Who Are The Best Japanese MMA Fighters?

Japan was beforehand residence to a few of the most fun MMA stars on the planet, however the success that the nation has loved on the worldwide stage has diminished over the previous 20 years, as fighters from Africa and Latin America have taken the lead in a few of the largest fights in UFC. Nonetheless, bets on MMA in Japan stay a massively optimistic signal to point that the recognition hasn’t diminished. Many followers nonetheless dream {that a} Japanese champion within the UFC might not be that far-off, however who’re a few of the greatest Japanese MMA fighters in historical past?

Genki Sudo

Genki Sudo has executed just about every little thing all through his life, from being a talented musician to being a politician in Japan. Nonetheless, for a lot of, he will probably be remembered as probably the greatest MMA stars that the nation has ever produced. Sudo was expert at kickboxing, the place he had knowledgeable report of 2-4, however his MMA report was exceptionally robust, having received 16 of his 21 skilled bouts.

Sudo additionally fought within the UFC throughout his profession, as he claimed a submission victory over Leight Remedios at UFC 38. Nonetheless, his profession within the UFC would in the end finish in defeat in opposition to Duane Ludwig by a cut up choice in 2003. Following that run, he would attain the finals of the Hero’s, after which retired from the game with victories in his last two fights in 2006.

Caol Uno

The early years of the UFC noticed plenty of expert Japanese fighters attempting their arm in america, and that included Caol Uno. The light-weight competed for the UFC title within the weight classification on two events however was overwhelmed on each events. Nonetheless, he’s nonetheless considered a pioneer within the weight class and is acknowledged for the affect that he had on the light-weight division all through his profession. Uno fought on a surprising 60 events at knowledgeable degree, successful on 33 events.

His greatest consequence within the UFC was the draw he performed out in opposition to Fabricio Camoes at UFC 106. Nonetheless, he would later lose at UFC Combat Evening in 2010 by TKO punches within the first spherical. Regardless of that, he received plenty of prestigious honors all through his profession, which included the Shooto Light-weight title, and he was additionally a semi-finalist within the 2007 Okay-1 Hero’s Light-weight match and the 2008 Dream Light-weight Grand Prix.  

Norifumi Yamamoto

The late-great Norifumi Yamamoto stays some of the celebrated Japanese MMA stars of all time. He rose to prominence within the Shooto and Okay-1 World Max organizations within the early 2000s, successful World Match finals within the featherweight and light-weight divisions, respectively. His success within the latter classification continued all through his run in Hero’s, as he recorded the quickest knockout in a serious MMA promotion in Could 2006 when delivering a flying knee in opposition to Kazuyuki Miyata after simply 4 seconds.

His success all through his profession would ultimately result in a transfer into the UFC for the ultimate years of his skilled profession. Nonetheless, he wouldn’t obtain any success with the American firm, as he was winless in 4 fights. His last bout within the octagon got here in opposition to Roman Salazar in February 2015, nevertheless it was dominated a no-contest.

Mei Yamaguchi

It hasn’t solely been male superstars which have transcended the game of MMA in Japan, as some of the proficient fighters from the nation is Mei Yamaguchi. The feminine MMA star and kickboxer had knowledgeable MMA report of 21 wins from 36 fights. She has been overwhelmed on simply 14 events and was unstoppable all through her profession. She competed in each the strawweight and atomweight divisions all through her profession and stays a outstanding power to at the present time.

At current, she is ranked because the fifth-best fighter within the ONE Championship Girls’s Atomweight rankings and was beforehand final in motion earlier this 12 months. Yamaguchi has been a submission specialist all through her profession, successful 9 of her 21 bouts by this methodology, with two victories having been recorded by knockout. In 2023, she will probably be trying to get again to successful methods after being overwhelmed in her earlier three fights in ONE.

Conclusion

MMA stays some of the adopted sports activities in Japan, and that appears set to proceed for generations to come back. Nonetheless, to ensure that the game to overhaul other popular sports in Japan, there’ll possible have to be a breakthrough star within the UFC to point out that Japanese fighters can compete with one of the best from throughout the globe. Nonetheless, given the expertise within the nation, that day might quickly arrive.

Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Government Author, Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a ardour for Fight Sports activities and likewise a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s additionally a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer.