Naoki Sakurada Explained

Naoki Sakurada (born May 12, 1968) is a Japanese^[2] mixed martial artist.^[3] He competed in the Welterweight and Middleweight^[4] divisions. He is a former Shooto Middleweight Champion.

Mixed martial arts career

Sakurada started as a student of combat wrestling's (Japanese version of submission wrestling founding father Noriaki Kiguchi at Kiguchi Dojo. Sakurada competed almost exclusively in Shooto events, with the only exception when he faced Yasushi Warita at Vale Tudo Japan 1994 which ended in a draw. Sakurada challenged Yasuto Sekishima for the Shooto Middleweight Championship at Shooto - Shooto on November 28, 1990 but the bout ended in a draw.

A rematch of the championship bout took place at Shooto - Shooto on October 17, 1991. Sakurada claimed the title via unanimous decision and went on to successfully defend it once against Kazuhiro Kusayanagi at Shooto - Shooto on December 23, 1991 via majority decision.

At the turn of the millennium he founded Gutsman Shooto Dojo, where he has coached mixed martial artists such as Hayato Sakurai, Hisae Watanabe and Mizuto Hirota.^{[5] [6]}

Championships and accomplishments

• Shooto
  • Shooto Middleweight Championship (one time)
    • One title defense

Mixed martial arts record

|-| Win| align=center| | Yasunori Okuda| Submission (heel hook)| Shooto - Vale Tudo Access 4| | align=center| 1| align=center| 3:00| Japan| |-| Win| align=center| 11–6–4| Maurice Roumimper| Submission (heel hook)| Shooto - Vale Tudo Access 3| | align=center| 2| align=center| 1:10| Tokyo, Japan| |-| Win| align=center| 10–6–4| Kotaro Shimamoto| Decision (unanimous)| Shooto - Vale Tudo Access 1| | align=center| 5| align=center| 3:00| Tokyo, Japan| |-| Draw| align=center| 9–6–4| Yasushi Warita| Draw| Vale Tudo Japan 1994| | align=center| 5| align=center| 3:00| Urayasu, Chiba, Japan| |-| Win| align=center| 9–6–3| Yuji Hashiguchi| KO| Shooto - Shooto| | align=center| 3| align=center| 1:18| Tokyo, Japan| |-| Draw| align=center| 8–6–3| Erik Paulson| Draw| Shooto - Shooto| | align=center| 5| align=center| 3:00| Tokyo, Japan| |-| Loss| align=center| 8–6–2| Manabu Yamada| Submission (kneebar)| Shooto - Shooto| | align=center| 5| align=center| 1:19| Tokyo, Japan| |-| Win| align=center| 8–5–2| Kazuhiro Kusayanagi| Decision (unanimous)| Shooto - Shooto| | align=center| 5| align=center| 3:00| Tokyo, Japan| |-| Win| align=center| 7–5–2| Tomohiro Tanaka| KO| Shooto - Shooto| | align=center| 2| align=center| 0:00| Tokyo, Japan| |-| Loss| align=center| 6–5–2| Yuichi Watanabe| Submission (kneebar)| Shooto - Shooto| | align=center| 3| align=center| 0:57| Tokyo, Japan| |-| Win| align=center| 6–4–2| Kazuhiro Kusayanagi| Decision (majority)| Shooto - Shooto| | align=center| 5| align=center| 3:00| Tokyo, Japan| |-| Win| align=center| 5–4–2| Yasuto Sekishima| Decision (majority)| Shooto - Shooto| | align=center| 5| align=center| 3:00| Osaka, Japan| |-| Win| align=center| 4–4–2| Yuichi Watanabe| Submission (armbar)| Shooto - Shooto| | align=center| 5| align=center| 2:03| Tokyo, Japan| |-| Win| align=center| 3–4–2| Tomonori Ohara| Submission (armbar)| Shooto - Shooto| | align=center| 5| align=center| 0:00| Tokyo, Japan| |-| Loss| align=center| 2–4–2| Kenji Kawaguchi| Submission (guillotine choke)| Shooto - Shooto| | align=center| 1| align=center| 0:00| Tokyo, Japan| |-| Draw| align=center| 2–3–2| Yasuto Sekishima| Draw| Shooto - Shooto| | align=center| 5| align=center| 3:00| Tokyo, Japan| |-| Draw| align=center| 2–3–1| Yuji Ito| Draw| Shooto - Shooto| | align=center| 5| align=center| 3:00| Tokyo, Japan| |-| Loss| align=center| 2–3| Yasuto Sekishima| Decision| Shooto - Shooto| | align=center| 5| align=center| 3:00| Tokyo, Japan| |-| Loss| align=center| 2–2| Kenji Kawaguchi| TKO (punches)| Shooto - Shooto| | align=center| 4| align=center| 1:29| Tokyo, Japan| |-| Win| align=center| 2–1| Takashi Ishizaki| Decision (unanimous)| Shooto - Shooto| | align=center| 3| align=center| 3:00| Tokyo, Japan| |-| Win| align=center| 1–1| Yuichi Watanabe| Submission (heel hook)| Shooto - Shooto| | align=center| 1| align=center| 0:00| Tokyo, Japan| |-| Loss| align=center| 0–1| Kazuhiro Kusayanagi| Submission (armbar)| Shooto - Shooto| | align=center| 1| align=center| 0:00| Tokyo, Japan|

See also

• List of male mixed martial artists

External links

• • Naoki Sakurada at mixedmartialarts.com
• Naoki Sakurada at fightmatrix.com

Notes and References

1. Web site: MACH Revival Go. Alan Lee. scientificwrestling.com. September 10, 2020.
2. Web site: Naoki Sakurada . . https://web.archive.org/web/20150416024513/http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Naoki-Sakurada-1178 . April 16, 2015 . live .
3. Web site: Naoki Sakurada . mixedmartialarts.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20141008054030/http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/f/FA895ED936A7D241/Naoki-Sakurada/ . October 8, 2014 . live .
4. Web site: Naoki Sakurada . fightmatrix.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20141019060839/http://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Kenji+Kawaguchi/429/ . October 19, 2014 . live .
5. Web site: Mizuto Hirota Finally Ready to Return Twenty Months After Shocking Injury. Daniel Herbertson. June 24, 2011. mmafighting.com.
6. Web site: Ladies First: DEEP'S Real Main Event. Jordan Breen. sherdog.com. August 3, 2006.