whats next for Sakuraba?

No one has quite embodied the samurai spirit like Sakuraba (names like Shoji, Nakai, and Hero's era KID are other inclusions). How else can someone disregard age, injuries, and a noticible decline in abilities, yet still fight as vigorously as they did in their years of prime. These reasons alone are why the IQ Wrestler is considered an all-time great. But is he really done with the sport/

Considering all of this, I believe it is time for the sun to set on his illustrious career. Maybe become an ambassador for JMMA. Take a few puro bookings with IGF or NJPW. But believe it or not, there are still plenty of matches to take if he insists to continue his fight career for a long overdue retirement tour. Here are some names id like to see across the ring frorom him.

Sanae Kikuta
KEI Yamamiya
Mach Sakurai
BothYAmamotos
Shinya Aoki at WW

What are your thoughts?

His body just can't take any more. It's reached it's absolute limit.

Just walking to the ring looks like a chore. I'd say even pro wrestling is no longer a good option.

Unless we are talking some extremely un-acrobatic version of it, where the wrestles mostly just
look at each other in a mean way.

Oh yeah and he should really quit smoking.

rezin wrote:His body just can't take any more. It's reached it's absolute limit.

Just walking to the ring looks like a chore. I'd say even pro wrestling is no longer a good option.

Unless we are talking some extremely un-acrobatic version of it, where the wrestles mostly just
look at each other in a mean way.

Oh yeah and he should really quit smoking.

Nah, it's not happening. He likes his beer and his smokes too much.

I have no interest seeing him in any more fights. He should have retired years ago. He probably shouldn't have fought again after he was hospitalized with a brain condition (insufficient blood to the brain). I'm no neurologist so I don't know what sort of treatment he took and what his condition was afterward, but generally brain conditions and combat sports aren't a good mix (as a rule of thumb at least).

what makes sakuraba in my mind even more of a legend is the fact that he smoked and drank all the time.

but for now i want to see him retire.

I didn´t even know he smokes and drinks. I definietly don´t want him to continue fighting. Sakuraba has done so much for the sport and he should become an ambassador for japanese mma or something like that.

Sakuraba's awesome. He's like Fedor, a guy that looks like the nicest guy on earth but was a beast. Anyway i have to go with Nodogoshi in this one. I lost interest too, as much as i like the guy. His last fights were bad, and the drinking, smoking and brain problem he had makes it worse. Being a fan i don't want to see him getting hurt anymore. He should now use his name to be an ambassador for the sport in Japan.

I'm going to make it my life's mission from this moment to have a drink with Sakuraba.

We live in the same town, how hard can it be.

I even have an acquaintance who knows someone who knows him.

On a mostly unrelated note, I got to meet Shawn Kemp recently in Seattle when I was visiting my dad. We went to his bar, and my dad actually knows him (strangely enough), and he happened to be there that night and my dad introduced me just out of the blue like. It's just like meeting any other dude, but it's always cool to meet a guy like that, who I use to watch and admire growing up, and then to shake his hand and have a short word. I'd love to have a sit down and drink some beer with Sakuraba though. He's my favorite fighter of all time. I can't compare Fedor and Sakuraba, but Sakuraba is the guy who was most moving to me. They are both incomparable legends, but Sakuraba is just the man. Also I speak Japanese, so I'd rather meet him; if I spoke Russian instead I'd rather meet Fedor, I'm sure.