Yoshihiro Akiyama: UFC 100's New Guy
(Photo courtesy of fightsport.fr)
The UFC's most epic event of the year isn't really the time or place to trot out unfamiliar faces from regional leagues. And so we have another lonely edition of The New Guys, with only one fighter on the UFC 100 lineup who's never competed in the UFC before. The good news is, he's one of Japan's biggest MMA superstars, and could make a serious dent in the UFC's rising middleweight division. So without further ado...
YOSHIHIRO AKIYAMA (MW)
Experience: 12-1 record with 2 no-contests (10 wins by first-round stoppage), with multiple appearances in K-1 HERO's, K-1 Dynamite!!, and DREAM. Holds notable victories over Denis Kang, Melvin Manhoef, and Kestutis Smirnovas. His only official loss came in his second MMA match against heavyweight kickboxer Jerome LeBanner, who significantly outweighed him. Akiyama most recently defeated Masanori Tonooka via armbar at DREAM.6 last September.
Will be fighting: Alan Belcher (14-5, 5-3 UFC)
Lowdown: He's the man that Japanese MMA fans love to hate. Thanks to his Korean ethnicity and string of athletic controversies, Akiyama has played the role of heel for most of his career in Japan, and has parlayed his villain role into a great deal of fame. Prior to entering MMA, Akiyama was a champion judoka, taking gold medals for Japan in the 2001 Asian Championships and 2002 Asian Games. At the 2003 World Judo Championships, he was accused of greasing his gi, but cleared of the charges. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be the last time he was accused of greasing. An ass-whupping of Kazushi Sakuraba at K-1 Dynamite!! 2006 — see the 4:22-4:56 mark of this video — was changed to a no-contest after Sakuraba complained that he couldn't hold onto Akiyama during the fight, and it was discovered that Akiyama used body lotion before the match.
His official YouTube channel shows us that he's starred in a crapload of commercials in Asia, and he can also fill arenas with his crooning. His fans refer to him as "Sexyama." According to this UFC.com profile, he's been training with Yushin Okami, he compares his fame in Japan to Chuck Liddell's in the U.S., and sees his signing with the UFC as like entering the Major Leagues in baseball. But will he strike out in his Octagon debut, like Denis Kang before him? (Alan Belcher was also responsible for that bit of hype-smashing, at UFC 93 in January.) Check out some of his fights below and let us know what you think...
(Akiyama vs. Manhoef)
(Akiyama vs. Kang)
(Akiyama vs. Katsuhiko Nagata)
Login or register to post comments
DIGG THIS 
Comments
philibuster Says:
the sexy one will not make the same mistake that kang did. Kang was dominating till he gave up his neck.
JiMMA Says:
Lame.
I do not understand the hype behind this guy. The whole Sexyama thing pisses me off too, fuck the sherdog nuthuggers!!!
I do not think he will go too far in the UFC, nothing impressive seen above.
He looked much bigger than Manhoef plus Manhoef did not throw one punch the whole 'fght'. Dennis Kang? Dude got owned in the UFC.
Mediocre fighter witha cult following. Don't think he will transition from the ring to the cage too well.
Just my .02 cents.
Derly Says:
It felt like Kang had much more hype behind him before getting to the UFC. Akiyama might have much more bang in Japan, but I think more casual fans had heard of Kang at the time, because he seemed like the was steamrolling his path to the octagon.
Of all his scandals, I think the one where he supposedly had knuckledusters (brass knuckles) under his gloves during the Sakuraba fight should stand out more. His gloves were missing the logo, and the weird marks on his fingers the next day really felt like solid evidence. As well as the picture where he holds his hand up and sorta flashes the brass knuckles for a moment, like he forgot you could see them through the opening in the gloves.
I also really hoped DREAM would put together a catch-weight match between him and Aoki. In America we'd see that as a squash match because of the size difference, but in Japan I'm sure Aoki would jump on that opportunity because he hates Akiyama so much. It seemed like a great grudge match to me. Aoki really hates the dude, and I wanted to see what a mad Aoki could do to someone, just imagine a crazed Aoki latching onto you, there would be no escape...
d0zer Says:
YOSHIHIRO AKIYAMA vs RICH FRANKLIN
LukeTheDuke Says:
If Akiyama does well in the UFC along side Kang there could be a seriously hyped up rematch.
BackbaconBilly Says:
This is not the event for non-ufc fighters!! this should be for the best of the best the ufc has to offer, is this the BEST the ufc could offer? hardly!
Bare Grappler Says:
War Kestutis Smirnovas! Is it too much to ask to get some Lithuanians in the UFC? They are good at something other than Basketball. Valentinus Golubovskis is another good fighter. So is Jordanas Poskaitis with only one loss by heel hook. A lot of good standup guys in Lithuania. Get on it UFC and let's see Bruce Buffer have to work!
Judo Im Right Says:
I hope he does well, so someone can represent Judo now that Karo has developed all of those mental and pain killer problems. Nothing is better than seeing a nice fluid application of judo. Even though he lost the fight, the highlights from Hiromitsu Miura's fight with Carlos Condit are sweet to watch. That was a hell ofa fight.
youtube.com/watch?v=3VAFcw64mYg
And then watch YeahBee's throw highlights. The best
asdf Says:
Man I'm praying that Akiyama does well in the UFC. I know he cheated and all but I gotta admit that I'm an Akiyama nuthugger.
Dubbayoo Says:
It's uncomfy to wear a buttoned suit while seated. Make yourself comfortable, Akiyama.
And look, a blinged out suit that's sharp, and not a used-car-salesman-that-almost-submitted-Machida-douchebag-looking suit. CP, note that nowhere in this message did I say Tito's name. Shit. Oh well.
MethLabTechnician Says:
"sees his signing with the UFC as like entering the Major Leagues in baseball" Unless Joe Silva throws him a bunch of cans and not curveballs, I see his career in the octagon going very poorly. Because like baseball, Dana and Co. seem to run with the one, two, three strikes your out in the ol' fight game.
Sheps Says:
AKIYAMA IS A GREASY CHEAT!
GSP learnt from the best
831 Son Says:
@ Chri534. Nice find thats pretty tight.
Derly Says:
WTF! That video with K. Ferg needs to be EVERYWHERE! Why wasn't that around when the casual fans still believed Fergie was the greatest ever?
P.S. Wanna send me the rest of that ipecac?
Jay Smith Says:
@ d0zer
Franklin is no longer fighting @ middleweight, but I like the way you think.
This dude seems aaiight, but the octagon has a way of making aaiight fighters look like sucky ones.
AussieJosh Says:
Denis Kang SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN DROPED TO THE UNDERCARDS!!!!!
I wish Yoshihiro Akiyama the very best!
UFC fan Says:
This yellow turd wont be anything more than a curtain puller. He won't be shit.
Killer Bee Says:
Wow, that was extremely uncalled for UFC fan...
I personally don't mind Akiyama, but from those highlights he seems entertaining to watch. It it adds variety to the UFC, that's all I care.
Takun Says:
Yushin Okami...thats who he'll end up like, long uneventful decisions...
Endocat Says:
man this site is full of haters
Sheps Says:
Akiyama cheated against one of the most loved mixed martial artists in the world, Sakuraba. so he can go fuck himself really. The greasy arsehole
831 Son Says:
Faggots.
Cosmin Says:
lookin forward to this one.
KidDinomite Says:
Where is Jason 'Mayhem' Miller when you need him? Now that's a guy we need in the UFC
Chri534. Says:
MTV
Jeffro Says:
Ha! Mayhem is getting paid. Cant blame the guy. I just hope he will still be able to kick ass.
How the fuck is UFCFan not banned yet. Isnt he the reason why you made accounts to begin with.
By the way, the dude in the picture is way to sexy for the UFC.
Goog Says:
I don't know or care who this guy is, but I'm really tired of closing these fucking rollovers for this fag movie.
UFC fan Says:
"
Jeffro Says:
Mon, 07/06/2009 - 05:27
How the fuck is UFCFan not banned yet. Isnt he the reason why you made accounts to begin with.
By the way, the dude in the picture is way to sexy for the UFC."
NO actually they made accounts so dildos like YOU couldn't pretend to be someone else and have a conversation with yourself. which is to bad cause you are the only one who wants to hear what you have to say. you will notice dildos like COOL are gone.
As for banning me..PLEASE why don't you whine some more like a bleeding cunt, it is fun to watch you cry like the pussy you are.
On top of that you think that yellow cheating cocksmoker is sexy...seriously does anyone give a fuck what you think? NO.
whitey Says:
too bad he's gonna get his ass kicked by a Mississippi Coast boy!