#3 Genki Sudo
Genki Sudo is an actor, choreographer, singer, composer and author. In other words, he is a star.
Sudo is also an MMA legend, having competed in the UFC, K-1 Hero’s and Pancrase. Back in his heyday, Sudo was well-known not only for his awkward fighting style but also his elaborate and outlandish ring entrances. He was and is an all round entertainer and has stayed true to his philosophy- ‘We are all one.’
Sudo gained popularity in the niche MMA community in the US, owing to his unorthodox fighting skills on display in his UFC 42 and UFC 47 fights, against Duane Ludwig and Mike Brown, respectively.
He was known for moving towards his opponents with his back turned to them. Apart from his in fight dance manoeuvres, Sudo was also known for his spinning backfists, flying triangle chokes and flying armbars among other techniques.
He holds wins over several notable MMA veterans such as Nate Marquardt, Mike Brown, Eric ‘Butterbean’ Esch (boxing veteran), Kazuyuki Miyata, Hiroyuki Takaya, Damacio Page and Ramon Dekkers (kickboxing legend) among others.
Apart from his invaluable contributions to both JMMA and MMA- as a whole, Sudo has also worked tirelessly in order to develop the Takushoku University’s wrestling program in Tokyo, Japan. The Neo-Samurai’s contributions to the world of MMA and martial arts are undisputed.
His invaluable contributions to the sport of MMA and his work in developing future-MMA stars in Japan, have landed Sudo at number 3 on our list.
