1. Yoji Anjo was born on March 28,1967 and is a retired Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and kickboxer.
21 Facts About Yoji Anjo
1. 2.
Yoji Anjo passed the original Universal Wrestling Federation's entrance tests and had his debut on July 6,1985, against Osamu Hoshina.
3.
Yoji Anjo only wrestled a handful of matches for the company, as it collapsed later in the year and its roster moved back to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where Anjo debuted as a low-ranking member of the UWF "invading" army.
4.
Yoji Anjo eventually left the company in 1988 following Takada, Akira Maeda and the rest of his crew to form the second incarnation of UWF.
5.
In 1988, already in UWF Newborn, Yoji Anjo climbed up the card and adopted a more eccentric image for himself, wearing zebra tights and bondage gear and using heelish sneaky tactics in the ring.
6.
Just before the promotion disgregated in several companies, Yoji Anjo got a high level victory against Minoru Suzuki.
7.
Yoji Anjo feuded with Takada and Kazuo Yamazaki, and had an humbling match with The Iron Sheik.
8.
In December 1994, Yoji Anjo was involved in a famous incident with Brazilian jiu-jitsu master Rickson Gracie.
9.
In 2000 Yoji Anjo returned to professional wrestling to help out All Japan Pro Wrestling's rebuilding.
10.
Yoji Anjo appeared as a partner to old foe Genichiro Tenryu, winning the World Tag Team Championship from Johnny Smith and Taiyo Kea.
11.
Yoji Anjo fought again alongside Tenryu, feuding with Takao Omori, and teamed up with Ichiro Yaguchi to take part in the WMG Tag Team Championship tournament, but they were eliminated by Jinsei Shinzaki and Shiro Koshinaka.
12.
Yoji Anjo debuted as Commander An Jo, Generalissimo Takada's right hand, wearing military uniforms and ornated eye masks.
13.
Yoji Anjo was forced to submit by Funaki in two straight falls, but Yoji Anjo demanded the match go to a third fall and was pinned by Suzuki.
14.
Yoji Anjo's first shootfight was in UWF Newborn, after offering himself to fight muay thai champion Changpuek Kiatsongrit in the 1989 event U-Cosmos.
15.
Yoji Anjo had his official MMA debut at U-Japan, facing famed grappler Sean Alvarez in a half-hour losing effort.
16.
The American took advantage of his own wrestling superiority to take Anjo down repeatedly and use ground and pound, while Yoji answered with multiple submission attempts and leg kicks whenever he could.
17.
At the second UFC event in Japan, UFC 25, Yoji Anjo fought an even more dangerous grappler, Murilo Bustamante, considered one of the best in the world.
18.
At the second round, Yoji Anjo was taken down and submitted with an arm triangle choke.
19.
Yoji Anjo kept facing high level opponents in the form of Olympic wrestler Matt Lindland, in UFC 29.
20.
Three years after getting a draw with Seikendo fighter Gia Chirragishvili in Deep, Yoji Anjo was invited to Pride Fighting Championships to fight Ryan Gracie, in remembrance of Yoji Anjo's past challenge to Rickson.
21.
Again Ryan got a takedown and gained half guard, taking Anjo's back, but Yoji defended it and they struggled for position until he fell in an armbar and had to tap out.