Kazuhiro Nakamura: The greatest LHW Judo fighter of all time in UFC/MMA

[pankrat]

Japanese fighters are always amazing.

Until they leave their small pond Japan and gets smashed overseas.

Except many of them have beat plenty of UFC champions and even some of them fought for UFC gold

 

[RonMachineGunJhun]

He was a MW iirc

yea i just see everyone talking about Karo and other weights so figured it was more of who was some of the better Judo guys competing in mma

 

[KantoTerror]

Firstly, I was speaking directly to TS’s point about WW judokas and I do respect sexyama.

Second, Karo ragdolled a lot of other competitors then just Diego. He ragdolled Diaz, Lytle, Diego, Mayhem, Serra just to name a few and also held his own against WW GOAT GSP in George’s athletic prime. Put some respect on his name.

I do respect Karo...he made judo work in MMA but to say he's the top dog Judoka in MMA, no he isn't...Ronda as much as I am not a fan, is better in applied Judo...

 

[Hotora86]

I'll be damned. JustOnce made a solid thread. Wish I could give it 10 likes.

His name is a reference to how often he makes solid threads.

 

[JustOnce]

What about Dan Kelly? He was pretty solid in UFC. Made Australian Olympic team like 3 times maybe more. Not sure if he ever medaled.

He's a middleweight ;; I know right I thought he was a LHW guy too looking back. Prob fighting drained Rashad had to do with it

 

[JustOnce]

His name is a reference to how often he makes solid threads.

 

[JustOnce]

Japanese fighters are always amazing.

Until they leave their small pond Japan and gets smashed overseas.

LMFAO

I thought it was JMMA fan at first

 

[pankrat]

He's a middleweight ;; I know right I thought he was a LHW guy too looking back. Prob fighting drained Rashad had to do with it

To be fair he is a middleweight simply because he cut more weight than Kaz used to do. Nakamura walks around as heavy and probably lighter than most MWs including Kelly.
Nakamura also fought at MW actually

 

[JustOnce]

To be fair he is a middleweight simply because he cut more weight than Kaz used to do. Nakamura walks around as heavy and probably lighter than most MWs including Kelly.
Nakamura also fought at MW actually

Yeah but MW is stacked with high level Judo MMA fighters. But LHW is like..I think Nakamura is the best. People bring up Soj, but I think for sure NAkamura

Has better Judo credentials.
Has fought better MMA competition
Actually grappled in his fights

So he has to be the best. I mean, Soj has a win over NAkamura, but it was from leg kicks, I mean clearly Nakamura isn't the best striker around, Soj could hit like a truck

 

[JustOnce]

First of all, thanks a lot from making a thread about my boy King Kaz. Yoshida Dojo represent!
One of my favs Japanese fighters with a bad win/loss ratio, but who is actually a very good win to have on your record, especially if you managed to finish him...



You mean it's a blasphemy, because he should be listed first? Not sure I get what the issue is there...

'member when Sokoudjou made it big as the new "Francis N'Gannou of future past", and Karo Parisyan immediately made sure everyone knew he once beat him in Judo ^^
Good times


Soko proceeded to claim that he remembered that bout against "a smaller Armenian guy", but that he had no idea that this Judoka he lost to was the same Karo who fought in the UFC and all...
Would have been cool to see them have a grappling rematch at Quintet or something

Anyway, KazNak, KazNak... I was always so pumped when his fights were announced!
His walkout music was super chill, one of my favorites.
The one time I had to root against him was when he fought my hero, Kevin Randleman...

I was also pretty sad when it was announced that he would be Yoshida's final opponent in MMA, at ASTRA: Yoshida's Farewell

I couldn't root against or for any of them, so I settled on simply hoping no one got hurt

At the time I cursed my shitty Japanese skills, because I really want to follow the interviews and all, the logic behind the fight, all that good BTS stuff.

By the way, I've noticed that this particular bout wasn't listed on Kaz's wikipedia page, but in 2003 he had a kick boxing bout in K1 against Hiraku Hori
Here's the fight in shitty quality =>

Damn rare Nakamura fan right here

Hespect

 

[moreorless87]

Japanese fighters are always amazing.

Until they leave their small pond Japan and gets smashed overseas.

Then go back to Japan were the competition is easier.

 

[JohnMandick]

Dong and Yoshida

 

[JustOnce]

Dong and Yoshida

None of whom are LHW

 

[listrahtes]

Lol..just because Karo ragdolled Sanchez doesn't make him the best Judoka in UFC...what does that make Sexyama then?

have to agree. Akiyama is on a whole different planet then Karo regarding Judo.
He was a truly worldclass Judoka. But he was also always a cheat. Did not surprise me that he had a "slippery" incident even in Judo multiple times. He continued that in MMA with the Saku match the most obvious. I cheered when Misaki caved him into the ground.

 

[JohnMandick]

None of whom are LHW

I just like them.

 

[JustOnce]

I just like them.

Me too, graet minds think alike

 

[RemyR]

He was a gutsy dude that’s for sure.

the Wand knockout was hilarious though

 

[rearnakedchoke]

I'll be damned. JustOnce made a solid thread. Wish I could give it 10 likes.

Hence the name? JustOnce?

 

[JustOnce]

He was a gutsy dude that’s for sure.

the Wand knockout was hilarious though

yeah lul worst decision ever

 

[JustOnce]

Hence the name? JustOnce?

Nah, more like always, but you will only realize it when you wake up just once