This Week’s MMA Birthdays: Kazushi Sakuraba Turns 44
Kazushi Sakuraba remains one of MMA’s most beloved figures. |
Photo: Taro Irei/Sherdog.com
Few fighters have had a greater impact on mixed martial arts than Kazushi Sakuraba, who will celebrate his 44th birthday on July 14.
Sakuraba rose out of the ashes of Nobuhiko Takada’s failed MMA career and became one of the sport’s unlikeliest superstars. A professional wrestler and gifted submission grappler, he successfully merged the two disciplines, emerged from the early days of Pride Fighting Championships and helped lift the Japanese promotion to unprecedented heights.
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Though Sakuraba lingered in the sport well past his prime, he was a special fighter during his heyday and a pivotal figure in MMA’s growth.
Those in MMA celebrating a birthday the week covering July 14-July
20:
JULY 14
Kazushi Sakuraba (44)Mostapha Al-Turk (40)
Falaniko Vitale (39)
Wagnney Fabiano (38)
Rolles Gracie (35)
Leonard Garcia (34)
Shane Roller (34)
JULY 15
Antony Rea (37)Matt Mitrione (35)
JULY 16
Javier Vazquez (36)Toby Imada (35)
Kazuhiro Nakamura (34)
Walel Watson (29)
JULY 17
Alexander Otsuka (42)Yuki Kondo (38)
Ricardo Arona (35)
Mamed Khalidov (33)
Mike Byrnes (23)
JULY 18
Crosley Gracie (34)Hatsu Hioki (30)
Ben Askren (29)
JULY 19
Jeremiah Constant (39)Raphael Assuncao (31)
Jon Jones (26)
JULY 20
Aaron Simpson (39)Pat Healy (30)
Ryan Healy (30)
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