Masakatsu Funaki

Masaharu Funaki (Japanese: 船木 優治, Funaki Masaharu, born March 13, 1969) is a Japanese actor, mixed martial artist and professional wrestler known professionally as Masakatsu Funaki (船木 誠勝, Funaki Masakatsu), who has previously wrestled in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi (PWFG), Newborn UWF (UWF), and Wrestle-1 (W-1). He is also the co-founder of Pancrase, one of the first mixed martial arts organizations and non-rehearsed shoot wrestling promotions (following five years after the inception of Shooto but predating America's Ultimate Fighting Championship). Funaki was also Pancrase'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".[1][2]

Quick facts: Masakatsu Funaki, Born, Other names, National... ▼

Masakatsu Funaki
Funaki as the GHC National Champion in October 2022
Born	Masaharu Funaki (船木 優治, Funaki Masaharu) (1969-03-13) March 13, 1969 (age 54) Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, Japan
Other names	Masaharu Funaki The Last Samurai Yomigaetta Samurai("Modern Day Samurai") Hybrid Wrestler
Nationality	Japanese
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight	209 lb (95 kg; 14 st 13 lb)
Division	Middleweight
Style	Boxing, Catch Wrestling, Muay Thai, Koppo, Kendo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Teacher(s)	Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Karl Gotch
Years active	1993–2000, 2007–2012 (MMA) 1985–1993, 2009–present (Professional wrestling)
Mixed martial arts record
Total	55
Wins	40
By knockout	5
By submission	34
By decision	1
Losses	13
By knockout	3
By submission	8
By decision	2
Draws	2
Other information
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

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 history.[3] 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 fighter from 1993 to 1998.[4]