Bob Sapp
Encyclopedia
Robert Malcolm "Bob" Sapp (born September 22, 1974) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 kickboxer
Kickboxing
Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....

, mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

, comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...

 and former professional American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

 player. Sapp currently has a combined fight record of 21–21–0, mostly fighting in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. He is well known in Japan, where he has appeared in countless commercials, television programs, and various other media, and has released a music CD, It's Sapp Time. He also appeared in an episode of the HBO program Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel is a monthly sports newsmagazine on HBO that debuted on April 2, 1995. The show was "spawned by the fact that sports have changed dramatically, that it's no longer just fun and games, and that what happens off the field, beyond the scores, is worthy of some serious...

. He is currently working sporadically for various MMA promotions in the U.S., Japan, and Europe.

American football career

Bob Sapp began his athletic career in high school playing football at Mitchell High School
William (Billy) Mitchell High School (Colorado Springs)
William Mitchell High School is the third-oldest high school in District 11 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, built in 1965 and named for aviation pioneer Billy Mitchell.Mitchell High School is the only school in the district to feature a planetarium....

 in Colorado Springs, CO. He received a football scholarship to the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...

, where he won the Morris Award. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

 69th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft
1997 NFL Draft
The 1997 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 19–20, 1997. No teams elected to claim any players in the supplemental draft that...

. Sapp's career took a hit after he was suspended by the NFL for alleged steroid abuse. Sapp signed with the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...

 after being released by the Bears. He spent two seasons with the Vikings and only played in one game.

Professional wrestling

Bob Sapp's pro-wrestling career started in NWA Wildside
NWA Wildside
NWA Wildside was an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Cornelia, Georgia, with an office in Atlanta, Georgia, operating between September 1999 and April 2005....

 in 2001. He was quickly contracted by World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...

 as a developmental wrestler
WCW Power Plant
The WCW Power Plant was a professional wrestling school located in Atlanta, Georgia and owned and operated by World Championship Wrestling. The Power Plant, which was developed from a school operated by Jody Hamilton, was in operation throughout the 1990s...

, before the company was bought out by the World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...

 (WWE) (at that time WWF).

In 2004, Sapp competed for New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...

, winning their IWGP Heavyweight Championship and becoming the first black man to accomplish this feat, though it was vacated shortly thereafter due to a mixed martial arts fight loss and film commitments.

On October 16, 2007, Bob Sapp made a surprise appearance at HUSTLE's Korakuen Hall event. Attacking Razor Ramon HG
Masaki Sumitani
is a Japanese comedian, retired professional wrestler and tarento , best known under his performing name of , which he adopted the name from the original wrestler Razor Ramon...

 and his partner. Sapp aligned himself with Generalissimo Takada
Nobuhiko Takada
Nobuhiko Takada is a Japanese mixed martial arts fighter and professional wrestler. He is best known for helping to popularize shoot-style professional wrestling, as one of the biggest stars of the Universal Wrestling Federation and Union of Wrestling Force International in the '80s and '90s. He...

's MONSTER Army. He also announced that he would wrestle at the HUSTLE Mania 11/25 Yokohama Arena event. His opponent was later confirmed to be Razor Ramon HG and Sapp defeated him in the resultant match. His last match was against "Big" Dan Meehan.

Since 2008, Sapp began to participate in WWA, a pro-wrestling organization in South Korea. On October 26, 2009, Bob Sapp captured the WWA Heavyweight title by defeating Lee Wang Pyo, a famous professional wrestler in Korea who was taught by legendary Korean professional wrestler Kim Il
Kintaro Ohki
Kintarō Ōki was arguably the greatest South Korean professional wrestler of all time, also known professionally as Kim Il or KIM Il during his career in the Japan Wrestling Association, All Japan Pro Wrestling and International Pro...

, at Olympic Fencing Gymnasium
Olympic Fencing Gymnasium
Olympic Fencing Gymnasium is an indoor sporting arena located at the Olympic Park in Seoul, South Korea. The capacity of the arena is 6,341 people and was built from September 1984 to April 1986 to host fencing and fencing part of the modern pentathlon events at the 1988 Summer Olympics...

 event. Sapp is scheduled to perform at Dramatic Dream Team
Dramatic Dream Team
Dramatic Dream Team, better known by its initials DDT or its logo reading D2T, is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded in 1997 by Sanshiro Takagi...

 Pro Wrestling's "2011: A RYOGOKU Peter Pan" event on July 24, 2011 using a "Beast will fight for money" gimmick.

Pride Fighting Championships

Sapp was subsequently recruited by the Japanese MMA organization Pride, where he quickly became a fan favorite due to his size, charisma and aggression. After a number of successes in Pride, Sapp was then invited to K-1
K-1
K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...

 by Kazuyoshi Ishii
Kazuyoshi Ishii
is a Japanese master of Seidokaikan karate and founder of the K-1 fighting circuit, a widely televised international martial arts competition combining Muay Thai, karate, sanshou, taekwondo, kenpo, boxing, and kickboxing...

, the creator of the fighting sport K-1. Ishii saw the combination of great potential and great marketability in Sapp.

After arriving in Japan, Sapp fought three matches in Pride. His first match pitted him against pro wrestler and longtime RINGS Fighting Network competitor Yoshihisa Yamamoto, who he finished by TKO at 2:44 of the first round. Sapp's second Pride match was against two-time RINGS Open-Weight Champion Kiyoshi Tamura. Though Tamura was a highly respected fighter who held wins over the likes of Pat Miletich, Jeremy Horn, and Renzo Gracie, he was giving up 150 lbs to his foe and was quickly overwhelmed by the much-larger American, succumbing to strikes just 11 seconds into the bout. During this time fans were first introduced to Sapp's "bullrush" technique, whereby he would rush an opponent with punches, quickly overwhelming them. Pride and K-1 collaborated to create a show billed "Dynamite" in Japan and "Shockwave" in the United States. He faced then-champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira is a Brazilian mixed martial artist known for his technical mastery of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He competes in the heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he is a former UFCInterim Heavyweight Champion...

. Sapp submitted to an armbar late in the second round. Sapp would never again compete in Pride, instead focusing his attention on K-1.

K-1

Despite losing his first fight by disqualification, Sapp was initially successful in K-1
K-1
K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...

. He twice defeated four-time K-1 champion Ernesto Hoost
Ernesto Hoost
Ernesto Fritz "Mr. Perfect" Hoost is a Dutch former kickboxer and four-time K-1 World Champion. He made his debut in 1993 at the K-1 World Grand Prix 1993, where he came just one win short of the world title...

 by technical knockout. He became an overnight sensation in Japan afterwards, appearing on numerous television shows, advertisements, and movie cameos such as in the big screen adaptation of Devilman
Devilman
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Go Nagai which originally started as an anime adaptation of the concept of Nagai's previous manga series, Demon Lord Dante. A 39 episode anime series was developed by Toei in 1972 and Nagai began Devilman as a manga in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen...

. K-1 heads, trying to strike while the iron was hot and hoping to duplicate the success of Sapp, made a new fighting division called "Beast" (Sapp's nickname), which featured larger fighters such as Hong Man Choi. However, the division was stopped after two events due to disappointing reviews and gate takes.

At the height of his success, there was talk and promotion of a fight between him and the former boxing Undisputed Heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...

. The two had a face to face confrontation immediately after Sapp's victory in Las Vegas
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...

 over Kimo
Kimo Leopoldo
Kimo Leopoldo , or simply Kimo, is an American mixed martial artist. He made his MMA debut at UFC 3 in 1994 losing to Royce Gracie by submission. Kimo's fighting style has been described as freestyle, with a mixture of striking and grappling techniques.He was credited with a black belt in Taekwondo...

. K-1 signed Tyson to a contract and the fight looked to be on. However, Tyson's status as a convicted felon
Felony
A felony is a serious crime in the common law countries. The term originates from English common law where felonies were originally crimes which involved the confiscation of a convicted person's land and goods; other crimes were called misdemeanors...

 made him unable to get a visa to fight in Japan where the fight would have been most profitable. Other locations for the proposed fight were made, but negotiations ended up dissipating to nothing and the fight never came off.

In June 2005, Sapp won the K-1 Japan Grand Prix in Hiroshima to become one of 16 fighters qualified for the 2005 K-1 World GP. In the Japan GP, Sapp showcased greatly improved stamina, as well as better technique, than in his previous fights after intensive training under Sam Greco
Sam Greco
Sam "Slam 'em" Greco is a retired Australian super heavyweight kickboxer, heavyweight mixed martial artist and professional wrestler of Italian descent, who fought in Kyokushin karate, professional kickboxing, and K-1 tournaments....

. In the K-1 2005 World GP Eliminations he lost by decision to "The Techno Goliath" Choi Hong-man
Choi Hong-man
Choi Hong-man , often anglicised to Hong-man Choi, is a South Korean kickboxer, mixed martial artist and former ssireum wrestler. In Asia he is called "Che Man", "Korean Monster" and "Korean Colossus"...

.

Sapp's initial success with his intimidating, blind chase-and-punch method (which he dubbed as "NFL Style") slowly petered out into disqualifications for bullrushing and punching after referee breaks. Additionally, experienced opponents discovered Sapp's weak points—his vulnerable mid-section and legs as well as his limited stamina.

On May 13, 2006, Sapp was to headline the K-1 show in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

. His opponent was Ernesto Hoost. Hoost stated in previous interviews and the interview on that show that this was to be his last match in Holland before his retirement. Sapp attended all the pre-fight press conferences and even attended the opening ceremonies for the show. It is unclear at the moment as to why, but Sapp pulled out of the event midway through the show.

K-1 issued a statement claiming Sapp pulled out due to new demands he brought to promoters during the show. K-1 would not agree to those demands since they felt their written contract was final and Sapp left. The full K-1 press release can be viewed on the organization's website.

Sapp has not issued a statement, but a different point of view on the events that occurred.

However, he did participate in 2007's K-1 event in the Amsterdam Arena
Amsterdam ArenA
Amsterdam Arena is a stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is the largest stadium in the nation and it was built from 1993 to 1996 at a cost of €140 million, and was officially opened on 14 August 1996. It has been used for association football, American football, concerts, and other events...

, fighting as a replacement for Remy Bonjasky
Remy Bonjasky
Remy "The Flying Gentleman" Bonjasky is a Dutch super heavyweight kickboxer of Surinamese descent. He is a three-time K-1 World Grand Prix champion, who has won the title in 2003, 2004, and 2008...

, against Peter Aerts
Peter Aerts
Peter "The Dutch Lumberjack" Aerts is a Dutch super heavyweight kickboxer. He is a three-time K-1 World Grand Prix and Muay Thai World Champion. Aerts is best known for his powerful strikes and high kicks.- Biography :...

. Sapp, however, lost the fight at KO
Ko
Ko or KO may refer to:* Ko , a Tamil action movie directed by K.V. Anand released in April 2011* Ko , the romanization of the Japanese kana こ and コ* Ko Mountain, the second highest peak in Sikhote-Alin*Ko, Lamphun, Thailand...

 within 20 seconds in the first round by a knee to the liver
Liver
The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...

. While Sapp was being led from the ring, Aerts apologized to the fans in Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...

 for the short bout as well as having berated his fallen opponent.

After his falling out with K-1, Sapp began to get offers from WWE as well as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...

 (TNA) to work with them, but his K-1 contract prohibited him from going through with any return to the ring.

Sapp made a surprise return to the K-1 ring in Japan after a two-year absence against comedian and part time K-1 competitor Bobby Ologun
Bobby Ologun
Bobby Ologun is a Nigerian-born TV personality in Japan, and a mixed martial artist. In Japan, he is known simply as . He speaks English, Yoruba and Japanese. He currently lives in Saitama, Saitama Prefecture...

. Ologun was unable to mount any effective offense as he was quickly run down and overpowered by Sapp in the 1st round.

Cage Rage

On February 10, 2007 it was announced by the United Kingdom's Cage Rage
Cage Rage
Cage Rage Championships, also known as Cage Rage, was a United Kingdom-based, mixed martial arts promotion that premiered on 7 September 2002 in London. Cage Rage went bankrupt and is now no longer trading...

 promotion that Sapp would appear on its Cage Rage 21 event on April 21, facing Gary Turner
Gary Turner
Gary "Two Horns" Turner is an English professional kickboxer and mixed martial artist who fought in the Cage Rage and K-1 promotions. Turner was the K-1 UK Grand Prix champion in 2003 and 2004...

. The move is partly a retaliatory one, as the UFC
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...

 had chosen to run its first British show in years that same night at the Manchester Evening News Arena, headlined by Mirko "Cro Cop"
Mirko Filipovic
Mirko Filipović is a former Croatian heavyweight kickboxer, mixed martial artist, politician, and law enforcement officer. Filipović was a member of the Croatian Parliament from 2003 through 2007...

, Andrei Arlovski
Andrei Arlovski
Andrei Valeryevich Arlovski is a Belarusian kickboxer, mixed martial artist and a former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion.-Biography:...

 and British star Michael Bisping
Michael Bisping
Michael Gavin Joseph Bisping is an English mixed martial artist born in Cyprus but living in Clitheroe, Lancashire. He currently fights as a middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and is the former Cage Warriors Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion, former Cage Rage light...

. Though Cage Rage promoter Andy Geer said that the UFC show would not affect ticket sales for CR21, the signing of Sapp was a clear sign that the company knew it would need a superstar draw in order to successfully compete with the American promotion. A few days before the event Bob Sapp pulled out of the scheduled fight. On short notice, Tank Abbott
Tank Abbott
David Lee Abbott is an American mixed martial arts fighter and former professional wrestler. He has described his fighting style, which he developed brawling in the bars and streets of Huntington Beach, California, as "street fighting"...

 stepped in for Sapp and lost to Gary Turner.

Strikeforce, FEG and other

Sapp faced the South African fighter Jan "The Giant" Nortje
Jan Nortje
Johannes "Jan" Nortje is a South African kickboxer, mixed martial artist, and undefeated pro boxer who has fought for Strikeforce, DREAM, K-1, PRIDE Fighting Championship, and New Japan Pro Wrestling....

 at the Strikeforce: At The Dome
Strikeforce: At The Dome
Strikeforce: At The Dome was a mixed martial arts event promoted by Strikeforce in conjunction with Brian Halquist Productions. The event took place at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington on Saturday, February 23, 2008.-Results:...

 event in Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...

, at the Tacoma Dome
Tacoma Dome
The Tacoma Dome is an indoor arena located in Tacoma, Washington, USA, approximately 30 miles south of Seattle.-History:...

 on February 23, 2008. Sapp was defeated at the 55 second mark of the first round by TKO after receiving an unanswered torrent of punches. Sapp then returned to Japan on New Year's Eve 2008 and defeated Akihito Tanaka via first round TKO.

Sapp lost to Japanese Ikuhisa Minowa
Ikuhisa Minowa
is a Japanese mixed martial artist and pro wrestler currently competing in Dream as . He was a long time veteran of Pride Fighting Championships and Pancrase and has also competed in other mixed martial arts promotions such as K-1 HERO'S, Cage Rage, UFC, and DEEP. At 5'9" he is notable for taking...

 at Dream 9
Dream 9
Dream.9: Feather Weight Grand Prix 2009 Second Round was a mixed martial arts event promoted by Fighting and Entertainment Group's mixed martial arts promotion Dream on May 26, 2009...

on May 26, 2009, due to Achilles lock. He fought and lost to Bobby Lashley at Ultimate Chaos
Ultimate Chaos
Ultimate Chaos: Lashley vs. Sapp was a mixed martial arts event promoted by Prize Fight MMA and Fight Force International, which took place on June 27, 2009, in Biloxi, Mississippi at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum....

 in Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....

, on June 27, 2009, due to first round tapout from strikes. On October 6, Sapp stood in for an injured Gegard Mousasi
Gegard Mousasi
Gegard Mousasi, born Geghard Movsesian is an Armenian-Dutch mixed martial artist and kickboxer. He is fighting out of Team Jurojin in Leiden, Netherlands and is a member of Russian Red Devil Sport Club and Netherlands' Golden Glory...

 to face Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou Nkamhoua , sometimes billed simply as Sokoudjou, is a Cameroonian mixed martial artist and judoka, and the former KSW Light Heavyweight Champion, who came to prominence in Japan's PRIDE Fighting Championships. He has since had mixed success with stints in the UFC, WEC,...

 in the semifinals at Dream 11
Dream 11
Dream 11: Feather Weight Grand Prix 2009 Final Round was a mixed martial arts event promoted by Fighting and Entertainment Group's mixed martial arts promotion Dream held on October 6, 2009....

. He lost via TKO (punches) in the first round.

On November 27, Sapp fought against Swedish K-1 veteran Jörgen Kruth
Jörgen Kruth
Jörgen "The Last Viking" Kruth is a Swedish super heavyweight Muay Thai kickboxer and mixed martial artist. He is a former two time WMC Super Heavyweight Muaythai World Champion. He is considered to be among the greatest Scandinavian kickboxers of all time.- Biography and career :Jörgen started...

. The fight got a lot of publicity in Swedish and international press, but ended with an anticlimax when Sapp's corner threw in the towel after only 45 seconds, after Kruth hit Sapp with a knee to the liver.

Sapp was next going to face Stav Economou
Stav Economou
Stavros Economou is an English mixed martial artist of Cypriot descent, who fights at heavyweight. He is known for his rotund figure, strange hairsyles and nickname "Crazy Bear".-Mixed martial arts career:...

 at BAMMA 5
BAMMA 5
BAMMA 5: Daley vs. Shira was a mixed martial arts event held by the British Association of Mixed Martial Arts on 26 February 2011 at the MEN Arena in Manchester, England.-Background:BAMMA 5 was the first BAMMA event held outside of Birmingham or London...

, but BAMMA 5 has been canceled due to extreme weather conditions.

Sapp was scheduled to fight at K1 Dynamite!! 2010
Dynamite!! 2010
Dynamite!! 2010 was a mixed martial arts and kickboxing event and the latest in the annual New Year's Eve event promoted by Fighting and Entertainment Group that took place on December 31, 2010 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The event included bouts that encompass the DREAM, K-1 and...

. He was set to battle Shinichi Suzukawa on New Year's Eve in a Pancrase-style matchup, but pulled out at the last minute due to contract disputes. When questioned about Sapp’s refusal to fight on the day of the event, FEG
Fighting and Entertainment Group
Fighting and Entertainment Group is the leading Japanese combat sport promoter. Its current president is Sadaharu Tanikawa and it is the parent company behind the mixed martial arts series Dream and formerly, the largest kickboxing promotion in the world, K-1.On December 31, 2010 after the Dream...

 President Sadaharu Tanikawa asked, “Does anyone actually care? I don’t know the reasons why, but we did our best to make him fight. He just said he didn’t want to. This is typical [of Sapp].” But Sapp claims that the promoters were contracted to pay him $30,000 for the fight, but that Tanikawa offered him $15,000 shortly after he arrived in Japan for the event. Sapp refused to fight for half of the original purse. In response, he "should not be considered as a normal person" and is "the worst, most lamentable dust man.

Kickboxing & Mixed Martial Arts

  • K-1
    K-1
    K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...

    • K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Hiroshima Tournament Winner

  • Wrestling Observer Newsletter
    • 2002 Best Box Office Draw- K-1
      K-1
      K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...

      , PRIDE Fighting Championships
    • 2003 Best Box Office Draw- K-1
      K-1
      K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...

      , PRIDE Fighting Championships
    • 2002 Rookie of the Year- K-1
      K-1
      K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...

      , PRIDE Fighting Championships
  • Black Belt Magazine
    Black Belt Magazine
    Black Belt is an American magazine covering martial arts and combat sports founded in 1961 by Mitoshi Uyehara. During the early years of the publication, Uyehara was a hands-on owner and publisher...


Professional wrestling

  • New Japan Pro Wrestling
    New Japan Pro Wrestling
    is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...

    • IWGP Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

  • World Wrestling Association (South Korea)
    • WWA (South Korea) World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)


Kickboxing record

Kickboxing record

Legend:


Mixed martial arts record

|-
|Loss
|11–8
|  Attila Uçar
|Submission (leglock)
|Premium Fight Night
|2011-04-30
| 1
| 0:56
|
|
|-
|Loss
|11–7
|align='left'|  Stav Economou
Stav Economou
Stavros Economou is an English mixed martial artist of Cypriot descent, who fights at heavyweight. He is known for his rotund figure, strange hairsyles and nickname "Crazy Bear".-Mixed martial arts career:...


|TKO (Punches)
|ADFC: Round 3
ADFC: Round 3
ADFC: Round 3 was a mixed martial arts event organized the on March 11, 201 at the Abu Dhabi International Tennis Complex in Abu Dhabi, UAE....


|2011-03-11
| 1
| 1:45
|
|
|-
|Win
|11–6
|align='left'|  Sascha Weinpolter
|Submission (Forearm Choke)
|K-1 ColliZion 2010 Croatia
|2010-03-27
| 1
| 2:03
|
|
|-
|Loss
|10–6
|align='left'|  Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou Nkamhoua , sometimes billed simply as Sokoudjou, is a Cameroonian mixed martial artist and judoka, and the former KSW Light Heavyweight Champion, who came to prominence in Japan's PRIDE Fighting Championships. He has since had mixed success with stints in the UFC, WEC,...


|TKO (Punches)
|Dream 11
Dream 11
Dream 11: Feather Weight Grand Prix 2009 Final Round was a mixed martial arts event promoted by Fighting and Entertainment Group's mixed martial arts promotion Dream held on October 6, 2009....


|2009-10-06
| 1
| 1:31
|
|DREAM Super Hulk Grand Prix Semifinal. Replaced Gegard Mousasi
Gegard Mousasi
Gegard Mousasi, born Geghard Movsesian is an Armenian-Dutch mixed martial artist and kickboxer. He is fighting out of Team Jurojin in Leiden, Netherlands and is a member of Russian Red Devil Sport Club and Netherlands' Golden Glory...

.

|-
|Loss
|10–5
|align='left'|  Bobby Lashley
|Submission (Strikes)
|Ultimate Chaos: Lashley vs. Sapp
|2009-06-27
| 1
| 3:18
|
|
|-
|Loss
|10–4
|align='left'|  Ikuhisa Minowa
Ikuhisa Minowa
is a Japanese mixed martial artist and pro wrestler currently competing in Dream as . He was a long time veteran of Pride Fighting Championships and Pancrase and has also competed in other mixed martial arts promotions such as K-1 HERO'S, Cage Rage, UFC, and DEEP. At 5'9" he is notable for taking...


|Submission (Kneebar)
|Dream 9
Dream 9
Dream.9: Feather Weight Grand Prix 2009 Second Round was a mixed martial arts event promoted by Fighting and Entertainment Group's mixed martial arts promotion Dream on May 26, 2009...


|2009-05-26
| 1
| 1:16
|
|DREAM Super Hulk Grand Prix Quarterfinal
|-
|Win
|10–3
|  Akihito Tanaka
|TKO (Punches)
|Dynamite!! 2008
Dynamite!! 2008
Dynamite!! 2008 was the annual kickboxing and mixed martial arts event held by K-1 & DREAM on New Year's Eve, Wednesday, December 31, 2008, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan...


|2008-12-31
| 1
| 5:22
|
|
|-
|Loss
|9–3
|  Jan Nortje
Jan Nortje
Johannes "Jan" Nortje is a South African kickboxer, mixed martial artist, and undefeated pro boxer who has fought for Strikeforce, DREAM, K-1, PRIDE Fighting Championship, and New Japan Pro Wrestling....


|TKO (Punches)
|Strikeforce: At The Dome
Strikeforce: At The Dome
Strikeforce: At The Dome was a mixed martial arts event promoted by Strikeforce in conjunction with Brian Halquist Productions. The event took place at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington on Saturday, February 23, 2008.-Results:...


|2008-02-23
| 1
| 0:55
|
|
|-
|Win
|9–2
|  Bobby Ologun
Bobby Ologun
Bobby Ologun is a Nigerian-born TV personality in Japan, and a mixed martial artist. In Japan, he is known simply as . He speaks English, Yoruba and Japanese. He currently lives in Saitama, Saitama Prefecture...


|TKO (Punches)
|K-1 Premium 2007 Dynamite!!
K-1 PREMIUM 2007 Dynamite!!
K-1 PREMIUM 2007 Dynamite!! was an annual kickboxing and mixed martial arts event held by K-1 and Hero's on New Year's Eve, Monday December 31, 2007 at the Kyocera Dome Osaka in Osaka, Japan...


|2007-12-31
| 1
| 4:10
|
|
|-
|Win
|8–2
|  Kim Jong Wang
|TKO (Strikes)
|Hero's 2005 in Seoul
|2005-11-05
| 1
| 0:08
|
|
|-
|Win
|7–2
|  Alan Karaev
Alan Karaev
Alan Karaev is a Russian sumo wrestler and former mixed martial artist.-Biography:Karaev was born in Digora, North Ossetia and graduated from North Ossetian State University. He became the amateur sumo world champion in 2002 and Russian national champion in 2003...


|KO (Punch)
|Hero's 2
|2005-07-06
| 1
| 3:44
|
|
|-
|Win
|6–2
|  Min-Soo Kim
|KO (Punch)
|Hero's 1
|2005-03-26
| 1
| 1:12
|
|
|-
|Loss
|5–2
|  Kazuyuki Fujita
Kazuyuki Fujita
is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and a former amateur wrestler. He has fought in mixed martial arts promotions including PRIDE, K-1 and currently fighting in Sengoku....


|Submission (Strikes)
|K-1 MMA ROMANEX
|2004-05-22
| 1
| 2:15
|
|
|-
|Win
|5–1
|  Dolgorsürengiin Sumiyaabazar
|TKO (Foot Injury)
|K-1 Beast 2004 in Niigata
|2004-03-14
| 1
| 5:00
|
|
|-
|Win
|4–1
|  Stefan Gamlin
|Submission (Guillotine Choke
Guillotine choke
The guillotine choke is a chokehold in martial arts and wrestling applied from in front of the opponent. The choke involves using the arms to encircle the opponent's neck in a fashion similar to a guillotine. The technique is either a type of tracheal compression restraint that prevents air flow...

)
|K-1 Japan Grand Prix 2003
|2003-09-21
| 1
| 0:52
|
|
|-
|Win
|3–1
|  Yoshihiro Takayama
Yoshihiro Takayama
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Takayama is well known for his ability to endure massive amounts of punishment, especially after his fight at PRIDE 21 against Don Frye...


|Submission (Armbar)
|Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2002
Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2002
Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2002: K-1 vs. Inoki was a mixed martial arts and kickboxing event promoted by Antonio Inoki and K-1 on December 31, 2002 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan...


|2002-12-31
| 1
| 2:16
|
|
|-
|Loss
|2–1
|  Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira is a Brazilian mixed martial artist known for his technical mastery of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He competes in the heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he is a former UFCInterim Heavyweight Champion...


|Submission (Armbar)
|Pride Shockwave
PRIDE Shockwave
PRIDE Shockwave was a mixed martial arts and kickboxing event co-promoted by the PRIDE Fighting Championships and K-1 promotions on August 28, 2002. It was held at the Tokyo National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. This event holds the Pride FC attendance record with 91,107 spectators...


|2002-08-28
| 2
| 4:03
|
|
|-
|Win
|2–0
|  Kiyoshi Tamura
Kiyoshi Tamura
is a Japanese middleweight professional wrestler and mixed martial artist.Once a student of legendary Pro Wrestler Akira Maeda, Tamura is known for his skill in catch wrestling as well as his ability to deliver exciting and realistic professional wrestling bouts....


|TKO (Punches)
|Pride 21
PRIDE 21
Pride 21: Demolition was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on June 23, 2002.-Results:...


|2002-06-23
| 1
| 0:11
|
|
|-
|Win
|1–0
|  Yoshihisa Yamamoto
|TKO (punches)
|Pride 20
PRIDE 20
Pride 20: Armed and Ready was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan on April 28, 2002.-Results:...


|2002-04-28
| 1
| 2:44
|
|

Filmography

Year Title Role
2003 Bob Sapp: Sapp Time The Movie!
2003 Taiho Shichauzo Bob Hage
2004 Izo
Izo
IZO is a 2004 Japanese film, directed by Takashi Miike. The main character of the film is Izo Okada , the historical samurai and assassin in 19th century Japan who was tortured and executed by beheading in Tosa....

2005 Elektra
Elektra (2005 film)
Elektra is a 2005 superhero film directed by Rob Bowman. It is a spin-off from the 2003 film Daredevil, starring the Marvel comics character Elektra Natchios . The story follows Elektra, an international assassin whose weapon of choice is a pair of sai.For the screenplay, Zak Penn, Stuart Zicherman...

Stone
2005 Devilman
Devilman
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Go Nagai which originally started as an anime adaptation of the concept of Nagai's previous manga series, Demon Lord Dante. A 39 episode anime series was developed by Toei in 1972 and Nagai began Devilman as a manga in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen...

World Newscaster
2005 Switowski
2007 Big Stan
Big Stan
Big Stan is a 2007 American comedy film produced, directed by and starring Rob Schneider. It is his directorial debut. Although released in some overseas markets during the fall of 2008, it was released straight to DVD in the U.S. on March 24, 2009. It debuted at number 17 on the DVD rental charts...

Big Raymond
2009 Frankenhood Frankie
2009 Blood and Bone
Blood and Bone
Blood and Bone is a 2009 American direct-to-DVD martial arts film directed by Ben Ramsey and written by Michael Andrews. The film stars Michael Jai White, Eamonn Walker and Julian Sands, and features martial artist Matt Mullins and MMA fighters Bob Sapp, Kimbo Slice, Maurice Smith, Gina Carano and...

Hammerman
2011 Blood Out Uncredited
2011 Conan the Barbarian Ukafa

External links

  • Profile at K-1
    K-1
    K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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