Bob Sapp

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1 Profile
2 PRIDE
3 K-1
4 Mixed martial arts record
5 Gallery
6 External links

Profile

Bob "The Beast" Sapp (born September 22, 1972) is an American professional mixed martial artist, K-1 kickboxer and former professional American Football player.

He stands 6 ft. 5 in. (196 cm) tall and fights commonly in the super heavyweight division but more regularly in open weight bouts at the weight of 350 lbs. (159 kg).

Sapp is a huge celebrity in Japan and has fought in the Japan based, PRIDE and K-1 organizations, as well as the US', Strikeforce promotion.

PRIDE

Bob Sapp made his professional mixed martial arts debut for the PRIDE Fighting Championships on April 28, 2002 at PRIDE 20: Armed and Ready. He faced Japanese fighter, Yoshihiro Yamamoto and stopped him with with strikes in the first round.

Two months later, Sapp faced fan favorite, Kiyoshi Tamura at PRIDE 21. Sapp outweighed Tamura by at least 150 lbs. and it showed early as he stopped Tamura with punches at just 11 seconds of round 1.

At PRIDE: Shockwave 2002, Sapp faced PRIDE heavyweight champion, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in a non-title bout. Sapp ragdolled Nogueira for the majority of the first two rounds. At one point Sapp landed a piledriver on Nogueira that many feared did serious damage to Nogueira. Sapp began to tire however in the second round and with just under minute left in the second round, Nogueira moved to mount and then snatched an armbar to force Sapp to tap and concede the first loss of his career.

K-1

Sapp left PRIDE following the Nogueira loss and on New Year's Eve, 2002, Sapp headlined Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2002 against durable Japanese giant, Yoshihiro Takayama. An explosive start saw the two run into each other and start unleashing bombs. Sapp got a quick takedown from there and after some ground and pound inside of Takayama's guard, Sapp moved to side control. He then quickly seized Takayama's arm and submitted him with an armbar.

In September of 2003, Sapp faced another giant in the form of 6 ft. 7 in. Stefan Gamlin as one of two MMA bouts on a K-1 card. Sapp submitted Gamlin with a guillotine choke in just 52 seconds.

After scoring another victory in March of 2004, Sapp faced Japanese star, Kazuyuki Fujita two months later at K-1 MMA: ROMANEX. Just over two minutes in, Fujita made Sapp submit to soccer kicks.

On New Year's Eve, 2004, Sapp faced K-1 kickboxing standout, Jerome LeBanner. The two fought to a draw after four rounds.

Sapp faced Korean, Min Soo Kim at the inaugural K-1: Hero's card on March 26, 2005. He knocked Kim out with a punch in 1:12 of round 1.

He made it two knockout victories in a row when he dropped and stopped Alan Karaev at K-1: Hero's 2 in July of 2005. The win was followed by an 8 second mauling of Jong Wang Kim at K-1: Hero's event in Seoul on November 5, 2005.

Sapp went on to take a little over two year break from MMA before returning at K-1: Premium 2007 Dynamite!! on New Year's Eve 2007 against stand-up comedian turned fighter, Bobby Ologun. Sapp defeated Ologun via punches at 4:10 of round 1.

In February of 2008, Sapp had his first MMA fight on US soil when he headlined Strikeforce: Strikeforce At The Dome against 6 ft. 11 in. kickboxer, Jan Nortje. After failing to secure a takedown early, Sapp wilted and after being hit a couple of times began to run away before being dropped by Nortje. The fight was called to an end at 55 seconds of round 1, giving Nortje his second professional victory from seven outings.

On New Year's Eve, 2008, at K-1: Dynamite!! Power of Courage 2008, Sapp participated in a strange, strange bout against Akihito Tanaka. The strangeness lay in the fact that Tanaka was dressed up as anime character, Kinniku Mantaro which included an in-fight mask. Tanaka/Mantaro scored a takedown early on Sapp but once The Beast returned to his feet he unleashed hell on the anime character. Tanaka attempted to straighten his mask in order to see but Sapp used that to his advantage as he knocked Tanaka out with a furious assault against the ropes that looked to at one point feature Sapp punching Tanaka while holding the mask. The freak show was called to a halt at 5:22 of round 1.

Sapp was defeated at Dream 9 on May 26, 2009 by Ikuhisa Minowa at 1:16 of the first round by modified lateral kneebar.

Sapp is rumored to return to mixed martial arts competition on June 27, 2009, against former WWE star, Bobby Lashley.