Masakatsu Funaki
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is a Japanese actor,
mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...
and professional wrestler known professionally as , who has previously wrestled in
All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Puroresu, Japanese professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on October 21, 1972, by Giant Baba after he left the Japanese Wrestling Association to create his own promotion. Ma ...
(AJPW),
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) is a Puroresu, Japanese professional-wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, and based in Nakano, Tokyo. It is currently majority owned by card-game company Bushiroad, with TV As ...
(NJPW), Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi (PWFG), Newborn UWF (UWF), and
Wrestle-1 was a Japanese ''puroresu'' or professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion, founded in July 2013 by Keiji Mutoh following his resignation from All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). The core of the promotion's roster was formed b ...
(W-1). He is also the co-founder of
Pancrase is a Japanese mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Tokyo. It was founded in 1993 by professional wrestlers Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki. The name was based on pankration, a fighting sport in the An ...
, one of the first mixed martial arts organizations and non-rehearsed
shoot wrestling Shoot wrestling is a Japanese hybrid grappling style and combat sport. Shoot wrestling incorporates techniques from various wrestling, submission grappling, kickboxing and karate styles. It was particularly inspired and influenced by catch ...
promotions (following five years after the inception of Shooto but predating America's
Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...
). Funaki was also
Pancrase is a Japanese mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Tokyo. It was founded in 1993 by professional wrestlers Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki. The name was based on pankration, a fighting sport in the An ...
's biggest star; Josh Barnett described him as the "symbol of Japan", Frank Shamrock labeled Funaki "the golden boy" of Pancrase, and Guy Mezger called Funaki "hands down the smartest and most skilled fighter in Pancrase next to Ken Shamrock". Not only the organization's co-founder and most popular fighter, Funaki was also one of Pancrase's most successful fighters to date, scoring submission victories over numerous MMA champions such as Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Semmy Schilt, Guy Mezger, Yuki Kondo, Minoru Suzuki, and Bas Rutten through the course of his Pancrase career. He is the only fighter in mixed martial arts to hold wins over both Shamrock brothers and Bas Rutten, and was the first man to win the King of Pancrase title twice. Funaki is widely considered to be one of the greatest Japanese fighters in
mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-s ...
history. Sherdog.com ranked him as the #1 mixed martial artist in the world for the years 1996 and 1997, and also had him ranked as a top 4
pound for pound Pound for pound is a ranking used in combat sports, such as boxing, wrestling, or mixed martial arts, adjusted to compensate for weight class. As fighters in different weight classes do not compete directly, determining the best fighter pound for ...
fighter from 1993 to 1998.


Early life

The son of a movie theater owner, Masaharu Funaki was exposed to martial arts films at an early age. He idolized
Bruce Lee Bruce Lee (born Lee Jun-fan; November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was an American-born Hong Kong martial artist, actor, filmmaker, and philosopher. He was the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts philosophy which was formed from ...
above all others, but also eagerly watched the films of Sammo Hung and
Sonny Chiba , known internationally as Sonny Chiba, was a Japanese actor and martial artist. Chiba was one of the first actors to achieve stardom through his skills in martial arts, initially in Japan and later to an international audience. Born in Fukuo ...
. His father would ultimately abandon young Funaki and his family.


Professional wrestling career


New Japan Pro-Wrestling (1985–1989)

Instead of entering high school, he applied to
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) is a Puroresu, Japanese professional-wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, and based in Nakano, Tokyo. It is currently majority owned by card-game company Bushiroad, with TV As ...
(NJPW), who sent him to the New Japan dojo. He was in the same class as Keiichi Yamada (better known as Jyushin Thunder Liger),
Keiji Mutoh is a Japanese professional wrestling executive, actor and retired professional wrestler. He is known for his work under his real name and as his alter ego in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), as well as World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and duri ...
,
Shinya Hashimoto was a Japanese professional wrestler, promoter and actor. Along with Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh, Hashimoto was dubbed one of the " Three Musketeers" that began competing in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in the mid-1980s and dominated the p ...
, Minoru Suzuki,
Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese retired Professional wrestling in Japan, professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26-year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of New World Order (professional wrestling), nWo Japan, Tea ...
, and
Chris Benoit Christopher Michael Benoit ( ; May 21, 1967 – June 24, 2007) was a Canadian Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He worked for various pro-wrestling promotions during his 22-year career, but is notorious for Chris Benoit double-murd ...
. The New Japan Dojo had a reputation for being particularly harsh on its trainees, both mentally and physically, with the intent of only graduating the very best of each class. However, Funaki stunned the New Japan trainers with his athleticism, timing and natural talent for
submission grappling Submission wrestling, also known as submission grappling, submission fighting, or simply grappling, is a martial art and combat sport that focuses on ground fighting and submission techniques. It is a hybrid discipline that incorporates eleme ...
. Along with the former Highschool Wrestler Minoru Suzuki, Funaki formed a strong bond with the dojo's head grappling instructor, Yoshiaki Fujiwara. Funaki debuted as a junior heavyweight at the age of 15; a record for the youngest debut in NJPW. After debuting for New Japan on March 3, 1985, in a losing effort against three-year veteran Tatsutoshi Goto, Funaki did not receive a push from the promotion, stuck in the junior heavyweight division during a time when NJPW owner Antonio Inoki decided to shift the focus of the company towards the heavyweight division. Funaki did, often teaming with fellow wrestler Akira Nogami have many memorable matches with Yoji Anjo and Tatsuo Nakano belonging to UWF and became the first person to take the Shooting Star Press from Yamada. In 1988, he was sent on a learning excursion to Europe, competing in the
Catch Wrestling Association The Catch Wrestling Association (CWA) was a professional wrestling organization based in Austria and Germany that was founded as the Internationalen Berufsringer Verbandes (IBV) in 1973. Since the late 1980s it has been known as the CWA in honour ...
(CWA) in Austria and Germany and for All Star Wrestling (ASW) in England in 1989 where "Flying" Funaki and "Fuji" Yamada were a tag team. When New Japan top draw Akira Maeda became so frustrated with backstage politics that he shoot kicked
Riki Choshu , better known by his ring name , is a South Korean-Japanese retirement, retired Puroresu, professional wrestler who is best known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as both a wrestler and a Booker (professional wrestling), bo ...
and broke his eye socket, and was subsequently suspended for refusing to go on an excursion to Mexico, Maeda left NJPW to form the Newborn UWF promotion. Funaki, seeing an opportunity to shine and showcase his talents, wanted to follow. Maeda negotiated the acquisition of Funaki's contract, along the contracts of friend Minoru Suzuki and mentor Yoshiaki Fujiwara for an undisclosed amount of money.


Newborn UWF and Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi (1989–1993)

In Newborn UWF, Funaki became a top draw for the promotion acting as a nemesis to Akira Maeda. When Newborn UWF folded in December 1990, Funaki decided to sign with mentor Fujiwara's new Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi (PWFG) promotion. Funaki left PWFG in 1993 to form the mixed martial arts promotion
Pancrase is a Japanese mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Tokyo. It was founded in 1993 by professional wrestlers Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki. The name was based on pankration, a fighting sport in the An ...
. Around the same time, Funaki was scouted by
K-1 K-1 is a professional kickboxing promotion established in 1993 by karateka Kazuyoshi Ishii. Originally under the ownership of the Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG), K-1 was considered to be the largest Kickboxing organization in the worl ...
executive
Kazuyoshi Ishii is a Japanese karateka, promoter, and business man. He was born in Uwajima City, Ehime Prefecture. Graduated from Ehime Prefectural Uwajima Higashi High School. He is known as the founder of Seidokaikan, a karate organization, and the founder ...
to compete in their '93 GP tournament, but he declined, having set his sights on MMA.


All Japan Pro Wrestling (2009–2013, 2015–present)

In August 2007, Funaki and
Keiji Mutoh is a Japanese professional wrestling executive, actor and retired professional wrestler. He is known for his work under his real name and as his alter ego in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), as well as World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and duri ...
discussed the possibility of Funaki returning to regular professional wrestling in Mutoh's company,
All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Puroresu, Japanese professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on October 21, 1972, by Giant Baba after he left the Japanese Wrestling Association to create his own promotion. Ma ...
(AJPW). On August 31, 2009, Funaki signed a one-year contract with All Japan, following a tag team victory with Mutoh against Minoru Suzuki and
Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese retired Professional wrestling in Japan, professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26-year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of New World Order (professional wrestling), nWo Japan, Tea ...
. On January 3, 2010, Funaki and Mutoh won the
World Tag Team Championship In professional wrestling, a championship or title is a recognition promoted by professional wrestling organizations. Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in which competitors are involved in predetermined rival ...
from Suzuki and Taiyo Kea. On March 21, Funaki defeated Suzuki in a cage match at All Japan's Sumo Hall show. On January 4, 2012, Funaki made a special appearance for New Japan at Wrestle Kingdom VI in Tokyo Dome, where he teamed with Masayuki Kono to defeat the Seigigun team of Yuji Nagata and Wataru Inoue. During the match, Nagata broke Funaki's orbital bone, sidelining him from in-ring action for an estimated six months. Funaki returned to the ring on June 17, 2012. On July 29, he defeated the man who had injured him, Yuji Nagata, in a grudge match to become the number one contender to the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship. On August 26 he defeated Jun Akiyama in a match that lasted less than five minutes to become the 45th Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. He lost the title to Suwama on March 17, 2013. In June 2013, Funaki announced his resignation from All Japan in the aftermath of Nobuo Shiraishi taking over as the new president and Keiji Mutoh leaving the promotion. Funaki's final match for the promotion took place on June 30 and saw him and his Stack of Arms partners Koji Kanemoto and Masayuki Kono, who were also leaving All Japan, lose to Akebono, Osamu Nishimura and Ryota Hama in a six-man tag team match. After becoming a freelancer, Funaki returned to All Japan on November 11, 2015, teaming with Kendo Ka Shin to defeat Suwama and Hikaru Sato. Funaki periodically shows up in All Japan for tag team matches but has not expressed a will to contend for titles again.


Wrestle-1 (2013–2015)

On July 10, 2013, Funaki was announced as part of Keiji Mutoh's new
Wrestle-1 was a Japanese ''puroresu'' or professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion, founded in July 2013 by Keiji Mutoh following his resignation from All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). The core of the promotion's roster was formed b ...
(W-1) promotion. During the promotion's inaugural event on September 8, Funaki teamed with Masayuki Kono in a tag team match, where they were defeated by Katsuyori Shibata and Kazushi Sakuraba. Following the match, Kono turned on Funaki, hitting his mentor with a steel chair. Funaki and Kono faced off in a singles match at Wrestle 1's second show on September 15, where Kono was victorious with help from Kazma Sakamoto and Ryoji Sai. A rematch between the two took place on October 12 and saw Funaki emerge victorious. On March 2 at Kaisen: Outbreak, Funaki defeated
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (abbreviated as TNA Wrestling or TNA) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment, a Canadian media company owned by busines ...
(TNA) representative Bobby Roode in an interpromotional match, after which he challenged Olympic gold medalist
Kurt Angle Kurt Steven Angle (born December 9, 1968) is an American retired professional wrestler and amateur wrestling, amateur wrestler. He first earned recognition for winning a Wrestling at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's freestyle 100 kg, gold me ...
to a match. At Wrestle-1's July 6 event, Funaki defeated
Pro Wrestling Zero1 , often referred to simply as Zero1 and sometimes referred to as Pro Wrestling Zero1 Catch as Catch Can (stylized as ZERO1 and PRO WRESTLING ZERO1 CATCH AS CATCH CAN, respectively), is a Professional wrestling in Japan, Japanese professional wre ...
(Zero1) representative Kohei Sato to win the World Heavyweight Championship. He lost the title back to Sato on September 19. Three days later, Funaki entered the
Wrestle-1 Championship The was the top professional wrestling title owned by the Wrestle-1 (W-1) Professional wrestling promotion, promotion. In Japanese language, Japanese the title's name includes the katakana term for "championship", , derived from the English langu ...
tournament A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses: # One or more competitions held at a single venue and concen ...
, defeating Tajiri in his first round match. The following day, Funaki defeated Akira to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. Prior to the semifinals of the tournament, Funaki entered a storyline, where his former rival Tajiri came to his aid to help him prepare for his match. On October 8, Funaki was eliminated from the tournament in the semifinals by Masayuki Kono, after Tajiri turned on him. In June 2015, it was announced that Funaki would be leaving Wrestle-1 and going freelance following his contract expiring at the end of the month. His final match for the promotion took place on June 20.


Freelancing (2015–present)

Funaki wrestled his first match as a freelancer on August 18, 2015, at a
Masahito Kakihara is a Japanese former professional wrestler and mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist, who is known for his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and UWF International (UWFI). Professional wrestling career Union of Wrestling Forces Internatio ...
cancer benefit show, where he and Minoru Suzuki defeated Mitsuya Nagai and Takaku Fuke. On September 18, Funaki won his first title since becoming a freelancer, when he defeated Real Japan Pro Wrestling (RJPW) wrestler Super Tiger to win the Legend Championship. He lost the title to
Daisuke Sekimoto (born February 9, 1981) is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW) in the Strong BJ division. He is also known for his appearances in Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max. He is a three-time BJW World Strong Hea ...
on December 9, before regaining it on June 23, 2016. On September 10, Funaki lost the Legend Championship to Shinjiro Otani. On January 9, 2017, Funaki and Yukio Sakaguchi defeated Konosuke Takeshita and Mike Bailey at a DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT) event to win the promotion's KO-D Tag Team Championship. They lost the titles to Danshoku Dino and Yoshihiro Takayama in their third defense on April 29. Funaki Wrestled at NOAH – DESTINATION 2021 BACK TO BUDOKAN! on 2/12/21 in a losing effort versus Kenoh for the GHC National Title.


Mixed martial arts career


Overview

Funaki's MMA career began when he founded
Pancrase is a Japanese mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Tokyo. It was founded in 1993 by professional wrestlers Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki. The name was based on pankration, a fighting sport in the An ...
along with Minoru Suzuki. Funaki went on to defeat Bas Rutten, Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Minoru Suzuki, and Guy Mezger, among others. Frank Shamrock said, "Funaki was like a mad scientist. He took the idea of submissions to an even higher level than the rest of the Japanese contingent. He had this insatiable desire to learn more and push his body harder. And as an entertainer he understood the need to entertain." This realization for the need to entertain often resulted in Funaki (along with Minoru Suzuki) "carrying" some of their opponents during fights. In essence, in order to entertain the crowd, Funaki and Suzuki would occasionally give their opponents opportunities to create drama before finally finishing them off. Josh Barnett said, "when you're that good, you can have a guy thinking he's doing so much better than he expected and have no idea that they're just letting you last like a cat playing with a mouse." Frank Shamrock added, "I know for a fact those guys (Funaki and Suzuki) were light years ahead of everyone else, and they were so good that they would go towards entertainment before they finished a match." However, this did backfire on Funaki on at least one occasion. In a match against Jason DeLucia, Funaki allowed Delucia to catch him in a kneebar in order to create drama and planned on using a rope escape once Delucia had the submission locked in. Unfortunately, Funaki mistakenly allowed himself to get too far from the ropes and was forced to tap out.


Pancrase (1993–1999)

Funaki debuted in the main event of Pancrase's first show, taking on apprentice and training partner Ken Shamrock. Although Funaki led the pace of the match earlier with strikes, Shamrock captured his back, took him down and eventually submitted him with an arm triangle choke, winning the fight. The victory elevated Shamrock to star status and launched the MMA career of both men. Masakatsu got his first victory at the next event, showing his submission skills by catching Ryushi Yanagisawa first in a heel hook and later in a kneebar in under two minutes for the victory. He would then face Dutch fighter Cees Bezems, who threw illegal closed-fisted punches during the match. In response, Funaki executed a takedown and submitted him with a top wrist lock; after the tap out, Funaki again locked in the hold as revenge, and had to be restrained by the referee. Funaki closed the first four Pancrase events with a win against Kazuo "Yoshiki" Takahashi, overwhelming him with palm strikes and knees to the face for the KO. Opening 1994, Funaki faced another Dutch martial arts exponent in the form of Bas Rutten. Masakatsu led him to the ground and sieged Rutten's guard, and after the Dutchman got distracted after an accidental illegal strike, Funaki caught his leg and executed a toehold, making his opponent submit. Later in the year, Funaki got his revenge against Ken Shamrock just days before the latter's participation in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...
, choking him out with a rear naked choke. In December, Funaki took part in the tournament for the first King of Pancrase title. He submitted Todd Bjornethun at the first round with a sequence of yoko-tomoe-nage into mount to armbar, and then faced Vernon White in a longer match, with Funaki making a wide usage of triangle chokes and sweeps in order to get a top wrist lock. Finally, Funaki faced Ken Shamrock for a third time at the finals, but although Masakatsu was able to fend Ken off for several minutes, he was mounted and submitted with an arm triangle choke, the same hold Shamrock had used in their first match. In 1995, after taking revenge on Jason DeLucia by defeating him via submission, Funaki was pitted against Frank Shamrock, Ken's adoptive brother and next rising star of the company. Funaki again showed his newfound affinity for working from the bottom, fending Frank off from his guard and catching him in a triangle choke/kimura combination for a rope escape, before finishing him with a toehold. Funaki's next match would be an upset loss to former Shooto fighter Manabu Yamada, in which Yamada flipped over a mount and caught Funaki in a heel hook for the finish. Funaki bounced back against Pancrase rookie Guy Mezger in a back and forth match, which saw Mezger dominating the action with kicks, strikes and pressure until Funaki clamped an achilles lock to get the win. Funaki's last high level bout in 1995 would be a rematch with Frank Shamrock. Funaki mocked Frank, keeping his hands low and even throwing a flying spinning heel kick in an instance, but he was caught in a choke and forced to spend a rope escape before returning the favor with a triangle armbar. Funaki got the advantage in points with a rolling toehold, but he then was shockingly forced to tap out in a leglock exchange, losing the match. In his biography, Shamrock claims to believe that Funaki took a dive and allowed himself to be defeated in order to build Frank's popularity.Frank Shamrock, ''Uncaged: My Life as a Champion MMA Fighter'', Chicago Review Press At Pancrase 1996 Anniversary Show, Masakatsu challenged King of Pancrase Bas Rutten in what is considered to be one of the greatest fights in Pancrase history. Funaki came close to finishing the match earlier with an ankle lock, but Rutten miraculously escaped and continued to fight. Funaki made a wide usage of the knee-on-stomach and mount positions to initiate leglock attacks, but the Dutchman countered every time and eventually pushed Masakatsu away from him, after which Funaki threw an illegal kick to Rutten, who was on his knees. Rutten proceeded to knock Funaki down with a palm strike, and then completely broke his nose with a second palm strike. Stunned, Funaki tried to stand up with Rutten, only for Bas to capitalize with his famed striking game. Rutten knocked him down twice with palms and knees, and then landed a lengthy, unanswered string of strikes, until a knee to the face finally downed Funaki. Funaki departed from Pancrase after a win over Tony Petarra in September 1999 due to accumulated injuries and, according to fellow Pancrase fighter Bas Rutten, being burnt out from the hectic Pancrase schedule.


Fight against Rickson Gracie and retirement (2000)

Despite Funaki's body being very broken down from injuries, he returned for a fight against the legendary Rickson Gracie at Colosseum 2000 held at the
Tokyo Dome is an indoor stadium in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. It was designed as a baseball stadium following its predecessor, Korakuen Stadium (whose former site is now occupied by the Tokyo Dome Hotel and a plaza for this stadium). In Japan, it is often us ...
. The show was almost canceled due to Rickson trying to change the rules to make knees and strikes to the head illegal, but the problems were overcome and the show continued. The event was broadcast to 30 million TV Tokyo viewers. There was no championship title at stake and Rickson got the majority of his demands, with elbows and knees to the head being rendered illegal standing or on the ground. Funaki walked to the ring in
samurai The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...
attire with a samurai sword which garnered a roaring excitement from the Japanese announcers and crowd. Funaki and Rickson clinched to the corner, where Funaki appeared to have secured a guillotine choke. Funaki then took Rickson down, relinquishing the choke as they hit the mat and landing a hammer-fist to Rickson's face before standing up. They traded kicks to no effect, until some well timed kicks from Gracie blew out Funaki's injured knee. They clinched again, but Funaki's injury rendered him unable to wrestle correctly, and he was taken down by the Brazilian grappler, who promptly mounted him. Masakatsu looked stunned while Rickson bloodied his face with ground and pound, and finally Gracie forced his way into a rear-naked choke. Funaki refused to submit to the hold, passing out before the referee intervened. Funaki then retired from
mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-s ...
competition, he had a retirement ceremony in
Pancrase is a Japanese mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Tokyo. It was founded in 1993 by professional wrestlers Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki. The name was based on pankration, a fighting sport in the An ...
in late 2000.


K-1 and DREAM (2007–2008)

On December 31, 2007, Funaki came out of retirement to fight
Kazushi Sakuraba is a Japanese professional wrestler, submission wrestling, submission wrestler and former mixed martial artist, currently signed to Pro Wrestling NOAH, Pro Wrestling Noah, where he was formerly one-half of the former GHC Tag Team Championship, G ...
, who had just defeated Funaki's apprentice Katsuyori Shibata. Appropriately, their bout took place in the main event of K-1's year end Dynamite!! show, which garners more TV viewers each year than any other televised mixed martial arts event in Japan. The two fighters exchanged colorful entrances at the arena, Funaki wearing a long robe and mask patterned after the Aomori Nebuta Matsuri during his entrance to the ring. Once in the match, Sakuraba was able to sneak in a double leg takedown after Funaki committed heavily to a missed right cross. Funaki closed guard around Sakuraba before opening it up to spin for a kneebar, and for a moment Funaki appeared to secure Sakuraba's leg, but he was thwarted by a combination of Sakuraba's submission acumen and their position against the ring ropes. Sakuraba then maneuvered to Funaki's back, only for the Pancrase founder to roll back into the guard position. Breaking away momentarily from the grappling contest, Sakuraba stood up and began to assault Funaki's legs with a series of kicks, which Funaki answered with an upkick of his own, cutting Sakuraba's eye. Kazushi then returned himself to the ground, where Funaki immediately attempted to sweep him, but Sakuraba blocked the attempt and secured a double wristlock, eventually forcing Funaki to submit. Funaki signed a contract with Fighting and Entertainment Group's MMA promotion,
DREAM A dream is a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensation (psychology), sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. Humans spend about two hours dreaming per night, and each dream lasts around ...
. On April 28, 2008, Funaki participated in DREAM's first ever Middle-weight Grand Prix. Funaki was matched against Kiyoshi Tamura at the opening round of the Dream 2: Middleweight Grand Prix 2008 First Round in Saitama,
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
. After a hard opening exchange between the two, Funaki was staggered by a punch and pulled guard on Tamura, from where he was pounded to an eventual TKO at 57 seconds of Round 1. This was his first TKO stoppage loss since September 14, 1998, when he was knocked out with a body blow by Semmy Schilt. With the loss, Funaki was eliminated from the Middle-weight Grand Prix. After losing twice in a row since his comeback to the MMA ring, Funaki was determined to prove that he was still a worthy competitor of the sport and participated again in the promotion's middleweight division. At the Dream 6: Middleweight Grand Prix 2008 Final Round event that took place on September 23, 2008, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, Funaki was matched with one of his former Pancrase students, "Minowaman"
Ikuhisa Minowa is a Japanese mixed martial artist and professional wrestler currently competing in IGF as . A professional MMA competitor since 1996, he was a longtime veteran of PRIDE and Pancrase and has also competed in other mixed martial arts promotion ...
. In the opening seconds of the first round of the match, Funaki came at his former charge with a series of kicks, practically forcing Minowa to catch one of the kicks. Funaki capitalized immediately, leaping directly into a heel-hook. Minowa escaped the hold, but Funaki maintained control of his leg and immediately attacked with a heel-hook from the cross-body position, forcing his protege to tap at 52 seconds of the first round.


Fighting Network Rings (2012)

Masakatsu Funaki was scheduled to face Russian fighter Magomedkhan "Volk Han" Amanulayevich Gamzatkhanov in a fight resembling the Pancrase Hybrid Wrestling format for the Fighting Network Rings (RINGS) organization. The fight ended in a draw, with Volk Han announcing his retirement afterwards.


Filmography


Anime


Movies


Video games


Championships and accomplishments


Mixed martial arts

* Pancrase Hybrid Wrestling :* King of Pancrase (2 times) :*1996 King of Pancrase Championship Tournament Winner :*1994 King of Pancrase Championship Tournament Semifinalist


Professional wrestling

*
All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Puroresu, Japanese professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on October 21, 1972, by Giant Baba after he left the Japanese Wrestling Association to create his own promotion. Ma ...
:* Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship ( 1 time) :*
World Tag Team Championship In professional wrestling, a championship or title is a recognition promoted by professional wrestling organizations. Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in which competitors are involved in predetermined rival ...
( 1 time) – with
Keiji Mutoh is a Japanese professional wrestling executive, actor and retired professional wrestler. He is known for his work under his real name and as his alter ego in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), as well as World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and duri ...
:*Akiho Yoshizawa Cup (2010) – with Keiji Mutoh and S1 Mask :* World's Strongest Tag Determination League (
2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
) – with Keiji Mutoh *Chō Hanabi Puroresu :*Bakuha-ō Championship (1 time) * DDT Pro-Wrestling :* KO-D Tag Team Championship ( 1 time) – with Yukio Sakaguchi * Dradition :* Dragon Cup (2023) – with Leona *''
Nikkan Sports is the first-launched Japanese daily sports newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background ...
'' :*Match of the Year Award (2010) vs. Minoru Suzuki on March 21 :*Best Tag Team Award (2009) with Keiji Mutoh *''
Pro Wrestling Illustrated ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishing Group. The maga ...
'' **Ranked No. 65 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the '' PWI 500'' in 2013 **Ranked No. 251 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003 * Pro Wrestling Noah :* GHC National Championship ( 1 time) *
Pro Wrestling Zero1 , often referred to simply as Zero1 and sometimes referred to as Pro Wrestling Zero1 Catch as Catch Can (stylized as ZERO1 and PRO WRESTLING ZERO1 CATCH AS CATCH CAN, respectively), is a Professional wrestling in Japan, Japanese professional wre ...
:* World Heavyweight Championship ( 1 time) * Real Japan Pro Wrestling/Strong Style Pro-Wrestling :* Legend Championship ( 4 times, current) *''
Tokyo Sports is a Japanese daily sports newspaper founded in 1960. See also * Tokyo Sports Film Award * Tokyo Sports Puroresu Awards References External links

* http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp Official website 1960 establishments in Japan Da ...
'' :* Fighting Spirit Award (1990) :* Service Award (2000) :* Technique Award (1993) *''
Wrestling Observer Newsletter The ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' (''WON'') is a newsletter that covers professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. Founded in print in 1982 by Dave Meltzer, the ''Wrestling Observer'' website merged with Bryan Alvarez's ''Figure Four Wee ...
'' :*
Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame The ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' (''WON'') Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling and mixed martial arts (MMA) hall of fame that recognizes people who make significant contributions to their professions. It was founded in 1996 by Dave Mel ...
( Class of 2006)


Mixed martial arts record

, - , Draw , align=center, ,
Volk Han Magomedkhan Amanulayevich Gamzatkhanov (; born 15 April 1961), is a Russian retired mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, sambo wrestler and former military officer of Avar descent. Gamzatkhanov is better known by his ringname Volk Han ...
, Draw (majority) , Rings/The Outsider: Volk Han Retirement Match , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 15:00 ,
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 39–13–1 ,
Ikuhisa Minowa is a Japanese mixed martial artist and professional wrestler currently competing in IGF as . A professional MMA competitor since 1996, he was a longtime veteran of PRIDE and Pancrase and has also competed in other mixed martial arts promotion ...
, Submission (heel hook) , Dream 6: Middleweight Grand Prix 2008 Final Round , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:52 , Saitama, Japan , , - , Loss , align=center, 38–13–1 , Kiyoshi Tamura , TKO (punches) , Dream 2: Middleweight Grand Prix 2008 First Round , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:57 , Saitama, Japan , , - , Loss , align=center, 38–12–1 ,
Kazushi Sakuraba is a Japanese professional wrestler, submission wrestling, submission wrestler and former mixed martial artist, currently signed to Pro Wrestling NOAH, Pro Wrestling Noah, where he was formerly one-half of the former GHC Tag Team Championship, G ...
, Submission (kimura) , K-1 Premium 2007 Dynamite!! , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 6:25 ,
Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...
, Japan , , - , Loss , align=center, 38–11–1 , Rickson Gracie , Technical submission (rear naked choke) , Colosseum 2000 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 12:49 ,
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan , Special rules: no knees or elbows to head standing up or on ground , - , Win , align=center, 38–10–1 , Tony Petarra , Submission (punches) , Pancrase: 1999 Anniversary Show , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:16 , Urayasu, Chiba, Japan , , - , Draw , align=center, 37–10–1 , Ebenezer Fontes Braga , Draw , Pancrase: Breakthrough 4 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 15:00 ,
Yokohama, Kanagawa is the second-largest city in Japan by population as well as by area, and the country's most populous municipality. It is the capital and most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a population of 3.7 million in 2023. It lies on Tokyo B ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 37–10 , John Renken , Submission (punches) , Pancrase: Advance 12 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 5:50 , Urayasu, Chiba, Japan , , - , Loss , align=center, 36–10 ,
Kiuma Kunioku is a retired Japanese mixed martial artist. A longtime veteran of the Pancrase organization, Kunioku captured the King of Pancrase Middleweight Championship and King of Pancrase Welterweight Championship before leaving the organization in 2004 ...
, Decision (lost points) , Pancrase: Advance 10 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 15:00 ,
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan , , - , Loss , align=center, 36–9 , Semmy Schilt , KO (punch to the body) , Pancrase: 1998 Anniversary Show , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 7:13 ,
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 36–8 , Osami Shibuya , Submission (arm triangle choke) , Pancrase: 1998 Neo-Blood Tournament Second Round , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 6:07 , Aomori, Japan , , - , Loss , align=center, 35–8 , Guy Mezger , Decision (unanimous) , Pancrase: Advance 5 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 30:00 ,
Yokohama, Kanagawa is the second-largest city in Japan by population as well as by area, and the country's most populous municipality. It is the capital and most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a population of 3.7 million in 2023. It lies on Tokyo B ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 35–7 , Semmy Schilt , Decision (lost points) , Pancrase: Advance 4 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 15:00 ,
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 34–7 , Katsuomi Inagaki , Submission , Pancrase: Advance 2 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:36 ,
Yokohama, Kanagawa is the second-largest city in Japan by population as well as by area, and the country's most populous municipality. It is the capital and most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a population of 3.7 million in 2023. It lies on Tokyo B ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 33–7 , Yuki Kondo , Submission (triangle kimura) , Pancrase: Alive 11 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:20 ,
Yokohama, Kanagawa is the second-largest city in Japan by population as well as by area, and the country's most populous municipality. It is the capital and most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a population of 3.7 million in 2023. It lies on Tokyo B ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 32–7 , Jason Godsey , Submission (calf slicer) , Pancrase: Alive 10 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 7:12 , Kobe, Hyogo, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 31–7 , Guy Mezger , Submission (triangle armbar) , Pancrase: 1997 Anniversary Show , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 3:58 , Urayasu, Chiba, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 30–7 , Osami Shibuya , Submission (guillotine choke) , Pancrase: 1997 Neo-Blood Tournament, Round 1 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:34 ,
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 29–7 , Wes Gassaway , Submission (achilles lock) , Pancrase: Alive 7 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:05 , Hakata, Fukuoka, Japan , , - , Loss , align=center, 28–7 , Yuki Kondo , Submission (triangle armbar) , Pancrase: Alive 4 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:34 , Urayasu, Chiba, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 28–6 , Paul Lazenby , Submission (top wristlock) , Pancrase: Alive 3 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 4:36 ,
Nagoya, Aichi is the largest city in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is the list of cities in Japan, fourth-most populous city in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020, and the principal city of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which is the List of ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 27–6 , Semmy Schilt , Submission (toe hold) , Pancrase: Alive 2 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 5:47 , Urayasu, Chiba, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 26–6 , Jason DeLucia , TKO (leg injury) , Pancrase: Truth 10 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:34 ,
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 25–6 , Yuki Kondo , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Pancrase: Truth 9 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:43 ,
Fukuoka is the List of Japanese cities by population, sixth-largest city in Japan and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancient times. ...
, Japan , , - , Loss , align=center, 24–6 , Bas Rutten , KO (knee) , Pancrase: 1996 Anniversary Show , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 17:05 , Urayasu, Chiba, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 24–5 , Takafumi Ito , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Pancrase: 1996 Neo-Blood Tournament, Round 2 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:01 ,
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 23–5 , Vernon White , Submission (achilles lock) , Pancrase: Truth 6 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:34 ,
Fukuoka is the List of Japanese cities by population, sixth-largest city in Japan and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancient times. ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 22–5 , August Smisl , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Pancrase: Truth 5 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:01 ,
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 21–5 , Katsuomi Inagaki , Submission (kneebar) , Pancrase: Truth 2 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:14 , Kobe, Hyogo, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 20–5 , Ryushi Yanagisawa , Technical Submission (americana) , Pancrase: Truth 1 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 8:42 ,
Yokohama, Kanagawa is the second-largest city in Japan by population as well as by area, and the country's most populous municipality. It is the capital and most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a population of 3.7 million in 2023. It lies on Tokyo B ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 19–5 , Takaku Fuke , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Pancrase: Eyes of Beast 7 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:31 , Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan , , - , Loss , align=center, 18–5 , Frank Shamrock , Submission (toe hold) , Pancrase: Eyes of Beast 6 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 10:31 ,
Yokohama, Kanagawa is the second-largest city in Japan by population as well as by area, and the country's most populous municipality. It is the capital and most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a population of 3.7 million in 2023. It lies on Tokyo B ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 18–4 , Guy Mezger , Submission (achilles lock) , Pancrase: 1995 Anniversary Show , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 6:46 ,
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 17–4 , Leon Dijk , Submission (achilles lock) , Pancrase: 1995 Neo-Blood Tournament Second Round , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:01 ,
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 16–4 , Gregory Smit , Submission (achilles lock) , Pancrase: Eyes of Beast 5 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 7:30 ,
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 15–4 , Alex Cook , Submission (heel hook) , Pancrase: Eyes of Beast 4 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 7:14 , Urayasu, Chiba, Japan , , - , Loss , align=center, 14–4 , Manabu Yamada , Submission (heel hook) , Pancrase: Eyes of Beast 3 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 4:43 ,
Nagoya, Aichi is the largest city in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is the list of cities in Japan, fourth-most populous city in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020, and the principal city of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which is the List of ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 14–3 , Frank Shamrock , Submission (toe hold) , Pancrase: Eyes of Beast 2 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 5:11 ,
Yokohama, Kanagawa is the second-largest city in Japan by population as well as by area, and the country's most populous municipality. It is the capital and most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a population of 3.7 million in 2023. It lies on Tokyo B ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 13–3 , Jason DeLucia , Submission (heel hook) , Pancrase: Eyes of Beast 1 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 9:04 ,
Nagoya, Aichi is the largest city in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is the list of cities in Japan, fourth-most populous city in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020, and the principal city of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which is the List of ...
, Japan , , - , Loss , align=center, 12–3 , Ken Shamrock , Submission (arm-triangle choke) , Pancrase: King of Pancrase Tournament Second Round , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 5:50 ,
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 12–2 , Vernon White , Submission (americana) , Pancrase: King of Pancrase Tournament Opening Round , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 5:37 ,
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 11–2 , Todd Bjornethun , Submission (armbar) , Pancrase: King of Pancrase Tournament Opening Round , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:20 ,
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 10–2 , Minoru Suzuki , Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) , Pancrase: Road to the Championship 5 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:51 ,
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 9–2 , Ken Shamrock , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Pancrase: Road to the Championship 4 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:30 ,
Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 8–2 , Scott "Bam Bam" Sullivan , Submission (heel hook) , Pancrase: Road to the Championship 3 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:56 ,
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan , , - , Loss , align=center, 7–2 , Jason DeLucia , Submission (kneebar) , Pancrase: Road to the Championship 2 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:01 , Amagasaki, Hyogo, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 7–1 , Gregory Smit , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Pancrase: Road to the Championship 1 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:58 ,
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 6–1 , Takaku Fuke , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Pancrase: Pancrash! 3 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 6:55 ,
Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 5–1 , Vernon White , KO (palm strike) , Pancrase: Pancrash! 2 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:13 ,
Nagoya, Aichi is the largest city in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is the list of cities in Japan, fourth-most populous city in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020, and the principal city of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which is the List of ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 4–1 , Bas Rutten , Submission (toe hold) , Pancrase: Pancrash! 1 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:58 ,
Yokohama, Kanagawa is the second-largest city in Japan by population as well as by area, and the country's most populous municipality. It is the capital and most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a population of 3.7 million in 2023. It lies on Tokyo B ...
, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 3–1 , Kazuo Takahashi , KO (palm strikes and knees) , Pancrase: Yes, We Are Hybrid Wrestlers 4 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 3:09 , Hakata, Fukuoka, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 2–1 , Cees Bezems , Submission (americana) , Pancrase: Yes, We Are Hybrid Wrestlers 3 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:42 , Kobe, Hyogo, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 1–1 , Ryushi Yanagisawa , Submission (kneebar) , Pancrase: Yes, We Are Hybrid Wrestlers 2 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:35 ,
Nagoya, Aichi is the largest city in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is the list of cities in Japan, fourth-most populous city in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020, and the principal city of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which is the List of ...
, Japan , , - , Loss , align=center, 0–1 , Ken Shamrock , Submission (arm-triangle choke) , Pancrase: Yes, We Are Hybrid Wrestlers 1 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 6:15 , Urayasu, Chiba, Japan ,


See also

*
List of professional wrestlers by MMA record Professional wrestling and mixed martial arts (also known as MMA) both combine grappling and strike (attack), strikes. In MMA, fights are competitions, in contrast to professional wrestling where the outcomes and moves performed are often scripted ...


References


External links

* *
Wrestle-1 profileBiopic article on Masa Funaki
{{DEFAULTSORT:Funaki, Masakatsu 1969 births 20th-century male professional wrestlers 20th-century Japanese professional wrestlers 21st-century Japanese male actors 21st-century male professional wrestlers 21st-century Japanese professional wrestlers Living people Japanese catch wrestlers Japanese male film actors Japanese male professional wrestlers GHC National Champions Japanese professional wrestling trainers Professional wrestling promoters Japanese male mixed martial artists Japanese male television actors Japanese male voice actors Middleweight mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing wrestling Mixed martial artists utilizing catch wrestling Mixed martial artists utilizing shoot wrestling Sportspeople from Hirosaki Pancrase champions Professional wrestlers who competed in MMA World Tag Team Champions (AJPW) Triple Crown Heavyweight Champions KO-D Tag Team Champions Zero1 World Heavyweight Champions 20th-century Japanese sportsmen World's Strongest Tag Determination League winners