Karate blackbelts in MMA

Azam said:
I thought so as well before actually doing Kudo. It has the traditional Karate ethos/philosophy - like Kyokushin as well - the respect, kindness etc etc.

But as far as Kyokushin in Kudo - some guys have a Kyokushin striking base, some have a shotokan base, some a goju, some boxing/tkd, some MT - it's a real mix of different stand up styles in Kudo.

Some lean more to Karate others lean to MT or tkd/boxing. The benefit though is that when get a really good chance to develop sparring with MT Kudo guys, or tkd Kudo guys because you learn different things or pick up stuff unique to those styles - and because you're around it you learn & in turn can benefit yourself. I've picked up some amazing yoko geri combinations from a tkd Kudo guy I came across - also have picked up some really slick boxing combinations that I've gone out of my way to incorporate. It's like a melting pot of different styles - a bit like MMA.

In my opinion Judo isn't the greatest fit - someone else may disagree with me. The Gi is thinner, sleeves are half sleeve so no sleeve grips plus with the inclusion of other styles of grappling means Judo for me isn't the best fit. I've noticed that for me wrestling has been the most effective for me in Kudo. It's also melds with striking a lot better imo.

I think no-gi Judo would be just as good as wrestling in Kudo. The main problem I have with Judo in Kudo is the emphasis on getting some sort of grip - it's not as easy to do when someone is striking at you - it's a lot easier when you're in clinch range or you have a clinch. I like wrestling because you have the option of engaging outside clinch range (or even to threaten it) and when in clinch range.

If there was such a thing as no-gi Judo - then I think it would be just as good as wrestling for Kudo.
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Also lets look at judo range, its basically punching/striking range... you are trying to grab a gi while getting hit. Its much more logical to set up the takedown when you close the distance and clinch.

Look at combat sambo its basically the same as kudo, the takedowns happen in the clinch.
 
Stephen Wonderboy Thompson - excellent fighter, wonderful person, great ambassador of Karate in MMA.

 
Judo does have some striking in Kata but doesn't uses striking in competitions.
JJJ mainly was striking-counterstriking art + with grappling etc.
Exactly more focused on scenarios like : attacker does attack with punch, kick, beat with some item or is attacking with knife etc.
They turned more eclectic later but Judo more tournaments focused art.
 
SandisLL said:
Judo does have some striking in Kata but doesn't uses striking in competitions.
JJJ mainly was striking-counterstriking art + with grappling etc.
Exactly more focused on scenarios like : attacker does attack with punch, kick, beat with some item or is attacking with knife etc.
They turned more eclectic later but Judo more tournaments focused art.
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Same happened to Karate the other way around - used to be very mixed, lots of grappling. After being introduced in Japan they dropped most of the grappling since the Japanese already had their own refined grappling so were not interested. Focused on striking, then one-strike competition was adapted in Shotokan and other styles, now Karate is seen as a striking-only art, which is not historically true. Kata are full of grips, locks and throws.
 
nefti said:
Also lets look at judo range, its basically punching/striking range... you are trying to grab a gi while getting hit. Its much more logical to set up the takedown when you close the distance and clinch.

Look at combat sambo its basically the same as kudo, the takedowns happen in the clinch.
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...that's why you learn to block strikes as you close...you literally can't do a takedown without getting into striking range...so not really seeing what your argument is...
 
JohnPJones said:
...that's why you learn to block strikes as you close...you literally can't do a takedown without getting into striking range...so not really seeing what your argument is...
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Argument is that going for a gi judo throw isnt very practical in kudo/combat sambo
 
nefti said:
Argument is that going for a gi judo throw isnt very practical in kudo/combat sambo
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Weird since they do Judo gi throws in Kudo and Sambo often.

Do you do either?

And why has my thread about Karate been derailed into Judo suddenly? :p
 
Hotora86 said:
Back in 2012 I created a thread called"100+ Karate Fighters in MMA". The thread got quite popular (50 pages of replies) but sadly it was lost during the forum migration.

Back then it had drawn some criticism for listing fighters whose experience in Karate was rather insignificant - which I now admit was justified. So instead of simply re-posting the old thread I have filtered out the opinions and retained only cold hard facts: MMA fighters who legitimately hold black belts in Karate. No bias, no hearsay, just a complete and comprehensive list. 150 Karateka to date.

The list is sorted by fighter NAMES in alphabetical order along with their corresponding STYLE and Dan rank.
  • Style "Sport" is used as an umbrella term for all kinds of sports / freestyle Karate.
  • Style "unknown" is used when my source states "Karate" without mentioning the exact style and I can't find any indication of the style.
  • DAN rank "1?" is used when my source states "black belt" without mentioning the exact rank.
New fighters are added periodically with a separate post describing their background and rank along with a highlight video.

The list is paste-able into Excel.

20091020104820_Picture_526.JPG

Lyoto Machida and his family (Shotokan Karate)

dbe7f3d719abbbe546602b26b20cdac9--sport-body-extreme-sports.jpg

Georges St-Pierre (Kyokushin Karate)


NAME SURNAME - STYLE Dan rank
Adam Khaliev - Kudo 1?
Alain Ngalani - Koshiki 2
Alex Chambers - unknown 3
Alexander Volkov - Ashihara 1?
Alexandra Albu - Shotokan 1?
Andrea Lee - Kyokushin 1
Andrews Nakahara - Kyokushin 1?
Angelito Manguray - Shotokan 1?
Antonio Carvalho - Shotokan 1?
Antonio Silva - Shotokan 1?
Artur Sowinski - Kyokushin 1?
Assuerio Silva - Shotokan 1?
Attila Vegh - Kempo 2
Bas Rutten - Kyokushin 5
Brian Gassaway - Shidokan 1?
Cheick Kongo - Kyokushin 1
Chinzo Machida - Shotokan 4
Chuck Liddell - Kempo 5
Cole Escovedo - unknown 1
Court McGee - Kempo 1
Cristiana Stancu - Kempo 2
Cyrille Diabate - Shidokan 1?
Damian Stasiak - Shotokan 1?
Damien Brown - Zendokai 1?
Duda Yankovich - Shotokan 1?
Ed Ratcliff - Sport 1
Edgelson Lua - Goju 1?
Eric Higaonna - Goju 2
Ewerton Teixeira - Kyokushin 3
Frank Mir - Kempo 1?
Fred Ettish - Kenpo 1
Georges St-Pierre - Kyokushin 3
Gerard Gordeau - Kyokushin 9
Giedrius Karavackas - Sport 1
Glover Teixeira - Kempo 1?
Gunnar Nelson - Goju 1?
Gustavo Sampaio - Uechi 5
Guy Mezger - Sport 6
Hans Nijman - Kyokushin 1?
Harold Howard - Goju 3
Hiroko Kitamura - Zendokai 1?
Hisaki Kato - Kudo 1?
Ian Bone - Kyokushin 2
Iouri Bekichev - Kyokushin 3
Jadamba Narantungalag - Kyokushin 1?
Jason DeLucia - Kenpo 1?
Jason Dent - Sanchi 2
Jason Frank - Shotokan 7
Jeff Joslin - Wado 4
Jeff Newton - Kenpo 3
Jerome LeBanner - Kyokushin 1
John Kavanagh - Kenpo 2
John Makdessi - Shotokan 1
Justin Lawrence - Kempo 1?
Justin Scoggins - Kenpo 1
Justine Kish - Kenpo 2
Kacper Formela - Shotokan 1
Kamil Bazelak - Kyokushin 2
Karen Darabedyan - Sport 1
Katsunori Kikuno - Kyokushin 1?
Kazuki Nomoto - Zendokai 1?
Keith Hackney - Kenpo 1?
Ken Hamamura - unknown 2
Kestutis Arbocius - Shidokan 1?
Khusein Khaliev - Kudo 1?
KJ Noons - Kenpo 1?
Klemens Ewald - Shotokan 1
Kristof Midoux - Kyokushin 1?
Kyoji Horiguchi - Koshiki 2
Laura D'Auguste - Kyokushin 3
Lee Hasdell - BCKA 7
Leonard Wilson - Kempo 1?
Lyman Good - Kyokushin 2
Lyoto Machida - Shotokan 3
Maciej Gorski - Shotokan 1
Maciej Sikonski - Kyokushin 2
Magdalena Jarecka - Shidokan 1
Manvel Gamburyan - Kyokushin 2
Marcin Prachnio - Kyokushin 1?
Marcin Zontek - Shidokan 1?
Mari Kaneko - Zendokai 1?
Marius Zaromskis - Kyokushin 1
Mark Holst - Shotokan 1
Martijn deJong - Kyokushin 1?
Masaaki Satake - Seidokaikan 1?
Matt Mitrione - Shotokan 1
Michael Page - Sport 1?
Michelle Waterson - Sport 1?
Mike Ciesnolevicz - Shorin 1?
Minoki Ichihara - Kudo 2
Mizuki Inoue - Hakushinkai 1
Nam Phan - Sport 1
Naoki Inoue - Hakushinkai 1
Neil Grove - Goju 1
Nick Denis - Kyokushin 1?
Nikita Krylov - Kyokushin 1?
Nobuhisa Kudo - Zendokai 1?
Nobutatsu Suzuki - Kyokushin 1?
Oliver Enkamp - Shito 2
Pat Miletich - Shuri 3
Patrick Smith - Kenpo 1
Paul Creighton - Goshin 1
Paul Felder - Shotokan 1
Paulo Afonso - Shotokan 4
Pete Spratt - Kenpo 2
Peter Graham - Kyokushin 2
Rob Emerson - Kyokushin 1?
Robert Devane - Kenpo 1?
Robert Whittaker - Goju 1
Rodney Glunder - Kyokushin 1?
Rogent Lloret - Shotokan 1?
Rory Markham - Kyokushin 1?
Rose Namajunas - unknown 1
Rudy Bears - Kenpo 1?
Ryan Jimmo - Chito 2
Ryo Chonan - Kyokushin 1?
Ryuta Noji - Kyokushin 1?
Sage Northcutt - Kajukenbo 3
Sam Greco - Seidokaikan 1?
Sam Hoger - unknown 1
Saori Ishioka - Zendokai 1?
Semmy Schilt - Ashihara 6
Seth Petruzelli - Shito 3
Shanna Young - Shotokan 1
Shannon Ritch - unknown 1
Shizuka Sugiyama - Zendokai 1?
Shohei Yamamoto - Kyokushin 1?
Shonie Carter - Shidokan 1?
Stephen Thompson - Kempo 5
Syuri Kondo - Shotokan 1
Taiei Kin - Seidokaikan 1?
Takashi Nakakura - Seidokaikan 1?
Tanner Boser - Shito 1
Tarec Saffiedine - Shihaishinkai 1?
Tariel Bitsadze - Kyokushin 1?
Tecia Torres - Sport 1
Tenshin Nasukawa - Kyokushin 1?
Tiawan Howard - Kenpo 1?
Tony Fryklund - Shotokan 1?
Torrance Taylor - Sport 1?
Travis Fulton - Kenpo 2
Uriah Hall - Kyokushin 2
Wesley Johnson - unknown 1
Willie Williams - Kyokushin 1?
Yuichiro Nagashima - Kempo 2
Yuji Sakuragi - Kyokushin 1?
Yuki Kondo - Kempo 2
Yumiko Inoue - Zendokai 1?
Yuriy Kochkine - Kyokushin 4
Yusaku Fujisawa - Zendokai 1
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Great list!

Rudy Bears and I trained since 15 together, both 2nd degree.

He earned his BJJ blackbelt from Leonardo Pecanha and recently remodeled his academy for post-corona.
 
Hotora86 said:
And why has my thread about Karate been derailed into Judo suddenly?
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Both come out different in competitions mainly because RULES not core of the craft.
Karatekas were able to grapple at least a bit and judokas able to strike, even kick with knee middle section.
+ short range striking and fighting Karate does know, but modern rules prefer long and middle range striking, not rarerly high kicks.
+ like with TKD rules and scoring impacted how public is thinking about karate, judo, TKD.
 
You are missing Marcio Alexandre Jr., shotokan black belt. nickname: marcio lyoto.
 
TriangleMonkey said:
Great list!

Rudy Bears and I trained since 15 together, both 2nd degree.

He earned his BJJ blackbelt from Leonardo Pecanha and recently remodeled his academy for post-corona.
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Thank you!

You mean you trained together Karate since 15 and both hold 2nd dan? Which style?
 
Hotora86 said:
Thank you!

You mean you trained together Karate since 15 and both hold 2nd dan? Which style?
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2nd black American Kenpo Karate (Chinese Kenpo) AKKA. Same Kenpo system as Mike Winklejon. We were ready to test for 3rd degree but with the passing of Bill Packer (RIP) thats when we broke away in ‘05 and started training mma with some local collegiate wrestlers and training a hybrid submission system, American Jiu Jitsu, which we both have black belts in as well.
 
Katsushyro said:
You are missing Marcio Alexandre Jr., shotokan black belt. nickname: marcio lyoto.
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Thank you! Do you know if he's 1 dan or higher?
Anyway, added him to the list.
  • Name: Marcio Alexandre Jr.
  • Pro MMA Record: 16-5-0 (Win-Loss-Draw)
  • Nickname: Lyoto
  • Current Streak: 1 Loss
  • Age: 30 | Date of Birth: 1989.05.03
  • Last Fight: April 19, 2019 in FFC
  • Weight Class: Middleweight | Last Weigh-In: 186.0 lbs
  • Affiliation: Team Tavares
  • Height: 6'0" (183cm) | Reach: 75.5" (192cm)
https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Márcio_Alexandre_Jr.
https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/50934-marcio-alexandre-jr-lyoto

 
OK guys, this was a shock to me but apparently Tim fucking Sylvia holds a black belt in Karate.

My source: http://fcfighter.com/sylvia020924.htm

FCF: Let's first start with your earlier days in the sport. How did you get into mixed martial arts?
TS: I wrestled a bit in high school. I wasn't good at all. I was fat, short, and out of shape, but I loved to compete. I always did karate all through grammar and high school. I have about seven years of karate under my belt. I held a black belt in Okinawan karate and held a brown belt in an Americanized version I studied.
<WellThere>
Well, there it is... the newest addition to my list is the motherfucking UFC HW champion Tim Sylvia.
  • Given Name: Timothy Deane Sylvia
  • Pro MMA Record: 31-10-0, 1 NC (Win-Loss-Draw)
  • Nickname: The Maine-iac
  • Age: 46 | Date of Birth: 1974.03.05
  • Last Fight: October 26, 2013 in FNG
  • Weight Class: Heavyweight | Last Weigh-In: 307.5 lbs
  • Affiliation: Champions Gym
  • Height: 6'8" (204cm) | Reach: 80.0" (203cm)
  • Born: Ellsworth, Maine, United States
  • Fighting out of: Maine
  • Karate style: unknown (quoted as "Okinawan" so could be one of the common 4: Goju, Shorin, Uechi, Chito)

Thus, we had 11 UFC champions with a Karate background:
Bas Rutten
Chuck Liddell
Frank Mir
Georges St-Pierre
Guy Mezger
Kenichi Yamamoto
Lyoto Machida
Pat Miletich
Robert Whittaker
Rose Namajunas
Tim Sylvia
 
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Last night was excellent for all Karate fans! :D

An important win for Goju-ryu Karate blackbelt Robert Whittaker

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AND
A Performance of the Night bonus for Shito-ryu Karate blackbelt Tanner Boser

UncommonElegantIndianskimmer-size_restricted.gif
 
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Hotora86 said:
NEW FIGHTER ADDED !!!

NAME: Luiz Victor Rocha
ALIAS: Luizito
COUNTRY: Brazil
STYLE: Shotokan (WKF)
RANK: Black belt (1st dan?)
RECORD: 4-0
SHERDOG: https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Luiz-Victor-Rocha-203701
FB: https://www.facebook.com/luizvrocha/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/luizvrocha/?hl=en
Article: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2017/11/bellator-luiz-victor-rocha-debut-karate-brazil-national-team

Formerly in Bellator, now fighting in Karate Combat:

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Great to see you still doing this!

I just watched the Asayanda v Costa fight from last weekend.

Not sure if Izzy holds any rank, but he sure exemplifies the timing, movement and striking of a Dan/Gup level fighter.

It's ironic to think back to when "TMA" was considered by the barbarians "useless in MMA" when it just needed some specific training disciplines-TDD and basic ground fighting to get back to the feet- to adapt it to the rules format.

Imo, Izzy is the next generation in the domination of TMA in MMA due to it's commitment to finite detail.

Props man!
 
CFGroup said:
Great to see you still doing this!

I just watched the Asayanda v Costa fight from last weekend.

Not sure if Izzy holds any rank, but he sure exemplifies the timing, movement and striking of a Dan/Gup level fighter.

It's ironic to think back to when "TMA" was considered by the barbarians "useless in MMA" when it just needed some specific training disciplines-TDD and basic ground fighting to get back to the feet- to adapt it to the rules format.

Imo, Izzy is the next generation in the domination of TMA in MMA due to it's commitment to finite detail.

Props man!
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Thanks brother! :)

Izzy does not hold any rank in Karate as far as I know but his introduction to martial arts was in TKD - and his love for creative kicks is still apparent! :D

I wouldn't go so far as to call Izzy "a TMA guy" but the kickboxing style which he represents was undoubtedly influenced by Karate and TKD - unlike the staple Muay Thai which most MMA fighters practice. One could also say that American and western kickboxing is the child of Karate, TKD and boxing adapted to ring fighting, so while it's missing kata and most of the "tradition" it certainly carries over many staple TMA techniques as well as a focus on precision and timing.

The "elite striker with great TDD" build is nothing new (see CroCop) but Izzy certainly took it to another level. It's a pleasure to watch him work his magic.

I do expect more "traditional" Karate guys to transition to MMA at some point - like Luiz Rocha mentioned above - since Karate orgs seem to be keen to jump on the MMA bandwagon and have no issue with their guys carrying the Karate flag into this relatively new territory (and potential customer base). Machida's academy is already training the next generation of "mixed" Karateka and the Karate Combat org may also serve as a launch pad for next TMA to MMA "migrants".
 
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Hotora86 said:
Thanks brother! :)

Izzy does not hold any rank in Karate as far as I know but his introduction to martial arts was in TKD - and his love for creative kicks is still apparent! :D

I wouldn't go so far as to call Izzy "a TMA guy" but the kickboxing style which he represents was undoubtedly influenced by Karate and TKD - unlike the staple Muay Thai which most MMA fighters practice. One could also say that American and western kickboxing is the child of Karate, TKD and boxing adapted to ring fighting, so while it's missing kata and most of the "tradition" it certainly carries over many staple TMA techniques as well as a focus on precision and timing.

The "elite striker with great TDD" build is nothing new (see CroCop) but Izzy certainly took it to another level. It's a pleasure to watch him work his magic.

I do expect more "traditional" Karate guys to transition to MMA at some point - like Luiz Rocha mentioned above - since Karate orgs seem to be keen to jump on the MMA bandwagon and have no issue with their guys carrying the Karate flag into this relatively new territory (and potential customer base). Machida's academy is already training the next generation of "mixed" Karateka and the Karate Combat org may also serve as a launch pad for next TMA to MMA "migrants".
Click to expand...
its cliche to talk about rogan around here, but when he started explaining the benefits of speed and timing you get from point karate it made a lot of sense to me. There’s a huge opportunity there for guys who can read and react like that to add power and combinations to their arsenal and wreck folks as counter fighters
 
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