Genki Sudo

Genki Sudo (須藤 元気, Sudō Genki, born 8 March 1978) is a Japanese mixed martial artist, singer, actor and politician who has been serving as a political independent in the House of Councillors since 2019.[2] Between 1998 and 2006, Sudo was a professional athlete and then was in the entertainment industry from 2006 to 2019. He has since returned to his previous position in World Order as of September 2021 where he is currently active.

Genki Sudo
Member of House of Councillors
Assumed office
28 July 2019
ConstituencyNational PR
Personal details
Born (1978-03-08) 8 March 1978
Kōtō, Tokyo, Japan
Political partyIndependent
Other political
affiliations
Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan
Alma materTakushoku University
Martial arts career
Other namesNeo-Samurai (UFC)
Transforming Trickster (K-1/Hero's)
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight70 kg (154 lb; 11 st 0 lb)
DivisionLightweight
StyleGreco-Roman Wrestling, Karate, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Kickboxing, Sambo, Shootfighting
Fighting out ofTokyo, Japan
TeamBeverly Hills Jiu-Jitsu Club
Teacher(s)Bas Rutten
Masakatsu Funaki
Sanae Kikuta
RankBlack belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu[1]
Years active1998–2006
Kickboxing record
Total6
Wins2
By knockout2
Losses4
By knockout2
Mixed martial arts record
Total21
Wins16
By knockout1
By submission12
By decision3
Losses4
By knockout1
By decision3
Draws1
Other information
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
Last updated on: 1 March 2011
Musical career
GenresTechno, synthpop
Occupation(s)Singer
Years active2006–present

He is a retired mixed martial artist and a kickboxer who, until 31 December 2006 competed in the Japanese fighting organization HERO'S and before that, the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pancrase. He is known for his elaborate ring entrances[3] and unorthodox fighting style.[4] Sudo, following his retirement, transitioned into a career in entertainment as a Japanese singer, composer,[5] choreographer, actor, professional calligrapher and author. He is the producer, director, and lead vocalist of the music group World Order,[6] which is known for their techno music style and highly synchronised robotic choreography.

Early life

Born to a chef and Boxing fan, Genki was named after Yu Koyama's sports anime Ganbare Genki. He started practicing Amateur Wrestling during high school, focusing on Greco-Roman Wrestling, and later won JOC Cup All Japan Junior Wrestling Championship during his stay at the Takushoku Junior College. In 1998, after graduating, Genki moved to the United States and enrolled in Santa Monica College, but dropped out soon after. Around this time, he joined the Beverly Hills Jiu-Jitsu Club and practiced Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. A year after, he returned to Japan to compete in Pancrase by Bas Rutten's mediation.

MMA career

Pancrase

Genki started his professional career in 1998, when he fought Tiki Ghosn in Extreme Shoot 2. Then he moved to japanese promotion Pancrase, defeating Kosei Kubota by unanimous decision in his first fight. He joined Sanae Kikuta's Grabaka team to further develop his skills.

Sudo became well known for his particularly flashy choreographed ring entrances that often included costumed dancers. One entrance featured Sudo doing the robot and operating levers that released a column of smoke from the top of his head while wearing a Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket as a hat and a white plastic mask, in an homage to the musician Buckethead.

On 21 December 2001, Sudo fought against Kenichi Yamamoto at Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium, and won by Rear Naked Choke.[7] Prior to the match, Sudo and Yamamoto promised to bet Yamamoto's UFC championship belt on the outcome. Following his win, Sudo was given the belt by Yamamoto, and Sudo was introduced as "UFC Japan Champion" by media after this bout. As the bet was personal, he is not sanctioned as champion by Zuffa.

UFC

Sudo had his debut in Ultimate Fighting Championship at UFC 38, facing Leigh Remedios. Making his entrance in a kimono and a tengu mask, Sudo showed his personal style by dancing and throwing spin kicks to open the match, eventually launching a flying triangle choke attempt which lasted for most of the round. At the second round, Genki threw Remedios with a hip throw and locked a rear naked choke, making him tap out. The Japanese wrestler then posed with a flag of all the nations and proclaimed his catchphrase of "We Are All One" for a crowd pop.

He returned at UFC 42 against Duane Ludwig. Again Sudo showed his theatrical side, walking backwards towards Ludwig and doing the robot dance before taking him down. However, despite his initial domination, the Japanese started receiving damage while standing, failing in a rolling kneebar and several takedown attempts. Sudo came back at the last round, taking down Ludwig and pounding and bloodying him with punches and elbows. Whilst Ludwig was taking a beating, referee John McCarthy interrupted and stood the two fighters up to check on Ludwig's nose. When the doctor allowed the fight to resume they did not restart from the same previous dominant position held by Sudo. Ludwig took advantage of the indirect rest given to him and avoided, with the aid of the referee's decision, the unfavorable position that he was in. He dominated the end of the fight landing hurtful shots on Sudo to win a split decision. Ludwig mocked Sudo after the final bell with a crane kick pose.

Sudo's last fight in UFC would be against the debuting Mike Brown in UFC 47. Brown tried to capitalize in Sudo's confusing moves by rushing him against the fence, managing to slam him on the mat, but Sudo then locked a triangle choke and transitioned into an armbar for the tap out.

Hero's

Genki Sudo was defeated by K-1 HERO's lightweight champion Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto. The fight was won by a controversial referee stoppage after Sudo was knocked down by a right hand which was followed by some punches.[8]

At K-1 Dynamite! on 31 December 2006 he defeated Damacio Page by submission.[9] After his win, and to the shock of the crowd, Sudo announced his retirement.[10]

After retirement

Sudo in 2020

Prior to his retirement on New Year's Eve Sudo fought for K-1 HERO's, the mixed martial arts branch of the most popular Japanese combat sports circuit.

In 2008, he accepted the position of Manager for Takushoku University’s wrestling team. In the 2009 Eastern Japan University League Games, the 2009 All Japan University Greco-Roman Championship Tournament, and the 2010 All Japan University Wrestling Conference, he was awarded the prize for Best Manager. In addition, he led the team to victory in the 2010 All Japan Student Wrestling Championship, and in his second year as manager Takushoku University was victorious at all four of the biggest student wrestling tournaments. In 2010, he was made the Japanese representative manager for the World University Championship.

Sudo was cast in Kamen Rider W Forever: A to Z/The Gaia Memories of Fate (仮面ライダーW(ダブル) FOREVER AtoZ/運命のガイアメモリ) in 2010 as Kyosui Izumi, member of NEVER and user of the T2 Luna Memory. He reprised his role in Kamen Rider Eternal, in Kamen Rider W Returns which was released on 21 July 2011. He has also finished filming his part of the movie The R246 Story.[11]

On 8 April 2010 he received his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Naoyoshi Watanabe at Triforce Academy.[1]

Kickboxing career

Sudo participated in a K-1 tournament in 2002. He lost in the semi-finals.[12] He has had important matches against Masato and Albert Kraus, both going to decisions.

Fighting style

A fighter with unorthodox striking and grappling ability, he has won fights by flashy knockout in both mixed martial arts and kickboxing. Among the unusual techniques that he favors and can use effectively are the spinning backfist, flying triangle choke and flying armbar, as well as dancing and turning his back to opponents to taunt or distract them.

Personal life

Sudo is a practicing Buddhist.[13] He married on 22 November 2007, but got divorced in 2014.

Sudo has written 15 books and has started an amateur baseball team for people 30 and over.

On 1 August 2009, Sudo and his office made an official statement to say information on Wikipedia was wrong. According to their statement, the bout between Sudo and Tiki Ghosn was originally declared a draw which was overturned after Sudo's corner man, Bas Rutten, objected, at which point Sudo was declared the winner and given a medal.[14][15]

On 25 January 2010, Sudo took the entrance examination of Takushoku University Graduate School and he was admitted to the school on 29 January. He entered the Local Government Course (Master's Program) of the Graduate School of Local Government.[16]

In June 2017, acquired a Divemaster qualification as a scuba diving professional.

In December 2021, he passed the cook exam.



Instructor lineage

Brazilian jiu-jitsu

Jigoro KanoMitsuyo "Count Koma" MaedaCarlos Gracie, Sr. → Helio GracieRolls GracieRomero "Jacaré" Cavalcanti → Alexandre Paiva → Naoyoshi Watanabe → Genki Sudo

Shoot wrestling

Billy RileyKarl GotchYoshiaki FujiwaraMasakatsu Funaki → Genki Sudo

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
21 matches 16 wins 4 losses
By knockout 2 1
By submission 11 0
By decision 3 3
Draws 1
Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Win 16–4–1 Damacio Page Submission (triangle choke) K-1 PREMIUM 2006 Dynamite!! 31 December 2006 1 3:05 Osaka, Japan
Win 15–4–1 Ole Laursen Decision (unanimous) Hero's 4 15 March 2006 3 5:00 Tokyo, Japan
Loss 14–4–1 Norifumi Yamamoto TKO (punches) K-1 PREMIUM 2005 Dynamite!! 31 December 2005 1 4:39 Osaka, Japan Hero's 2005 Lightweight Grand Prix Final.
Win 14–3–1 Hiroyuki Takaya Submission (triangle choke) Hero's 3 7 September 2005 2 3:47 Tokyo, Japan Hero's 2005 Lightweight Grand Prix Semi-final.
Win 13–3–1 Kazuyuki Miyata Submission (armbar) Hero's 3 7 September 2005 2 4:45 Tokyo, Japan Hero's 2005 Lightweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal.
Win 12–3–1 Ramon Dekkers Submission (heel hook) Hero's 1 26 March 2005 1 2:54 Saitama, Japan
Win 11–3–1 Royler Gracie KO (punches) K-1 MMA ROMANEX 22 May 2004 1 3:40 Saitama, Japan
Win 10–3–1 Mike Brown Submission (triangle armbar) UFC 47 2 April 2004 1 3:31 Paradise, Nevada, United States
Win 9–3–1 Butterbean Submission (heel hook) K-1 PREMIUM 2003 Dynamite!! 31 December 2003 2 0:41 Nagoya, Japan
Loss 8–3–1 Duane Ludwig Decision (split) UFC 42 25 April 2003 3 5:00 Miami, Florida, United States
Win 8–2–1 Leigh Remedios Submission (rear-naked choke) UFC 38 13 July 2002 2 1:38 London, England
Win 7–2–1 Kenichi Yamamoto Submission (rear-naked choke) Rings: World Title Series 5 21 December 2001 2 1:46 Yokohama, Japan
Win 6–2–1 Brian Lo-A-Njoe Submission (triangle choke) Rings: Battle Genesis Vol. 8 21 September 2001 1 2:17 Tokyo, Japan
Win 5–2–1 Craig Oxley Submission (achilles lock) Pancrase – Trans 6 31 October 2000 1 3:14 Tokyo, Japan
Draw 4–2–1 André Pederneiras Draw C2K – Colosseum 2000 26 May 2000 1 15:00 Tokyo, Japan
Loss 4–2 Kiuma Kunioku Decision (unanimous) Pancrase – Trans 2 27 February 2000 2 3:00 Osaka, Japan
Win 4–1 Nate Marquardt Submission (armbar) Pancrase – Breakthrough 11 18 December 1999 1 13:31 Yokohama, Japan
Win 3–1 Victor Hunsaker TKO (submission to elbows) Pancrase – Breakthrough 9 25 October 1999 1 1:43 Tokyo, Japan
Loss 2–1 Minoru Toyonaga Decision (unanimous) Pancrase – 1999 Neo-Blood Tournament Second Round 1 August 1999 2 3:00 Tokyo, Japan
Win 2–0 Kousei Kubota Decision (unanimous) Pancrase – 1999 Neo-Blood Tournament Opening Round 1 August 1999 2 3:00 Tokyo, Japan
Win 1–0 Tiki Ghosn Decision (draw overturned) ES 2 – Extreme Shoot 2 6 June 1998 3 5:00 Mission Viejo, California, United States Originally declared a draw, overturned after Sudo's corner man, Bas Rutten, objected, at which point Sudo was declared the winner.

Submission grappling record

KO PUNCHES

Kickboxing record

6 Fights: 2 Wins (2 (T)KO's), 4 Losses (2 (T)KO's, 2 decisions)
Date Result Opponent Event Location Method Round Time
2006-09-04LossAustralia Ian SchaffaK-1 World MAX 2006 Champions ChallengeKōtō, Tokyo, JapanTKO (Referee Stoppage)20:59
2004-10-13WinUnited States Michael LermaK-1 World MAX 2004 Champions' ChallengeShibuya, Tokyo, JapanTKO (Cut)22:09
2003-11-18LossNetherlands Albert KrausK-1 World MAX 2003 Champions' ChallengeChiyoda, Tokyo, JapanDecision (Unanimous)33:00
2003-03-01LossJapan MasatoK-1 World MAX 2003 Japan Grand Prix QuarterfinalKōtō, Tokyo, JapanDecision (Unanimous)33:00
2002-10-11WinSouth Korea Jin-Woo KimK-1 World MAX 2002 Champions' ChallengeKōtō, Tokyo, JapanKO (Spinning Back Fist)20:16
2002-02-11LossJapan Takayuki KohiruimakiK-1 Japan MAX 2002 Quarterfinal, JapanTKO (Referee Stoppage)31:27

Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw/No contest   Notes

Bibliography

The following books are all essays.

Original Title Original Publication Date English Name
幸福論
Kōfuku-ron
2005 The theory of Happiness
風の谷のあの人と結婚する方法
Kaze no tani no Anohito to Kekkonsuru houhou
2006 How to Marry The Woman living in the Valley of the Wind
神はテーブルクロス
Kami ha Tēburu Kurosu
2007 God is The Tablecloth
レボリューション
Reboryūshon
2007 Revolution
バシャール スドウゲンキ
Bashāru Sudo Genki
2007 Genki Sudo, The Bashar
無意識はいつも君に語りかける
Muishiki wa itsumo kimini katarikakeru
2008 Subconscious Always Talks to You
キャッチャー・イン・ザ・オクタゴン
Kacchā in za Okutagon
2008 Catcher in the Octagon
愛と革命のルネサンス
Ai to Kakumei no Runessansu
2009 Renaissance Of Love and Revolution
Let's 猫
Let's Neko
2010 Let's Cat
今日が残りの人生最初の日
kyouga nokorino jinnsei saisyo no hi
2010 Today is the firstday of the rest in my life
美は肉体に宿る
bi ha nikutaini yadoru
2011 Beauty dwells in the body
WE ARE ALL ONE
WE ARE ALL ONE
2011

Discography

Title Date Type Publisher
Love and Everything 6 September 2006 Single (CD) Toshiba EMI (EMI Music Japan)
Missing Beauty 1 December 2015 Single

Film actor roles

Original video

Television drama roles

Titles

  • JOC Cup All Japan Junior Wrestling Championship Winner(1996)
  • Hero's Middleweight Tournament Runner-up

Awards

  • Martial arts
    • UFC 38 Tap Out Award
    • UFC 38 Best Fighter Award
    • UFC 47 Tap Out Award
    • UFC 47 Best Fighter Award
  • Movie
    • Spotlight Award (Short Short Film Festival & Asia 2008)[17]
  • Japanese calligraphy
    • Newcomer Encouragement Award (15th Taisho exhibition)[18][19]

See also

References

  1. (in Japanese)2010年04月09日 April 9, 2010 Archived 5 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine crnavi.jp Retrieved: 31 August 2010.
  2. "The Many Hats of Genki Sudo". 24 July 2019.
  3. "Genki Sudo Documentary Pt. 1". 27 September 2008. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2011 via YouTube.
  4. Archived 1 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "Member profile – About Genki Sudo". World Order official website. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  6. "Member profile". World Order official website. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  7. (in Japanese)[リングス]元気、ヤマケンを裸絞め葬。SB前田も裸絞めで勝利/12.21横文 結果 [RINGS] Sudo beats Yamamoto with Rear Naked Choke. Maeda from Shoot boxing wins by Rear Naked Choke / 21 December, Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium, Result boutreview.com Retrieved 2010-08-31.
  8. Sherdog.com. "Genki "Neo-Samurai" Sudo MMA Stats, Pictures, News, Videos, biography". Sherdog.com. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
  9. Archived 6 January 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  10. Sherdog.com (31 December 2006). "Akiyama Stops Sakuraba Amidst Controversy, Sudo Retires". Sherdog.com. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
  11. R246 Story at IMDb
  12. (in Japanese)(レポ&写真) [K-1]10.11有明:魔裟斗、クラウスとドロー。須藤&村浜も好勝負 (Reports & Photos) [K-1] 10.11 Ariake: Masato draws with Kraus. Sudo & Murahama Good Bouts Boutreview.com: 2010-08-31.
  13. http://www.legacyoriental.us/budo_videos/index.php?productid=30219%5B%5D
  14. 投稿者: 管理 日時: 2007年08月16日 17:06 (6 June 1998). "Mistaken fight record in article from free encyclopedia "Wikipedia"". Crnavi.jp. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
  15. Mistaken fight record in article from free encyclopedia “Wikipedia” crnavi.jp Retrieved: 31 August 2010.
  16. (in Japanese)須藤元気が拓殖大学大学院に合格!! Genki Sudo passes entrance exam of Takushoku University Graduate School kamipro.com Retrieved: 31 August 2010.
  17. (in Japanese)Short Short Film Festival & Asia 2010 News Release No.014 shortshorts.org Retrieved: 31 August 2010.
  18. (in Japanese)WE ARE ALL ONE : Profile Archived 3 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine crnavi.jp Retrieved: 31 August 2010.
  19. WE ARE ALL ONE : Profile Archived 24 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine crnavi.jp Retrieved: 31 August 2010.
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