Masakatsu Funaki

Masakatsu Funaki (March 13, 1969) is a Japanese actor, mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, who has previously wrestled in All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, PWFG, as well as the UWF. He is also the co-founder of Pancrase, one of the first mixed martial arts organizations and non-rehearsed shoot wrestling promotions (following five years after the inception of Shooto but predating America's Ultimate Fighting Championship). Funaki was also Pancrase's biggest star; Josh Barnett described him as the "symbol of Japan", Frank Shamrock labeled Funaki "the golden boy" of Pancrase, and Guy Mezger called Funaki "hands down the smartest and most skilled fighter in Pancrase next to Ken Shamrock".
Not only the organization's co-founder, Funaki was also one of Pancrase's most successful fighters to date, scoring submission victories over numerous MMA champions such as Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Guy Mezger, Yuki Kondo, Minoru Suzuki and Bas Rutten through the course of his 50-fight career. He is the only fighter in mixed martial arts to hold wins over both Shamrock brothers and Bas Rutten, and was the first man to win the King of Pancrase title twice.
Funaki is widely considered to be one of the greatest Japanese fighters in mixed martial arts history.Sherdog.com ranked him as the #1 mixed martial artist in the world for the years 1996 and 1997, and also had him ranked as a top 4 pound for pound fighter from 1993 to 1998.
==Career==
==In wrestling==
*Finishing moves
**Cross armbreaker
**Heel hook
**Hybrid Blaster (Hammerlock kneeling reverse piledriver) – 2013–present
**Roundhouse kick
*Signature moves
**Ankle lock
**Belly-to-back suplex
**Backfist
**Body blow followed by palm strikes
**Double leg slam
**Double underhook suplex
**Multiple kick variations
***Missile drop
***Shoot
***Spinning back
**Shoulder lock
**Sleeper hold
**Triangle choke
*Managers
**Megu Fujiura
*Entrance themes
**"Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins (NJPW; 1986–1989)
**"Japanese Boy" by Aneka (CWA; 1988)
**"Red Zone" (Pancrase / AJPW; 1993–2000, 2009–2010)
**"TO–U (1987)" by Osamu Suzuki (Newborn UWF / AJPW / W-1; 1989–1990, 2010–present)
**"Julie's Theme" by Alan Silvestri (PWFG / AJPW; 1991–1993, 2010)
==Championships and accomplishments==
===Mixed martial arts===
*Pancrase Hybrid Wrestling
**King of Pancrase (2 Times)
**1996 King of Pancrase Championship Tournament Winner
**1994 King of Pancrase Championship Tournament Semifinalist
===Professional wrestling===
*All Japan Pro Wrestling
**Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
**World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Keiji Mutoh
**Akiho Yoshizawa Cup (2010) – with Keiji Mutoh and S1 Mask
**World's Strongest Tag Determination League (2009) – with Keiji Mutoh
*Pro Wrestling Illustrated
**PWI ranked him #65 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2013
*Pro Wrestling NOAH
**GHC National Championship (1 time)
*Pro Wrestling Zero1
**Zero1 World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*Wrestling Observer Newsletter
**Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2006)
==External links==
* Profile at CAGEMATCH.net
* Profile
Category:Japanese wrestlers
Category:Mixed martial artists
Category:1969 births
Category:1985 debuts
Category:All Japan Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Dradition Pro-Wrestling alumni
Category:Legend The Pro-Wrestling alumni
Category:New Japan Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi alumni
Category:Pro Wrestling NOAH alumni
Category:Pro Wrestling ZERO1 alumni
Category:Real Japan Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Super World Sports alumni
Category:Total Nonstop Action Wrestling alumni
Category:Universal Wrestling Federation (Japan) alumni
Category:WRESTLE-1 alumni
Category:Wrestling New Classic alumni
Category:Living people
Category:Big Japan Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Cho Sento Puroresu FMW alumni
Category:Dragon Gate alumni
Category:Dramatic Dream Team alumni
Category:Inoki Genome Federation alumni
Category:Oudou alumni
Category:Tokyo Gurentai alumni
Category:Male wrestlers
Category:Actors
Category:AJPW Triple Crown Champions