Kazushi Sakuraba
Japanese mixed martial artist and professional wrestler
桜庭和志 · 櫻庭和志 · 사쿠라바 가즈시
- Born
- 14 July 1969, Katagami
- Citizenship
- Japan
- Sport
- mixed martial arts, professional wrestling
- Occupation
- mixed martial arts fighter, professional wrestler
- Height
- 183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
- Weight
- 76 kg (167 lb)
- Team / club
- Takada Dōjō
Kazushi Sakuraba (Japanese: 桜庭 和志, Sakuraba Kazushi; born July 14, 1969) is a Japanese professional wrestler, submission wrestler and former mixed martial artist. He is performing as a freelancer, primarily appearing for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he was formerly one-half of the former GHC Tag Team Champions with Takashi Sugiura. He has also competed in traditional puroresu for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and shoot-style competition for UWFi and Kingdom Pro Wrestling (KPW). He has fought in MMA competition in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Pride Fighting Championships, Hero's, Dream and most recently Rizin Fighting Federation. He is known as the Gracie Hunter or the Gracie Killer due to his wins over four members of the famed Gracie family: Royler Gracie, Renzo Gracie, Ryan Gracie, and Royce Gracie. Sakuraba is famous for beating 15 champions of different top MMA organizations; opponents who were often many weight-classes above him.
Awards and honours
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
Teachers
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q1154771 (CC0); quoted introduction from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.