Bob Sapp

Bob Sapp
Born	Robert Malcolm Sapp (1974-09-22) September 22, 1974 Colorado Springs, Colorado
Other names	The Beast
Nationality	United States
Height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight	303 kg (668 lb; 47.7 st)
Division	265+
Style	Pro wrestling
Fighting out of	Colorado Springs, Colorado
Team	BodyShop MMA
Trainer	Antonio McKee
Years active	2002–present
Kickboxing record
Total	19
Wins	10
By knockout	8
Losses	9
By knockout	4
Mixed martial arts record
Total	18
Wins	11
By knockout	8
By submission	3
Losses	6
By knockout	2
By submission	4
Draws	1
Other information
University	University of Washington
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Bob Sapp

No. 78
Career history
Chicago Bears Minnesota Vikings Baltimore Ravens Oakland Raiders
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Robert Malcolm "Bob" Sapp (born September 22, 1974) is an American kickboxer, mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter professional wrestler and former professional American football player. Sapp currently has an MMA record of 11–6–1, mostly fighting in Japan but most recently lost to Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou. He is well-known in Japan, where he has appeared in countless commercials, television programs, and various other media, and has released a music CD, It's Sapp Time. He also appeared in an episode of the HBO program Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. He is currently working sporadically for various MMA promotions in the U.S., Japan, and Europe.

American football career

Bob Sapp began his athletic career in college football as a standout offensive lineman for the University of Washington, where he won the Morris Award. Expected by some to get high notice from pro scouts in the 1997 NFL Draft, he slipped to the third round before being chosen by the Chicago Bears 69th overall. Although Sapp was under pro contract for the next four seasons (Chicago Bears 1997, Minnesota Vikings 1998, Baltimore Ravens 1999, and Oakland Raiders 2000, each of which cut him within that season), he appeared in only one regular season game before leaving football. Sapp went on to fight (and defeat) William "The Refrigerator" Perry in a Toughman boxing special promoted by FX in 2000.

Professional wrestling

Bob Sapp's pro-wrestling career started in NWA Wildside in 2001. He was quickly contracted by World Championship Wrestling as a developmental wrestler, before the company was bought out by the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) (at that time WWF).

In 2004, Sapp competed for New Japan Pro Wrestling, winning their IWGP Heavyweight Championship and becoming the first black man to accomplish this feat, though it was vacated shortly thereafter due to a mixed martial arts fight loss and film commitments.

On October 16, 2007, Bob Sapp made a surprise appearance at HUSTLE's Korakuen Hall event. Attacking Razor Ramon HG and his partner. Sapp aligned himself with Generalissimo Takada's MONSTER Army. He also announced that he would wrestle at the HUSTLE Mania 11/25 Yokohama Arena event. His opponent was later confirmed to be Razor Ramon HG and Sapp defeated him in the resultant match. His last match was against "Big" Dan Meehan.

Since 2008, Sapp began to participate in WWA, a pro-wrestling organization in South Korea. On October 26, 2009, Bob Sapp captured the WWA Heavyweight title by defeating Lee Wang Pyo, a famous professional wrestler in Korea who was taught by legendary Korean professional wrestler Kim Il, at Olympic Fencing Gymnasium event.

Mixed martial arts career

Pride Fighting Championships

Sapp was subsequently recruited by the Japanese MMA organization Pride, where he quickly became a fan favorite due to his size and aggression. After a number of successes in Pride, Sapp was then invited by Kazuyoshi Ishii to K-1. Ishii, inventor of the fighting sport K-1, saw in Sapp the combination of great potential and great marketability.

After arriving in Japan, Sapp fought a number of low level Japanese fighters, winning all his bouts through sheer strength and size. During this time fans were first introduced to Sapp's "bullrush" technique, whereby he would rush an opponent with punches, quickly overwhelming them. Pride and K-1 collaborated to create a show billed "Dynamite" in Japan and "Shockwave" in the United States. He faced then-champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Sapp was defeated and shortly afterward moved to K-1.

K-1

Despite losing his first fight by disqualification, Sapp was initially successful in K-1. He twice defeated four-time K-1 champion Ernesto Hoost by technical knockout. He became an overnight sensation in Japan afterwards, appearing on numerous television shows, advertisements, and movie cameos such as in the big screen adaptation of Devilman. K-1 heads, trying to strike while the iron was hot and hoping to duplicate the success of Sapp, made a new fighting division called "Beast" (Sapp's nickname), which featured larger fighters such as Hong Man Choi. However, the division was stopped after two events due to disappointing reviews and gate takes.

At the height of his success, there was talk and promotion of a fight between him and the former boxing Undisputed Heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson. The two had a face to face confrontation immediately after Sapp's victory in Las Vegas over Kimo . K-1 signed Tyson to a contract and the fight looked to be on. However, Tyson's status as a convicted felon made him unable to get a visa to fight in Japan where the fight would have been most profitable. Other locations for the proposed fight were made, but negotiations ended up dissipating to nothing and the fight never came off.

In June 2005, Sapp won the K-1 Japan Grand Prix in Hiroshima to become one of 16 fighters qualified for the 2005 K-1 World GP. In the Japan GP, Sapp showcased greatly improved stamina, as well as better technique, than in his previous fights after intensive training under Sam Greco. In the K-1 2005 World GP Eliminations he lost by decision to "The Techno Goliath" Choi Hong-man.

Sapp's initial success with his intimidating, blind chase-and-punch method (which he dubbed as "NFL Style") slowly petered out into disqualifications for bullrushing and punching after referee breaks. Additionally, experienced opponents discovered Sapp's weak points—his vulnerable mid-section and legs as well as his limited stamina. He also engaged in an ineffective but entertaining defensive stance consisting of cowering away from attacks and spinning around in a circle.

On May 13, 2006, Sapp was to headline the K-1 show in the Netherlands. His opponent was Ernesto Hoost. Hoost stated in previous interviews and the interview on that show that this was to be his last match in Holland before his retirement. Sapp attended all the pre-fight press conferences and even attended the opening ceremonies for the show. It is unclear at the moment as to why, but Sapp pulled out of the event midway through the show.

K-1 issued a statement claiming Sapp pulled out due to new demands he brought to promoters during the show. K-1 would not agree to those demands since they felt their written contract was final and Sapp left. The full K-1 press release can be viewed on the organization's website.

Sapp has not issued a statement, but a different point of view on the events that occurred.

However, he did participate in 2007's K-1 event in the Amsterdam Arena, fighting as a replacement for Remy Bonjasky, against Peter Aerts. Sapp, however, lost the fight at KO within 20 seconds in the first round by a knee to the liver. While Sapp was being led from the ring, Aerts apologized to the fans in Dutch for the short bout as well as berated his fallen opponent.

After his falling out with K-1, Sapp began to get offers from WWE as well as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) to work with them, but his K-1 contract prohibited him from going through with any return to the ring.

Sapp made a surprise return to the K-1 ring in Japan after a 2 year absence against comedian and part time K-1 competitor Bobby Ologun. Ologun was unable to mount any effective offense as he was quickly run down and overpowered by Sapp in the 1st round.

Cage Rage

On February 10, 2007 it was announced by the United Kingdom's Cage Rage promotion that Sapp would appear on its Cage Rage 21 event on April 21, facing Gary Turner. The move is partly a retaliatory one, as the UFC had chosen to run its first British show in years that same night at the Manchester Evening News Arena, headlined by Mirko "Cro Cop", Andrei Arlovski and British star Michael Bisping. Though Cage Rage promoter Andy Geer said that the UFC show would not affect ticket sales for CR21, the signing of Sapp was a clear sign that the company knew it would need a superstar draw in order to successfully compete with the American promotion. A few days before the event Bob Sapp pulled out of the scheduled fight. At short notice, Tank Abbott stepped in and lost to Gary Turner.

Strikeforce, Dream and PFC

Bob Sapp faced the South African fighter Jan "The Giant" Nortje at the Strikeforce: At The Dome event in Tacoma, Washington at the Tacoma Dome on February 23, 2008. Sapp was defeated at the 55 second mark of the first round by TKO after receiving an unanswered torrent of punches. Sapp then returned to Japan on New Year's Eve 2008 and defeated Akihito Tanaka via first round TKO.

Sapp lost to Japanese Ikuhisa Minowa at Dream 9 on May 26, 2009, due to Achilles lock. He fought and lost to Bobby Lashley at Ultimate Chaos in Biloxi, Mississippi on June 27, 2009 due to first round tapout from strikes. On October 6, Sapp stood in for an injured Mousasi to face Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou in the semifinals at Dream 11. He lost via TKO(Punches) in the first round.

Return to K-1

Bob Sapp is making a return to K-1 and will be fighting a MMA fight against Alexandru Lungu at K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 in Bucharest.

Championships and accomplishments

Kickboxing

• K-1 Japan GP Champion (2005)

Professional wrestling

• New Japan Pro Wrestling
  • IWGP Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• World Wrestling Association (South Korea)
  • WWA (South Korea) World heavyweight Championship

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
  • Best Box Office Draw (2002, 2003)
  • Most Charismatic (2003)
  • Rookie of the Year (2002)

MMA record

Professional record breakdown

18 matches	11 wins	6 losses
By knockout	8	2
By submission	3	4
By decision	0	0
Draws	1

Kickboxing record

10 Wins – 9 Losses – 0 Draws
Date	Result	Record	Opponent	Event	Method	Round
2009-11-28	Loss	10-9	Patrice Quarteron	A1 World Combat Cup, Lyon, France	KO (Knee)	1R 2:32
2009-10-07	Loss	10–8	Alain Ngalani	Planet Battle, Hong Kong	Decision	3R
2007-06-23	Loss	10–7	Peter Aerts	K-1 World Grand Prix 2007 in Amsterdam	KO (Left knee)	1R, 0:26
2005-12-31	Loss	10–6	Musashi	K-1 PREMIUM 2005 Dynamite!!	Decision	3R
2005-09-23	Loss	10–5	Choi Hong Man	K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Osaka, Final Elimination	Decision	3R
2005-06-14	Win	10–4	Tatsufumi Tomihira	K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Hiroshima	Decision	3R
2005-06-14	Win	9–4	Hiraku Hori	K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Hiroshima	KO	2R, 1:54
2005-06-14	Win	8–4	Yoshihiro Nakao	K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Hiroshima	Decision	3R
2004-06-26	Loss	7–4	Ray Sefo	K-1 Beast 2004 in Shizuoka	KO	2R, 0:29
2004-04-30	Win	7–3	Tommy Glanville	K-1 World Grand Prix 2004 in Las Vegas I	KO	1R, 0:33
2004-03-27	Win	6–3	Seth Petruzelli	K-1 World Grand Prix 2004 in Saitama	TKO (Elbow Injury)	1R, 0:57
2003-12-31	Win	5–3	Akebono	K-1 PREMIUM 2003 Dynamite!!	KO (Right Hook)	1R, 2:58
2003-10-11	Loss	4–3	Remy Bonjasky	K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 Final Elimination	DQ (Punch on the Ground)	2R
2003-08-15	Win	4–2	Kimo Leopoldo	K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 in Las Vegas II	TKO	2R, 1:11
2003-03-30	Loss	3–2	Mirko Filipović	K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 in Saitama	KO (Punch)	1R, 1:26
2002-12-07	Win	3–1	Ernesto Hoost	K-1 World Grand Prix 2002 Final	KO	2R, 2:53
2002-10-05	Win	2–1	Ernesto Hoost	K-1 World Grand Prix 2002 Final Elimination	TKO (Doctor Stoppage)	1R, 3:00
2002-09-22	Win	1–1	Cyril Abidi	K-1 Andy Spirits Japan GP 2002 Final	KO	1R, 1:17
2002-06-02	Loss	0–1	Tsuyoshi Nakasako	K-1 Survival 2002	DQ	1R, 1:30

Filmography

• Conan (2011) as Ukafa
• Blood and Bone (2009) as Hammerman
• Frankenhood (2009) as Frankie
• Big Stan (2009)
• The Longest Yard (2005) as Switowski
• Elektra (2005) as Stone
• Devilman (2005) as World Newscaster
• Izo (2004)
• Taiho Shichauzo (2003) as Bob Hage
• Bob Sapp: Sapp Time The Movie! (2003) documentary

External links

• Bob Sapp's Professional MMA record at Sherdog.com
• A Beast Is Made: The Bob Sapp Story