So how will you remember Yushin Okami's UFC career?

A borderline UFC HOF. Besides AS, Sonnen and Franklin who are in the eyes of most the top three MW's ever Okami only lost to Boetsch. He also beat AS the first time even though it was a DQ and was one of only four Japanese fighters to earn a UFC title shot. Okami is borderline top 5 MW GOAT.
 
As a mostly boring fighter, whose fights I tended to skip.
 
I do not agree that he should've been cut, but I personally will remember him as a boring gatekeeper, that benefitted from a rule-set that tends to be pro-grappling, and pro-stalling. He would've continued to beat contenders under these circumstances, and stunt the growth of the Middleweight division.


Not questioning his skill-set, nor his intangibles (as I do respect his humility), I only question the way he fought during his UFC tenure.
I feel this way towards other lay and pray artists and fighters that stall fights as well. I hold no specific animosity towards Okami.
 
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Best cure for insomnia ever.

Edit: Damn it, blue belt.
 
giovanni002 said:
I'll always remember him as one of the guys that had the opportunity and proved that Asian fighters have what it takes to be in the UFC. A tough soft spoken fighter, who's physical strength and toughness is his main asset. The guy who almost submit former MW champ Rich Franklin and delay the Anderson/Franklin rematch. The Tanner and Swick fights are my fave fights of him. The guy who got along and trained with "the controversial" Chael Sonnen. And a guy who's been dedicated to the UFC and his job and very rarely you hear him talk trash and speak his mind other than his training, fighting and working to the best fighter.

War Yushin.

UFC-middleweight-Yushin-Okami.jpg
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You summed it up pretty well with this.

So extremely disappointed in Yushin being cut. :icon_sad:
 
I like him. He is a good fighter. Not trying to rub it in, but his biggest stand out moment in the UFC was probably getting KOed by Boetsch.
 
He could have been a little better.
 
I'm not a big fan. He lost fights and won decisions in the worst way IMHO. Respect his courage and strength. IMHO he got lucky a few times.
 
He was a great fighter, very great grappler, got chinny toward the end but still great nonetheless.

Top 5-10 fighter for years. Always classy, always respectful, warrior through and though
 
Ok but very boring needed to go after it more and finish people if he had done that he would of never been cut
 
giovanni002 said:
I'll always remember him as one of the guys that had the opportunity and proved that Asian fighters have what it takes to be in the UFC. A tough soft spoken fighter, who's physical strength and toughness is his main asset. The guy who almost submit former MW champ Rich Franklin and delay the Anderson/Franklin rematch. The Tanner and Swick fights are my fave fights of him. The guy who got along and trained with "the controversial" Chael Sonnen. And a guy who's been dedicated to the UFC and his job and very rarely you hear him talk trash and speak his mind other than his training, fighting and working to the best fighter.

War Yushin.

UFC-middleweight-Yushin-Okami.jpg
Click to expand...

Yushin Okami was my favorite Middle-Weight outside of then-champion Anderson (and possibly, soon-to-be again-if-he-hasn't-passed-his-prime-and-keeps-his-hands-up) Silva. As a matter of fact, if I could choose who the Spider would ever lose to; it would either be Machida or Okami (maybe those two ought to swap divisions) or possibly Fedor; as he just seems so 'humble/likeable.' I hope I don't get criticised for saying this, but part of me really wants to see the UFC get their first Japanese champion; and the Japanese get their first UFC champion (Well, Machida is half-Japanese; so I suppose it counts halfway.)

Sadly, the thing with Okami was he didn't schudle the right fights at the right time. His fight with Franklin (another great champion) came a bit early; he'd probably ram through him now. Sonnen has great ability but his near-victory over Silva was sullied by his TRT usage; and if that at all gave him any advantage (he looked like shit against Bisping; and Silva did finish the job in the rematch) it made me skeptical of his victory over Okami.

Side issue; but when he lost to Boetsch; it was easily a fight he was winning; and would have a hard time losing; but that loss; however (un)lucky it was; knocked Okami down a notch; even if he'd defeat Boetsch in a rematch.

However, I get a feeling that Okami isn't quite done in the UFC. I think he gets anywhere between 1 and 4 wins with some smaller promotions; and he'll be back on another Fight Night in the next 2 years. Hopefully, if and when he comes back, it will be with an easier opponent; that's how you 'build up' or 'promote' a fighter (as not everyone Mayweather or Tyson ever fought was the best in the division) and he'll hopefully have better standing strikes defense.
 
One of the best MWs in the world.
One of the greatest Asian MMArtist.

A bit of a grinding style, but I always enjoyed his matches.
Shame about the cut, but I wish him well.
 
Fuck the UFC! Okami should just go to WSOF or Bellator and have some fun and also train some Boxing with Team Gomi to improve upon that jab.

UFC pays him peanuts if he can go elsewhere and do the same line of work and get paid better then I would welcome that. Okami is my boy no matter where he ends up I will root for him.

UFC just lost the Japanese market a chuck out of Asia. If its a Business decision then its probably one of the stupidest shit move ever made money wise.
 
That was a surprise....Okami had 3 wins in a row prior to losing to Jacare. But yet Chris Leben is around
 
Foolish said:
That guy who looked terrified against silva at UFC 134, and could pull out a decision against any hype train he came up against.

Nah, I'm kidding, terrible terrible cut, but I see him beating Vegh by the end of 2014.
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Yushin at LHW? Why would he do that when Shelemenko is smaller than him and is a pure striker?
 
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