Naoki Sakurada

Naoki Sakurada Japanese: 桜田直樹 (born May 12, 1968) is a Japanese^[2] mixed martial artist.^[3] He competed in the Welterweight and Middleweight^[4] divisions. He is a former Shooto Middleweight Champion.

Naoki Sakurada 桜田直樹
Born	(1966-05-12) May 12, 1966 (age 59) Japan
Other names	Mr. Gutsman
Nationality	Japanese
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Weight	168 lb (76 kg; 12.0 st)
Division	Welterweight Middleweight
Style	Combat wrestling[1]
Team	Kiguchi Dojo[1] Gutsman Shooto Dojo (2000–present)
Teacher(s)	Noriaki Kiguchi[1]
Years active	1989–1995
Mixed martial arts record
Total	22
Wins	12
By knockout	2
By submission	5
By decision	5
Losses	6
By knockout	1
By submission	4
By decision	1
Draws	4
Other information
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Mixed martial arts career

Sakurada started as a student of combat wrestling's (Japanese version of submission wrestling founding father Noriaki Kiguchi at Kiguchi Dojo.^[1] Sakurada competed almost exclusively in Shooto events, with the only exception when he faced Yasushi Warita at Vale Tudo Japan 1994 which ended in a draw. Sakurada challenged Yasuto Sekishima for the Shooto Middleweight Championship at Shooto - Shooto on November 28, 1990 but the bout ended in a draw.

A rematch of the championship bout took place at Shooto - Shooto on October 17, 1991. Sakurada claimed the title via unanimous decision and went on to successfully defend it once against Kazuhiro Kusayanagi at Shooto - Shooto on December 23, 1991 via majority decision.

At the turn of the millennium he founded Gutsman Shooto Dojo, where he has coached mixed martial artists such as Hayato Sakurai, Hisae Watanabe and Mizuto Hirota.^[5][6]

Championships and accomplishments

• Shooto
  • Shooto Middleweight Championship (one time)
    • One title defense

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown

22 matches	12 wins	6 losses
By knockout	2	1
By submission	5	4
By decision	5	1
Draws	4

Res.	Record	Opponent	Method	Event	Date	Round	Time	Location	Notes
Win	12–6–4	Yasunori Okuda	Submission (heel hook)	Shooto - Vale Tudo Access 4	May 12, 1995	1	3:00	Japan
Win	11–6–4	Maurice Roumimper	Submission (heel hook)	Shooto - Vale Tudo Access 3	January 21, 1995	2	1:10	Tokyo, Japan
Win	10–6–4	Kotaro Shimamoto	Decision (unanimous)	Shooto - Vale Tudo Access 1	September 26, 1994	5	3:00	Tokyo, Japan
Draw	9–6–4	Yasushi Warita	Draw	Vale Tudo Japan 1994	July 29, 1994	5	3:00	Urayasu, Chiba, Japan
Win	9–6–3	Yuji Hashiguchi	KO	Shooto - Shooto	May 6, 1994	3	1:18	Tokyo, Japan
Draw	8–6–3	Erik Paulson	Draw	Shooto - Shooto	November 25, 1993	5	3:00	Tokyo, Japan
Loss	8–6–2	Manabu Yamada	Submission (kneebar)	Shooto - Shooto	February 26, 1993	5	1:19	Tokyo, Japan
Win	8–5–2	Kazuhiro Kusayanagi	Decision (unanimous)	Shooto - Shooto	September 25, 1992	5	3:00	Tokyo, Japan
Win	7–5–2	Tomohiro Tanaka	KO	Shooto - Shooto	July 23, 1992	2	0:00	Tokyo, Japan
Loss	6–5–2	Yuichi Watanabe	Submission (kneebar)	Shooto - Shooto	May 29, 1992	3	0:57	Tokyo, Japan
Win	6–4–2	Kazuhiro Kusayanagi	Decision (majority)	Shooto - Shooto	December 23, 1991	5	3:00	Tokyo, Japan	Defended the Shooto Middleweight Championship.
Win	5–4–2	Yasuto Sekishima	Decision (majority)	Shooto - Shooto	October 17, 1991	5	3:00	Osaka, Japan	Won the Shooto Middleweight Championship.
Win	4–4–2	Yuichi Watanabe	Submission (armbar)	Shooto - Shooto	August 25, 1991	5	2:03	Tokyo, Japan
Win	3–4–2	Tomonori Ohara	Submission (armbar)	Shooto - Shooto	May 31, 1991	5	0:00	Tokyo, Japan
Loss	2–4–2	Kenji Kawaguchi	Submission (guillotine choke)	Shooto - Shooto	January 13, 1991	1	0:00	Tokyo, Japan
Draw	2–3–2	Yasuto Sekishima	Draw	Shooto - Shooto	November 28, 1990	5	3:00	Tokyo, Japan	For the Shoot Middleweight Championship.
Draw	2–3–1	Yuji Ito	Draw	Shooto - Shooto	September 8, 1990	5	3:00	Tokyo, Japan
Loss	2–3	Yasuto Sekishima	Decision	Shooto - Shooto	July 7, 1990	5	3:00	Tokyo, Japan
Loss	2–2	Kenji Kawaguchi	TKO (punches)	Shooto - Shooto	January 13, 1990	4	1:29	Tokyo, Japan
Win	2–1	Takashi Ishizaki	Decision (unanimous)	Shooto - Shooto	October 19, 1989	3	3:00	Tokyo, Japan
Win	1–1	Yuichi Watanabe	Submission (heel hook)	Shooto - Shooto	July 29, 1989	1	0:00	Tokyo, Japan
Loss	0–1	Kazuhiro Kusayanagi	Submission (armbar)	Shooto - Shooto	May 18, 1989	1	0:00	Tokyo, Japan

See also

• List of male mixed martial artists