Residence Hokkaido, Japan Name Genki Sudo Nationality Japanese Role Singer | Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | |
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Born March 8, 1978 (age 46) Koto, Tokyo, Japan ( 1978-03-08 ) Other names Neo-Samurai (UFC)Transforming Trickster (K-1/Hero's) Weight 155 lb (70 kg; 11.1 st) Movies Rurouni Kenshin, Madness in Bloom, Kamen Rider W Forever Profiles | ||
WORLD ORDER in New York
Genki Sudo (須藤 元気, Sudō Genki, born March 8, 1978 in Kōtō, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese singer, composer, choreographer, actor, professional calligrapher and author. He is the producer, director, and former lead vocalist of the music group World Order, which is known for their techno music style and highly synchronised robotic choreography. Sudo is a retired mixed martial artist and a kickboxer who, until December 31, 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 and unorthodox fighting style. Over his career he holds notable wins over Nate Marquardt, Eric "Butterbean" Esch, Mike Brown, Kazuyuki Miyata, Hiroyuki Takaya, Damacio Page and Ramon Dekkers.
Contents
- WORLD ORDER in New York
- Genki sudo dynamite 2006 full entrance
- Early life
- Pancrase
- UFC
- Heros
- After retirement
- Kickboxing career
- Fighting style
- Personal life
- Brazilian jiu jitsu
- Shoot wrestling
- Kickboxing record
- Film actor roles
- Original video
- Television drama roles
- Titles
- Awards
- References
His philosophy is "We are all one."
Genki sudo dynamite 2006 full entrance
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.
Pancrase
Genki started his professional career in shoot wrestling promotion Pancrase, defeating Kosei Kubota by unanimous decision in his first fight. He joined Sanae Kikuta's Grabaka team to further develop his grappling 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 December 21, 2001, Sudo fought against Kenichi Yamamoto at Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium, and won by Rear Naked Choke. 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 syle 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, bloodying Ludwig's nose with punches for a possible doctor stoppage, but his opponent returned the favour and dominated the end for a unanimous decision. Duane mocked Sudo with a crane kick pose after the end of the fight.
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.
At K-1 Dynamite! on December 31, 2006 he defeated Damacio Page by submission. After his win, and to the shock of the crowd, Sudo announced his retirement.
After retirement
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 July 21, 2011. He has also finished filming his part of the movie The R246 Story.
On April 8, 2010 he received his black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Naoyoshi Watanabe at Triforce Academy.
Kickboxing career
Sudo participated in a K-1 tournament in 2002. He lost in the semi finals. 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 in order to taunt or distract them.
Personal life
Sudo is a practicing Buddhist. He married on November 22, 2007, but got divorced in 2014.
Sudo has written 15 books and has started an amateur baseball team for people 30 and over.
On August 1, 2009, Genki 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.
On January 25, 2010, Genki took the entrance examination of Takushoku University Graduate School and he was admitted to the school on January 29. He entered the Local Government Course (Master’s Program) of the Graduate School of Local Government.
Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Jigoro Kano → Mitsuyo "Count Koma" Maeda → Carlos Gracie, Sr. → Helio Gracie → Rolls Gracie → Romero "Jacaré" Cavalcanti → Alexandre Paiva → Naoyoshi Watanabe → Genki Sudo
Shoot wrestling
Karl Gotch → Yoshiaki Fujiwara → Masakatsu Funaki → Genki Sudo
Kickboxing record
Legend: Win Loss Draw/No contest Notes