Yushin Okami

Yushin Okami (岡見 勇信) is a Japanese mixed martial artist.

A professional competitor since 2002, Okami has competed for the UFC, PRIDE, Pancrase, M-1 Global, World Series of Fighting, DEEP, Professional Fighters League, and ONE Championship.

He is regarded as one of the greatest Japanese mixed martial artists in recent history.

As an amateur, Okami fought in the pre-PRIDE 4 tournament, defeating two opponents before submitting Yuuki Tsutsui in the finals via triangle choke to win the tournament.

He began his professional career in 2002, fighting in the GCM promotion and Pancrase, as well as making an appearance at Pride FC: The Best, Vol. 3, amassing a professional record of 7–0.

In 2003, he competed in the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship, but was defeated by Matt Lindland.

Also in 2003, he suffered his first professional MMA loss to Amar Suloev.

Okami continued fighting in multiple promotions before arriving at Rumble on the Rock, where he entered a 175 lb tournament.

Anderson Silva, Frank Trigg, Carlos Condit, and Jake Shields also competed in the tournament.

In the opening round, Okami fought the future UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva.

Silva controlled the fight on the feet before Okami secured a takedown.

Okami landed a few blows from top position before Silva landed an illegal upkick to Okami's chin while both fighters were grounded, and Silva was in the guard position.

Okami's knees were on the ground at the time, making the attack an illegal strike to the head of a downed opponent.

Silva later said that the rule had not been properly explained to him before the bout.

"When I fought Okami, the rules really weren't explained to me properly in the event I was fighting in," said Silva.

"You could kick a downed opponent to the groin or to the head when your back's on the ground. So the rules weren't explained to me properly."

Referee Troy Mandaloniz held Silva back and gave the wobbled Okami time to recover.

Okami could not recover, and the fight was declared a disqualification victory for Okami.

Silva responded by asserting he "felt it was a cheap, cowardly way of winning," and that "people that were there saw that he was in the condition to come back and keep fighting, and he didn't."

Moving on to the next round, Okami faced the future EliteXC welterweight and Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Jake Shields, a tournament favorite.

Okami lost a hard-fought majority decision to Shields, who went on to win the tournament.

By 2006, Okami had amassed a record of 17–3 and was the third-ranked Pancrase Middleweight fighter.

He signed with the UFC and made his debut in the organization on the undercard of UFC 62, defeating Alan Belcher by unanimous decision.

He followed up less than two months later with a bout against Kalib Starnes at UFC 64.

He defeated Starnes by TKO due to strikes in the third round.

Okami then signed on to make his third appearance in four months at UFC 66.

His original opponent was to be David Terrell, but Terrell withdrew due to an elbow injury and was replaced by Rory Singer.

Okami defeated Singer by submission due to strikes late in the third round.

After three victories in the UFC, Okami made his main card and broadcast debut at UFC 69 against Mike Swick, who was riding a five-fight win streak in the UFC at the time.

Okami won the bout via unanimous decision.

Okami then participated in the 2007 ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship in the 87 kg (191 lb) division, but lost to eventual division winner Demian Maia.

In the UFC, however, Okami was riding a four-fight win streak.

In his next bout, he faced former UFC Middleweight Champion Rich Franklin at UFC 72 for the position of the #1 contender in the middleweight division.

Franklin controlled the first two rounds, but Okami nearly sunk in a kimura in the third.

Ultimately, all three judges scored the bout 29–28 in Franklin's favor.

Okami next faced Jason MacDonald at UFC 77.

MacDonald had also defeated Singer and lost to Franklin in his two previous bouts.

Though Dana White said that the winner might earn a title shot, the fight was placed on the undercard, possibly due to the fighters' lack of fan support.

Okami dominated the fight with superior stand-up, takedown defense, and ground control en route to a unanimous decision victory.

Okami next faced former UFC Middleweight Champion Evan Tanner in Tanner's first fight in two years.