Nobuhiko Takada
Encyclopedia
Nobuhiko Takada is a Japanese
mixed martial arts
fighter and professional wrestler. He is best known for helping to popularize shoot-style professional wrestling, as one of the biggest stars of the Universal Wrestling Federation
and Union of Wrestling Force International in the '80s and '90s. He has also competed for PRIDE Fighting Championships and New Japan Pro Wrestling
. Presently, he is the owner of the HUSTLE Wrestling Organization.
, Ryuma Go, Mach Hayato, and Gran Hamada
, to form the original Universal Wrestling Federation
.
The original UWF dissolved in 1986. Takada and Akira Maeda
returned to NJPW and formed a UWF stable. Only a few months later, Takada defeated Shiro Koshinaka to capture the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
, which he held for four months. In 1987, Takada moved to the Heavyweight ranks. Along with Akira Maeda
, he won the IWGP Tag Team Championship from rival, Koshinaka & Keiji Mutoh
. He left NJPW in 1988 to form the second incarnation of the Universal Wrestling Federation
called Newborn UWF, becoming one of its top stars.
, and Fujiwara formed Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi
. As the top star of the UWFI, Takada had feuds with Gary Albright
and Super Vader. In 1992, Takada was awarded an old NWA World Heavyweight Title belt by Lou Thesz
, after defeating Albright, and was proclaimed the "Real Pro-Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion". He defended the title until Thesz withdrew the belt in 1995, losing the Title once, to Super Vader. The high point of his reign came on December 5, 1993, when he defeated Super Vader before 46,168 fans at Tokyo's Meiji-Jingu Stadium.
, drew 67,000 fans to the Tokyo Dome, drawing the largest crowd and gate in Japanese Wrestling history, at the time. Three months later, Takada defeated Mutoh in a rematch, before 64,000 fans, to capture the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, becoming the only wrestler to hold all three major New Japan Titles. Takada dropped the Title to Shinya Hashimoto
on April 29, 1996, drawing a crowd of 65,000 and a gate of $5.7 million. When it was all said and done, the New Japan vs UWFI was the biggest moneymaking feud in Japanese pro-wrestling history.
by joining PRIDE Fighting Championships.
Though Takada's submission wrestling
skills were never doubted either by the Japanese public or the matchmakers, it was his conditioning that would make the essential difference. Takada, being in his 30s at the time of his debut and in less than perfect conditioning, owing to the grueling Japanese pro wrestling circuit, posed little challenge for the experienced, well conditioned mixed martial arts fighters.
Nobuhiko Takada's debut in MMA was against Rickson Gracie
, which ended in Gracie winning via armbar. Takada would then go on to finish kickboxer Kyle Sturgeon by a heel hook at PRIDE 3 in Sturgeon's first and last MMA match. Takada wanted a rematch with Rickson Gracie, to which Gracie agreed, saying that "I feel Takada is a warrior and deserves the chance to try and redeem himself". The match however, ended by Takada losing via armbar in a match that lasted 9 minutes and 30 seconds.
Takada fought his next match at PRIDE 5, against Mark Coleman
. Though thought to be the much better fighter, Coleman was caught by a heel hook from Takada and submitted. Regarding his performance against Takada, Coleman said in an interview, "It was what it was. I needed to support my family. They guaranteed me another fight after that and I needed that security. It was what it was. I'm going to leave it at that."
Takada was then pitted against Mark Kerr, a freestyle wrestler with similar ground and pound fighting style as Mark Coleman. However, Kerr was able to slip on a submission hold and make Takada tap out in just over 3 minutes at PRIDE 6. Then at PRIDE 7 he beat Alexander Otsuka
by a TKO when he put him in a rear naked choke and passed out and the referee stopped the fight (the fight was removed from the Pride 7 DVD). The Otsuka match is widely believed to have been a professional wrestling bout and is not included in Takada's fight record on the highly respected Sherdog mixed martial arts website.
Takada competed in PRIDE's Grand Prix 2000 opening round. He was pitted against Royce Gracie
- the match went the distance and to a decision. The Brazilian master could neither control nor submit Takada in the assigned 15-minute time limit. However, the judges ruled in favor of Gracie and he advanced to the next round. Takada's next MMA event participation was in PRIDE 11, where he lost to a young Igor Vovchanchyn
via submission (strikes). Nobuhiko Takada would then go on to draw the likes of Mike Bernardo and Mirko Filipović
before entering his final match against former student, Kiyoshi Tamura
(Tamura won by a KO).
|Loss
|align=center|2-6-2
|
Kiyoshi Tamura
|KO (punch)
|PRIDE 23
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1:01
|Tokyo
, Japan
|
|-
| Draw
|align=center|2-5-2
|
Mike Bernardo
|Decision (unanimous)
|Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|3:00
|Saitama
, Japan
|
|-
| Draw
|align=center|2-5-1
|
Mirko Filipović
|Decision (unanimous)
|PRIDE 17
|
|align=center|4
|align=center|5:00
|Tokyo
, Japan
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|2-5
|
Igor Vovchanchyn
|Submission (strikes)
|PRIDE 11
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|3:18
|Osaka
, Japan
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|2-4
|
Royce Gracie
|Decision (unanimous)
|PRIDE Grand Prix 2000 Opening Round
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|15:00
|Tokyo
, Japan
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|2-3
|
Mark Kerr
|Submission (kimura)
|PRIDE 6
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|3:05
|Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|2-2
| Mark Coleman
|Submission (heel hook)
|PRIDE 5
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|1:44
|Nagoya, Japan
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|1-2
| Rickson Gracie
|Submission (armbar)
|PRIDE 4
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|9:28
|Tokyo
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|1-1
| Kyle Sturgeon
|Submission (heel hook)
|PRIDE 3
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|2:17
|Tokyo
, Japan
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|0-1
| Rickson Gracie
|Submission (armbar)
|PRIDE 1
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|2:32
|Tokyo
, Japan
|
|-
, where he's helped train such fighters as Kazushi Sakuraba
.
Takada was the figurehead of the now defunct PRIDE Fighting Championships, as well as the president of the HUSTLE promotion in Japan, while also portraying as the main heel and leader of the "Takada Monster Army" under the name "Generalissimo Takada", a M. Bison
-esque character.
Takada returned to the ring at the HUSTLE-Aid show as The Esperanza, a wrestling cyborg, and made short work of his opponent TAJIRI
. At HustleMania II, he defeated Razor Ramon HG in what was billed as HG's retirement match (HG continued wrestling for HUSTLE despite the billing), giving him a Tombstone Piledriver on the ramp after the match that caused "erectile dysfunction" to HG.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
fighter and professional wrestler. He is best known for helping to popularize shoot-style professional wrestling, as one of the biggest stars of the Universal Wrestling Federation
Universal Wrestling Federation (Japan)
The original Japanese-based Universal Wrestling Federation was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion from 1984 to 1986, formed by wrestlers who had left New Japan Pro Wrestling. It was a pioneer in the shoot-style of pro-wrestling, which emphasized realistic moves. It was revived as the...
and Union of Wrestling Force International in the '80s and '90s. He has also competed for PRIDE Fighting Championships and New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
. Presently, he is the owner of the HUSTLE Wrestling Organization.
Early Years: New Japan, UWF, and Newborn UWF
Nobuhiko Takada made his professional wrestling debut in 1981 against Norio Honaga, for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he started his career as a Junior Heavyweight. He left NJPW in 1984, along with Rusher Kimura, Akira MaedaAkira Maeda
is a retired Japanese professional wrestler, also known as Kwik-kik-Lee for his time on the British Wrestling show World of Sport. He helped develop the shoot-style of professional wrestling during the late 1980s....
, Ryuma Go, Mach Hayato, and Gran Hamada
Gran Hamada
, better known by his ring name , is Japanese professional wrestler, the first to adopt the high-flying Mexican lucha libre style. He has wrestled for New Japan Pro Wrestling, the Universal Wrestling Federation, Michinoku Pro, and All Japan Pro Wrestling, and was the founder of Universal Lucha Libre...
, to form the original Universal Wrestling Federation
Universal Wrestling Federation (Japan)
The original Japanese-based Universal Wrestling Federation was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion from 1984 to 1986, formed by wrestlers who had left New Japan Pro Wrestling. It was a pioneer in the shoot-style of pro-wrestling, which emphasized realistic moves. It was revived as the...
.
The original UWF dissolved in 1986. Takada and Akira Maeda
Akira Maeda
is a retired Japanese professional wrestler, also known as Kwik-kik-Lee for his time on the British Wrestling show World of Sport. He helped develop the shoot-style of professional wrestling during the late 1980s....
returned to NJPW and formed a UWF stable. Only a few months later, Takada defeated Shiro Koshinaka to capture the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling junior heavweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix. The title was introduced on February 6, 1986 at a NJPW show....
, which he held for four months. In 1987, Takada moved to the Heavyweight ranks. Along with Akira Maeda
Akira Maeda
is a retired Japanese professional wrestler, also known as Kwik-kik-Lee for his time on the British Wrestling show World of Sport. He helped develop the shoot-style of professional wrestling during the late 1980s....
, he won the IWGP Tag Team Championship from rival, Koshinaka & Keiji Mutoh
Keiji Mutoh
is a Japanese professional wrestler who first gained international fame in the National Wrestling Alliance. He is mostly known for his work as The Great Muta in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1990s, but he has also competed in United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Taiwan...
. He left NJPW in 1988 to form the second incarnation of the Universal Wrestling Federation
Universal Wrestling Federation (Japan)
The original Japanese-based Universal Wrestling Federation was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion from 1984 to 1986, formed by wrestlers who had left New Japan Pro Wrestling. It was a pioneer in the shoot-style of pro-wrestling, which emphasized realistic moves. It was revived as the...
called Newborn UWF, becoming one of its top stars.
Leader of the UWFI Boom
In December 1990, Newborn UWF closed its doors. Takada formed the Union of Wrestling Force International, using former UWF wrestlers, while Maeda formed Fighting Network RINGSFighting Network RINGS
Fighting Network Rings, trademarked as RINGS, is a Japanese combat sport promotion that has lived three distinct periods; puroresu promotion from its inauguration to 1995, mixed martial arts promotion from 1995 to its 2002 disestablishment, and the revived mixed martial arts promotion from 2008 to...
, and Fujiwara formed Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi
Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi
Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Group was a shoot style professional wrestling promotion based in Japan, operating from 1991 to 1995...
. As the top star of the UWFI, Takada had feuds with Gary Albright
Gary Albright
Gary Albright was an American professional wrestler who performed mainly in Stampede Wrestling in Canada and with UWF International and All Japan Pro Wrestling in Japan. Albright was a member through marriage of the famous Anoa'i wrestling family, including Afa and Sika, Yokozuna, Rikishi, and The...
and Super Vader. In 1992, Takada was awarded an old NWA World Heavyweight Title belt by Lou Thesz
Lou Thesz
Aloysius Martin "Lou" Thesz was a United States professional wrestler and 18-time world heavyweight champion, most notably holding the NWA World Heavyweight Championship three times. Combined, he held the NWA Championship for 10 years, three months and nine days , longer than anyone else in history...
, after defeating Albright, and was proclaimed the "Real Pro-Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion". He defended the title until Thesz withdrew the belt in 1995, losing the Title once, to Super Vader. The high point of his reign came on December 5, 1993, when he defeated Super Vader before 46,168 fans at Tokyo's Meiji-Jingu Stadium.
Return to New Japan
In 1995, Takada returned to NJPW as the key figure in the landmark New Japan vs UWFI program. On October 9, 1995, Takada's match against IWGP Champion, Keiji MutohKeiji Mutoh
is a Japanese professional wrestler who first gained international fame in the National Wrestling Alliance. He is mostly known for his work as The Great Muta in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1990s, but he has also competed in United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Taiwan...
, drew 67,000 fans to the Tokyo Dome, drawing the largest crowd and gate in Japanese Wrestling history, at the time. Three months later, Takada defeated Mutoh in a rematch, before 64,000 fans, to capture the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, becoming the only wrestler to hold all three major New Japan Titles. Takada dropped the Title to Shinya Hashimoto
Shinya Hashimoto
, was a Japanese professional wrestler. Along with Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh, Hashimoto was dubbed one of the "Three Musketeers" that began competing in New Japan Pro Wrestling in the mid 1980s and dominated the promotion in the 1990s....
on April 29, 1996, drawing a crowd of 65,000 and a gate of $5.7 million. When it was all said and done, the New Japan vs UWFI was the biggest moneymaking feud in Japanese pro-wrestling history.
Transition to MMA
In December 1996, the UWFI folded after the failure of the UWFI-WAR feud. Takada entered the world of mixed martial artsMixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
by joining PRIDE Fighting Championships.
Though Takada's submission wrestling
Submission wrestling
Submission wrestling or Combat wrestling in Japan, is a formula of competition and a general term describing the aspect of martial arts and combat sports that focus on clinch and ground fighting with the aim of obtaining a submission using submission holds...
skills were never doubted either by the Japanese public or the matchmakers, it was his conditioning that would make the essential difference. Takada, being in his 30s at the time of his debut and in less than perfect conditioning, owing to the grueling Japanese pro wrestling circuit, posed little challenge for the experienced, well conditioned mixed martial arts fighters.
Nobuhiko Takada's debut in MMA was against Rickson Gracie
Rickson Gracie
Rickson Gracie is a Brazilian 8th degree black and red belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a retired mixed martial artist. He is a member of the Gracie family: the son of Hélio Gracie, brother to Rorion and Relson Gracie, and half-brother to Rolker, Royce, Robin and Royler Gracie.-Biography:Rickson...
, which ended in Gracie winning via armbar. Takada would then go on to finish kickboxer Kyle Sturgeon by a heel hook at PRIDE 3 in Sturgeon's first and last MMA match. Takada wanted a rematch with Rickson Gracie, to which Gracie agreed, saying that "I feel Takada is a warrior and deserves the chance to try and redeem himself". The match however, ended by Takada losing via armbar in a match that lasted 9 minutes and 30 seconds.
Takada fought his next match at PRIDE 5, against Mark Coleman
Mark Coleman
Mark Coleman is an American mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, former NCAA collegiate wrestler and former Olympic amateur wrestler. In MMA, he was the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournament champion, the first Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion, and the Pride Fighting...
. Though thought to be the much better fighter, Coleman was caught by a heel hook from Takada and submitted. Regarding his performance against Takada, Coleman said in an interview, "It was what it was. I needed to support my family. They guaranteed me another fight after that and I needed that security. It was what it was. I'm going to leave it at that."
Takada was then pitted against Mark Kerr, a freestyle wrestler with similar ground and pound fighting style as Mark Coleman. However, Kerr was able to slip on a submission hold and make Takada tap out in just over 3 minutes at PRIDE 6. Then at PRIDE 7 he beat Alexander Otsuka
Alexander Otsuka
, better known by his ring name Alexander Otsuka, is a Japanese mixed martial arts fighter and professional wrestler. He competes in the Light Heavyweight division. He won his last fight at VFX - Vale Tudo Fighters Mexico against Masada Masada on May 27, 2006...
by a TKO when he put him in a rear naked choke and passed out and the referee stopped the fight (the fight was removed from the Pride 7 DVD). The Otsuka match is widely believed to have been a professional wrestling bout and is not included in Takada's fight record on the highly respected Sherdog mixed martial arts website.
Takada competed in PRIDE's Grand Prix 2000 opening round. He was pitted against Royce Gracie
Royce Gracie
Royce Gracie is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist, a UFC Hall of Famer and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. A legend and pioneer in the sport of mixed martial arts, he is widely considered to be the most influential figure in the history of modern MMA.Gracie gained fame for his...
- the match went the distance and to a decision. The Brazilian master could neither control nor submit Takada in the assigned 15-minute time limit. However, the judges ruled in favor of Gracie and he advanced to the next round. Takada's next MMA event participation was in PRIDE 11, where he lost to a young Igor Vovchanchyn
Igor Vovchanchyn
Igor Yaroslavovich "Ice Cold" Vovchanchyn is a retired Ukrainian mixed martial artist and kickboxer. He won seven mixed martial arts tournaments, as well as acquiring a 37 fight unbeaten streak, and reaching the final of the Pride Grand Prix 2000....
via submission (strikes). Nobuhiko Takada would then go on to draw the likes of Mike Bernardo and Mirko Filipović
Mirko Filipovic
Mirko Filipović is a former Croatian heavyweight kickboxer, mixed martial artist, politician, and law enforcement officer. Filipović was a member of the Croatian Parliament from 2003 through 2007...
before entering his final match against former student, Kiyoshi Tamura
Kiyoshi Tamura
is a Japanese middleweight professional wrestler and mixed martial artist.Once a student of legendary Pro Wrestler Akira Maeda, Tamura is known for his skill in catch wrestling as well as his ability to deliver exciting and realistic professional wrestling bouts....
(Tamura won by a KO).
Mixed martial arts record
|-|Loss
|align=center|2-6-2
|
Kiyoshi TamuraKiyoshi Tamura
is a Japanese middleweight professional wrestler and mixed martial artist.Once a student of legendary Pro Wrestler Akira Maeda, Tamura is known for his skill in catch wrestling as well as his ability to deliver exciting and realistic professional wrestling bouts....
|KO (punch)
|PRIDE 23
PRIDE 23
Pride 23: Championship Chaos 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on November 24, 2002.- Jerrel Venetiaan vs. Hirotaka Yokoi:...
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1:01
|Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
|
|-
| Draw
|align=center|2-5-2
|
Mike BernardoMike Bernardo
Michael "Mike" Bernardo is a South African former kickboxer and boxer from Cape Town. Bernardo is known as Beru-chan in Japan, where he has taken part in K-1 World GPs since 1994...
|Decision (unanimous)
|Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001
Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001
Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001: K-1 vs. Inoki was a mixed martial arts event promoted by Antonio Inoki on December 31, 2001 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan....
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|3:00
|Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
|
|-
| Draw
|align=center|2-5-1
|
Mirko FilipovićMirko Filipovic
Mirko Filipović is a former Croatian heavyweight kickboxer, mixed martial artist, politician, and law enforcement officer. Filipović was a member of the Croatian Parliament from 2003 through 2007...
|Decision (unanimous)
|PRIDE 17
PRIDE 17
Pride 17: Championship Chaos was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on November 3, 2001. This event also saw the crowning of the first Pride FC Heavyweight and Middleweight champions.-Results: Renzo Gracie vs. ...
|
|align=center|4
|align=center|5:00
|Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|2-5
|
Igor VovchanchynIgor Vovchanchyn
Igor Yaroslavovich "Ice Cold" Vovchanchyn is a retired Ukrainian mixed martial artist and kickboxer. He won seven mixed martial arts tournaments, as well as acquiring a 37 fight unbeaten streak, and reaching the final of the Pride Grand Prix 2000....
|Submission (strikes)
|PRIDE 11
PRIDE 11
Pride 11: Battle of the Rising Sun was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Osaka Castle Hall in Osaka, Japan on October 31, 2000.-Results:...
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|3:18
|Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|2-4
|
Royce GracieRoyce Gracie
Royce Gracie is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist, a UFC Hall of Famer and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. A legend and pioneer in the sport of mixed martial arts, he is widely considered to be the most influential figure in the history of modern MMA.Gracie gained fame for his...
|Decision (unanimous)
|PRIDE Grand Prix 2000 Opening Round
PRIDE Grand Prix 2000 Opening Round
The Pride Grand Prix 2000 Opening Round was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 30, 2000. The event began the Pride Openweight tournament of 2000.-Results:...
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|15:00
|Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|2-3
|
Mark Kerr|Submission (kimura)
|PRIDE 6
PRIDE 6
Pride 6 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan, on July 4, 1999. The first four matches were all won by judges decision. The event also featured a karate match between Hiroki Kurosawa and Nobuaki Kakuda...
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|3:05
|Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|2-2
|
Mark ColemanMark Coleman
Mark Coleman is an American mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, former NCAA collegiate wrestler and former Olympic amateur wrestler. In MMA, he was the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournament champion, the first Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion, and the Pride Fighting...
|Submission (heel hook)
|PRIDE 5
PRIDE 5
Pride 5 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. This was the first Pride event to be promoted by Dream Stage Entertainment, which took over from Kakutougi Revolution Spirits. The event took place at the Nagoya Rainbow Hall in Nagoya, Japan, on April 29, 1999. This...
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|1:44
|Nagoya, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|1-2
|
Rickson GracieRickson Gracie
Rickson Gracie is a Brazilian 8th degree black and red belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a retired mixed martial artist. He is a member of the Gracie family: the son of Hélio Gracie, brother to Rorion and Relson Gracie, and half-brother to Rolker, Royce, Robin and Royler Gracie.-Biography:Rickson...
|Submission (armbar)
|PRIDE 4
PRIDE 4
Pride 4 was a mixed martial arts event held by KRS-Pride . It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, on October 11, 1998...
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|9:28
|Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|1-1
|
Kyle Sturgeon|Submission (heel hook)
|PRIDE 3
PRIDE 3
Pride 3 was a mixed martial arts event held by KRS-Pride on June 24, 1998 at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan. The English language commentary for this event was provided by Stephen Quadros and Bas Rutten....
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|2:17
|Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|0-1
|
Rickson GracieRickson Gracie
Rickson Gracie is a Brazilian 8th degree black and red belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a retired mixed martial artist. He is a member of the Gracie family: the son of Hélio Gracie, brother to Rorion and Relson Gracie, and half-brother to Rolker, Royce, Robin and Royler Gracie.-Biography:Rickson...
|Submission (armbar)
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PRIDE 1
Pride 1 was the first mixed martial arts event held by KRS-Pride . It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on October 11, 1997 and attracted a crowd of 47,860 spectators....
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Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
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Post MMA contributions
Takada has an MMA dojo of his own, Takada DojoTakada Dojo
The Takada Dojo is a mixed martial arts academy in Tokyo, Japan. The dojo takes its name from Nobuhiko Takada its founder. Many members, including Takada, have participated in both professional wrestling and mixed martial arts...
, where he's helped train such fighters as Kazushi Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba
is a Japanese professional mixed martial artist and former professional wrestler. He has competed in pro-wrestling for New Japan Pro Wrestling, UWFi and Kingdom Pro Wrestling. He has fought in MMA competition in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, PRIDE Fighting Championships, K-1 Hero's and Dream...
.
Takada was the figurehead of the now defunct PRIDE Fighting Championships, as well as the president of the HUSTLE promotion in Japan, while also portraying as the main heel and leader of the "Takada Monster Army" under the name "Generalissimo Takada", a M. Bison
M. Bison
M. Bison, known in Japan as Vega, is a video game character created by Capcom. First introduced in Street Fighter II: The World Warrior, he is a recurring character in the Street Fighter series of fighting games, acting as the final boss and primary antagonist of the Street Fighter II and Street...
-esque character.
Takada returned to the ring at the HUSTLE-Aid show as The Esperanza, a wrestling cyborg, and made short work of his opponent TAJIRI
Yoshihiro Tajiri
, is a Japanese professional wrestler, perhaps best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment. He is currently competing in SMASH as TAJIRI.-Early years :...
. At HustleMania II, he defeated Razor Ramon HG in what was billed as HG's retirement match (HG continued wrestling for HUSTLE despite the billing), giving him a Tombstone Piledriver on the ramp after the match that caused "erectile dysfunction" to HG.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Crucifix armbar
Championships and accomplishments
- New Japan Pro WrestlingNew Japan Pro Wrestlingis a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
- IWGP Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipIWGP Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling junior heavweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix. The title was introduced on February 6, 1986 at a NJPW show....
(1 time) - IWGP Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Akira MaedaAkira Maedais a retired Japanese professional wrestler, also known as Kwik-kik-Lee for his time on the British Wrestling show World of Sport. He helped develop the shoot-style of professional wrestling during the late 1980s....
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him
Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
in 1995 - PWI ranked him #43 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the PWI YearsPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
in 2003 - PWI ranked him #13 of the 100 best tag teams during the PWI YearsPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
with Akira Maeda in 2003
- Tokyo Sports Grand Prix
- Best Tag Team of the Year (1986)- with Shiro Koshinaka
- Effort Prize (1983)
- Match of the Year (1996)- vs. Genichiro Tenryu on September 11
- Wrestler of the Year (1992)
- Union of Wrestling Forces International
- Real Pro Wrestling (RPW) World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- Wrestle Association RWAR (wrestling promotion)Wrestle and Romance, and later Wrestle Association R, was a professional wrestling promotion founded and run by Genichiro Tenryu as the successor to Super World of Sports, and which lasted from 1992 to 2000. The promotion had very few regular contracted workers, instead most of the workers were...
- WAR World Six-Man Tag Team ChampionshipWAR World Six-Man Tag Team ChampionshipThe WAR World Six-Man Tag Team Championship is a tag team title previously contested for in the Japanese professional wrestling promotion Wrestle Association R ....
(1 time) - with Naoki SanoNaoki Sanois a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist. He currently goes by the name Takuma Sano.-New Japan Pro Wrestling :...
& Masahito Kakihara
- WAR World Six-Man Tag Team Championship
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- 5 Star Match (1984) vs. Kazuo YamazakiKazuo YamazakiKazuo Yamazaki is a former Japanese professional wrestler, who is known for his work in New Japan Pro Wrestling and UWF International.-New Japan Pro Wrestling :...
on December 5 - Best Technical Wrestler (1987)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of FameWrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of FameThe Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling hall of fame that recognizes people who make significant contributions to the sport. It was founded in 1996 by Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is not...
(Class of 1996)
- 5 Star Match (1984) vs. Kazuo Yamazaki