Sakuraba, the Pro Wrestler

He was a pro wrestler right?

I've never seen a single match of his. What kind of wrestler is he? What was his signature move(s)? Was he a high flier? I know nothing about it. Fill me in.

No wonder he's always got mummy legs. Being a Pro Wrestler DESTROYS your fuckin' knees like nobody's business.

I think it's awesome that all these Japanese Pro Wrestlers also compete in MMA. Other than the notable Brock and Lashley. How many other American Pro Wrestlers do you see doing that shit? I can't even think of another one other than those two.

Kazushi Sakuraba is a Japanese professional mixed martial artist and former professional wrestler. He has competed in pro-wrestling for New Japan Pro Wrestling, UWFi and Kingdom Pro Wrestling. He has fought in MMA competition in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, PRIDE Fighting Championships, K-1 Hero's and DREAM. He is known as the "Gracie Hunter" due to his wins over four members of the famed Gracie family including Royler Gracie, Renzo Gracie, Ryan Gracie, and Royce Gracie. In particular, Sakuraba is famous for his ninety-minute fight with Royce Gracie, the longest bout in mixed martial arts history. He is widely considered as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time.
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No, I wanted to hear about his life as a pro wrestler. That's the part I know nothing about.


I know more than plenty about his life as a mixed martial artist. LOL!! I've only seen like every single one of his fights a multitude of times. Trust me, I got that part down pat. I can assure you.


Just tell me about the pro wrestling. Where can I watch one of his pro wrestling matches. I've never seen one of his and I'd really like to.

youtube it

Ah, thanks. For some silly reason I hadn't thought of checking there. D'oh. They've got a bunch of his matches on there.

Cool beans, appreciate it.

I just wanted to see him in action. Given he's one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time. I figured he's probably a good pro wrestler too.

Hey, he ain't wearing a mask in any of these matches. I thought he wore a mask. Where'd the wearing the mask to the pride ring shtick come from then?

Could you post some of these fights here?

Sakuraba wasn't a real pro wrestler.

He partook in worked shoots, which is way different than your traditional Puroresu.

Later on he worked NJPW, which was more Puroresu-esque, but ultimately worked that same shoot style.

He never delivered a brainbuster, or dove off the top rope. He slapped people and pretended to stretch limbs. That's pretty much the extent of it.

Apathy-san wrote:Sakuraba wasn't a real pro wrestler.

He partook in worked shoots, which is way different than your traditional Puroresu.

Later on he worked NJPW, which was more Puroresu-esque, but ultimately worked that same shoot style.

He never delivered a brainbuster, or dove off the top rope. He slapped people and pretended to stretch limbs. That's pretty much the extent of it.

Whats wrong with shoot style pro-wrestling?

It is the escence of Puroresu and Pro-Wrestling as a whole. Because in order to preform worked shoots you need to be a legitament "hooker", or atleast have working knowledge of most "hooks".

Sakuraba, Minowa,Funaki,Suzuki,Maeda,Fujiwara are as Pro-Wrestling as it gets broseph.

The Super Hyper Creep wrote:

Apathy-san wrote:Sakuraba wasn't a real pro wrestler.

He partook in worked shoots, which is way different than your traditional Puroresu.

Later on he worked NJPW, which was more Puroresu-esque, but ultimately worked that same shoot style.

He never delivered a brainbuster, or dove off the top rope. He slapped people and pretended to stretch limbs. That's pretty much the extent of it.

Whats wrong with shoot style pro-wrestling?

It is the escence of Puroresu and Pro-Wrestling as a whole. Because in order to preform worked shoots you need to be a legitament "hooker", or atleast have working knowledge of most "hooks".

Sakuraba, Minowa,Funaki,Suzuki,Maeda,Fujiwara are as Pro-Wrestling as it gets broseph.

I know. To me, it's not appealing to the eye. Once in a while it's cool, but over and over again? Just not my cup of tea, man. However I did enjoy the NJPW vs. UWFI program. I can't front. And the Super Vader shit was epic as well. Talk about squash matches, lol

I'm just way more of an AJPW mark. Tons of false finishes, and watching people get dropped on their heads does it for me. Misawa, Kawada and Kobashi 4-life.

Apathy-san wrote:

The Super Hyper Creep wrote:

Apathy-san wrote:Sakuraba wasn't a real pro wrestler.

He partook in worked shoots, which is way different than your traditional Puroresu.

Later on he worked NJPW, which was more Puroresu-esque, but ultimately worked that same shoot style.

He never delivered a brainbuster, or dove off the top rope. He slapped people and pretended to stretch limbs. That's pretty much the extent of it.

Whats wrong with shoot style pro-wrestling?

It is the escence of Puroresu and Pro-Wrestling as a whole. Because in order to preform worked shoots you need to be a legitament "hooker", or atleast have working knowledge of most "hooks".

Sakuraba, Minowa,Funaki,Suzuki,Maeda,Fujiwara are as Pro-Wrestling as it gets broseph.

I know. To me, it's not appealing to the eye. Once in a while it's cool, but over and over again? Just not my cup of tea, man. However I did enjoy the NJPW vs. UWFI program. I can't front. And the Super Vader shit was epic as well. Talk about squash matches, lol

I'm just way more of an AJPW mark. Tons of false finishes, and watching people get dropped on their heads does it for me. Misawa, Kawada and Kobashi 4-life.

You sir, do know your Puro !

Mitsaharu Misawa is one of my hero's allong with Kenta Kobashi. Dangerous K is just an all around ass kicker.

I do understand what your saying. Strong style is probolly my favorite style of worked wrestling along with shoot style ( tho there is the arguement that Strong Style is the evolution of Shoot Style), but I do enjoy Kings Road as well, but I guess im more of a NJPW mark

I guess I enjoy the shoot stuff so much was nestalgia from watching the UWF-UWFI growing up, and my passion for Catch-as-Catch-can Wrestling.

Unfortunately lol

My Puro infatuation was my deepest, darkest secret for years! When pussy stopped being a commodity, my tapes miraculously disappeared into my closet... never to be seen again by a female eye. Still, that didn't stop me from packing the bong and putting on Brody matches when I was alone.

Building on what you were saying about being a NJ mark.. hey there's nothing wrong with that. IMO NJ put out a better and more complete product, while AJ produced better matches. If that makes any sense.

BTW, I grew on LI and was at every Elks show. Have we both partaken in "show your tits" chants together without even realizing it?

And damn you, creep. I never watch rasslin anymore and I'm all about putting on old NJ now. Steiners Vs. Hase/Sasaki? Yup. That's what it is.

sakuraba's trilogy of matches against tamura in UWFi were amazing

also for more UWFi look at takada and vader. that was uwfi right???

np: vader vs gary albright

kid wrote:sakuraba's trilogy of matches against tamura in UWFi were amazing

also for more UWFi look at takada and vader. that was uwfi right???

Yup

UWF-UWFi rules hard.

Shoot-4-Life !!!!!!!

NotAnUndercoverCop wrote: Hey, he ain't wearing a mask in any of these matches. I thought he wore a mask. Where'd the wearing the mask to the pride ring shtick come from then?

From what I understand, that was a tribute to Tiger Mask. Could be wrong though.

Miaou wrote:

NotAnUndercoverCop wrote: Hey, he ain't wearing a mask in any of these matches. I thought he wore a mask. Where'd the wearing the mask to the pride ring shtick come from then?

From what I understand, that was a tribute to Tiger Mask. Could be wrong though.

Yup. That's what i've understood as well. Can you blame him?

Tiger mask is the fucking shit!

kid wrote:np: vader vs gary albright

Vader breaks all that shit down in his shoot interview with RF.

Good shit, love listening to him talk about all the matches he had over in Japan. Such good shit.