49 Facts About Kazuyuki Fujita

Kazuyuki Fujita is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and a former amateur wrestler, currently signed to Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is a one-time GHC Heavyweight Champion.

Kazuyuki Fujita has most recently fought in Road FC, but is known for his work in the PRIDE Fighting Championships, K-1, Rizin Fighting Federation, and World Victory Road.

Kazuyuki Fujita participated in the FILA World Championships as a junior in 1988, placing sixth, and in the Espoir division in 1989, placing eleventh.

In 1993, Kazuyuki Fujita placed fifth at the Asian Championships at the senior level, and in 1993 and 1994, he represented Japan as a senior in the World Cup, a dual meet tournament.

Kazuyuki Fujita was a national champion in Japan in Greco-Roman wrestling.

Kazuyuki Fujita missed making the Japanese Olympic team by 1 point in the Olympic qualifiers.

Kazuyuki Fujita was approached to join New Japan Pro-Wrestling in 1993 whilst he was still competing in amateur wrestling.

Kazuyuki Fujita agreed to join, but because of his amateur career, his professional debut was delayed three years until 1996.

Kazuyuki Fujita made his in-ring debut on November 1,1996, losing to Yuji Nagata.

Kazuyuki Fujita was trained in the NJPW dojo by Antonio Inoki and Satoru Sayama, who described him as a "monster".

Kazuyuki Fujita's run in Pride was successful, and in 2001 he was bought back in to wrestle for New Japan.

Kazuyuki Fujita dominated the match with his new shoot-based offence and quickly won the championship in just under 7 minutes.

Kazuyuki Fujita made two successful defences, beating Yuji Nagata and Don Frye.

Kazuyuki Fujita reigned as champion until January 2002, when he was forced to vacate the title due to injury.

Kazuyuki Fujita returned to New Japan on July 20,2002, at Toukon Memorial Day, beating junior heavyweight Masahito Kakihara in 1:09.

At Cross Road on August 29, Kazuyuki Fujita entered a tournament for the vacated NWF Heavyweight Championship but was defeated by eventual winner Yoshihiro Takayama, giving Kazuyuki Fujita his first loss in New Japan since January 2000.

Kazuyuki Fujita lost the championship to Kensuke Sasaki on October 9,2004.

Kazuyuki Fujita lost the IWGP Championship to Brock Lesnar on October 8,2005, at Toukon Souzou New Chapter in a three-way match including Masahiro Chono.

Kazuyuki Fujita was represented by Inoki Office, an agency originally started by Antonio Inoki, and had not been under a contract with NJPW.

Kazuyuki Fujita won the IGF Championship from Jerome Le Banner in early 2012, and made successful defences against Bobby Lashley, Hideki Suzuki, Erik Hammer and Atsushi Sawada before dropping it to Satoshi Ishii in a worked shoot fight in December 2013.

Kazuyuki Fujita made a rare appearance outside of IGF in November 2015, competing for Genichiro Tenryu's Tenryu Project retirement show, where he teamed with Daisuke Sekimoto in a loss to Suwama and Yuji Okabayashi.

Not long after this, Kazuyuki Fujita left IGF and became inactive in pro wrestling .

Kazuyuki Fujita formed an alliance with fellow IGF and NJPW alumni Kendo Kashin, with Nosawa Rongai aligning himself with the pair.

Kazuyuki Fujita would make a one-off appearance for Big Japan Pro Wrestling in July 2018, teaming with Daisuke Sekimoto to defeat Daichi Hashimoto and Hideyoshi Kamitani.

Still aligned with Kendo Kashin, Kazuyuki Fujita began a feud with RJPW ace Super Tiger, challenging him to a match for the Legend Championship.

In January 2000 Kazuyuki Fujita put his professional wrestling career on hiatus and began training for mixed martial arts competition.

Kazuyuki Fujita's trainer was his professional wrestling mentor and mixed martial arts legend, Antonio Inoki, as well as luta livre veteran Marco Ruas.

Kazuyuki Fujita entered the PRIDE organization as part of the 2000 Openweight Grand Prix.

On May 1, Kazuyuki Fujita competed at Pride Grand Prix 2000 Finals, where he would score the first big win of his career by defeating Mark Kerr, who at the time was considered to be one of the best heavyweights in MMA.

Kerr dominated early in the match, taking the Japanese down and hitting ground and pound through his guard, followed by a series of knee strikes to the head, but Kazuyuki Fujita endured shockingly all the punishment and waited for his opportunity.

Kerr turtled up while Kazuyuki Fujita scored points over him with unceasing striking, and at the end the referee stopped the match in Kazuyuki Fujita's favour.

Kazuyuki Fujita's next fight was against former UFC Heavyweight Champion Mark Coleman in the semifinals of the Grand Prix, but the NJPW corner threw the towel started the match to avoid risks for Kazuyuki Fujita's health.

At Pride 10, Kazuyuki Fujita next fought MMA superstar Ken Shamrock.

Kazuyuki Fujita followed up his titanic wins over Kerr and Shamrock with a win over dangerous striker Gilbert Yvel at Pride 12.

Kazuyuki Fujita scored takedowns and dominated positionally Yvel for most of the match, only occasionally trying armlocks, in order to secure a decision win.

In May 2001 at Pride 14, Kazuyuki Fujita defeated fellow pro wrestler Yoshihiro Takayama by submission in his first PRIDE main event.

Notably, Takayama was similarly able to take a great punishment, enduring knees to the head and punches, but Kazuyuki Fujita submitted him via arm triangle choke.

Kazuyuki Fujita was baffled for the fortuitousness of the bout and requested a rematch, which was conceded for the Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye event.

In 2003, after Kazuyuki Fujita defeated fellow NJPW pro wrestler Manabu Nakanishi, he launched a challenge to PRIDE champion Fedor Emelianenko for a match in Pride 26.

When it came, Kazuyuki shocked the world by stunning Emelianenko with a heavy counter right hand, but despite his best attempts to remain on the offensive Emelianenko recovered and defeated Fujita with a rear naked choke submission.

In May 2004, Kazuyuki Fujita made his debut for the K-1 MMA event ROMANEX, taking on then IWGP Heavyweight Champion Bob Sapp.

Not fearing Sapp's size and fame, Kazuyuki Fujita executed a takedown and went aggressively for Sapp on the ground, repeatedly landing punches and soccer kicks on his head.

Sapp had to vacate his championship after this performance, while Kazuyuki Fujita adopted the nickname of "The Real Beast" to capitalize on Sapp's own "The Beast" moniker.

On May 5,2006, at PRIDE Total Elimination Absolute, Kazuyuki Fujita returned to MMA by competing in PRIDE's 2006 Openweight Grand Prix making him the only fighter in PRIDE's history to have competed in both openweight grand prix.

At the quarterfinals, Kazuyuki Fujita fought PRIDE Middleweight champion and feared Muay Thai striker Wanderlei Silva.

The match was wild, with Silva landing soccer kicks and knees while Kazuyuki Fujita relentlessly tried to take him down and handle him on the ground.

Kazuyuki Fujita debuted on March 5,2008, at Sengoku 1 where he defeated Peter Graham by submission.

Kazuyuki Fujita next fight was against Travis Wiuff at Sengoku 3 where he lost by TKO.

Kazuyuki Fujita lost the bout via unanimous decision, marking his fourth loss in a row.