Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist
Tsuyoshi Kohsaka 高阪剛
Born
(1970-03-06) March 6, 1970 (age 54) Shiga, Japan
Other names
TK, Kakutogi Kai no Kenja ("The Sage of the Combat Sports World")
Nationality
Japanese
Height
5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight
225 lb (102 kg; 16 st 1 lb)
Division
Heavyweight
Style
Judo, Shoot Wrestling, Kickboxing
Fighting out of
Tokyo, Japan
Team
Rings Japan Team Alliance Alliance Square
Teacher(s)
Akira Maeda
Rank
4th Dan Black Belt in Judo
Years active
1994–2006; 2015–2022
Mixed martial arts record
Total
53
Wins
30
By knockout
10
By submission
12
By decision
9
Unknown
2
Losses
21
By knockout
10
By submission
4
By decision
7
Draws
2
Other information
Website
Official blog
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
Last updated on: March 19, 2011 (2011-03-19)
Tsuyoshi Kosaka (Japanese: 高阪 剛, Kōsaka Tsuyoshi, born March 6, 1970) is a retired Japanese mixed martial artist, submission grappler and professional wrestler who competed in the Heavyweight division. A professional MMA competitor from 1994 till 2022, he has competed for the UFC, PRIDE Fighting Championships, RIZIN, RINGS, Pancrase, and DEEP. Kosaka is the former King of Pancrase Super Heavyweight Champion.
Kosaka is considered to be one of the early pioneers of mixed martial arts and was one of the top ranked Japanese fighters for several years.[1] Known for his grappling skills, Kosaka is trained in Judo and Shoot Wrestling, His "TK guard" position, a precursor to modern butterfly guard, is famous for its efficiency; former UFC champions Frank Shamrock and Maurice Smith have both credited him with having vastly improved their grappling from that particular position.[2]
^Bowker, Dylan (15 April 2022). "Tsuyoshi Kosaka on nearly three decades of MMA and Rizin 35 swan song". My MMA News. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
^Nate Wilcox (25 July 2009). "MMA History XX: Kazushi Sakuraba and Frank Shamrock Emerge at Ultimate Japan". Bloody Elbow.
TsuyoshiKosaka (Japanese: 高阪 剛, KōsakaTsuyoshi, born March 6, 1970) is a retired Japanese mixed martial artist, submission grappler and professional...
which was a four-man tournament between Coleman, Rizzo, Bas Rutten and TsuyoshiKosaka that would crown the next UFC Heavyweight Champion. After 15:00 the...
against Asen Yamamoto. Amongst the veterans in the Japanese scene, TsuyoshiKosaka would face James Thompson, and Akebono Tarō would face Bob Sapp. Initial...
(due to contract disputes). Part one was held at UFC Brazil, with TsuyoshiKosaka taking a win to advance to UFC 18. UFC 18 featured the first US appearance...
1 8:10 Alistair Overeem def. Sergei Kharitonov TKO (Knees) 1 5:13 TsuyoshiKosaka def. Mario Sperry TKO (Punches) 1 1:20 Fabrício Werdum def. John Olav...
Retrieved 25 November 2015. "Fedor Emelianenko still without an opponent, TsuyoshiKosaka to face James Thompson at Rizin". MMA Fighting. 22 November 2015. Archived...
Middleweight Champion Dave Menne, former Pancrase Super Heavyweight Champion TsuyoshiKosaka, former Pancrase Openweight Champion Masakatsu Funaki, Olympic judo...
quest for the UFC belt was against Fighting Network RINGS exponent TsuyoshiKosaka at UFC 18. During the bout, Rutten was repeatedly taken down and struck...
Heavyweight Championship that Yoshihiro Takayama won by defeating TsuyoshiKosaka in the finals of a four-man tournament. The main event was a successful...
World Tag League Night 15 5 86 62 June 27, 1998 Kiyoshi Tamura vs. TsuyoshiKosaka RINGS Fourth Fighting Integration 5 87 63 October 31, 1998 Kenta Kobashi...
Heavyweight 120 kg Kirill Sidelnikov def. Carlos Toyota TKO (Punches) 1 2:23 Heavyweight 120 kg TsuyoshiKosaka def. James Thompson TKO (Punches) 2 11:58...
Fujita, Yoshihiro Takayama, TsuyoshiKosaka, and Tadao Yasuda. Takayama won the tournament on January 4, 2003, beating Kosaka with a knee kick in the finals...
Heavyweight Pedro Rizzo def. Tank Abbott KO (punch) 8:07 Heavyweight TsuyoshiKosaka def. Pete Williams Decision 15:00 Middleweight Ebenezer Fontes Braga...
This tournament was included Pride FC veterans like Kazuyuki Fujita, TsuyoshiKosaka, Heath Herring, Sumo sensation Baruto Kaito, world class wrestler Amir...
Williams Decision (unanimous) 5 5:00 Heavyweight Pedro Rizzo def. TsuyoshiKosaka TKO (referee stoppage due to strikes) 3 1:17 Middleweight Joe Slick...
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