// The 411 MMA Top 5: Top Japanese Born Fighters

The 411 MMA Top 5 6.23.11: Week 70 – Top Japanese Born Fighters
Posted by Larry Csonka  on 06.23.2011

From Yushin Okami, Kid Yamamoto, Kazushi Sakuraba and Yoshihiro Akiyama to Takanori Gomi, Shinya Aoki, Minowaman and more, the 411 staff ranks their top five Japanese-born MMA fighters! Check out the full article to see who made the list and why!

5. Yoshihiro Akiyama - Akiyama will be known to casual U.S fans as the big-hype fighter who is 1-2 in the UFC, but he is a highly experienced K-1 competitor and former Hero's Grand Prix winner. The truth behind Akiyama's so-so UFC record is that all three are fight of the night performances, his losses include snatching a loss from the jaws of victory against Chris Leben and one of the best entrances in the entire sport. One of the toughest Japanese competitors to try his hand in the U.S, it is still to be fully proven if 'Sexyama' can string some results together, but he definitely has the tools for the job. 4. Takanori Gomi - One of the most highly decorated and renowned Japanese fighters of all time, Gomi has unfortunately had a luke-warm start to his UFC career. Losses to Kenny Florian and Clay Guida have not shown the 'Fireball Kid' at his exciting best. During his reign as the only Pride lightweight, he was considered by the MMA media as the number one lightweight on the planet. On his day, he is one of the most complete, exciting and fun to watch fighters in the world, Japanese or otherwise. 3. Shinya Aoki - I don't think I need to explain the inclusion of a man who has "flying triangle choke" listed under his victory method column on wikipedia, but that wouldn't really help me fill my word count, would it? In my opinion, Aoki is one of the finest submission fighters active today, as his submission highlight reel is on a par with Anderson Silvas knockout tape. Aoki is credited with being the first man to submit an opponent with a gogoplata in competitive MMA, which is quite the achievement indeed. 2. Yushin Okami - Okami makes it to number two in my list simply due to the fact I think he is the most successful Japanese import in the UFC. The last man to hold a victory over Anderson Silva gets his chance in August to redeem himself and prove to the world he can BEAT Silva, rather than just be illegally kicked by him. The only two men to have beaten Okami in the UFC are Sonnen and Franklin, both of whom went on to fight for the title.

Detail Up Etching Parts for Night Fighter Gekko (Plastic model ...

Releases of pre-order items can be delayed or moved up. Wholesalers occasionally put restrictions on the number of pre-orders for extremely popular items, in which case we would be unable to deliver the items to every customer. Sales prices and specifications can differ from those initially planned.
For more information,please read "About Pre-order Sale" *Please make a post that is relevant to the item.
*Please make sure that the image is in jpg. format with a file size of below 2MB.
*Posts intended for profit and/or advertising are not acceptable. Note also that no reference should be made
  to our competing retailers.
*You do not need to post images and reviews togeter. You can post either one alone.

Marine Night Fighters Association

doctor was cutting it out when we had a daylight raid by Japanese bombers. .... TN to study the F7F night fighter. For finishing top in the class, ...

The encyclopedia of weapons of World War II

JAPAN Just as specialist night-fighter design had largely been ignored by European nations before World War II, japan's similar failing left the country ...

Night fighters, a development & combat history

Al radar and lFF were slow to come into Japanese service, though preliminary information on FuG ... The three types of Al radar for night fighters were less ...

American Nightfighter Aces of World War 2

This book examines the numerous aircraft types that were used by the US in this role, beginning with the early 'stop-gap' conversions like the TBM Avenger, ...

Fateful Rendezvous, The Life of Butch O'Hare

1943), "Japanese Night Torpedo Plane Attacks," in NHC; Iwaya, Chuko, 337-41. ... 1943), "Night Fighter Program — Radar Control and Interception — Equipment ...