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NEW JAPAN PRIMER: KAZUSHI SAKURABA

By Matthew Macklin on 2014-12-19 08:15:00
Kazushi Sakuraba

The “Gracie Hunter” is known as one of Japan's greatest MMA fighters. His nickname comes from his numerous wins over Gracie family members, a rivalry that spilled over into NJPW last year.

You’re either going to love Sakuraba or you’re going to hate him. Obviously, his style is very different as he relies on lots of mat wrestling and MMA influenced holds. He uses moves such as a triangle choke, kimura lock and a cross armbreaker.

There are only a certain number of guys in NJPW whose styles mesh with Sakuraba. One of those is Minoru Suzuki, who Sakuraba will face at Wrestle Kingdom on January 4th.

Kazushi Sakuraba vs Shinsuke Nakamura – Wrestle Kingdom 2013

This is by far the greatest match Sakuraba has had in his NJPW run. This match was raved about by many due to its uniqueness and its MMA like realism. You can watch it here.

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