Kazunari Murakami
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
freelance
professional wrestler
and a retired mixed martial artist
, best known for his appearances in Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX
and Big Mouth LOUD
, of which he was a founding member. He was also part of the first fight in PRIDE history, defeating John Dixson
by submission.
career fighting for the Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '95 on October 13, 1995 where he lost his first fight Akihiro Gono
by knockout. A few months later, on March 30, 1996, Murakami fought at the Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '96. He fared better defeating Isamu Osugi by submission and avenging his loss to Gono by decision but lost to Masanori Suda by submission. In late 1996, Murakami then began fighting for Extreme Fighting where he defeated Bart Vale
At EF3: Extreme Fighting 3 on October 18, 1996 by TKO. A few months later, at EF4: Extreme Fighting 4 on March 28, 1997, Murakami lost to future UFC Heavyweight Champion: Maurice Smith by KO.
On October 11, 1997, Murakami made history by joining the newly formed: PRIDE Fighting Championships and won in the companies first fight by defeating John Dixson
at PRIDE 1
. He returned to PRIDE three years later at PRIDE 10
on August 27, 2000, where he lost Masaaki Satake
by TKO. He returned to fighting two years later at UFO: Legend in a losing effort to Wallid Ismail
by TKO. He last fight was at Jungle Fight 1
on September 13, 2003, there he defeated Lee Young Gun by verbal submission ending his MMA career at 5-5.
in 1998 when he joined the NJPW dojo. One of his first matches was at Wrestling World 2000 teaming with Naoya Ogawa
in a losing effort to Shinya Hashimoto
and Takashi Iizuka when he submitted to Iizuka. On April 7, Murakami took on Iizuka in an attempt to avenge his loss but he once again fell to Iizuka by submission. On May 5 at Wrestling Dontaku '00, Murakami teamed with Ogawa to challenge Fighting Club G-EGGS
's members: Yuji Nagata
and Manabu Nakanishi
for the IWGP Tag Team Championship but lost when Murakami was pinned by Nagata.
In early 2001, Murakami would also wrestle several times for Pro Wrestling ZERO1. In August 2001, Murakami entered the 2001 G1 Climax
. He finished fourth in his block with 5 points scoring victories over Nakanishi and Tadao Yasuda
while going to a double countout with eventual winner: Yuji Nagata.
In the summer of 2002, Murakami joined the Makai Club
. On December 10, 2002, Murakami challenged Yuji Nagata for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Despite making Nagata bleed and trapping him with his own Nagata Lock II. Murakami would still get pinned.
At Wrestling World 2003
Murakami and Yasuda lost to Michiyoshi Ohara
and Shinsuke Nakamura
. In February 2003, Murakami teamed with Yasuda in a #1 Contenders Tournament for the IWGP Tag Titles making it all the finals before losing Mike Barton and Jim Steele
. However an injury to Jim Steele would give the title shot to Murakami and Yasuda who challenged Cho-Ten
on February 16 for the Tag Team Titles but lost. On May 2 at Ultimate Crush, Murakami lost to Enson Inoue
. In the fall of 2003, Murakami wrestled three bounty matches emerging victorious in all of them. He defeated Shinya Makabe at Road to Ultimate Crush on September 21 in a 1,000,000 Yen Bounty. Then Katsuyori Shibata
at Ultimate Crush II on October 13 in a 2,000,000 Yen Bounty. Then Koji Kanemoto
at Yokohama Dead Out on November 3 in a 4,000,000 Bounty Match. In Mid 2004, The Makai Club broke up and Murakami would briefly join Masahiro Chono
's new stable: Black New Japan
before leaving New Japan in January 2005.
In January 2005, Murakami helped formed the promotion: Big Mouth LOUD
which lasted until the summer of 2006. In January 2006, Murakami returned to New Japan for the Toukon Shidou Chapter 1 show where he lost to Yuji Nagata. In the summer of 2006, Murakami took part in ZERO1's 2006 Fire Festival tournament where he made it to the semi finals losing to Shinjiro Ohtani
. In 2006, Murakami also debuted for Pro Wrestling NOAH
where he took part in a tournament for the GHC Tag Team Championship
teaming with Ohtani. They would reach the semi-finals before losing to eventual winners: Takeshi Morishima
and Mohammed Yone.
In 2010, Murakami returned to NOAH and on March 26, he teamed with Katsumi Usuda to challenge Takeshi Rikio
and Yone for the GHC Tag Team Titles but they came up short. In early 2010, Murakami joined Kensuke Sasaki
's promotion: Kensuke Office where he currently wrestles as Big Murakami.
|Win
|5-5
|
Lee Young Gun
| Verbal Submission (Armbar)
| Jungle Fight 1
| 9/13/2003
| 1
| 1:09
|
|
|-
|Loss
|4-5
|
Wallid Ismail
| TKO (Punches)
| UFO: Legend
| 8/8/2002
| 2
| 3:03
|
|
|-
|Loss
|4-4
|
Masaaki Satake
| TKO (Punches)
| PRIDE 10
| 8/27/2000
| 1
| 6:58
|
|
|-
|Win
|4-3
|
John Dixson
| Submission (Armbar)
| PRIDE 1
| 10/11/1997
| 1
| 1:34
|
|
|-
|Loss
|3-3
| Maurice Smith
| KO (Punch)
| EF 4: Extreme Fighting 4
| 3/28/1997
| 1
| 4:23
|
|
|-
|Win
|3-2
| Bart Vale
| TKO (Punches)
| EF 3: Extreme Fighting 3
| 10/18/1996
| 1
| 4:37
|
|
|-
|Loss
|2-2
| Masanori Suda
| Submission (Armbar)
| Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '96
| 3/30/1996
| 2
| 1:38
|
|
|-
|Win
|2-1
| Akihiro Gono
| Decision
| Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '96
| 3/30/1996
| 2
| 3:00
|
|
|-
|Win
|1-1
| Isamu Osugi
| Submission (Armlock)
| Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '96
| 3/30/1996
| 1
| 4:10
|
|
|-
|Loss
|0-1
| Akihiro Gono
| KO (Kick)
| Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '95
| 10/13/1995
| 1
| 2:25
|
|
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
freelance
Freelancer
A freelancer, freelance worker, or freelance is somebody who is self-employed and is not committed to a particular employer long term. These workers are often represented by a company or an agency that resells their labor and that of others to its clients with or without project management and...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
and a retired mixed martial artist
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
, best known for his appearances in Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX
Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX
Pro Wrestling Zero1 , formerly known as Pro Wrestling Zero-One and Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max, is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded in 2001. It was affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance from 2001 until late 2004 and again from 2011 onwards...
and Big Mouth LOUD
Big Mouth Loud
Big Mouth LOUD was a professional wrestling promotion based in Japan. Big Mouth LOUD was based on the style of New Japan Pro Wrestling, but was not officially tied to New Japan...
, of which he was a founding member. He was also part of the first fight in PRIDE history, defeating John Dixson
John Dixson
John "Big" Dixson is a retired professional Heavyweight Mixed Martial Arts fighter. He is notable for fighting in PRIDE Fighting Championships among other mixed martial arts organizations.-MMA career:...
by submission.
Mixed Martial Arts (1995-2003)
Murakami began his Mixed Martial ArtsMixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
career fighting for the Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '95 on October 13, 1995 where he lost his first fight Akihiro Gono
Akihiro Gono
is a Japanese mixed martial artist who currently fights as a welterweight. He is best known for his clever and deceptive fighting style, and for his flashy ring entrances. His fighting style is characterized by skillfully avoiding strikes, using fast counter punches and generally getting the...
by knockout. A few months later, on March 30, 1996, Murakami fought at the Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '96. He fared better defeating Isamu Osugi by submission and avenging his loss to Gono by decision but lost to Masanori Suda by submission. In late 1996, Murakami then began fighting for Extreme Fighting where he defeated Bart Vale
Bart Vale
Bart Vale is an American former kickboxer, mixed martial artist and professional wrestler. He is known for his "old school" American martial arts look, consisting of a mustache, mullet and American flag trunks...
At EF3: Extreme Fighting 3 on October 18, 1996 by TKO. A few months later, at EF4: Extreme Fighting 4 on March 28, 1997, Murakami lost to future UFC Heavyweight Champion: Maurice Smith by KO.
On October 11, 1997, Murakami made history by joining the newly formed: PRIDE Fighting Championships and won in the companies first fight by defeating John Dixson
John Dixson
John "Big" Dixson is a retired professional Heavyweight Mixed Martial Arts fighter. He is notable for fighting in PRIDE Fighting Championships among other mixed martial arts organizations.-MMA career:...
at PRIDE 1
PRIDE 1
Pride 1 was the first mixed martial arts event held by KRS-Pride . It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on October 11, 1997 and attracted a crowd of 47,860 spectators....
. He returned to PRIDE three years later at PRIDE 10
PRIDE 10
Pride 10: Return of the Warriors was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at Seibu Dome in Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan, on August 27, 2000...
on August 27, 2000, where he lost Masaaki Satake
Masaaki Satake
is a Japanese former super heavyweight karateka, kickboxer and mixed martial artist. He was one of the pioneering heavyweight fighters in K-1, after being a member of Kazuyoshi Ishii's Seido-Kaikan school and organization.-Biography and career:...
by TKO. He returned to fighting two years later at UFO: Legend in a losing effort to Wallid Ismail
Wallid Ismail
Wallid Farid Ismail is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and promoter. He holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Carlson Gracie, and is an IVC mixed martial arts world champion and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Champion...
by TKO. He last fight was at Jungle Fight 1
Jungle Fight 1
Jungle Fight 1 was the first mixed martial arts event held by Jungle Fight on September 13, 2003 at Ariau Amazon Towers Convention Center in Manaus, Brazil.-Results: Ebenezer Fontes Braga vs. Rodrigo Gripp de Sousa...
on September 13, 2003, there he defeated Lee Young Gun by verbal submission ending his MMA career at 5-5.
Professional Wrestling (1998-)
Murakami entered professional wrestlingProfessional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
in 1998 when he joined the NJPW dojo. One of his first matches was at Wrestling World 2000 teaming with Naoya Ogawa
Naoya Ogawa
Naoya Ogawa is a Japanese former world judo champion, Olympic silver medalist, professional wrestler and mixed martial artist...
in a losing effort to Shinya Hashimoto
Shinya Hashimoto
, was a Japanese professional wrestler. Along with Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh, Hashimoto was dubbed one of the "Three Musketeers" that began competing in New Japan Pro Wrestling in the mid 1980s and dominated the promotion in the 1990s....
and Takashi Iizuka when he submitted to Iizuka. On April 7, Murakami took on Iizuka in an attempt to avenge his loss but he once again fell to Iizuka by submission. On May 5 at Wrestling Dontaku '00, Murakami teamed with Ogawa to challenge Fighting Club G-EGGS
Fighting Club G-EGGS
Fighting Club G-EGGS was a professional wrestling stable that competed in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Led by Yuji Nagata, it consisted of wrestlers with sporting backgrounds.-History:...
's members: Yuji Nagata
Yuji Nagata
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He was known for his perennial tweener status, currently a solid fan favorite, and his stiff, shoot style wrestling technique....
and Manabu Nakanishi
Manabu Nakanishi
is a Japanese professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler who competed in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. He currently works for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He is a former IWGP Heavyweight Champion.-Amateur wrestling career:...
for the IWGP Tag Team Championship but lost when Murakami was pinned by Nagata.
In early 2001, Murakami would also wrestle several times for Pro Wrestling ZERO1. In August 2001, Murakami entered the 2001 G1 Climax
G1 Climax
The G1 Climax professional wrestling tournament is a weeklong event held each August by the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. The G1 draws standing room only crowds each night, record receipt gates and generates front-page coverage on the sports sections of several of the daily newspapers in Tokyo...
. He finished fourth in his block with 5 points scoring victories over Nakanishi and Tadao Yasuda
Tadao Yasuda
Tadao Yasuda is a retired sumo and professional wrestler from Ōta, Tokyo, Japan. He competed in sumo from 1979 to 1992, under the shikona of Takanofuji, achieving the rank of komusubi, and afterwards turned to professional wrestling, in which he competed from 1994 to 2011.-Sumo career:He made his...
while going to a double countout with eventual winner: Yuji Nagata.
In the summer of 2002, Murakami joined the Makai Club
Makai Club
Makai Club was a professional wrestling stable that competed in New Japan Pro Wrestling, it was led by Tadao Yasuda and managed by Kantaro Hoshino.-History:...
. On December 10, 2002, Murakami challenged Yuji Nagata for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Despite making Nagata bleed and trapping him with his own Nagata Lock II. Murakami would still get pinned.
At Wrestling World 2003
January 4 Dome Show
The January 4 Tokyo Dome Show is a professional wrestling major show, some times broadcast as a Pay-Per-View , held by Japanese Professional wrestling promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling...
Murakami and Yasuda lost to Michiyoshi Ohara
Michiyoshi Ohara
Michiyoshi Ohara is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, best known for his work in New Japan Pro Wrestling where he wrestled from 1990 to 2004 where he enjoyed success winning the IWGP Tag Team Championship with Tatsutoshi Goto in 1999....
and Shinsuke Nakamura
Shinsuke Nakamura
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist currently working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is a former three-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion.-Super Rookie :...
. In February 2003, Murakami teamed with Yasuda in a #1 Contenders Tournament for the IWGP Tag Titles making it all the finals before losing Mike Barton and Jim Steele
Mike Barton and Jim Steele
The tag team of Mike Barton and Jim Steele was a professional wrestling tag team that competed in several puroresu promotions including All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :...
. However an injury to Jim Steele would give the title shot to Murakami and Yasuda who challenged Cho-Ten
Cho-Ten
Cho-Ten was a professional wrestling team that competed in New Japan Pro Wrestling on and off from February 1995 - September 2006. The team consisted of Masahiro Chono and Hiroyoshi Tenzan. Cho-Ten is one of the most decorated and successful tag teams in New Japan history. They held the IWGP Tag...
on February 16 for the Tag Team Titles but lost. On May 2 at Ultimate Crush, Murakami lost to Enson Inoue
Enson Inoue
Enson Inoue is a Japanese American mixed martial artist. He has a professional MMA record of 12-8-0. He is a former Shooto Heavyweight Champion. He had also previously fought in Pride Fighting Championships, the biggest mixed martial arts organization at the time...
. In the fall of 2003, Murakami wrestled three bounty matches emerging victorious in all of them. He defeated Shinya Makabe at Road to Ultimate Crush on September 21 in a 1,000,000 Yen Bounty. Then Katsuyori Shibata
Katsuyori Shibata
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. In professional wrestling, he is known for his hard hitting offense and his realistic bouts.-New Japan Pro Wrestling :...
at Ultimate Crush II on October 13 in a 2,000,000 Yen Bounty. Then Koji Kanemoto
Koji Kanemoto
is a professional wrestler. He is of Zainichi Korean descent.-Career:Kanemoto practiced Judo during his high school days and won a few championships as a professional before being recruited by the New Japan Dojo. He debuted in November 1990, wrestling against Michiyoshi Ohara. In March 1992, he...
at Yokohama Dead Out on November 3 in a 4,000,000 Bounty Match. In Mid 2004, The Makai Club broke up and Murakami would briefly join Masahiro Chono
Masahiro Chono
, is a Japanese professional wrestler. He primarily wrestles for New Japan Pro Wrestling , but has also made appearances for the now defunct World Championship Wrestling, as a member of the New World Order. Chono was also known as Mister Black Jack when he first started as a villain. He is a...
's new stable: Black New Japan
Black New Japan
Black New Japan was a professional wrestling stable that competed in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Black New Japan was led by Masahiro Chono and was one of many of Chono's anti-New Japan stables.-History:...
before leaving New Japan in January 2005.
In January 2005, Murakami helped formed the promotion: Big Mouth LOUD
Big Mouth Loud
Big Mouth LOUD was a professional wrestling promotion based in Japan. Big Mouth LOUD was based on the style of New Japan Pro Wrestling, but was not officially tied to New Japan...
which lasted until the summer of 2006. In January 2006, Murakami returned to New Japan for the Toukon Shidou Chapter 1 show where he lost to Yuji Nagata. In the summer of 2006, Murakami took part in ZERO1's 2006 Fire Festival tournament where he made it to the semi finals losing to Shinjiro Ohtani
Shinjiro Ohtani
Shinjiro Otani is a Japanese professional wrestler contracted to Pro Wrestling ZERO1. Otani is also the acting President of the company.-New Japan Pro Wrestling :...
. In 2006, Murakami also debuted for Pro Wrestling NOAH
Pro Wrestling NOAH
is a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
where he took part in a tournament for the GHC Tag Team Championship
GHC Tag Team Championship
The Global Honored Crown Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on October 19, 2001, when Scorpio & Vader defeated Jun Akiyama & Akitoshi Saito in a tournament final...
teaming with Ohtani. They would reach the semi-finals before losing to eventual winners: Takeshi Morishima
Takeshi Morishima
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently performing for Pro Wrestling Noah in Japan and has performed for Ring of Honor in the United States in the past. He is a former Ring of Honor World champion...
and Mohammed Yone.
In 2010, Murakami returned to NOAH and on March 26, he teamed with Katsumi Usuda to challenge Takeshi Rikio
Takeshi Rikio
Takeshi Inoue, known by his stage name , born December 20, 1972, is a Japanese professional wrestler, who works for Pro Wrestling Noah. He is also a former sumo wrestler.- Sumo career :...
and Yone for the GHC Tag Team Titles but they came up short. In early 2010, Murakami joined Kensuke Sasaki
Kensuke Sasaki
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for various promotions through his own agency, Kensuke Office. He is the first of two men ever to hold all 3 of puroresu's major heavyweight titles , the other being Yoshihiro Takayama.-Early years :Kensuke Sasaki...
's promotion: Kensuke Office where he currently wrestles as Big Murakami.
Mixed martial arts record
|-|Win
|5-5
|
Lee Young Gun| Verbal Submission (Armbar)
| Jungle Fight 1
Jungle Fight 1
Jungle Fight 1 was the first mixed martial arts event held by Jungle Fight on September 13, 2003 at Ariau Amazon Towers Convention Center in Manaus, Brazil.-Results: Ebenezer Fontes Braga vs. Rodrigo Gripp de Sousa...
| 9/13/2003
| 1
| 1:09
|
|
|-
|Loss
|4-5
|
Wallid IsmailWallid Ismail
Wallid Farid Ismail is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and promoter. He holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Carlson Gracie, and is an IVC mixed martial arts world champion and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Champion...
| TKO (Punches)
| UFO: Legend
| 8/8/2002
| 2
| 3:03
|
|
|-
|Loss
|4-4
|
Masaaki SatakeMasaaki Satake
is a Japanese former super heavyweight karateka, kickboxer and mixed martial artist. He was one of the pioneering heavyweight fighters in K-1, after being a member of Kazuyoshi Ishii's Seido-Kaikan school and organization.-Biography and career:...
| TKO (Punches)
| PRIDE 10
PRIDE 10
Pride 10: Return of the Warriors was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at Seibu Dome in Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan, on August 27, 2000...
| 8/27/2000
| 1
| 6:58
|
|
|-
|Win
|4-3
|
John DixsonJohn Dixson
John "Big" Dixson is a retired professional Heavyweight Mixed Martial Arts fighter. He is notable for fighting in PRIDE Fighting Championships among other mixed martial arts organizations.-MMA career:...
| Submission (Armbar)
| PRIDE 1
PRIDE 1
Pride 1 was the first mixed martial arts event held by KRS-Pride . It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on October 11, 1997 and attracted a crowd of 47,860 spectators....
| 10/11/1997
| 1
| 1:34
|
|
|-
|Loss
|3-3
|
Maurice Smith| KO (Punch)
| EF 4: Extreme Fighting 4
| 3/28/1997
| 1
| 4:23
|
|
|-
|Win
|3-2
|
Bart ValeBart Vale
Bart Vale is an American former kickboxer, mixed martial artist and professional wrestler. He is known for his "old school" American martial arts look, consisting of a mustache, mullet and American flag trunks...
| TKO (Punches)
| EF 3: Extreme Fighting 3
| 10/18/1996
| 1
| 4:37
|
|
|-
|Loss
|2-2
|
Masanori Suda| Submission (Armbar)
| Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '96
| 3/30/1996
| 2
| 1:38
|
|
|-
|Win
|2-1
|
Akihiro GonoAkihiro Gono
is a Japanese mixed martial artist who currently fights as a welterweight. He is best known for his clever and deceptive fighting style, and for his flashy ring entrances. His fighting style is characterized by skillfully avoiding strikes, using fast counter punches and generally getting the...
| Decision
| Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '96
| 3/30/1996
| 2
| 3:00
|
|
|-
|Win
|1-1
|
Isamu Osugi| Submission (Armlock)
| Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '96
| 3/30/1996
| 1
| 4:10
|
|
|-
|Loss
|0-1
|
Akihiro GonoAkihiro Gono
is a Japanese mixed martial artist who currently fights as a welterweight. He is best known for his clever and deceptive fighting style, and for his flashy ring entrances. His fighting style is characterized by skillfully avoiding strikes, using fast counter punches and generally getting the...
| KO (Kick)
| Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '95
| 10/13/1995
| 1
| 2:25
|
|
Kickboxing record
| Kickboxing record | |
|---|---|
Legend: |
|
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Jujigatame
- Sleeper hold
- Signature Moves
- STO
- Mounted Punches
- Scissored Sleeper
- Nicknames
- The Terrorist of Heisei