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Kazushi Sakuraba
This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2010) |
Kazushi Sakuraba | |
Sakuraba in March 2015.
Born | Katagami, Akita, Japan |
July 14, 1969
Other names | The Gracie Killer, The Gracie Hunter, The IQ Wrestler, Ikiru Densetsu ("The Living Legend") |
Nationality | Japanese |
Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) |
Weight | 85 kg (187 lb; 13 st 5 lb) |
Division | Welterweight Middleweight Light Heavyweight Heavyweight |
Style | Shoot Wrestling, Catch Wrestling[1] |
Stance | Southpaw |
Team | Takada Dojo Laughter7 |
Teacher(s) | Nobuhiko Takada Billy Robinson |
Rank |
Honorary black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Cristiano Marcello [2] |
Years active | 1997 - present (MMA) |
Mixed martial arts record | |
Total | 45 |
Wins | 26 |
By knockout | 4 |
By submission | 19 |
By decision | 3 |
Losses | 16 |
By knockout | 9 |
By submission | 3 |
By decision | 4 |
Draws | 1 |
No contests | 2 |
Other information | |
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |
Kazushi Sakuraba (桜庭 和志 Sakuraba Kazushi?, born July 14, 1969 in present-day Katagami, Akita) is a Japanese mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling. He has competed in traditional puroresu for New Japan Pro Wrestling and shoot-style competition for 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"[3][4][5][6] or the "Gracie Killer"[7][8][9][10] due to his wins over four members of the famed Gracie family: Royler Gracie, Renzo Gracie, Ryan Gracie, and Royce Gracie. In particular, Sakuraba is famous for his initial fight with Royce, which lasted ninety minutes. Sakuraba is also the former UFC Japan Heavyweight Tournament Champion. Known for his excellent skill in catch wrestling, he is considered to be one of Japan's greatest mixed martial artists and also holds notable victories over Carlos Newton, Vitor Belfort, Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson, Ken Shamrock and Masakatsu Funaki.
Sakuraba began his career in amateur wrestling at the age of 15. A high school stand-out, he finished as high as second in the nation before joining the wrestling squad of Chuo University, a team which had counted Olympic gold medalists Shozo Sasahara and Osamu Watanabe amongst its ranks. He won the East Japan Freshman championship in his first year and served as their team captain thereafter. In his senior year, he finished fourth place in the All-Japan tournament. Amongst his notable wins was a defeat of future Olympic bronze medalist Kat Ota.[11]
Professional wrestling[edit]
Upon graduating from the university, Sakuraba had initially thought to remain with Chuo University as a coach. However, at the last minute he decided to pursue a career as a professional wrestler. According to Sakuraba, the impetus for this stemmed from a childhood dream of one day emulating Tiger Mask, a famous Japanese cartoon hero and real-life professional wrestler.[12]
UWFi years[edit]
After considering the mixed martial arts organization Pancrase, he ultimately chose the shoot wrestling promotion UWFi, a professional wrestling league that was nonetheless known for its highly technical and realistic-looking bouts. His time in the UWFI would prove to be a formative experience for Sakuraba; it was there under the tutelage of Billy Robinson that he received his initial instruction in catch wrestling. It is catch wrestling that would serve as the base of the unorthodox ground-game that would later lead him to success in the Pride Fighting Championships.[13] He also trained in muay thai under master Bovy Chowaikung, the main UWF-i striking teacher, and refined his training under the UWF International leader Nobuhiko Takada, becoming one of his four main trainees along Kiyoshi Tamura, Yoshihiro Takayama and Masahito Kakihara.
In spite of his amateur pedigree, Sakuraba was forced to work his way up from the bottom of the UWFi's rung. Sakuraba lost his debut in 1993 to Steve Nelson and went winless through his rookie year with the league. It is also popularly alleged that under the eye of Kiyoshi Tamura, he was made to perform menial chores about the dojo.[13] Still undeterred, Sakuraba steadily built a working knowledge of submission holds upon his freestyle wrestling base until his efforts were at last rewarded with a win over Mark Silver in October 1994.
Though his record remained below .500, Sakuraba continued to edge his way closer to mid-card status through the rest of the year. Then, in 1995, the UWFi began an interpromotional feud with New Japan Pro Wrestling. The vast majority of UWFi workers came out on the losing end of the booking to the larger and more mainstream promotion and Sakuraba was no exception. He was defeated in high-profile bouts to Tokimitsu Ishizawa, Koji Kanemoto and Shinjiro Otani, bringing Sakuraba a new level of exposure to the public. The ring psychology and technical prowess he displayed in the bouts also impressed the management of the UWFi enough that he was finally pushed towards main event status.
New Japan's dominance in the feud injured the marketability of the UWFi promotion, which had pressed the perception that their athletes boasted legitimate skill in catch wrestling and kickboxing. In a bid to regain credibility, Yoji Anjoh travelled to California to challenge Rickson Gracie in the latter's own dojo, only to be swiftly and brutally defeated before the assembled Japanese press that had followed him there. With the UWFi's formerly fearsome reputation in tatters, its attendance numbers swiftly decreased, with the federation closing its doors once and for all in December 1996. In their final show it was Sakuraba who at long last headlined, defeating Anjoh by submission.
Kingdom Pro Wrestling[edit]
Following the close of the UWFi, Nobuhiko Takada, the most popular of the UWFi workers amongst the mainstream public founded Kingdom Pro Wrestling, taking in Sakuraba and the majority of his fellow UWFi alumni. In the vein of its predecessor, Kingdom was primarily a league devoted to shoot-style realistic-looking works. Having by now established his ability, Sakuraba was this time booked as a main-eventer from the outset. However, unlike the UWFi, Kingdom struggled from the beginning to draw substantial crowds. Mixed martial arts was growing in popularity, and the dominance of the Gracie family and their fellow Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioners over the field and more specifically over professional wrestlers, left the Japanese public ever more unconvinced as to the fighting ability of Kingdom's stable of athletes.
Return to New Japan[edit]
On August 12, 2012, Sakuraba, alongside Katsuyori Shibata, returned to New Japan Pro Wrestling.[14] Sakuraba and Shibata wrestled their return match on September 23, defeating Hiromu Takahashi and Wataru Inoue in a tag team match.[15] Sakuraba and Shibata, collectively dubbed Laughter7,[16] continued their winning ways at the following two pay-per-views, King of Pro-Wrestling on October 8 and Power Struggle on November 11, both times defeating the team of Togi Makabe and Wataru Inoue.[17][18] Also at Power Struggle, Shinsuke Nakamura nominated Sakuraba as the next challenger for his IWGP Intercontinental Championship.[18] On December 2, Sakuraba won his first exchange with Nakamura, when Laughter7 defeated Nakamura and Tomohiro Ishii in a tag team match to remain undefeated since their return.[19] On January 4, 2013, at Wrestle Kingdom 7 in Tokyo Dome, Sakuraba suffered his first defeat since his return to professional wrestling, when he unsuccessfully challenged Shinsuke Nakamura for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship.[20] Sakuraba and Shibata returned to their winning ways at the following pay-per-view, The New Beginning on February 10, where they defeated Hirooki Goto and Wataru Inoue in a tag team match.[21] On April 7 at Invasion Attack, Sakuraba and Shibata suffered their first tag team loss, when they were defeated by Hirooki Goto and Yuji Nagata via referee stoppage, when Sakuraba injured his right elbow, after taking a belly-to-back suplex from Nagata, and unable to continue the match.[22] New Japan later announced that Sakuraba would be sidelined for two to three months.[23] Sakuraba wrestled his return match on July 20, defeating Yuji Nagata via submission.[24] On September 8, Sakuraba and Shibata took part in the Wrestle-1 promotion's inaugural event, defeating Masakatsu Funaki and Masayuki Kono in a tag team match.[25] Sakuraba continued his rivalry with Yuji Nagata at the September 29 Destruction pay-per-view, where he and Shibata defeated Nagata and Manabu Nakanishi with Sakuraba pinning his rival for the win.[26]
On October 14, Sakuraba was defeated by Nagata in a singles rematch between the two. Following the match, Sakuraba and Nagata came together to accept a challenge issued by Daniel and Rolles Gracie[27] On January 4, 2014, at Wrestle Kingdom 8 in Tokyo Dome, Sakuraba and Nagata defeated the Gracies via disqualification, after Nagata was choked out with a gi.[28] A rematch between the two teams took place on February 11 at The New Beginning in Osaka and saw Rolles submit Sakuraba for the win.[29] Sakuraba suffered another loss against the Gracies on May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku 2014, where he teamed with Shinsuke Nakamura.[30] On May 25 at Back to the Yokohama Arena, Sakuraba ended the Gracies' win streak by defeating Rolles in a singles match.[31] Sakuraba then started a new rivalry with Minoru Suzuki.[32] The rivalry culminated in a match on January 4, 2015, at Wrestle Kingdom 9 in Tokyo Dome, where Sakuraba was defeated by Suzuki.[33]
In February 2015, through his partnership with Toru Yano, established during the Suzuki rivalry, Sakuraba became a full-fledged member of the Chaos stable.[34][35] On April 5 at Invasion Attack 2015, Sakuraba submitted Katsuyori Shibata in a tag team match, where he and Yano defeated Shibata and Hiroshi Tanahashi, igniting a rivalry between the former Laughter7 partners.[36][37]
Mixed martial arts[edit]
Ultimate Fighting Championship[edit]
In an attempt to gain attention for the embattled Kingdom Pro Wrestling league, Hiromitsu Kanehara and Yoji Anjoh signed on to compete in the Ultimate Fighting Championship's Ultimate Japan tournament. Kanehara was injured in his training for the tournament, and Sakuraba wound up as his late-hour substitute. The tournament was intended for heavyweights, and Sakuraba, at 183 pounds, was nearly twenty pounds beneath the UFC's 200 pound designation for the weight class. Purposely reporting himself as 203 pounds in order to gain entry, Sakuraba was paired off against the 243 pound Brazilian Jiu Jitsu blackbelt and former Extreme Fighting champion, Marcus Silveira.
Following a barrage of light blows by Silveira, Sakuraba dropped for a low single leg takedown but referee John McCarthy stopped the fight prematurely before Sakuraba could complete the takedown. A loud protest followed from the crowd and an angry Sakuraba attempted unsuccessfully to take the microphone and address the Japanese audience. However, after reviewing tape, McCarthy changed his decision to a no-contest. Tank Abbott, who had earlier defeated Yoji Anjoh, dropped from the tournament due to an injured hand, leaving Sakuraba and Silveira to face off once more that night in what would be the championship bout of the tournament. This time, Sakuraba claimed the victory, submitting Silveira with an armbar. Afterwards, Sakuraba famously stated, "In fact, professional wrestling is strong". With the victory Sakuraba remains one of the last UFC tournament champions to date.
With Nobuhiko Takada having left Kingdom to challenge Rickson Gracie in an event called Pride Fighting Championships, the still struggling promotion capitalized on Sakuraba's newly found popularity establishing him as Kingdom's top talent. He embarked on a winning streak against several foreign mixed martial arts competitors including Paul Herrera, Rene Rooze, Mark Hall and Orlando Weit. However, Kingdom continued to flounder and finally folded in March 1998.
Pride Fighting Championships[edit]
Entering the Pride Fighting Championships on the heels of a defeat of stablemate Nobuhiko Takada at the hands of Rickson Gracie in the organization's initial event, Sakuraba was paired off against Vernon White, then a veteran of 32 bouts who also boasted a 20-pound weight advantage. Showcasing a balance of wrestling and submission prowess, Sakuraba came after White with constant takedowns and unceasing submission attempts. White held Sakuraba off for the first two sessions, but was ultimately armbarred towards the end of the third round.
Next, Sakuraba was matched against Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran Carlos Newton. Though relatively new to mixed martial arts, Newton had recently disposed of the reigning Shooto light heavyweight champion Erik Paulson with a swift armbar victory and already developed a reputation as a talented grappler. Sakuraba finished the match in the second round, this time with a rolling kneebar. Throughout the bout, both men displayed a high-level of grappling acumen, leading many fans and pundits of mixed martial arts to label it as the definitive grappling match in the history of the sport.[citation needed]
Eager to capitalize on Sakuraba's shoot wrestling prowess to reverse the perception that Japanese professional wrestlers were inferior to Brazilian combatants (in part perpetuated by his teammates' own defeats), Sakuraba's next three bouts were scheduled against Brazilian jiu jitsu blackbelts Vitor Belfort, Allan Goes and Luta Livre blackbelt Ebenezer Fontes Braga. Sakuraba, after enduring an early flurry, defeated Belfort by unanimous decision, drew with Goes and submitted Braga via armbar. In a trend that would continue through Sakuraba's Pride career, each opponent occupied a spot near the top of the 205-pound class at the time of their meeting with him and held a weight advantage of around 20 pounds.
"The Gracie Hunter"[edit]
After defeating Anthony Macias, Sakuraba was matched against Royler Gracie, who had previously conquered Sakuraba's stablemate Yuhi Sano. It marked the largest weight advantage Sakuraba has enjoyed in his career to date (being around 30 pounds heavier than Royler). Royler, unable to score a takedown or strike effectively from a standing position, remained on the ground in an effort to bait Sakuraba into a grappling-oriented contest, while Sakuraba, standing, landed punishing kicks to Royler's legs, thighs and head. Eventually, with less than two minutes remaining, Sakuraba finally engaged Royler on the ground, soon catching him in an elbow lock known as Gyaku Ude Garami or Double-top wristlock. As Sakuraba wrenched on the submission, the referee intervened with 1 minute and 44 seconds remaining on the clock, ending the contest and awarding Sakuraba the win by TKO. Sakuraba's victory over Royler constituted the first loss by a Gracie in professional fighting in several decades and as such, sent ripples of shock and controversy through the mixed martial arts community. Some protested that the victory was tainted due to the fact that Royler (although placed in a debilitating submission hold) never conceded defeat and was mere seconds away from the final bell when the bout was stopped. It is worth noting that the last Japanese athlete to defeat a Gracie prior to Sakuraba's win against Royler, legendary judoka Masahiko Kimura, had used the very same catch wrestling technique Sakuraba utilized to beat Royler. That time, the recipient had been Royler's father, Helio Gracie, who had, like Royler, also refused to submit but likewise lost.
While the Japanese fight media rejoiced and elevated Sakuraba to superstar status, the Gracie family took great umbrage over the incident, feeling that they had been cheated by Pride. Compelled to set the record straight and re-assert the dominance of his family, Royler's younger brother and former UFC Champion Royce Gracie returned to the sport of mixed martial arts in 2000 and entered the 16-Man Pride Grand Prix alongside Sakuraba and several other top fighters of the era. Placed on the same side of the bracket, a special set of rules were requested by the Gracies in the event of a Sakuraba-Royce match, including no referee stoppages and no time-limits, the fight ending only in the event of a submission or knock-out. In his first fight of the 2000 Pride tournament Sakuraba once again found himself matched up against a heavier opponent, this time the well-regarded 205-pound fighter, former King of Pancrase Guy Mezger. After a closely fought 15 minutes the judges requested an overtime round, and the fight ended in controversy when Mezger's coach Ken Shamrock forced his fighter back to the locker room claiming that no additional rounds were agreed upon in the contract. Sakuraba ended up winning the match by forfeit. Meanwhile, Royce defeated Nobuhiko Takada by unanimous decision and thus set the stage for their much anticipated showdown.
In the tournament quarterfinals Royce and Sakuraba battled for an hour and a half (six 15 minute rounds). Sakuraba nearly ended the match with a knee bar towards the end of the first round. As the confrontation stretched on, the Gracie's own no time-limit rules began to work against Royce as Sakuraba's wrestling skills and balance nullified Royce's ability to score a takedown and—in some instances—even pull guard. Even Royce's ever-present jiu-jitsu gi became a weapon for the wrestler to use against him as Sakuraba used it to help him control Gracie on the instances the fight did come to the ground. However, with Sakuraba's control of the takedown, these instances of ground warfare became increasingly sporadic. After the 90 minute battle of punishing leg kicks, Royce's brother, Rorion threw in the towel. Sakuraba would lose a rematch with Royce in 2007, though Royce tested positive for illegal steroids after the fight and was suspended for six months.
Prior to the bout, there was speculation that the fight was largely personal, with Royce looking to avenge his brother and Sakuraba looking to atone for his stablemate's defeats and vindicate professional wrestling and the UWFi once and for all. However, following the stoppage, Royce and Sakuraba embraced in the ring. Gracious in victory. Exhausted from his battle with Royce, Sakuraba surprised many when he emerged from the locker room for the tournament semi-finals. His opponent, Igor Vovchanchyn, outweighed him by close to fifty pounds (Sakuraba had come into the bout with Royce lighter than usual, at 176 pounds) and was considered to be the top heavyweight striker of the day. Sakuraba surprised many by taking Vovchanchyn down and nearly finishing him with an armbar. Sakuraba was actually leading the fight past the 10 minute mark, but near the end Igor was able to reverse a takedown and draw the first round even with ground strikes. After the first round was declared a draw Sakuraba's corner threw in the towel before the beginning of overtime, primilary due to fatigue.
Following the Grand Prix, Sakuraba was christened the "Gracie Hunter" by the Japanese sports media. Keeping in tow with his new nickname, Sakuraba sandwiched a swift victory via achilles lock against Shannon Ritch between fights against brothers Renzo Gracie and Ryan Gracie. In contrast to Royler and Royce, Renzo and Ryan were products of Carlson Gracie's approach to jiu-jitsu, which placed a stronger emphasis on combat-ready skills and training without a gi.
At the time of his bout with Sakuraba, Renzo's only loss in 10 bouts was a closely contested decision to Sakuraba's former UWFi stablemate and rival, Kiyoshi Tamura while Maurice Smith, Oleg Taktarov and Abu Dhabi champion Sanae Kikuta numbered amongst his victims. Renzo's stylistic differences from his cousins were in evidence from the outset of his contest against Sakuraba, as he pressed the pace of the bout with a variety of kicks and punches, although few connected. Sakuraba responded in kind, and the striking seemed to stalemate. Throwing his wrestling into the equation, Sakuraba timed a number of double and single leg takedowns against Renzo's flurries from where he alternately attempted to cartwheel past Gracie's guard, malign his legs with kicks from the standing position and even attack with a low dropkick. However, Renzo's defensive skills from bottom nullified the entire gamut of Sakuraba's offensive attempts until mere seconds remained in the battle and the contestants found themselves pressed against the turnbuckle. Sakuraba locked in a kimura and spun around, flipping Renzo to the canvas even as he wrenched his arm behind his back. Like Royler and Helio before him, Renzo refused to submit to the hold despite his elbow being snapped prior to hitting the ground and, even as the referee stopped the contest due to the injury, which awarded victory to Sakuraba. His arm in a sling, Renzo took the microphone and, before the 35,000 fans assembled at the Seibu Dome, stated that Sakuraba was "the Japanese version of the Gracie family". Renzo has since referred to the bout as his proudest moment in mixed martial arts, due to his refusal to submit in the face of injury.[38]
Ryan Gracie, who had fought on the same card and emerged victorious, issued a challenge to Sakuraba and the two were subsequently scheduled to meet at Pride 12. Due to a shoulder injury, the fight was limited to a single 10-minute round, where Ryan's spirited efforts were generally stymied and controlled by Sakuraba, who noticeably avoided attacks on his younger opponent's injured arm.
Decline and comeback[edit]
Following the win against Ryan, Sakuraba battled Wanderlei Silva. Sakuraba knocked Wanderlei down, but the Brazilian Muay Thai specialist recovered to TKO Sakuraba via knees to the head on the ground in the initial minutes of the first round. It marked Sakuraba's second defeat in mixed martial arts and his first loss in the 205-pound division. In spite of his weight disadvantage, Sakuraba had been a heavy favorite to win. Sakuraba then shocked the audience by giving Silva his belt with Saku engraved on it. Wanderlei then stated that he would willingly give Sakuraba a rematch if Sakuraba wanted one.
After sitting out the next Pride to recuperate, Sakuraba found himself across the ring from Quinton Jackson, a former collegiate wrestler who had compiled a record of 10–1 on the American circuit. At the sound of the bell, Sakuraba immediately took the bigger and more powerful man to the canvas with a low single-leg takedown. However, Jackson's superior size and enormous physical strength allowed him to muscle out of Sakuraba's submission attempts. After locking his legs about Jackson for a triangle choke, Sakuraba found himself hefted into the air and repeatedly slammed to the canvas. Later, he attempted an armbar against Jackson, only for the Tennessee native to again lift him up and this time, attempt to drop him from the ring. His expression unchanging through the course of Jackson's assault, Sakuraba continued to flow from one lock to another. Eventually, he took the back of an exhausted Jackson and submitted him with his first rear naked choke victory. The contest was a launchpad for Jackson's career, leading to a long-term contract with Pride where he eventually became regarded as a top middleweight competitor.
It also re-established Sakuraba's proficiency in dealing with larger opponents and placed him back in line for another shot at Wanderlei Silva in Pride's next event, this time to decide Pride's inaugural 205-pound champion. Usually prone to humorous entrances, it was a somber and focused Sakuraba that came down the aisle for his rematch with Silva. As with Jackson, Sakuraba was able to score an early takedown in the bout, where he then worked from Silva's guard. After several minutes searching for an opening, he finally found one when Silva attempted to escape to his feet. Sakuraba locked on a tight guillotine, but was countered by a slam from Wanderlei which ended up breaking his collar bone. Not willing to let him go on so hampered, his corner threw in the towel between rounds.
Sakuraba took time off to let his shoulder heal, then returned against heavyweight kickboxer Mirko Cro Cop. Sakuraba managed to take Cro Cop down, but sustained another injury, this time a broken orbital bone done by a powerful punch from the guard . Finally assenting to place him in competition against fighters of his own weight class, Pride management put him against French jiu jitsu champion Gilles Arsene in a bout Sakuraba dominated and then against Rickson Gracie protege, Antonio Schembri. With a win over Schembri, it was speculated that Sakuraba might be then groomed for a championship fight in a new weight division for fighters of his size. Sakuraba controlled the fight until Schembri stunned Sakuraba with a series of knee strikes, winning by TKO.
At Pride Total Elimination, Sakuraba faced Wanderlei Silva for the third time. Again flashing a comic entrance, Sakuraba started the match exchanging strikes in the stand-up with the Brazilian specialist. Silva blocked a takedown attempt and delivered knees to the head, but Sakuraba escaped and kept trading strikes, which at the end got him dramatically knocked out. After the fight, there was talk of Kazushi planning to retire, but nothing came from it.
Those defeats seemed to mark a turning point in Sakuraba's career; though he was unbeaten in his first nine Pride bouts, he thereafter split his next six matches before suffering a particularly devastating loss against Ricardo Arona at Pride's Middleweight Grand Prix event in June 2005, during which his face became severely swollen and bloody due to repeated knee strikes to the head while in the downed position; his corner stopped the fight after the second round. Following the win, Pride president Sakakibara suggested Sakuraba might move down in weight to compete in their newly formed 183-pound division. However, instead of moving down in weight, Sakuraba began training at Chute Boxe Academy in Brazil alongside his one-time rival, Wanderlei Silva.
Upon completion of his training, he made his return to the ring to engage in yet another contest at the 205-pound limit, this time against fellow shoot wrestler Ken Shamrock. Three minutes into the bout, Sakuraba struck through Shamrock's guard with a left hand. Shamrock staggered back and ultimately fell into the ropes, his head hanging out of the ring, his back turned to Sakuraba. Sakuraba rushed in to follow up but before any meaningful offense could be launched, the fight was halted by referee Yuji Shimada. Shamrock sprang to his feet immediately following the KO and protested vigorously. Opinions have been mixed regarding the KO's legitimacy; Ken's adopted brother and rival, Frank, has stated he believed the stoppage was justified, while others have come down on the opposing side.
Prior to Pride's Shockwave 2005 New Year's Eve event, Sakuraba strongly petitioned for a match against fellow shoot wrestler and professional wrestling proponent, Kiyoshi Tamura, even going so far as to publicly request a bout with Tamura. However, with Tamura refusing to face him, Sakuraba recommended another shoot wrestler, Ikuhisa Minowa, who referred to himself as a "real pro wrestler." Sakuraba did not request the match due to any grudge against Minowa, but rather because he believed that he and Minowa would put on a fight worthy of the Shockwave event. The bout was a competitive one, with Minowa getting the better of Sakuraba strike-wise and nearly catching him first with a kneebar and then a heel-hook. In the end, Sakuraba managed to outwrestle Minowa on the ground and catch him in a kimura which, although Minowa would not tap to it, nonetheless prompted the referee to halt the contest. The victory marked his final bout under the Pride banner; it also marked one of the few times he was matched against an opponent of his own size from the 183-pound division and his first bout against a Japanese fighter.
On 3 May 2006, Sakuraba surprisingly appeared with Hero's head Akira Maeda at a Hero's event wearing his street clothes (yellow shirt and blue jeans) and a pro wrestling mask in the style of one of his childhood heroes, Tiger Mask. He did not reveal himself, but it was apparent that it was a masked Sakuraba and that he signed with K-1 and FEG. A day later, Sakuraba appeared at a FEG press conference to announce he would fight in Hero's. His defection to Hero's was a culmination of several signs that suggested he was leaving Pride. It was reported that Sakuraba left Takada Dojo (run by Pride's general manager, Nobuhiko Takada), and conspicuously was not entered into Pride's 2006 Open Weight Grand Prix Tournament.
Sakuraba was then scheduled to compete in Hero's Light Heavyweight Tournament. His first opponent was the 16–5 Lithuanian Kęstutis Smirnovas. Sakuraba opened the fight striking aggressively and even flooring Smirnovas with a kick. However, as he was coming in to follow up, Smirnovas caught Sakuraba cleanly, knocking him down to his knees and hands. Sakuraba then turned over, sliding beneath the bottom rope, where Smirnovas unleashed repeated blows to his head. Sakuraba seemed at this point unable to defend himself; when the referee stepped between the two fighters, it seemed likely he was moving to put an end to the contest. However, instead of halting the battle, the referee re-positioned the fighters from underneath the bottom rope into the ring and resumed the bout. Though the restarting of fighters who have found themselves near or outside the ropes is common practice, it was nonetheless controversial.
Following the restart, Smirnovas picked up where he'd left off, pounding a supine Sakuraba whose only defense seemed to turtle up. Finally, Sakuraba got to his feet and worked for a single-leg on Smirnovas. The attempt was thwarted and again Sakuraba found himself beneath the Lithuanian who this time attempted to work a rear-naked choke. Sakuraba escaped the attempt and returned his feet once again. From this point on, Sakuraba's earlier cobwebs seemed to have cleared and he began to land combinations upon the Lithuanian with greater and greater frequency until Smirnovas finally collapsed from the assault. Sakuraba assumed side-control and swiftly moved into an armbar. Smirnovas fought the technique as long as he could, but was eventually forced to submit to spare his arm which had been fully extended.
Initially there were some doubts as to whether Sakuraba would be able to make it into the next round of the Hero's tournament based on the severity of the damage he endured against Smirnovas. However, Sakuraba reported that a follow-up CAT scan had found no irregularities and was then slated to face one-time Olympic judoka, Yoshihiro Akiyama in the tournament's semi-finals on October 9 in what K-1 hoped would be a high revenue match-up. The winner of that bout was to face the victor between Melvin Manhoef and Shungo Oyama to determine a tournament champion.
However, during a hard sparring session for the upcoming bout Sakuraba began vomiting and fainted. After being rushed to the hospital he was diagnosed with vertebrobasilar damage that restricted blood circulation to the head and neck area. The doctors determined the damage was caused from years of untreated head injuries dating back to his college years.
In spite of this revelation, Sakuraba was—rather than being granted a break to recover and possibly undergo surgery—scheduled to return to action on December 31, 2006 against Yoshihiro Akiyama at K-1 Dynamite!!. The bout ended with Sakuraba struggling to execute a kneebar submission while Akiyama attacked with ground and pound. Words were exchanged between Sakuraba and referee Yoshinori Umeki prior to the stop, which was brought on by the sounding of a bell at the behest of Akira Maeda, the event coordinator, the referee separating the fighters following the bell rather than initiating the stop himself.
Afterwards, the usually soft-spoken Sakuraba surprised many with complaints that Akiyama's body had been greased. The referee in charge subsequently checked Akiyama's body and gave indication to ringside officials that he had not found anything unusual. In the aftermath of the fight the controversy escalated drastically and new accusations of weighed gloves also surfaced. To deal with the growing controversy, K-1 launched an investigation to look into the accusations against Akiyama. Although Akiyama's gloves were found to be regulation, video-tape revealed Akiyama administering a lotion to his skin. Akiyama—who attested he was simply treating his dry skin—was found to have been "negligent" and disqualified. The fight was subsequently declared a no-contest and Akiyama's purse was withheld. A press conference followed, wherein Akiyama—now heavily maligned by the Japanese sports media—offered a public apology.
Although Sakuraba wore a shirt into the ring against Akiyama which read "K Sakuraba: End of Service", his experience against Akiyama apparently changed his plans regarding retirement and at Heros 8 he submitted the winless Yurij Kiseliov by armbar.
Following that win, he would next share the mixed martial arts ring with his fellow shoot wrestler and UWFi alum, Kiyoshi Tamura. Once again donning the guise of his childhood hero, Tiger Mask, as he had to signal his exodus from Pride Fighting Championships to Heros, Sakuraba this time wore the mask to mark the occasion of his return to Pride at their final DSE promoted show, Kamikaze. Before the assembled crowd at the Saitama Super Arena—Pride's most frequented venue—Sakuraba and Tamura publicly voiced their willingness to meet in a Pride ring, before shaking hands and embracing. A bout between Tamura and Sakuraba had been one of Pride's most frequently promised match-ups, one that had never been delivered upon in spite of several efforts to put it together.
On 2 June 2007, Sakuraba rematched Royce Gracie in K-1 Dynamite!! USA. The bout itself was fought at a relatively slow pace; Sakuraba knocked Gracie to the canvas in the opening seconds and finished the bout searching for an armbar, having taken the back of Gracie. In the intervening time, Sakuraba scored multiple takedowns while Gracie scored a number of kicks to the legs and face once on bottom. Royce won by a somewhat controversial unanimous decision, as many viewers and MMA sites felt that Sakuraba won the fight, Sherdog scored it 29–28 in favor of the Japanese fighter,[39] and Gracie tested positive for steroids after the bout.[40]
Sakuraba returned to the ring on 17 September 2007 at K-1 Hero's 10 against former NJPW pro wrestler Katsuyori Shibata. Prior to the bout, Shibata's trainer, Masakatsu Funaki had challenged Sakuraba on the basis that he their styles would make for an entertaining contest. Shibata came out striking aggressively, but was soon taken to the canvas by Sakuraba's trademark single leg. Shibata unleashed a torrent of blows off his back, but the more experienced Sakuraba responded with strikes of his own before transitioning into an arm bar and finishing the bout.
Sakuraba versus Funaki[edit]
Following his victory, Sakuraba praised the fighting spirit of Shibata[41] and accepted Funaki's challenge. Much like Sakuraba, Funaki was trained in shoot wrestling and emerged into the world of mixed martial arts on the heels of a career in the UWF (the direct predecessor of Sakuraba's UWF International). Both men also held in common a past history of submission wins over world-class opposition and recognition as two of the top Japanese mixed martial artists to date. Appropriately, their bout took place in the main event of K-1's year end Dynamite!! show, which garners more TV viewers each year than any other televised mixed martial arts event in Japan.
After exchanging professional wrestling-inspired entrances, the submission specialists traded strikes. Funaki's arsenal of punches and kicks appeared to be quicker and more powerful, but Sakuraba was able to sneak in a double leg takedown after Funaki committed heavily to a missed right cross. On the ground, Funaki closed guard around Sakuraba before opening it up to spin for a kneebar. For a moment, Funaki appeared to secure Sakuraba's leg only to be thwarted by a combination of Sakuraba's submission acumen and their position against the ring ropes, which blocked Funaki from rolling with the hold. Sakuraba then maneuvered to Funaki's back, only for the Pancrase founder to roll back into the guard position. Breaking away from the grappling contest, Sakuraba stood up and began to assault the still-prone Funaki's legs with a series of kicks. Funaki answered with a kick of his own, blackening Sakuraba's eye and cutting his face. Sakuraba returned himself to the ground, where Funaki immediately attempted to sweep him. However, Sakuraba blocked the attempt and secured a double wristlock, eventually forcing Funaki to submit.
In 2008, it was announced that Kazushi Sakuraba would compete in the Middleweight Grand Prix of the new MMA promotion, Dream. On 29 April 2008, Sakuraba defeated Andrews Nakahara in the main event at Dream 2: Middle Weight Grandprix 2008 1st Round. However, he was knocked out (and thus eliminated from the tournament) by Melvin Manhoef in the main event of Dream 4: Middle Weight Grandprix 2008 2nd Round. During the match, Sakuraba suffered an ulnar fracture of the left forearm, which was caused by a kick from Manhoef [3]. Sakuraba has returned to the Dream promotion on a further six occasions. He lost to Kiyoshi Tamura at Dynamite!! 2008 and defeated boxer turned mixed martial artist Rubin Williams at Dream 11, before facing Croatian Zelg Galesic on Dream 12. Sakuraba took Galesic to the ground via single leg takedown and he immediately transitioned to a leg lock. Galesic tried to defend himself against the submission by raining punches on Sakuraba. Sakuraba absorbed the punches and held on to Galesic's leg until he successfully made the Croatian tap out due to a kneebar. On May 29 he faced Ralek Gracie, at the Saitama Super Arena in Dream 14.[4] where he lost by unanimous decision. On September 25, at Dream 16, Sakuraba lost to Jason "Mayhem" Miller via arm triangle choke.[42]
Sakuraba fought for the Dream Welterweight Championship against current champion Marius Zaromskis at Dynamite!! 2010 on December 2010.[43] The fight ended in doctor stoppage, Sakuraba's ear was partially ripped off.[44]
Sakuraba fought against undefeated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt Yan Cabral at Dream 17, losing via head arm triangle. This was Sakuraba's 6th loss in his last 8 fights.
In wrestling[edit]
- Finishing moves
- Cross armbreaker[45]
- Sakuraba Lock (kimura lock)[46]
- Signature moves
- Triangle choke[47]
- Yurikamome (Inverted lotus hold can opener)[48]
On November 22, 2014, Sakuraba fought Renzo Gracie in a grappling match in Metamoris V. The fight ended in a draw.
Championships and accomplishments[edit]
Mixed martial arts[edit]
- 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
- Tied with Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira for the most submission wins (11) in Pride FC history
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- UFC Japan Heavyweight Tournament winner
- First Japanese champion in UFC history
Professional wrestling[edit]
- Kingdom
- Kingdom One Million Yen Tournament (1997)[51]
Amateur wrestling[edit]
- National championship runner-up (high school)
- East Japan freshman championship
- All Japan collegiate wrestling championships (fourth place)
Mixed martial arts record[edit]
Professional record breakdown | ||
45 matches | 26 wins | 15 losses |
By knockout | 4 | 9 |
By submission | 19 | 3 |
By decision | 3 | 3 |
Draws | 1 | |
No contests | 3 |
Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
Loss | 26–16–1 (2) | Yan Cabral | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | Dream 17 | September 24, 2011 | 2 | 2:42 | Saitama, Saitama, Japan | |
Loss | 26–15–1 (2) | Marius Zaromskis | TKO (doctor stoppage) | Dynamite!! 2010 | December 31, 2010 | 1 | 2:16 | Saitama, Saitama, Japan | For Dream Welterweight Championship. |
Loss | 26–14–1 (2) | Jason Miller | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | Dream 16 | September 25, 2010 | 1 | 2:09 | Nagoya, Aichi, Japan | |
Loss | 26–13–1 (2) | Ralek Gracie | Decision (unanimous) | Dream 14 | May 29, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Saitama, Saitama, Japan | |
Win | 26–12–1 (2) | Zelg Galešić | Submission (kneebar) | Dream 12 | October 25, 2009 | 1 | 1:40 | Osaka, Osaka, Japan | |
Win | 25–12–1 (2) | Rubin Williams | Submission (kimura) | Dream 11 | October 6, 2009 | 1 | 2:53 | Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan | |
Loss | 24–12–1 (2) | Kiyoshi Tamura | Decision (unanimous) | Dynamite!! 2008 | December 31, 2008 | 2 | 5:00 | Saitama, Saitama, Japan | |
Loss | 24–11–1 (2) | Melvin Manhoef | KO (punches) | Dream 4 | June 15, 2008 | 1 | 1:30 | Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan | Dream Middleweight GP Quarterfinals. |
Win | 24–10–1 (2) | Andrews Nakahara | Submission (neck crank) | Dream 2 | April 29, 2008 | 1 | 8:20 | Saitama, Saitama, Japan | Dream Middleweight GP Opening Round. |
Win | 23–10–1 (2) | Masakatsu Funaki | Submission (kimura) | K-1 PREMIUM 2007 Dynamite!! | December 31, 2007 | 1 | 6:25 | Osaka, Osaka, Japan | |
Win | 22–10–1 (2) | Katsuyori Shibata | Submission (armbar) | Hero's 10 | September 17, 2007 | 1 | 6:20 | Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan | |
Loss | 21–10–1 (2) | Royce Gracie | Decision (unanimous) | Dynamite!! USA | June 2, 2007 | 3 | 5:00 | Los Angeles, California United States | Gracie tested positive for anabolic steroids after match.[5] |
Win | 21–9–1 (2) | Yurij Kiselov | Submission (triangle armbar) | Hero's 8 | March 12, 2007 | 1 | 1:26 | Nagoya, Aichi, Japan | |
NC | 20–9–1 (2) | Yoshihiro Akiyama | No Contest (greasing) | K-1 PREMIUM 2006 Dynamite!! | December 31, 2006 | 1 | 5:37 | Osaka, Osaka, Japan | Originally TKO loss; was ruled a no contest after Akiyama confessed to applying lotion before the fight. |
Win | 20–9–1 (1) | Kestutis Smirnovas | Submission (armbar) | Hero's 6 | August 5, 2006 | 1 | 6:41 | Tokyo, Japan | Hero's 2006 Light Heavyweight Grand Prix Quarterfinals; unable to continue in tournament due to medical reasons. |
Win | 19–9–1 (1) | Ikuhisa Minowa | Technical Submission (kimura) | Pride Shockwave 2005 | December 31, 2005 | 1 | 9:59 | Saitama, Saitama, Japan | |
Win | 18–9–1 (1) | Ken Shamrock | TKO (punch) | Pride 30 | October 23, 2005 | 1 | 2:27 | Saitama, Saitama, Japan | |
Loss | 17–9–1 (1) | Ricardo Arona | TKO (corner stoppage) | Pride Critical Countdown 2005 | June 26, 2005 | 2 | 5:00 | Saitama, Saitama, Japan | Pride 2005 Middleweight GP Quarterfinals. |
Win | 17–8–1 (1) | Yoon Dong-Sik | KO (punches) | Pride Total Elimination 2005 | April 23, 2005 | 1 | 0:38 | Osaka, Osaka, Japan | Pride 2005 Middleweight GP Opening Round. |
Win | 16–8–1 (1) | Nino Schembri | Decision (unanimous) | Pride Critical Countdown 2004 | June 20, 2004 | 3 | 5:00 | Saitama, Saitama, Japan | |
Loss | 15–8–1 (1) | Antônio Rogério Nogueira | Decision (unanimous) | Pride Shockwave 2003 | December 31, 2003 | 3 | 5:00 | Saitama, Saitama, Japan | |
Win | 15–7–1 (1) | Kevin Randleman | Submission (armbar) | Pride Final Conflict 2003 | November 9, 2003 | 3 | 2:36 | Tokyo, Japan | |
Loss | 14–7–1 (1) | Wanderlei Silva | KO (punch) | Pride Total Elimination 2003 | August 10, 2003 | 1 | 5:01 | Saitama, Saitama, Japan | Pride 2003 Middleweight GP Opening Round. |
Loss | 14–6–1 (1) | Nino Schembri | TKO (knees) | Pride 25 | March 16, 2003 | 1 | 6:15 | Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan | |
Win | 14–5–1 (1) | Gilles Arsene | Submission (armbar) | Pride 23 | November 24, 2002 | 3 | 2:08 | Tokyo, Japan | |
Loss | 13–5–1 (1) | Mirko Filipović | TKO (doctor stoppage) | Pride Shockwave | August 28, 2002 | 2 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |
Loss | 13–4–1 (1) | Wanderlei Silva | TKO (doctor stoppage) | Pride 17 | November 3, 2001 | 1 | 10:00 | Tokyo, Japan | For the Pride Middleweight Championship. |
Win | 13–3–1 (1) | Quinton Jackson | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Pride 15 | July 29, 2001 | 1 | 5:41 | Saitama, Saitama, Japan | |
Loss | 12–3–1 (1) | Wanderlei Silva | TKO (knees & soccer kicks) | Pride 13 | March 25, 2001 | 1 | 1:38 | Saitama, Saitama, Japan | |
Win | 12–2–1 (1) | Ryan Gracie | Decision (unanimous) | Pride 12 | December 9, 2000 | 1 | 10:00 | Saitama, Saitama, Japan | |
Win | 11–2–1 (1) | Shannon Ritch | Submission (achilles lock) | Pride 11 | October 31, 2000 | 1 | 1:08 | Osaka, Osaka, Japan | |
Win | 10–2–1 (1) | Renzo Gracie | Technical Submission (kimura) | Pride 10 | August 27, 2000 | 2 | 9:43 | Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan | |
Loss | 9–2–1 (1) | Igor Vovchanchyn | TKO (corner stoppage) | Pride Grand Prix 2000 Finals | May 1, 2000 | 1 | 15:00 | Tokyo, Japan | Pride 2000 Openweight GP Semifinals. Decision went to overtime, withdrew due to exhaustion. |
Win | 9–1–1 (1) | Royce Gracie | TKO (corner stoppage) | Pride Grand Prix 2000 Finals | May 1, 2000 | 6 | 15:00 | Tokyo, Japan | Pride 2000 Openweight GP Quarterfinals. Rules modified for unlimited rounds/no ref stoppages. Fight of the Year (2000). |
Win | 8–1–1 (1) | Guy Mezger | TKO (retirement) | Pride Grand Prix 2000 Opening Round | January 30, 2000 | 1 | 15:00 | Tokyo, Japan | Pride 2000 Openweight GP Opening Round; Mezger forfeited due to contract dispute. |
Win | 7–1–1 (1) | Royler Gracie | Technical Submission (kimura) | Pride 8 | November 21, 1999 | 2 | 13:16 | Tokyo, Japan | |
Win | 6–1–1 (1) | Anthony Macias | Submission (armbar) | Pride 7 | September 12, 1999 | 2 | 2:30 | Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan | |
Win | 5–1–1 (1) | Ebenezer Fontes Braga | Submission (armbar) | Pride 6 | July 4, 1999 | 1 | 9:23 | Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan | |
Win | 4–1–1 (1) | Vitor Belfort | Decision (unanimous) | Pride 5 | April 29, 1999 | 2 | 10:00 | Nagoya, Aichi, Japan | |
Draw | 3–1–1 (1) | Allan Goes | Draw | Pride 4 | October 11, 1998 | 3 | 10:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |
Win | 3–1 (1) | Carlos Newton | Submission (kneebar) | Pride 3 | June 24, 1998 | 2 | 5:19 | Tokyo, Japan | |
Win | 2–1 (1) | Vernon White | Submission (armbar) | Pride 2 | March 15, 1998 | 3 | 6:53 | Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan | |
Win | 1–1 (1) | Marcus Silveira | Submission (armbar) | UFC Japan | December 21, 1997 | 1 | 3:44 | Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan | Won UFC Ultimate Japan Heavyweight Tournament. |
NC | 0–1 (1) | Marcus Silveira | No Contest (early stoppage) | UFC Japan | December 21, 1997 | 1 | 1:51 | Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan | Referee John McCarthy stopped the bout while Sakuraba was going in for a takedown. |
Loss | 0–1 | Kimo Leopoldo | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | Shoot Boxing – S-Cup 1996 | July 14, 1996 | 1 | 4:20 | Tokyo, Japan | Openweight bout |
See also[edit]
- ^ http://www.pridefc.com/pride2005/index.php?mainpage=fighters&fID=141
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M63_xmKTzIc
- ^ http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2013/9/13/4623902/gods-of-war-kazushi-sakuraba-saku-gracie-hunter-catch-wrestling-UFWi
- ^ http://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/kazushi-sakuraba-the-gracie-hunter
- ^ http://www.cagepotato.com/gracie-hunter-returns-sakuraba-vs-ralek-gracie-booked-dream14/
- ^ http://espn.go.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2354279/kazushi-sakuraba
- ^ http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1148157-20-mma-legends-that-will-never-be-replaced/page/3
- ^ https://www.cagedinsider.com/ufc/top-ten-bone-breaks-in-mma/
- ^ http://www.mmajunkie.com/news/2012/06/sakuraba-fan-and-tuf-brazil-finalist-rony-jason-promises-japanese-flair-at-ufc-147
- ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/extra/mma/news/story?id=3773811
- ^ The Scientific Wrestling Times, Volume 1., No. 10
- ^ The Scientific Wrestling Times, Volume 1., No. 10, Alan Lee, "Searching for Kazushi part 1" [1]
- ^ a b Scientific Wrestling Times Vol. 1, No. 11, Alan Lee, "Searching For Kazushi part 2"[2]
- ^ 2012/08/12(日)15:00 東京・両国国技館 <優勝決定戦>. New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). August 12, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2012.
- ^ "NJPW 40th anniversary Destruction". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved September 23, 2012.
- ^ "桜庭・柴田の参戦が正式決定! 真霜は真壁と一騎打ち!IWGP Jr.には田口が挑戦! 9・23神戸全対戦カード決定!". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). September 10, 2012. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
- ^ "NJPW 40th anniversary King of Pro-Wrestling". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved October 21, 2012.
- ^ a b "NJPW 40th anniversary Power Struggle". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- ^ "NJPW 40th anniversary Tour World Tag League 2012". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved December 2, 2012.
- ^ "Wrestle Kingdom 7 ~Evolution~ in 東京ドーム". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved January 4, 2013.
- ^ "The New Beginning". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved February 10, 2013.
- ^ "Invasion Attack". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved April 7, 2013.
- ^ 【お知らせ】桜庭和志選手のケガの状況に関して(※追記). New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). April 7, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
- ^ "吉野家Presents Kizuna Road 2013". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved July 20, 2013.
- ^ "武藤新団体「Wrestle-1」旗揚げ戦". Sports Navi (in Japanese). Yahoo!. September 8, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
- ^ "Destruction". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved September 30, 2013.
- ^ "King of Pro-Wrestling". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved October 14, 2013.
- ^ "バディファイトPresents Wrestle Kingdom 8 in 東京ドーム". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved January 4, 2014.
- ^ "The New Beginning in Osaka". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved February 11, 2014.
- ^ レスリングどんたく 2014. New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved May 3, 2014.
- ^ "Back to the Yokohama Arena". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved May 25, 2014.
- ^ Caldwell, James (August 10, 2014). "Caldwell's New Japan G1 Climax finals results 8/10: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of Okada vs. Nakamura tournament finals, Styles vs. Tanahashi, Jeff Jarrett, ROH tag champs, more". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
- ^ "Wrestle Kingdom 9 in 東京ドーム". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved 2015-01-04.
- ^ "桜庭まさかの悪役転身!". Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). 2015-02-02. Retrieved 2015-04-07.
- ^ "『Road to レスリングどんたく』『New Japan Alive』全カード決定! 開幕戦で豪華10人タッグ! 4.27博多スターレーンで後藤&真壁vs中邑&石井!". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). 2015-04-06. Retrieved 2015-04-07.
- ^ "桜庭がかつての盟友・柴田から"一本"". Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). 2015-04-06. Retrieved 2015-04-07.
- ^ "柴田が師匠・桜庭に宣戦布告". Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). 2015-04-14. Retrieved 2015-04-14.
- ^ IFL Battleground - Renzo Gracie of IFL Battleground | UGO.com
- ^ "K-1 "Dynamite!! USA" Play-by-Play". Sherdog.com. 2007-06-02. Retrieved 2014-04-04.
- ^ "Royce Gracie Suspended, Fined For Steroids". Thesweetscience.com. Retrieved 2014-04-04.
- ^ FansOfK1.com - K-1 Hero's REPORT
- ^ Sherdog
- ^ Steven Marrocco. "Mariusz Zaromskis to face Kazushi Sakuraba at "Dynamite!! 2010"". MMAjunkie.
- ^ Michael David Smith. "Sakuraba's Ear Takes a Beating at Dynamite 2010". MMA Fighting.
- ^ "Profile at Puroresu Central". Puroresu Central. Retrieved 2013-12-14.
- ^ "ブシモ Presents G1 Climax 23". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved August 11, 2013.
- ^ "New Japan Pro Wrestling - "New Japan Cup 2013"" (in German). PuroLove.com. Retrieved 2013-12-14.
- ^ "Interview with Sakuraba from Shukan Puroresu, Bessatsu Tokigo (special winter supplementary issue)". Global Training. Retrieved 2013-12-14.
- ^ http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/6/Imagining-an-MMA-Hall-of-Fame-The-Inaugural-Class-71439
- ^ a b http://www.purolove.com/tokyosports.php
- ^ http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/shoot/kingdom/kingdomtourney.html#2/
- Yu, Al (August 2, 2006). "Sakuraba and the Changing of the Guard". MMAWeekly.com. Retrieved June 29, 2007.
- Yu, Al (September 1, 2006). "Sakuraba Medically Cleared to Fight". MMAWeekly.com. Retrieved June 29, 2007.
- Yu, Al (January 2, 2007). "A Word from the Asian Sensation...". MMAWeekly.com. Retrieved June 29, 2007.
- Yu, Al (January 2, 2007). "Royce Gracie's Fine, Suspension Upheld by CSAC". MMAJunkie.com. Retrieved August 2, 2007.
External links[edit]
- Official website
- Pride FC Profile
- Dream Profile
- Professional MMA record for Kazushi Sakuraba from Sherdog
Preceded by Mark Kerr |
UFC Ultimate Japan Heavyweight tournament winner December 21, 1997 |
Succeeded by Pat Miletich |
- 1969 births
- Living people
- Japanese mixed martial artists
- Welterweight mixed martial artists
- Middleweight mixed martial artists
- Light heavyweight mixed martial artists
- Male martial artists
- Japanese sportsmen
- Japanese catch wrestlers
- Japanese sport wrestlers
- Japanese male professional wrestlers
- People from Akita Prefecture


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Business Center, Clubhouse, Controlled Access, Emergency Maintenance, Extra Storage, Fitness Center, On Site Maintenance, Playground, Swimming Pool
Additional private storage, Blinds on all windows, Dishwashers/disposals, Fireplaces available, Garages available, Intercom entry systems, Naperville School Dist. #204, NEW CLUBHOUSE/FITNESS CENTER/BUSINESS CENTER!!, NEW CYBER CAFE!, Public Transportation, Short Term Available, Two sparkling outdoor pools, Washers/Dryers in every unit
Property Details
Spacious Floor Plans at Great Prices...Beautiful Landscaped Grounds at Convenient Location...Naperville Indian Prairies School District #204.
RMK...Rely on our Management Knowledge! FOX VALLEY VILLAGES APARTMENTS AND LOFTS in AURORA IS YOUR ANSWER TO SPACIOUS, LUXURY LIVING. You'll notice our lush landscaping and private patios/balconies the minute you step onto our property. Each apartment features dishwasher, intercom entry systems, washer/dryer, garage space, 2 swimming pools and fireplaces available in select apartments. Our excellent location in Aurora gives you quick access to I-88. Also, there are two shopping malls within Aurora city limits, most notably the Fox Valley Mall. Downtown Aurora is home to the Paramount Arts Centre, a large live performance theater on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Hollywood Casino. Two main school systems have served Aurora, one on either side of the Fox River, which physically divides the city. Public transportation is provided by the Metra train, direct from your apartment to downtown Chicago, as well as Pace, which provides public bus service throughout Aurora and surrounding areas.
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Fox Valley Villages Resident
The two bedrooms are extremely cold and drafty. The maintenance persons said that there was nothing they coul Read Mored do to help us, since the buildings are old and not sealed properly. We have to put on sweaters inside our apartment at all times, it is so cold inside. I do not know about other apartments, but I would strongly advise against renting this apartment to any one.
January 28, 2014
Allison T.
Every time I have had an issue with my place I have had it resolved at most in 2 days. The staff is incredibly Read More friendly and extremely helpful. A few months after moving in actually referred a friend who no lives in the same complex. They even gave me a $500 credit.
January 25, 2014
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I moved out in August & handed in my keys, told them I would not be back, the heat was turned off, & in Januar Read Morey pipes froze in the apartment, blaming me for turning off the breakers, which the electric company told me to do, so that I wouldn't get any more charges on my account. Maintenance knowing I moved to another state, in August, not once went in to do a monthly inspection to see if the heat was on, when they're supposed to do inspections anyways, even when residents live there, failed to!!
July 24, 2014
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I was mislead when signing rental agreement.
May 24, 2014
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As a Lowes employee I received certain $ perks. Very nice. I enjoyed living there the first six months. It was Read More relatively quiet. Then other people moved in and it was extremely noisy. (Violent fighting) Whatever the people downstairs were cooking came up through openings in the plumbing in the master bedroom. Pungent.
May 24, 2014
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Noosaville, Noosa Area
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Nautilus Noosa Holiday Resort is an inviting, friendly and quality complex. Centrally located in close proximity to the beautiful Noosa River, famous Hastings Street, beaches, shops and restaurants. Free Kayak Hire to guests and a stone's throw to the Noosa River where one can swim, kayak and fish by the sandy banks. Close to award winning restaurants 'Rickys' and 'Wasabi', and others, bus stop and Noosa Ferry Wharf nearby . Great to take a ferry ride and explore the many aspects of the beautiful Noosa River.
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Re: Who would be your #1 choice?
The biggest hole on this team is RT. I want Robinson but I would still be pretty happy with Matthews. None of the qbs separate themselves enough from each other and none seem worthy of a number 1 pick and maybe not even top 10 pick. Wr just seems like a waste of a number 1 pick with such glaring needs at other positions. Clowney would be ok now since the departure of Smith and Mitchell but he kind of scares me even though he has all the measurable. Heart is the ? on him. Drafting OT will help whatever qb OB puts out on the field. OL was awful last year. Lets fix it and draft a qb (Jimmy Garoppolo, Zach Mettenberger, or A.J. McCarron) in the 2nd. I would go all defense after that except I would draft OG somewhere from round 4-6.
So basically I am saying with the 1st round pick the Texans need to go with a big ugly. Offense or defense. Robinson looks like he is our best sure thing in that department. Trading down is another option but less likely. If the Texans absolutely are bent on getting a qb with the 1st pick then I hope it is Manziel.
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has freed me from the law of sin and of death.
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In a 42 U.S.C. section 1983 action challenging a charter school's termination of a teacher, dismissal of the complaint is affirmed where plaintiff's allegations were insufficient to raise a reasonable inference that defendant was a state actor and thus acted under color of state law in taking the alleged actions.
Read Caviness v. Horizon Cmty. Learning Ctr., Inc., No. 08-15245
Appellate Information
Argued and Submitted June 9, 2009
Filed January 4, 2010
Opinion by Judge Ikuta
For Appellant:
David C. Larkin, David. C. Larkin P.C., Tempe, AZ
For Appellee:
Sally A. Odegard and Larry J. Wulkan, Holloway, Odegard, Forrest & Kally, P.C., Phoenix, AZ


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Gunny Bunny is a 3D Shooting Games. You play as a rabbit that is on a rampage to kill anything in sight. The object of this game is to walk into the forest and shoot down robot droid enemies with your pistol, sub machine gun, assault rifle and other weapons available. Use your mouse to aim then press the left mouse button to fire at your enemies from the left and then press the D key if you want to fire from the right, to pick power-ups you can press the W key.
� Aim = Use Mouse � Left Gun Fire = Left Mouse Button to fire from left gun � Right Gun Fire = Press "D" Key to fire from right gun � Power Ups = Press "W" Key to pick Powerups
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Article ID: 2549051 - View products that this article applies to. SYMPTOMSYou cannot receive a chat room invitation in the Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Group Chat client. CAUSEThis issue occurs because the lastInviteID value that is located in your local preferences is larger than the value of the lastInviteID that is located in the Group Chat server database. Therefore, the Group Chat server assumes the client received the latest invitation, and does not send a new invitation. RESOLUTIONTo fix this issue, install the following cumulative update: 2549044
Update package for the Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Group Chat server: June, 2011 MORE INFORMATIONThe lastInviteID valueon the Group Chat client is located in the following file: %appdata%\Microsoft\Group Chat\Group Chat Console\Preferences\username\Invitations To verify the lastInviteID value that is located on the Group Chat server database, follow these steps:
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The day has finally come for England's world cup campaign to start! After a slightly dull opening day to the world cup with France and Uruguay in a 0-0 and the host nation South Africa drawing 1-1 with Mexico we can hopefully expect more goals today. Argentina are playing Nigeria and I want to see Messi back to his best after Mourhinho managed to make him look human in the Champions league semis, and I certainly hope that England can at least put three past our friends across the Atlantic.
With every brand jumping on the bandwagon and definite proof that football sells, Slazenger have released this replica of the ball used in the 1966 world cup final. In a tag-line to influence us to buy it 'Maybe – just maybe – it'll bring some '66
World Cup magic this way'. I doubt it, but it's quite a nice idea and piece and is only about 10 pounds more than a standard football.
By ThomasHewetson | June 12th, 2010


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>Runner's World - My Event Ratings>
In short: A fantastic day, the crowd was amazing!In full: My first marathon, full of ups and down. Such a great experience, the support from the crowd was amazing and the camaraderie of fellow runners. It does get crowded on course at times and it was very hot especially around docklands so not great for PB.Date of review: April 18, 2011
In short: My first race, certainly got me running and hope to be back next yearDate of review: October 28, 2009


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text: Contact Us Race weekend: The Kalamazoo race weekend featured three great events, including one of the premier criterium races in Michigan. Fast course; big prizes. Race clinics: Free clinics were held on Friday night at the BTR Park. Kid's race: All ages were welcomed and we had a great field of racers! BTR 2012 video: A short film on the 2012 Miller Energy BTR Criterium in Kalamazoo, Mich., from Brian Gonda of VideoHead Productions. Your name * Your email * Subject * Message * Leave this field blank


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Supreme Court questions if harm is done by gay marriage
Audio excerpts from the oral argument in the challenge to California's ban on same-sex marriage.
We expect one or more opinions in ... (click to view)
Oral argument audio from the first half ... (click to view)
Audio excerpts from the oral argument in the challenge to California's ban on same-sex marriage.
On Monday the Court issued orders from the April 24 Conference, which Lyle reported on. We expect one or more opinions in argued cases at 10 a.m. on Wednesday. We will be live-blogging beginning at 9:45.
This is the second week of the April sitting. On Tuesday the Court will hear oral argument in Obergefell v. Hodges, which is consolidated with three other cases, on the questions of whether the Fourteenth Amendment requires that states grant and/or recognize same-sex marriages. We will be live-blogging updates from the oral argument beginning at 11 a.m.
Cases argued | 65 |
Cases decided | 27 |
Summary reversals | 7 |
Merits Cases Set for Argument | 68 |
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In a conversation with New York Public Library President Tony Marx, Justice Sotomayor recounts (among other things) her early life in the Bronx and her journey to the federal bench.
Awarded the Peabody Award for excellence in electronic media. |
Awarded the Sigma Delta Chi deadline reporting award for online coverage of the Affordable Care Act decision. |
Awarded the National Press Club's Breaking News Award for coverage of the Affordable Care Act decision. |
Awarded the Silver Gavel Award by the American Bar Association for fostering the American public's understanding of the law and the legal system. |
Awarded the American Gavel Award for Distinguished Reporting About the Judiciary to recognize the highest standards of reporting about courts and the justice system. |
Awarded the Webby Award for excellence on the internet. |
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S2I Planning for Personal Retirement Savings
Many investors make the mistake of believing the only retirement savings they have, or will ever have, is in their 401(k) and/or IRA. In reality, for these investors, 401(k) and IRA savings on average represent only about 50% of their financial assets. By not considering the other 50% - "Personal Retirement Savings" (PRS) - as a critical part of their retirement income planning, they are ignoring a huge potential source of future retirement income.
The problem is that investment earnings from PRS generally are not protected from current taxation, even if those investment earnings are being reinvested for future, not current, spending. Besides the drag of current taxes on earnings, there is also the time and expense related to tax decisions, such as buying or selling investments, reporting earnings on income tax returns, and worrying about the impact of any possible future tax law changes. Investing your PRS today could be more about tax planning than investment planning.
The good news is that there is a financial product designed specifically for PRS – the No-Load Variable Annuity that provides investment choices, low costs, and tax deferral. As important, this annuity works exceedingly well with the Savings2Income (S2I) planning method of converting savings to Guaranteed Income. (Why S2I) For illustrative investors, the chart below compares the cumulative spendable retirement income using a No-Load Variable Annuity vs. a Taxable Managed Account for your PRS.
Where else can you achieve a 28% to 52% increase (see chart above) in cumulative after tax-income without taking greater risk?
Go to Free Tools to find out what your increase might be. A concern you might have is that the results are literally "too good to be true". For an explanation of the sources of the increase go to See Why. By following the S2I planning method for building up Guaranteed Income from your Personal Retirement Savings, this strategy can produce a dramatic increase in your after-tax retirement income. Besides current financial assets, here are some other assets that could be deployed under the above Savings2Income planning method:
Click here to view potential sources of Personal Retirement Savings
• Net Proceeds from the Sale of a Business
• Net Proceeds from the Sale of a Home
• Divorce or Other Lump Sum Settlements
• Inheritance and Life Insurance Proceeds
• Cash Values of Life Insurance and Annuity Contracts
• Non-Qualified Retirement Plans


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Blurred Lines' Girl Named Esquire's First 'Woman of the Year
Description:Being naked in Robin Thicke's music video certainly paid off. The breakout star, Emily Ratajkowski, has not only landed a movie role but she was just named Esquires first-ever 'Woman of the Year.' (1:28)
Source: Hollyscoop
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Utah Code Ann. §41-1a-301
An owner or operator of a Utah based fleet of commercial vehicles operating in two or more jurisdictions may apply for an apportioned registration. This registration allows commercial vehicles to comply with registration requirements of more than one jurisdiction and to pay registration fees based on the percentage of operation in those jurisdictions.
The prorate percentage for each requested jurisdiction is determined as a fraction, the numerator of which is an amount equal to fleet mileage traveled in that jurisdiction and the denominator is total miles operated by the fleet in all jurisdictions. The total bill is determined by adding the amounts for each requested jurisdiction.
For further information, contact the Motor Carrier Services Section, (801) 297-6800.
See Utah Motor Carriers for more information.
Go Paperless! Visit Utah's Motor Vehicle Portal to sign up for e-mail renewal reminders (under Manage My Vehicles).
Business hours for state motor vehicle offices are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit this page for a complete list of DMV offices and hours.
This website is provided for general guidance only. It does not contain all motor vehicle laws or rules.


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Bull Feeney's Irish Pub/Restaurant, 375 Fore Street, Portland,Maine
In May 2006, Lynne Cullen launched Seanachie Nights (Seanachie is the Celtic
word for storyteller): a monthly series of musical storytelling
performances from Celtic and British culture that introduces the old
stories - with all their comedy, tragedy, and adventure - to an adult
Seanachie Nights is usually held on every third Monday of the month. Admission:
Free ($9 suggested donation).
Lynne's website: http://lynnecullen.com
Email Lynne Cullen at:
or call 207-846-1321 for further details.
Tags: Britsh, Celtic, Comedy, Seanachie, Storyteller, Tragedy, adventure, music
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Jennifer Armstrong will tell stories that have scared her throughout her life, beginning at age two with 'Abi Yo Yo'. Other stories and songs include: 'Barney McCabe' (a Hansel and Gretel tale from the Georgia Sea Islands), 'Kachunk' (a story from the Chippewa-Cree), 'The Griesly Bride' ( a song from Australia), and more!
Posted by Susan Dries on July 16, 2012 at 12:30pm
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Posted by Hope Lewis on July 15, 2011 at 3:46pm
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Alt-Tab Guide:
7/14/11 - Guide started as a draft guide 7/29/11 - Guide published 7/30/11 - Updated some stuff 7/31/11 - Added some images and notes 8/1/11 - Added more images and "Extra Info" section 8/6/11 - Minor updates 9/3/11 - Minor updates 3/18/12 - Updated items, skill info, and allies. 9/30/12 - Updated to 6.75, edited situational items, skill build, and item build |
Version 6.72 brought buffs to this unloved hero and had improved his gameplay for the most part. IceFrog replaced his mediocre Blind skill with two new actives, a ranged and melee version of Whirling Axes. This changed his gameplay by allowing Troll to deal some burst damage and chase more effectively. I've always personally loved Troll's insane IAS and when I read the changelog, I wanted to try him out. This guide is about my findings and what I think can maximize Troll's effectiveness in casual Dota. This is also my first guide and item/skill/gameplay suggestions are welcome! Please comment and rate but only rate after you read the entire guide! Troll has also received various buffs in the past couple versions (6.73 - 6.74) to his attack speed skills. Although they may not be as big of a buff as Whirling Axes but it is still useful nonetheless. Also, with the coming of DotA 2, mechanics that were a hassle in WC3 will be improved (being able to Bash and Crit in phase boots and toggling melee and ranged forms with Berserker Rage) and a smoother gameplay will help players control and use Troll. Another buff came in 6.75 to Troll's ultimate, Battle Trance, making it last on all his allies for the full duration as Troll. |
Table of Contents:
Recent Hero Balances
The Troll
Info and Stats
Skill Build
Item Build
Extra Info
Game Progression
Playing With Other Heroes
Recent Hero Balances:
6.75 – Battle Trance now lasts full duration for allies 6.74 - Battle Trance attack speed bonus increased from 60/100/140 to 60/120/180 6.73 - Fervor increments now increase while attacking towers 6.72c - Fervor AS bonus rebalanced from 5/10/15/20 AS per attack with a max of 100 to 20 AS per attack max of 40/60/80/100 6.72c - Ranged Whirling Axes now does 75 damage 6.72 - Blind replaced with Whirling Axes 6.72 - Cast point reduced by 0.3 6.72 - Berserker Rage transformation time removed 6.69 - Battle Trance self duration increased from 8 to 10 seconds 6.69 - Fixed melee/range item to update properly for Berserker Rage transformation 6.67 - Berserker's Rage bash rebalanced from 5/5/10/10% chance for 2 seconds bash and 25/50/25/50 damage to 10% chance for 0.8/1.2/1.6/2 seconds bash and 20/30/40/50 damage 6.63 - Battle Trance attack speed bonus increased from 60/80/100 to 60/100/140 |
To see every Heroes' balances since 6.48, check link:
Hero Balance Compilation 6.48 onwards
The Troll:
Pros and Cons:
[+]Can choose to fight in ranged or melee
[+]High base damage
[+]Fast attack animation
[+]High MS
[+]Abilities give IAS
[+]Good AGI gain
[+]Decent STR gain for a carry
[+]Longest lasting Bash ability (2 sec)
[+]Global Ultimate
[+]Low mana costing skills
[+]Short cooldowns
[+]Ganker and carry
[-]Must be in melee to gain many benefits
[-]Will be aimed in team fights
[-]No escape mechanism
[-]Lowest base INT and gain
[-]Low Bash chance (10%)
[-]Switching targets hinders DPS
When to pick Troll?
You can pick him whenever you want but these may screw up your game:
- If your team already has a lot of carries
- If your team has few disables
- If the enemy team has a lot of disables
- If the enemy team is heavy with nukes
And these may make it easier to play Troll:
- Enemy team has lots of squishy Heroes
- Enemy team is full of carries
- Your team has a auto attack DPS strategy (lol)
- You're lucky
- You're a good farmer
Info and Stats:
Strength: 17 + 2.2 |
Agility: 21 + 2.75 |
Intelligence: 13 + 1 |
Damage: 38 - 56 |
Strength: 69.8 |
Agility: 87 |
Intelligence: 37 |
Damage: 104 - 122 |
To see full stats and skills check out his Hero page:
Troll Warlord - DotA Hero Details
Advanced Statistics:
Berserker Rage
This skill boosts Troll's stats quite nicely. It gives HP (equivalent to about 5 STR) to make up for his not-so-great base STR, armor to tank some extra harassment, some useful MS for mobility, damage for easy last hits, reduced BAT to whack even faster, and a Bash to hold the enemy in place. All ranks give +15 damage, +3 armor, +100 hit points, reduces BAT to 1.55, and the Bash ability. Effect: Toggles melee/ranged modes. Adds 20/20/20/30 MS. 10% Bash for 0.8/1.2/1.6/2 seconds and deal 20/30/40/50 bonus damage Cooldown: 0 Note: The bonuses from the extra levels into Berserker Rage only increase the duration (not the chance) of this unreliable Bash by a lousy 0.4s. It is more beneficial to keep this at Rank 1 and level up his other, more useful skills. Uses: As you can see, he gets a LOT of IAS but no damage from his abilities. At level 25 and some IAS items, he nears the IAS cap of 400. This is what sets Troll apart from other carries. DPS is dependent on two main components, damage and IAS. Troll is already given all the IAS he needs. No other carry has spells that give them damage or IAS to such an extreme with the exception of Ursa's Overpower (only last for # of attacks). |
Jungle or Lane?
Because of the change to Fervor, Troll's jungling ability was crippled. Not only was the maximum bonus IAS reduced to 40/60/80/100, but the counter is reset every time he switches targets. This means that Troll can no longer reach 100 bonus IAS from level 1 Fervor, and whenever he switches to a different creep, instead of the IAS counter being set to half, it is completely lost. The change of gaining 20 IAS from every attack is also made more for going up against the opponent. His new skills also hint that he is stronger in a lane. Jungling is hardly possible, not worth it, and not recommended.
Which Lane?
Troll doesn't have any escape mechanism so he should take the safe lane. Top lane for Scourge and bot lane for Sentinel. Best if you lane with a babysitter that can pull neutrals to keep the creep wave close to your tower. The side shop also carries almost everything you need for the laning phase.
Skill Build
Basic Cookie Cutter build
Level 1 - Berserker Rage/Whirling Axes
Level 2 - Whirling Axes/Berserker Rage
Level 3 - Whirling Axes
Level 4 - Fervor
Level 5 - Whirling Axes
Level 6 - Battle Trance
Level 7 - Whirling Axes
Level 8 - Fervor/ Stats
Level 9 - Fervor/ Stats
Level 10 - Fervor/ Stats
Level 11 - Battle Trance
Level 12 - Berserker Rage/Stats
Level 13 - Berserker Rage/Stats
Level 14 - Berserker Rage/Stats
Level 15 - Stats/Berserker Rage
Level 16 - Battle Trance
Level 17+ Stats/Berserker Rage
Skill Justification Berserker Rage is taken first for its benefits or Whirling Axes if you try to get first blood. Whirling Axes is maxed as soon as possible because it is most effective in the early game as a nuke. It will make you more of a threat and gives you some defense. Fervor is more beneficial than extra levels into Berserker Rage so that's taken second. At level 11, you'll have about 270 IAS naked from your skills alone (100 from Fervor, 120 from Battle Trance, and the rest from your AGI). This is enough to make leveling up Berserker Rage worth it because you have more chances to proc a Bash and it's his last remaining skill anyway. Stats may be taken over Fervor and Berserker Rage if you are having a hard time surviving. |
The Jungle build Not Recommended
Item Build
Starting Items
Total Cost - 603
Justification: Mix and match some of the above items. Stout Shield if you have aggressive ranged enemies in your lane, Quelling Blade for easier last hits, some regen to stay alive and GG Branches for Magic Wand, some stats, and a good game. Notes: You will not have enough starting gold to purchase every item so buy what is most fitting to the situation. |
Early Game
[ ]Total Cost - 2434
Justification: Because of his high IAS, Troll doesn't need to get any more IAS. Instead he should try to optimize his DPS by getting damage items. Check out this link to get a better understanding of optimization of DPS: Dota: Fun to Think and Imagine - DotA Guides. We have Phase Boots because it gives the most damage for boots and it gives you burst MS for getting closer to the enemy and for jukes. The Magic Wand and Bracer are just for some extra HP and clutch moments where you need that little bit of HP or mana to kill someone or get out alive. If you feel you do not need the extra stats from Bracer, feel free to skip it. Ring of Basilius is useful if you plan to gank a lot. The passive mana regen is very beneficial especially since Troll has very cheap spells. Feel free to skip Ring of Basilius too if you don't plan on ganking or don't need the mana regen. Bottle is probably the best item that a ganker can have since it gives him sustenance to keep hitting up the lanes and it allows him to keep a powerful rune with him to use when needed. Like Ring of Basilius, you can skip it if you don't plan on ganking. Always carry a TP for ganks and counter-ganks. Notes: You cannot Bash or Crit while phased. |
Mid Game
>[][]Total Cost - 7350
Justification: Lothar's comes to mind because it offers an escape mechanism, a surprise attack mechanism, some decent damage, and a good amount of attack speed. Try to build it by buying the Claymore first. It gives a lot of damage for its cost. However, you may choose to get a Shadow Amulet instead if you plan on pushing towers (read "Extra Info"). The Janggo is for escaping/chasing, build up from Bracer, and to help with Troll's horrid INT a bit. Crystalys is the logical follow-up because it is a pure damage item. More crits due to high attack speed. If the enemy team is disable-heavy, get a BKB. Get a Mask of Death when you feel you do enough DPS to make good use of it. It can even be used for taking on Roshan or to upgrade and use the creep to stack the ancient creep camp. |
Late Game
> Total Cost - 8850
Justification: If you think you can deal damage without dying, build up your Crystalys to a Buriza and then finish off your build with a Satanic. Note that Satanic has an active 175% lifesteal! When you're dishing out 1300 DPS, that means you can gain all your HP back in a few second. It works almost like an Aegies if timed well. Some might think that Buriza isn't as good as other items such as MKB or Butterfly but the crit chance makes it pull through. Troll's DPS hits about 1300 at the Late Game. Buriza gives the most damage besides Rapier. This compares Buriza DPS to MKB and Butterfly. As you can see, Buriza's is only above the other two items because of the crit damage. Note that this is total DPS without taking into account armor, damage block, chasing, nukes, etc. |
Get one of these after you got the above items and any situational items needed. Chances are, you won't have inventory space or the game will be over by the time you get to buy one of these.
Buriza-Do Kyanon
Justification: I am not kidding when I say this. Even though you already have one, Buriza still gives the most damage (besides Rapier). Chance to crit does stack totally, but multiplicative, not additively. Basically, a second Buriza will add 81 + 28.125% of your total damage on average.
Divine Rapier
Justification: This will give the absolute highest increase to Troll's DPS. It also has the lowest cost/damage ratio. Of course getting this item is risky because if you die, you will probably lose it, and there goes 6200 gold. Get it if you haven't been dying.
Buriza-Do Kyanon
Justification: I am not kidding when I say this. Even though you already have one, Buriza still gives the most damage (besides Rapier). Chance to crit does stack totally, but multiplicative, not additively. Basically, a second Buriza will add 81 + 28.125% of your total damage on average.
Divine Rapier
Justification: This will give the absolute highest increase to Troll's DPS. It also has the lowest cost/damage ratio. Of course getting this item is risky because if you die, you will probably lose it, and there goes 6200 gold. Get it if you haven't been dying.
Extra Info:
Using the Phase ability from Phase Boots, you are unable to Crit or Bash. Using items or abilities cancels Phase.. It has one of the lowest gold/damage ratios and offers the most out of the other boots. It also allows Troll to be one of the fastest heroes in the game when he uses the Phase ability.
When to use
When you chase in the early game, you just want as much MS as you can get so use Phase as you see fit. The thing to be careful of is just how far you need to run in order to hit your target. If you are too far away and you run in anyway, you may end up dead. Take a look at that list above and check how fast your enemy is.
A with power treads has a base MS of 390. If she got Yasha then she would have 429 MS. If she were 600 range away and running,it would take Troll wouldn't catch up in a reasonable amount of time. That's when Whirling Axes comes in.
A 30% slow would drop Luna's MS to 312 for 5.25 seconds. This means that Troll will get into attack range after 3.2/3 seconds giving him a couple hits before the Phase wears off. Then hopefully he will land a bash and continue to kill Luna. Do note that Luna will run backwards about 900 units before you catch her so be sure to chase only in long lanes close to your base or if you know her team is dead.
Also, there are heroes faster than Luna so be careful not to chase them.
Notables: Clinkz with lv 4 windwalk, Bara running away with Charge of Darkness, Blinkers, Slark if he goes into fog (very fast and regen) Slardar with sprint, Lycan in wolf form, Tethered heroes, Doom with Kobold aura, Janggo, Scorched Earth, and S and Y (12%+5%+10%+16%+12%), Night Stalker at night, most heroes with slows/ensnares, Syllabear with Rabid
If the enemy is already slowed or stunned by your team, DO NOT USE PHASE as it will prevent you from Bashing and Crit. Use Magic Wand or toggle forms to cancel the buff.
A with power treads has a base MS of 390. If she got Yasha then she would have 429 MS. If she were 600 range away and running,
A 30% slow would drop Luna's MS to 312 for 5.25 seconds. This means that Troll will get into attack range after 3.2/3 seconds giving him a couple hits before the Phase wears off. Then hopefully he will land a bash and continue to kill Luna. Do note that Luna will run backwards about 900 units before you catch her so be sure to chase only in long lanes close to your base or if you know her team is dead.
Also, there are heroes faster than Luna so be careful not to chase them.
Notables: Clinkz with lv 4 windwalk, Bara running away with Charge of Darkness, Blinkers, Slark if he goes into fog (very fast and regen) Slardar with sprint, Lycan in wolf form, Tethered heroes, Doom with Kobold aura, Janggo, Scorched Earth, and S and Y (12%+5%+10%+16%+12%), Night Stalker at night, most heroes with slows/ensnares, Syllabear with Rabid
If the enemy is already slowed or stunned by your team, DO NOT USE PHASE as it will prevent you from Bashing and Crit. Use Magic Wand or toggle forms to cancel the buff.
Game Progression:
First before anything, assess the other team. Are there a lot of nukes? Are there a lot of disables? Am I probably going to be in an aggressive lane? Do they have squishy heroes? Who are their carries? Figure out what your item build is going to be. It might change as the game goes on but try to get an idea of what you want for now. You also want to look at your own team. If your team has a lot of invis or you have teammates that can mass disable, you probably want to opt out of Lothar's.
Grab your starting items, and if there is a disabler on your team, ask him to lane with you. You don't want to lane with an ally carry because you want all the last hits you can get. Competing for last hits means you will get less money. Remember, bot lane for Sentinel and top lane for Scourge are recommended.
Grab your starting items, and if there is a disabler on your team, ask him to lane with you. You don't want to lane with an ally carry because you want all the last hits you can get. Competing for last hits means you will get less money. Remember, bot lane for Sentinel and top lane for Scourge are recommended.
Playing With Other Heroes:
Good Allies
These guys will keep you alive during the laning phase and make life a lot easier for you. Some can even help you net some kills.
These guys hold the enemy in place. You start hitting them with your axes. Simple reason why we love them.
These guys make Troll even stronger. Some can even keep him alive longer and bring you to your target faster.
These guys do a lot of damage when they autoattack. They do even more when they get a 180 IAS boost.
Special Mentions
He can toss you to get in melee range and then follow up with an avalanche so you can keep attacking.
He can roll you in so you get close and then he can trap in the enemy.
Free cleave, pulls enemies together AND keeps them there. Perfect for a carry like Troll.
Every carry's dream. Global relocate, even more MS, a free stun, and damage reduction.
If you ever gank with this guy, it's an automatic kill and he gains 10 damage permanently. Every time he uses his ultimate, use yours too.
Bad Enemies
These guys will hold you in place. Enemy carries smash your face in. Simple reason why we hate them.
Heavy Casters
They have 100 HP and you chase them with full HP. They turn around, stun, nuke, nuke, and suddenly you're dead. Yes, it sucks.
These guys bring you down. Ever attacked with -200 damage? Ever got 4 misses in a row? Very irritating.
Special Mentions
Craggy Exterior. 24% to stun you when you attack. Very fast attacks = lots of stuns. Do not focus him in the late game.
How to combat: Don't focus him first. BKB stops the stuns.
What do they have in commmon? An active disable and a passive Bash. They 1-up you when it comes to keeping their targets stunned and you are no exception.
How to combat: BKB to stop their active stun, Whirling Axes to beat their passive Bash.
He can keep your damage low, make you sleep, or completely disable you for 5 seconds while his team kills you, even with BKB. Try to stay away from him when he has all his skills off cooldown.
How to combat: Attack him when his spells are on cooldown or have a silencer with you. BKB blocks all his spells except his ulti.
He can make you useless for up to 7 seconds because your DPS comes from physical attacks. Guardian Angel > physical attacks
How to combat: Diffusal's purge will take off his Repel and his Guardian Angel but Diffusal is not recommended for Troll. Guardian Angel only stops physical damage so spells will still hit other, non-magic immune units. Get it only if you can't win the game without it.
Just don't attack into it.
How to combat: BKB will stop the damage return. Or you could activate Satanic to negate the damage for 3.75 seconds.
Well you can't really do much against this except to wait until it's over.
How to combat: Diffusal's purge will take off the ghost form but Diffusal's is not recommended for Troll. Or you could bring a nuker with you to gank.
You need to get close to do your job. This keeps the enemy away from you. Unlike Dagger, it doesn't get disabled after taking damage.
How to combat: Have a stunner with you. Or Vengeful Spirit
It might not seem like it but Troll actually gets a lot of his survivability from using Whirling Axes on enemy heroes for miss chance. Once your opponents get this, you lose all of that miss chance and you need to rely on ally disables to survive fights.
How to combat: Have a stunner with you. In team fights, try to focus down the MKB holder. It will probably be the carry holding it anyway.
Bad Luck… Sometimes you can't help it. Never Bash when you need it? Whether it's that Chaos Knight always getting 4's or getting stunned over and over from attacking Tiny.
-IceFrog for buffing the mighty Troll and updating DotA.
-PlayDota for the Hero/Item/Forum pages.
-Ataye- for reviewing my guide.
-Mordax for the Hero Balance Compilation page.
-Zan for his guide "Fun to Think and Imagine"
-Ali Radicali for his guide "More Bang for your Buck".
-Vault Dweller for his guide on Magic Immunity.
-Lycan for reviewing my guide and publishing it, bringing up the idea for Force Staff counter, Satanic~aegis idea, and ideas for images of various stuff.
-drgaliza for his guide "The Forbidden Techniques".
Jah'rakal the Troll Warlord
Author: mustin98
Map Vers.: 6.77b
Basic Guide to Troll Warlord
Master of the Axe
Last Comment:31/01/2014
Total Votes: 162
Current Rating: 8.58
Views: 605039