top wrist lock, a technique he opened both from standing and on the ground. Though he wasn't afraid of giving his back to his opponent in order to secure it, Sakuraba would also use the technique as a positional weapon, threatening with it to control his adversary. Renzo Gracie praised his ability to play against his opponent's weaknesses, Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira commended his technical skill, and Mark Kerr called him the world's best technician of his era. Personal life Sakuraba is married and has a son. He is an atheist. He has never cared much about diet and admits to drinking alcohol and being a smoker. Regarding the notable differences in weight between himself and his opponents throughout his career, as well as the banning of IV's for rehydration (and potential PED usage), Sakuraba has stated through an interpreter that "it doesn't matter if they [the opponent] use a pill or medicine to get bigger or smaller, I just train hard, eat healthy, fight at my weight and try my best to beat them. For me it doesn't matter if they use drugs, but I would not use it. I'm sure it's bad if they use it to win." About his proneness to fight outside his weight class, Sakuraba declared "the more impossible the fights got, the more willing to accept them I became". Although he once desired to fight him, he later cited Fedor Emelianenko as the only fighter he ever refused to fight. In June 2021, Sakuraba was a torch bearer for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Championships and accomplishments Amateur wrestling National championship runner-up (high school) East Japan freshman championship All Japan collegiate wrestling championships (fourth place) Mixed martial arts Pride Fighting Championships 2000 Pride Openweight Grand Prix semi-finalist Longest fight in Pride FC history – Pride Grand Prix 2000 Finals (90:00) First man to defeat Royce Gracie in MMA history First Japanese Athlete to defeat a Gracie since Helio Gracie's 1951 loss to Masahiko Kimura. Tied with Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira for the most submission wins (11) in Pride FC history Ultimate Fighting Championship UFC Hall of Fame (Pioneer wing, class of 2017) UFC Japan Heavyweight Tournament winner First Japanese champion in UFC history Sherdog Mixed Martial Arts Hall of Fame Wrestling Observer Newsletter Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2004) 2001 Best Box Office Draw 2001 Feud of the Year (vs. Wanderlei Silva) 2000 Best