Sherdog’s Top 10: Japanese Fighters

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9. Genki Sudo

One of the most colorful men to ever grace an MMA ring or cage, “The Neo Samurai” was always about putting on a show. Sure, he wanted to win above all else, but Sudo was known for showboating and wild, choreographed entrances. It was not out of the ordinary to see Sudo performing cartwheels mid-fight and taking his foes out of their game.

Sudo’s career ended abruptly after he triangle choked Damacio Page at the K-1 Premium Dynamite 2006 event and then shocked the world by announcing his retirement. Sudo simply did not want to fight anymore, and that is a shame because there is no telling what more he would have accomplished in the sport. He retired with wins over the likes of Ramon Dekker, Mike Thomas Brown, Royler Gracie and Nate Marquardt.

Number 8 » One of the fiercest fighters in Japanese MMA history, he brutalized opponents with a mix of well-rounded skills in his prime, and he has continued to evolve well into his 30s.