Before most of the world’s greatest fighters called the UFC home, there was Pride—a Japanese promotion that mixed the best of pro wrestling glitz with some of the most brutal fighting the world had ever seen.
And before both Pride and the UFC, there were Shooto and Pancrase—early fighting leagues that sprang from the innovative minds of professional wrestlers who wanted to see what wrestling would be like if the bouts weren’t predetermined.
There have been dozens of valiant and courageous fighters from Japan over the years, but despite the sport’s success there, just a handful of truly world class warriors emerged. For your consideration, I present the 10 best Japanese fighters to ever grace the cage or ring with their presence.