Yoshihiro Akiyama

From CageWiki

1 Profile
2 MMA Debut and K-1
3 DREAM
4 UFC Career
5 Mixed martial arts record
6 Gallery
7 External links

Profile

Yoshihiro Akiyama aka Choo Sung-hoon (born July 29, 1975) is a Korean/Japanese professional mixed martial artist and a black belt in Judo.

He stands 5 ft. 10 in. (178 cm) and fights in the middleweight division (185 lbs.).

He was K-1 Hero's light heavyweight champion and currently fights as a middleweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

MMA Debut and K-1

Yoshihiro Akiyama made his professional mixed martial arts debut on December 31, 2004 on the back of a highly decorated career in Judo. He faced Francois Botha at K-1: 2004 Dynamite!! and submitted the South African with an armbar at 1:54 of round 1.

At the inaugural K-1 Hero's show, Akiyama faced K-1 kickboxer, Jerome LeBanner. With an 80 lbs. weight disadvantage, Akiyama was knocked out by the superior striker with knees at the 2:24 mark of round 1.

Akiyama got back on track at the next Hero's event as he quickly submitted Australian, Carl Toomey. That win was followed by two TKO's over Michael Lerma and Masakatsu Okuda in the first round.

At K-1 Hero's 4, Akiyama used his Judo Gi to submit Japanese fighter, Tokimitsu Ishizawa in the second round.

Against Katsuhiko Nagata at Hero's 5, Akiyama showed his ever improving stand-up ability as he scored a KO victory over his opponent with a spinning back kick in the second round.

In August of 2006, K-1 Hero's put on an 8-man light heavyweight tournament that featured such notable fighters as Kazushi Sakuraba, Melvin Manhoef, Rodrigo Gracie, Crosley Gracie and Yoshihiro Akiyama.

In the opening round, Akiyama defeated Taiei Kin via technical armbar submission to move into the semi finals which would be held on the same night as the finals at K-1 Hero's 7 in October of 2006.

Akiyama faced Kestutis Smirnovas, a replacement for Kazushi Sakuraba, in the semi finals. Akiyama made quick work of the Lithuanian, submitting Smirnovas with an armbar in just 3:01 of round 1.

Later that night in the Light Heavyweight final, Akiyama faced feared K-1 striker, Melvin Manhoef. Akiyama wasted no time in getting Manhoef to the mat and submitting him with an armbar in just 1:58 to clinch the title.

At K-1: Premium 2006 Dynamite!!, the traditional New Year's Eve show put on by K-1, Akiyama faced Japanese MMA legend, Kazushi Sakuraba in the main event of the evening. Akiyama triumphed in the bout via referee stoppage with Sakuraba complaining throughout the bout that Akiyama was slippery. After the bout Akiyama shrugged off suggestions, blaming it on his profuse amount of sweat. However, after replays showed Akiyama applying Olay lotion to his skin he confessed to the allegations on January 11 and was fined and suspended with the bout's result being changed to a No Contest.

Akiyama's first bout back from suspension came in what many predicted would be the toughest test of his young career. He was matched up with PRIDE 2006 Welterweight Grand Prix runner-up, Denis Kang in the main event of K-1 Hero's Korea 2007. Akiyama made quick work of the dangerous Kang as he knocked his opponent stiff 4:45 into round 1 to get the victory.

DREAM

On December 31, 2007, Akiyama fought on Yarenoka!, an event put together by former PRIDE executives in conjuction with Fighting and Entertainment Group. Akiyama faced PRIDE 2006 Welterweight Grand Prix winner, Kazuo Misaki in a controversial bout. After Misaki got knocked down early, he came back and dropped Akiyama with punches and as Akiyama got to his feet, Misaki knocked him cold with a soccer kick. The fight was called a TKO victory for Misaki but after Akiyama appealed the decision on the basis that the kick was illegal as he was technically on the ground, the fight was changed to a no contest.

Following Yarenoka!, the executives from PRIDE's Dream Stage Entertainment decided to team up with K-1's Fighting and Entertainment Group to create DREAM, which ended up replacing K-1 Hero's as their premiere mixed martial arts organization.

Akiyama was originally meant to be apart of DREAM's middleweight grand prix, which started at DREAM 2. However an injury to Akiyama forced his withdrawal from consideration for the tournament.

Instead, Akiyama returned to action at DREAM 5 against Katsuyori Shibata. Akiyama showed up to the fight in full gi outfit and at the 6:45 mark he forced the tap from Shibata with an Ezekiel choke.

Two months later, at DREAM 6, Akiyama submitted Masanori Tonooka with an armbar at 6:26 mark of round 1.

UFC Career

On February 24, 2009 it was announced by the UFC on their official website that Akiyama had signed a contract with the UFC. In the press release, UFC president Dana White stated that,

"“I’m excited to bring Akiyama into the UFC and I can see him making an immediate impact in the middleweight division,” said UFC President Dana White. “Besides his great judo and submission game, he’s a finisher, and UFC fans are going to love watching him because he always shows up to fight.”"

Akiyama is expected to make his UFC debut in the summer of 2009.