Do not let Yoshida’s underwhelming record and lack of major titles fool you: The longtime Pride Fighting Championships competitor was one of the most accomplished combat sports athletes to ever compete in MMA. The world-class judoka won Olympic gold in 1992 at 78 kilograms, the world championship in 1999 at 90 kilograms and silvers in 1993 and 1995 to go along with a fifth-place finish at the 1996 Olympics and an underwhelming run in 2000.
Although he is now retired, Yoshida hung tough with some of the most accomplished fighters of his era. He beat Don Frye in his professional debut when the American was 15-1, with his only prior loss coming to Mark Coleman. He put on a fight for the ages with Pride middleweight kingpin Wanderlei Silva in 2003 and lost a close split decision to the Brazilian in a rematch; he submitted Mark Hunt and David “Tank” Abbott; he took on Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and Josh Barnett when both were in their absolute primes; and he had two special-rules matches with Royce Gracie, putting on respectable performances in both.
Not bad for a drastically undersized fighter who did not make his MMA debut until after his 33rd birthday.
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