Hayato Sakurai is one of the most gifted and beloved Japanese MMA fighters in the sport’s history. He is also one of the most experienced fighters in the world, with nearly fifteen full years spent fighting world-class competition. Sakurai made his professional debut in 1996, going unbeaten in his first 20 fights and defeating notable fighters Caol Uno, Luiz Azeredo, and Frank Trigg along the way. The first loss of Sakurai’s career came to future UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva in 2001, but Sakurai continued to fare well against world-class competition for the next decade, defeating the likes of Dave Menne, Shinya Aoki (twice), Jens Pulver, Joachim Hansen, and Mac Danzig during his run.

Mach only had one fight in the UFC and it was only because his old opponent Anderson Silva pulled out of a championship fight with Matt Hughes. He was tough in the fight but was dominated and stopped in the 4th round.

Sakurai’s well-rounded skill set lead him to become the first-ever Pride Lightweight Champion in 2005, as he has finished near equal numbers of his bouts by knockout, submission, and decision. His leg kicks are among the best in the business.