| 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 |
Early life and career beginnings
Masakatsu Funaki was born on March 13th of the year 1,969 in Aomori, Japan. He has been considered to be one of the pioneer voices in the development of mixed martial arts. Raised a fan of pro wrestling and martial arts, Kimbo would ascend to legendary status in both genres. He is also a co-founder of Pancrase, one of the first MMA organizations in the world. Proving to be instrumental in crafting MMA into what we know it as today.
His pro wrestling career launched in the mid-80s where he started his training under the great Japanese wrestler Yoshiaki Fujiwara. It was this training that led to the development of Funaki’s unorthodox hybrid fighting style, mixing elements of submission grappling. Striking and wrestling together into what would become known as his signature staple in the modern MMA scene.
Pancrase and MMA success
Pancrase is an MMA company co-founded by Masakatsu Funaki in 1993 in partnership with Minoru Suzuki. This was the beginning of mixed martial arts when MMA was still in its infancy, and Pancrase was at the forefront of that effort. With fights that combined catch wrestling with submission fighting and striking techniques. Doing so allowed fighters to wear their traditional wrestling boots. And also prohibited closed-fist punches to the head while on the ground (though this was short-lived). Making Pancrase a different beast from modern MMA.
Funaki was not only one of the company’s co-founders but also one of the promotion’s best fighters. He is a two-time King of Pancrase champion who demonstrated an ability to win in the ring using brawn and brain. His fights went to the ground and was high on skill with submissions and grappling across most of his wins. With his easy-going attitude and technical excellence he naturally became one of the most well-regarded grapplers in the sport.
During the early part of his career, Funaki earned significant wins over some of the most dangerous fighters in MMA history, such as Ken Shamrock. Bas Rutten and Frank Shamrock. These wins served as a reminder that he was one of the most lethal submission threats in the game at the time.
Key Fights and Accomplishments
Funaki had a fairly celebrated career all things considered, here’s more from the article:
Record: Funaki fought 39 times in his MMA career, compiling a record of 28 wins, 10 losses and 1 draw.
Key Wins: A pair of wins over Ken Shamrock, as well as big victories against Frank Shamrock and Bas Rutten who both went on to Hall-of-Fame careers themselves.
Signature Moves: Funaki had a menagerie of submission wrestling holds in his arsenal, including the cross-arm breaker, ankle pick ankle lock, and rear choke. Bocek was a well-regarded grappler, with most of his wins coming via submission as opposed to striking.
Later career and retirement
Funaki grew with Pancrase as the promotion evolved. During the late 1990s, Pancrase shifted towards a more conventional MMA rule set, adopting the use of gloves and striking become more prominent. Funaki now in his early 30s, saw his decline and officially retired from competition by 2000.
As seems the custom for many fighters who truly love this sport, though, Funaki returned to action in 2007. After that, he got back to fight in Pancrase and other promotions. Let ’em sink in … That was the level of competitor Funaki still was despite his age. Among his high-profile post-retirement bouts was a 2008 clash with Japanese stalwart Kazushi Sakuraba; though he lost that contest, it helped elevate the status of MMA in Japan.
Funaki retired for good in 2013, ending a career that was nearly 30 years long.
Breaking news and current life
Over the past decade, we haven’t heard much from Masakatsu Funaki, but he did stay in touch with friends and business associates in MMA and wrestling. Are currently coaching a few young fighters, teaching them about grappling and submissions as of 2024. His accomplishments in the sport are recognized, as he is a guest at several MMA pioneer events.
His essential role in making it happen in the sport of MMA and Pancrase remains invaluable. He helped connect the dots between traditional martial arts and the modern, mixed-rules combat sports of today.
Personal life and family
Funaki has managed to keep his personal life pretty much under wraps and maintained a stealth-like status regarding his relationships, and family. A reclusive by all accounts, who throws himself into martial arts and studying.
Funaki also leaves behind a strong advocacy within the MMA community. Despite this, he is still respected for guiding other fighters and helping with the promotion of Pancrase, as well as Japanese MMA in general.
Legacy and net worth
Masakatsu Funaki undeniably helped change the face of MMA forever. He co-founded one of MMA’s original Big Three and invented a discipline as part of it, which made him an early leader in submission grappling. His legacy can still be felt in the ground game of nylon-modern-mma and many fighters who prioritize submission over slam.
Funaki, as of 2024, is believed to have a net worth of over $1 million from salary (fighting and coaching) plus his continued role in MMA. To this day, he is still a role model for young fighters and one of the most well-respected figures in the world of MMA.
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