2:Middle Weight Grandprix 2008 1st Round. However, he was knocked out (and thus eliminated from the tournament) byMelvin Manhoefin the main event ofDream 4:Middle Weight Grandprix 2008 2nd Round. During the match, Sakuraba suffered an ulnar fracture of the left forearm, which was caused by a kick from Manhoef.

Finally it was announced thatKiyoshi Tamuraand Kazushi Sakuraba were set to fight at the K-1Dynamite!! 2008event on December 31. The fight featured Sakuraba fighting mostly from his back, attemptingarmbars,kneebarsandtriangle chokesfrom his guard while Tamura defended them and applied ground and pound. At the end of the first round, Sakuraba appeared to have an armbar locked in, but the bell sounded before he could extend the arm. Tamura held on at the second, controlling much of the action and consistently kicking Sakuraba's injured legs; he was taken down in the final minute by Sakuraba, who immediately launched a barrage of punches, only for the bell to end his attacks again. Ultimately, Tamura was awarded a unanimous decision.

After his return to Dream, Sakuraba defeatedboxerturned mixed martial artistRubin WilliamsatDream 11,before facing CroatianZelg GalesiconDream 12.Sakuraba took Galesic to the ground via single leg takedown and he immediately transitioned to a leg lock. Galesic tried to defend himself against the submission by raining punches on Sakuraba. Sakuraba absorbed the punches and held on to Galesic's leg until he successfully made the Croatian tap out due to a kneebar.

On May 29 he facedRalek Gracie,at theSaitama Super ArenainDream 14.It would be the sixth time Sakuraba faced a Gracie, albeit this time with a deep age difference, given the Japanese (41) and the Brazilian (24)'s respective ages. During the match, the wrestler performed significantly against the young Gracie, but the latter kept dominating, evidencing a training specialized to counter Sakuraba's style. There was controversy towards the end of the fight, as Sakuraba seemed to have secured a kimura, only to the referee to pause the match to pull up Ralek's pants. The pause allowed the Brazilian to come back with an armbar, which Kazushi escaped to meet a unanimous decision win for Gracie.

On September 25, at Dream 16, Sakuraba lost toJason "Mayhem" Millervia arm triangle choke.

Sakuraba fought for theDreamWelterweight Championship against current championMarius ZaromskisatDynamite!! 2010in December 2010.The fight ended in doctor stoppage, Sakuraba's ear was partially ripped off.

Sakuraba fought against undefeated Brazilian jiu-jitsu Black BeltYan CabralatDream 17,losing via head arm triangle. This was Sakuraba's 6th loss in his last 8 fights.

Rizin Fighting Federation

On October 8, 2015, new Japanese mixed martial arts promotionRizin Fighting Federationannounced at a press conference that Sakuraba would face fellow Japanese fighter and grapplerShinya Aokion the December 29, 2015.This was Sakuraba's first fight after taking four years away from the sport. Sakuraba lost the fight via TKO at 5:56 in the first round, after being taken down and receiving ground and pound.

Submission grappling

Metamoris

On November 22, 2014, Sakuraba foughtRenzo Graciein a grappling match inMetamoris V.Renzo played defensive closed guard earlier in the match, with the two exchangingguillotine chokeattempts, but he eventually flipped Sakuraba over and pinned him. However, Sakuraba resisted all of his submission attempts, and with 90 seconds left he scrambled and tried to lock a Kimura, which was unsuccessful. The fight ended in a draw.

Rizin

On October 15, 2017, Sakuraba fought former UFC championFrank Shamrockat RIZIN fighting world grand Prix 2017 Autumn: Aki Jin event in Fukuoka, Japan for a grappling exhibition march at 84 kg division. The match ended with a draw decision.

Quintet

In April 2018, Sakuraba announced the formation of asubmission wrestlingpromotion namedQuintet (grappling).Based on five-man teams, it is fought under akachi-nuki-shiaitournament format similar toNanatei Judo.He competed in the inaugural event, but his team was eliminated in the semi-final round.

Sakuraba competed atQuintet 4on September 10, 2023, where he would captain his own team, Team Sakuraba.Sakuraba drew his only match and his team went out in the opening round.

Fighting style

Sakuraba became known for a unique, unorthodox fighting style which has been described as creativeand compared to "throwing all we'd thought we'd learned about martial arts on its head."He employed moves and techniques fromprofessional wrestling,among themspinning sole kicks,jumpingstomps,Mongolian chopsandbaseball slides.He also usedcartwheelstopass guardand several kinds of confusing, often comical tricks to gain advantage over his opponent.However, his main strength was his rounded set of abilities developed fromshoot-stylewrestling, which included a grinding striking learned frommuay thaiand a brilliantcatch wrestlingsubmission expertise. He submitted important grapplers of his time likeRoyler Gracie,Renzo GracieandMasakatsu Funakiby using his signature double top wrist lock, a technique he opened both from standing and on the ground.Though he wasn't afraid of giving hisbackto his opponent in order to secure it, Sakuraba would also use the technique as a positional weapon, threatening with it to control his adversary.Renzo Gracie praised his ability to play against his opponent's weaknesses,Antônio Rodrigo Nogueiracommended his technical skill,andMark Kerrcalled him the world's best technician of his era.

Personal life

Sakuraba is married and has a son.He is anatheist.

He has never cared much about diet and admits to drinkingalcoholand being asmoker. Regarding the notable differences in weight between himself and his opponents throughout his career, as well as the banning ofIV'sfor rehydration (and potentialPED usage), Sakuraba has stated through an interpreter that "it doesn't matter if they [the opponent] use a pill or medicine to get bigger or smaller, I just train hard, eat healthy, fight at my weight and try my best to beat them. For me it doesn't matter if they use drugs, but I would not use it. I'm sure it's bad if they use it to win."

About his proneness to fight outside his weight class, Sakuraba declared "the more impossible the fights got, the more willing to accept them I became". Although he once desired to fight him,he later citedFedor Emelianenkoas the only fighter he ever refused to fight.

In June 2021, Sakuraba was a torch bearer for the2020 Summer Olympics.

Championships and accomplishments

Amateur wrestling

• National championship runner-up (high school)
• East Japan freshman championship
• All Japan university wrestling championships (fourth place)

Mixed martial arts

• Pride Fighting Championships
  • 2000 Pride Openweight Grand Prix semi-finalist
  • Longest fight in Pride FC history –Pride Grand Prix 2000 Finals(90:00)
  • Tied withAntônio Rodrigo Nogueirafor the most submission wins (11) in Pride FC history
• Ultimate Fighting Championship
  • UFC Hall of Fame(Pioneer wing, Class of 2017)
  • UFC Japan Heavyweight Tournament winner
  • First Japanese tournament winner in UFC history
  • UFC Encyclopedia Awards
    • Fight of the Night(One time)vs. Marcus Silveira
• Sherdog
  • Mixed Martial Arts Hall of Fame
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter
  • Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame(Class of 2004)
  • 2001 Best Box Office Draw
  • 2001 Feud of the Year(vs.Wanderlei Silva)
  • 2000 Best Shootfighter
  • 2000 Best Shoot Match(vs.Royce Gracie)
• Tokyo Sports
  • Most Valuable Player(2000)
  • Outstanding Performance(1999)

Professional wrestling

• Kingdom
  • Kingdom One Million Yen Tournament (1997)
• Nikkan Sports
  • Outstanding Performance Award (1999)
  • Wrestler of the Year (2000)
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • Ranked No. 238 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in thePWI 500in 2017
• Pro Wrestling Noah
  • GHC Tag Team Championship(1 time) – withTakashi Sugiura
• Tokyo Sports
  • Best Tag Team Award(2020) – with Takashi Sugiura

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown

46 matches	26 wins	17 losses
By knockout	4	10
By submission	19	3
By decision	3	4
Draws	1
No contests	2

Res.	Record	Opponent	Method	Event	Date	Round	Time	Location	Notes
Loss	26–17–1 (2)	Shinya Aoki	TKO (corner stoppage)	Rizin World Grand Prix 2015: Part 1 - Saraba	December 29, 2015	1	5:56	Saitama,Japan
Loss	26–16–1 (2)	Yan Cabral	Submission (arm-triangle choke)	Dream 17	September 24, 2011	2	2:42	Saitama,Japan
Loss	26–15–1 (2)	Marius Žaromskis	TKO (doctor stoppage)	Dynamite!! 2010	December 31, 2010	1	2:16	Saitama,Japan	Return to Welterweight. For theDream Welterweight Championship.
Loss	26–14–1 (2)	Jason Miller	Submission (arm-triangle choke)	Dream 16	September 25, 2010	1	2:09	Nagoya,Japan
Loss	26–13–1 (2)	Ralek Gracie	Decision (unanimous)	Dream 14	May 29, 2010	3	5:00	Saitama,Japan	Catchweight (192 lb) bout.
Win	26–12–1 (2)	Zelg Galešić	Submission (kneebar)	Dream 12	October 25, 2009	1	1:40	Osaka,Japan
Win	25–12–1 (2)	Rubin Williams	Submission (kimura)	Dream 11	October 6, 2009	1	2:53	Yokohama,Japan
Loss	24–12–1 (2)	Kiyoshi Tamura	Decision (unanimous)	Dynamite!! 2008	December 31, 2008	2	5:00	Saitama,Japan
Loss	24–11–1 (2)	Melvin Manhoef	TKO (punches)	Dream 4	June 15, 2008	1	1:30	Yokohama,Japan	2008 Dream Middleweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal.
Win	24–10–1 (2)	Andrews Nakahara	Submission (neck crank)	Dream 2	April 29, 2008	1	8:20	Saitama,Japan	2008 Dream Middleweight Grand Prix Opening round.
Win	23–10–1 (2)	Masakatsu Funaki	Submission (kimura)	K-1 PREMIUM 2007 Dynamite!!	December 31, 2007	1	6:25	Osaka,Japan	Light Heavyweight bout.
Win	22–10–1 (2)	Katsuyori Shibata	Submission (armbar)	Hero's 10	September 17, 2007	1	6:20	Yokohama,Japan
Loss	21–10–1(2)	Royce Gracie	Decision (unanimous)	Dynamite!! USA	June 2, 2007	3	5:00	Los Angeles, CaliforniaUnited States	Gracie tested positive foranabolic steroidsafter match. The judges' original decision was not overturned.
Win	21–9–1 (2)	Yurij Kiselov	Submission (triangle armbar)	Hero's 8	March 12, 2007	1	1:26	Nagoya,Japan
NC	20–9–1 (2)	Yoshihiro Akiyama	NC (overturned)	K-1 PREMIUM 2006 Dynamite!!	December 31, 2006	1	5:37	Osaka,Japan	Return to Middleweight. Originally a TKO (punches) win for Akiyama; overturned after he found to have applied lotion to his body.
Win	20–9–1 (1)	Kestutis Smirnovas	Submission (armbar)	Hero's 6	August 5, 2006	1	6:41	Tokyo,Japan	Light Heavyweight debut. 2006 Hero's Light Heavyweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal.
Win	19–9–1 (1)	Ikuhisa Minowa	Technical Submission (kimura)	Pride Shockwave 2005	December 31, 2005	1	9:59	Saitama,Japan	Welterweight debut.
Win	18–9–1 (1)	Ken Shamrock	TKO (punches)	Pride 30	October 23, 2005	1	2:27	Saitama,Japan
Loss	17–9–1 (1)	Ricardo Arona	TKO (corner stoppage)	Pride Critical Countdown 2005	June 26, 2005	2	5:00	Saitama,Japan	2005 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal.
Win	17–8–1 (1)	Yoon Dong-sik	KO (punches)	Pride Total Elimination 2005	April 23, 2005	1	0:38	Osaka,Japan	2005 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix Opening round.
Win	16–8–1 (1)	Nino Schembri	Decision (unanimous)	Pride Critical Countdown 2004	June 20, 2004	3	5:00	Saitama,Japan
Loss	15–8–1 (1)	Antônio Rogério Nogueira	Decision (unanimous)	Pride Shockwave 2003	December 31, 2003	3	5:00	Saitama,Japan
Win	15–7–1 (1)	Kevin Randleman	Submission (armbar)	Pride Final Conflict 2003	November 9, 2003	3	2:36	Tokyo,Japan
Loss	14–7–1 (1)	Wanderlei Silva	KO (punch)	Pride Total Elimination 2003	August 10, 2003	1	5:01	Saitama,Japan	Pride 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix Opening round.
Loss	14–6–1 (1)	Nino Schembri	KO (knees and soccer kicks)	Pride 25	March 16, 2003	1	6:15	Yokohama,Japan
Win	14–5–1 (1)	Gilles Arsene	Submission (armbar)	Pride 23	November 24, 2002	3	2:08	Tokyo,Japan
Loss	13–5–1 (1)	Mirko Cro Cop	TKO (doctor stoppage)	Pride Shockwave	August 28, 2002	2	5:00	Tokyo,Japan	Heavyweight bout.
Loss	13–4–1 (1)	Wanderlei Silva	TKO (doctor stoppage)	Pride 17	November 3, 2001	1	10:00	Tokyo,Japan	Middleweight debut. For thePride Middleweight Championship.
Win	13–3–1 (1)	Quinton Jackson	Submission (rear-naked choke)	Pride 15	July 29, 2001	1	5:41	Saitama,Japan
Loss	12–3–1 (1)	Wanderlei Silva	TKO (knees and soccer kicks)	Pride 13	March 25, 2001	1	1:38	Saitama,Japan
Win	12–2–1 (1)	Ryan Gracie	Decision (unanimous)	Pride 12	December 23, 2000	1	10:00	Saitama,Japan
Win	11–2–1 (1)	Shannon Ritch	Submission (achilles lock)	Pride 11	October 31, 2000	1	1:08	Osaka,Japan
Win	10–2–1(1)	Renzo Gracie	Technical Submission (kimura)	Pride 10	August 27, 2000	2	9:43	Tokorozawa,Japan
Loss	9–2–1 (1)	Igor Vovchanchyn	TKO (corner stoppage)	Pride Grand Prix 2000 Finals	May 1, 2000	1	15:00	Tokyo,Japan	2000 Pride Openweight Grand Prix Semifinal.
Win	9–1–1 (1)	Royce Gracie	TKO (corner stoppage)			6	15:00		2000 Pride Openweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal. Rules modified for unlimited rounds/no ref stoppages. After 90 minutes the fight was ended after six 15 minute rounds, three of them being overtime rounds.
Win	8–1–1 (1)	Guy Mezger	TKO (retirement)	Pride Grand Prix 2000 Opening Round	January 30, 2000	1	15:00	Tokyo,Japan	2000 Pride Openweight Grand Prix Opening round.
Win	7–1–1 (1)	Royler Gracie	Technical Submission (kimura)	Pride 8	November 21, 1999	2	13:16	Tokyo,Japan
Win	6–1–1 (1)	Anthony Macias	Submission (armbar)	Pride 7	September 12, 1999	2	2:30	Yokohama,Japan
Win	5–1–1 (1)	Ebenezer Fontes Braga	Submission (armbar)	Pride 6	July 4, 1999	1	9:23	Yokohama,Japan
Win	4–1–1 (1)	Vitor Belfort	Decision (unanimous)	Pride 5	April 29, 1999	2	10:00	Nagoya,Japan
Draw	3–1–1 (1)	Allan Goes	Draw (time limit)	Pride 4	October 11, 1998	3	10:00	Tokyo,Japan
Win	3–1 (1)	Carlos Newton	Submission (kneebar)	Pride 3	June 24, 1998	2	5:19	Tokyo,Japan
Win	2–1 (1)	Vernon White	Submission (armbar)	Pride 2	March 15, 1998	3	6:53	Yokohama,Japan
Win	1–1 (1)	Marcus Silveira	Submission (armbar)	UFC Japan: Ultimate Japan	December 21, 1997	1	3:44	Yokohama,Japan	Won theUFC Japan Heavyweight Tournament.
NC	0–1 (1)	Marcus Silveira	NC (premature stoppage)			1	1:51		Heavyweight debut.UFC Japan Heavyweight TournamentSemifinal. Originally a KO (punches) win for Silveira; overturned after review due to a referee error.
Loss	0–1	Kimo Leopoldo	Submission (arm-triangle choke)	Shoot Bo xing – S-Cup 1996	July 14, 1996	1	4:20	Tokyo,Japan	Openweight bout.

Mixed rules

Professional record breakdown

1 match	1 win	0 losses
By submission	1	0

Res.	Record	Opponent	Method	Event	Date	Round	Time	Location	Notes
Win	1–0	Rene Rooze	Submission (toe hold)	UWF-i Scramble Wars	June 26, 1996	1	19:44	Nagoya, Aichi,Japan

Submission grappling record

Professional record breakdown

8 matches	1 win	2 losses
By submission	0	1
By decision	1	1
Draws	5

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2005	Nagurimono	Ginkaku
2009	Baton	Robot Guard	Voice
2018	Mutafukaz	El Diablo	Voice; Japanese dubbing version

See also

• List of male mixed martial artists
• List of professional wrestlers by MMA record

Additional sources

• Yu, Al (August 2, 2006)."Sakuraba and the Changing of the Guard".MMAWeekly. Archived fromthe originalon September 29, 2007.RetrievedJune 29,2007.
• Yu, Al (September 1, 2006)."Sakuraba Medically Cleared to Fight".MMAWeekly. Archived fromthe originalon May 17, 2007.RetrievedJune 29,2007.
• Yu, Al (January 2, 2007)."A Word from the Asian Sensation..."MMAWeekly. Archived fromthe originalon May 14, 2007.RetrievedJune 29,2007.
• Yu, Al (January 2, 2007)."Royce Gracie's Fine, Suspension Upheld by CSAC".MMAJunkie. Archived fromthe originalon June 26, 2009.RetrievedAugust 2,2007.

External links

• Official website
• Kazushi Sakuraba'sNew Japan Pro-Wrestlingprofile
• Pride FC profileArchived2008-01-03 at theWayback Machine
• Dream profile
• Kazushi SakurabaatUFC
• Professional MMA record for Kazushi SakurabafromSherdog