Kazuyuki Fujita Biography, Wiki, Net Worth, Height, Weight, MMA Career

Kazuyuki Fujita Biography: Kazuyuki Fujita is a former amateur wrestler and professional wrestler from Japan. He is signed to Pro Wrestling Noah and is a one-time GHC Heavyweight Champion.

Kazuyuki Fujita Biography

Kazuyuki Fujita Biography: Kazuyuki Fujita was born on October 16, 1970, in Funabashi, Chiba, Japan. In high school, Fujita participated in freestyle wrestling. He competed in the FILA World Championships as a junior in 1988, finishing sixth, and as an Espoir in 1989, placing eleventh.

Fujita finished sixth in the senior Asian Championships in 1993 and represented Japan in the World Cup, a dual meet competition, in 1993 and 1994. He was also a Greco-Roman wrestling national champion in Japan. He was one point short of reaching the Japanese Olympic squad in the Olympic qualifications.

Kazuyuki Fujita Wiki

What is Kazuyuki Fujita Net Worth?

According to Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider, Kazuyuki Fujita has a net worth of $5 million.

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Kazuyuki Fujita Career

New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) approached Fujita in 1993 to join the organization while he was still competing in amateur wrestling. Fujita consented to join, but his professional debut was delayed by three years, until 1996, due to his amateur career. Fujita made his in-ring debut on November 1, 1996, losing to Yuji Nagata. Fujita was trained by Antonio Inoki and Satoru Sayama, who described him as a “monster” in the NJPW dojo.

During his youth with the young roaring lion, Fujita was promoted as a future hero due to his natural athleticism and strength, which made him a promising novice. In 1998, he was selected to face Riki Choshu in one of his retirement contests, and he was also chosen as a training companion for former judoka Naoya Ogawa during his transition to professional wrestling. Fujita had doubts about a career in professional wrestling despite being lauded and touted as a future sensation, and he did not believe he was adapting to it well enough.

In addition, he struggled to secure a permanent spot on the roster behind more seasoned rookies such as Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi, and Satoshi Kojima. In 1999, he requested to depart New Japan to join Fighting Network Rings, a former shoot-style promotion that had recently transformed into a full-fledged mixed martial arts organization.

New Japan executives and Rings’ owner Akira Maeda consented to the transfer, but at the last minute, New Japan owner and Fujita’s trainer Antonio Inoki intervened & halted it. To retain Fujita in New Japan, Inoki sent him abroad to train in mixed martial arts to send him to the Pride Fighting Championship to represent Team Inoki. Fujita’s tenure in Pride was successful, and in 2001 he received an offer to fight for New Japan.

Kazuyuki Fujita MMA Career

Fujita stopped his professional wrestling career in January 2000 to train for mixed martial arts competition. Antonio Inoki, a mixed martial arts legend, his experienced wrestling mentor, and luta livre veteran Marco Ruas were his trainers.

Fujita fought Mirko Cro Cop at the K-1 Andy Hug 2001 GP Final on August 19, 2001. Cro Cop was making his MMA debut. The fight was short and violent, with Fujita trying a takedown and Cro Cop trying to avoid it with a knee to the face. Fujita was undeterred and completed the takedown, but the injury to his eye prompted the referee to halt the bout, giving the Japanese fighter a TKO loss.

Fujita felt confused by the incident of the match and requested a rematch, which was approved for the Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye competition. This fight would be more prolonged and intense, with Fujita repeatedly taking the kickboxer to the ground, only to have the opponent defend against his guard effectively. Cro Cop began dominating the match in the second half with low kicks & a powerful sprawl, which he used to hold Fujita down while delivering a series of unanswered knees to the head. Mirko secured a unanimous decision victory after the judges decided the bout.