Bob Sapp facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bob Sapp
Sapp in 2011
Born	Robert Malcolm Sapp (1973-09-22) September 22, 1973 (age 51) Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.
Other names	The Beast
Height	6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight	329 lb (149 kg)
Division	Super Heavyweight
Reach	82 in (210 cm)
Style	Kickboxing
Fighting out of	Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Team	Team Beast BodyShop MMA & Fitness
Teacher(s)	Maurice Smith Josh Barnett Matt Hume
Trainer	Prince Amir
Years active	2002–2014, 2016–present
Kickboxing record
Total	31
Wins	12
By knockout	9
Losses	19
By knockout	12
Mixed martial arts record
Total	32
Wins	12
By knockout	8
By submission	3
By decision	1
Losses	20
By knockout	15
By submission	4
By disqualification	1
Football career
No. 78
Position:	Guard
Personal information
Height:	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:	319 lb (145 kg)
Career information
College:	Washington
NFL Draft:	1997 / Round: 3 / Pick: 69
Career history
Chicago Bears (1997)* Minnesota Vikings (1997–1998)
Career highlights and awards
Morris Trophy (1996)
Career NFL statistics
Games Played: 1
last updated on: November 17, 2013

Robert Malcolm Sapp (born September 22, 1973) is an American athlete. He is known for being a mixed martial artist, kickboxer, professional wrestler, and actor. He also used to play football. Bob Sapp is currently signed with Rizin Fighting Federation. He has fought many times, mostly in Japan. In total, he has a record of 24 wins, 39 losses, and 1 draw across different sports.

In Japan, Bob Sapp is very famous. He has appeared in many TV shows and commercials. He even released a music CD called Sapp Time. People in Japan know him as a "gaijin tarento," which means a foreign-born talent. He still takes part in various fighting events in the U.S., Japan, and Europe.

Sapp started his sports career playing college football for the Washington Huskies. He won the Morris Trophy in 1996. He was picked by the Chicago Bears in the 1997 NFL draft. He later played for the Minnesota Vikings. After his football career, he became a professional wrestler. Then, he moved into mixed martial arts and kickboxing. He became very popular in these sports.

American Football Journey

Bob Sapp began his sports journey playing football in high school. He played at Mitchell High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He earned a football scholarship to the University of Washington. There, he won the Morris Award in 1996. He was part of a big win for the Washington Huskies. They beat the Miami Hurricanes, ending their long home winning streak.

The Chicago Bears drafted Sapp in the third round in 1997. He later joined the Minnesota Vikings. He played for two seasons with the Vikings, appearing in one game. After his time in the NFL, Sapp decided to try professional wrestling. His friend Mike Morris suggested it.

Professional Wrestling Career

Starting Out (2000–2002)

Bob Sapp's professional wrestling career began in 2000 with NWA Wildside. Soon after, he joined World Championship Wrestling (WCW). There, he started developing his "The Beast" character. This character was a wild, villainous type. However, his training stopped when the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) bought WCW. Sapp then left wrestling for a few years. He was interested in a fighting career instead. He trained with Sam Greco, another former WCW wrestler.

Big Matches in Japan (2002–2005)

In 2002, Bob Sapp became a professional wrestler in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). This happened after he found success in kickboxing. He joined chairman Antonio Inoki's team of fighters. Sapp won his first match against Manabu Nakanishi. He used his special move, the Beast Bomb. This win made other wrestlers want to challenge him.

Sapp also wrestled in All Japan Pro Wrestling. He challenged famous wrestlers like Bill Goldberg and Keiji Mutoh. In November 2002, he beat The Great Muta, who was Mutoh's alter ego. Sapp won by pinning him after a diving headbutt. He later wrestled his kickboxing rival Ernesto Hoost. However, Sapp lost that match.

In October 2003, Sapp returned to NJPW. He teamed up with other fighters. On March 28, 2004, Sapp made history. He defeated Kensuke Sasaki to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. He was the first African-American to hold this title. He successfully defended it once. But he later gave up the title. This was because he lost a mixed martial arts fight.

In 2005, Sapp returned to Wrestle-1. He competed in a big tournament. He beat Giant Bernard and Jun Akiyama. But the tournament ended before the finals.

Hustle Wrestling (2007–2008)

On October 16, 2007, Sapp surprised everyone at a Hustle event. He joined Generalissimo Takada's Monster Army. Sapp won his first match for the company. He then wrestled Razor Ramon HG at a big event called Hustlemania. Sapp defeated him there.

Sapp later teamed up with Monster Bono. But they had problems working together. Sapp attacked Bono with a chair. This led to a short rivalry between them. Sapp won their match, and Bono left the Monster Army. Sapp then teamed with Commander An Jo. He also had a rivalry with Wataru Sakata. Sapp lost to Sakata, ending his winning streak. He tried to win the Hustle Grand Prix 2008. But he was eliminated by Zeus. Sapp's last appearance for Hustle was a rematch against Bono, which he lost.

Independent Wrestling (2008–2012)

In 2008, Sapp started wrestling in South Korea for WWA. On October 26, 2009, he won the WWA Heavyweight title. He defeated Lee Wang-pyo. On July 24, 2011, Sapp wrestled for Dramatic Dream Team (DDT). He used a character that fought for money. He lost a comedy match to Danshoku Dino.

Back to New Japan (2012–2013)

On December 20, 2012, it was announced that Sapp would join the villainous Chaos team. This was for a big event on January 4, 2013. Sapp teamed with Toru Yano and others. They lost an eight-man tag team match. Their opponents included Akebono. Sapp wrestled again for New Japan on April 7, 2013. His team lost another eight-man tag match.

Wrestle-1 (2013)

On September 8, 2013, Sapp took part in the first event for Wrestle-1. He teamed with Keiji Mutoh in the main event. They won their tag team match.

Inoki Genome Federation (2009–2014)

From 2009 to 2014, Sapp also competed in the Inoki Genome Federation (IGF). His last match there was a loss on December 31, 2014.

Later Wrestling Career (2014–2017)

After leaving IGF, Sapp continued to wrestle in Japan. He wrestled until 2017.

Kickboxing and Mixed Martial Arts Career

In 2000, Bob Sapp appeared on an amateur boxing show called The Toughman Competition. He won his fight by knocking out his opponent. After this, his friend and trainer Sam Greco showed his fight to Kazuyoshi Ishii. Ishii was the chairman of a Japanese kickboxing company called K-1. Ishii invited Sapp to Japan to start a fighting career. He saw great potential in Sapp. Sapp trained for six months in the United States. He then made his professional debut in mixed martial arts (MMA). For the rest of his career, Sapp competed in both kickboxing and MMA. He usually fought for K-1.

K-1 and Japanese Fights

2002: Becoming a Star

When Sapp arrived in Japan, he debuted in MMA against Yoshihisa Yamamoto. Sapp won by TKO in the first round. This fight was watched by 10 million people. Sapp quickly became a fan favorite. People loved his size, personality, and aggressive style. He then had his first kickboxing match. He lost by disqualification. But the crowd still cheered for him. He became a huge sensation in Japan. He appeared in many TV shows and ads. Sapp created a wild public image, calling himself "The Beast." He was loud and funny.

Sapp's fighting style was known for being aggressive and powerful.

Sapp's next MMA fight was against Kiyoshi Tamura. Sapp was much bigger than Tamura. He quickly won by strikes in just 11 seconds.

At a show called "Dynamite," Sapp faced then-Pride champion Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira. Nogueira was much lighter than Sapp. They agreed to special rules to make the fight fair. The match became a memorable battle of strength versus skill. Sapp started strong, slamming Nogueira. He kept hitting Nogueira with powerful blows. Nogueira tried to use submission moves, but Sapp's strength stopped him. In the second round, Sapp got tired. Nogueira, who had taken a lot of hits, finally got Sapp into an armbar. Sapp had no energy left and had to give up.

Many people praised the fight. They called it "awesome" and "better drama than any fight." Mirko Cro Cop said it was "the craziest fight I've ever seen." Sapp was also praised for his performance. He wanted a rematch, but Nogueira, who had broken cheekbones, said no. Sapp then focused on K-1. He won his first kickboxing victory against Cyril Abidi. He knocked Abidi out with punches.

Sapp entering the arena in Japan.

His biggest success came against K-1 legend Ernesto Hoost. They first fought on October 5, 2002. Sapp was much heavier than Hoost. Sapp surprised everyone by dominating Hoost. He pushed Hoost into the corners and hit him with powerful punches. After the first round, Hoost was injured and couldn't continue. Sapp won, just as he predicted.

This win showed that K-1's trust in Sapp was worth it. Sapp said it was like "taking someone off the streets and throwing him into the ring with Mike Tyson and then watching that person win." Many fighters were scared to fight Sapp. Hoost wanted a rematch because he felt the refereeing was unfair.

Two months later, Sapp fought Hoost again. This time, Hoost landed some good body blows. But Sapp eventually knocked Hoost down. The fight was stopped, and Sapp won. Sapp then had to leave the tournament because he was tired and had an injured hand. Hoost replaced him and went on to win the cup.

At the end of 2002, Sapp fought professional wrestler Yoshihiro Takayama. Sapp took Takayama to the ground and won with an armbar. Their fight was watched by many people on TV. By this time, Sapp was so busy with media appearances that he didn't have much time to train.

2003: Challenges and Big Events

Sapp's first loss came in his fourth fight. He faced former K-1 champion Mirko Cro Cop on March 30, 2003. Sapp trained hard for this fight. But Cro Cop landed a strong kick to Sapp's body. Then, a left punch broke Sapp's orbital bone (the bone around his eye). Sapp collapsed and had to have surgery.

In August, Sapp fought Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran Kimo Leopoldo in Las Vegas. Sapp showed improved boxing skills. He landed powerful punches and knees. But Sapp got tired. Leopoldo started to land hits. Sapp then went back to his old aggressive style. He knocked Leopoldo out with a punch. The American audience booed Sapp, which was different from Japan.

After the fight, Sapp had a verbal argument with former boxing champion Mike Tyson. Tyson jumped into the ring. Sapp and Tyson challenged each other to a fight. K-1 announced that they were talking about the match. But Tyson couldn't get a visa to fight in Japan. So the fight never happened.

Sapp returned to Japan in September. He fought Stefan Gamlin in an MMA match. Sapp won with a guillotine choke. He kept challenging Tyson. He also wanted to fight Francois Botha.

The next month, Sapp fought Remy Bonjasky in K-1. Bonjasky was known for his flying kicks. Sapp chased Bonjasky around the ring, landing punches. But Bonjasky landed a strong kick. In the second round, Bonjasky knocked Sapp down. Sapp then pushed Bonjasky to the ground and landed an illegal punch. Bonjasky refused to continue, and Sapp was disqualified.

At the end of 2003, Sapp had a very famous match against yokozuna Akebono Taro. Akebono was making his debut. The fight was very popular. It attracted 45,000 people and was watched by 43% of people in Japan. This was the first time a combat sports event was more popular than Japan's biggest New Year's Eve show. Sapp was lighter than Akebono but had more experience. He attacked Akebono with kicks and punches. He knocked Akebono down twice. Sapp won by KO in the first round. After the fight, Sapp again talked about a possible match with Mike Tyson.

2004–2007: Ups and Downs

In 2004, Sapp faced Dolgorsürengiin Sumyaabazar in an MMA fight. Sapp showed better MMA skills. He defended himself well on the ground. Sumyaabazar had to stop the match due to an injury. Two weeks later, Sapp fought Seth Petruzelli in kickboxing. Sapp knocked Petruzelli down. But Petruzelli injured his arm and had to stop.

After a quick win over Tommy Glanville, Sapp fought wrestler Kazuyuki Fujita in MMA. Fujita took Sapp down early. Fujita then landed brutal kicks and punches to Sapp's head. Sapp tapped out. Sapp then lost another fight to Ray Sefo.

Sapp using a dropkick on Wataru Sakata.

At K-1 Premium Dynamite!!, Sapp faced Jérôme Le Banner. This was a special match with mixed rules. The first and third rounds were K-1 rules, and the second and fourth were MMA rules. Sapp defended well in the first round. In the second, he took Le Banner down and landed punches. The fight was declared a draw.

2005 was a good year for Sapp. He won against judo medalist Kim Min-soo in MMA. Sapp quickly overpowered Kim and knocked him out. This prepared Sapp for the 2005 K-1 Hiroshima Grand Prix. He had to fight three opponents in one night. Sapp showed much better stamina and technique. He had trained hard with his friend Sam Greco.

Sapp won his first fight against Yoshihiro Nakao. He won by decision. Then, he faced Hiraku Hori. Sapp was very aggressive and almost finished Hori early. Sapp won by KO in the second round. In the final, Sapp fought Tatsufumi Tomihira. Sapp knocked Tomihira down twice in the first few seconds. Sapp controlled the fight and won by decision. He won the tournament.

After winning, Sapp said, "I've had low points in my career, now this is a high point and I am enjoying it! I think I've proven I belong in K-1." Sapp won 5,000,000 yen and a spot in the K-1 World Grand Prix.

Sapp (left) and Toshiaki Kawada before a match.

Soon after, Sapp returned to MMA for Hero's. He fought Russian sumo wrestler Alan Karaev. Karaev took Sapp down quickly. But Sapp managed to get on top. Sapp then knocked Karaev out with a left punch.

In the K-1 Grand Prix 2005, Sapp fought Choi Hong-man. Choi was also a very big fighter. Choi landed hits on Sapp. Sapp tried to be aggressive and got an early knockdown. But Sapp got tired in the second round. Choi landed many punches and won the fight.

On May 13, 2006, Sapp was supposed to fight Ernesto Hoost in the Netherlands. But Sapp pulled out of the event. K-1 said Sapp made new demands. Sapp said K-1 tried to delay his payment.

However, he did fight in 2007 at a K-1 event in Amsterdam. He fought Peter Aerts. Sapp lost the fight by KO in 20 seconds. Aerts hit him with a knee to the body.

After his issues with K-1, Sapp got offers from other wrestling companies. But his K-1 contract stopped him from returning to wrestling. Sapp finally made a surprise return to K-1 in Japan. He fought comedian Bobby Ologun. Sapp quickly overpowered Ologun and won. After this, Sapp's K-1 contract ended. He then focused on his professional wrestling career.

After K-1: Later Fights

Sapp being interviewed in Japan.

After his last K-1 matches in 2007, Sapp continued to fight in smaller events. His fights were sometimes described as not being very competitive. He would often lose quickly. This led to many losses. Some people said he was "making a mockery of the sport." His former opponent Mirko Cro Cop believed Sapp was intentionally losing.

When asked about this, Sapp said he was not throwing fights. He explained that he was trying to earn money quickly. He said he didn't want to risk serious injury for fights that didn't pay much. He also mentioned that some famous fighters don't have much money after they retire. He said, "I am in the business of making money."

Cage Rage, Strike Force, and BAMMA

On February 10, 2007, it was announced that Sapp would fight Gary Turner at Cage Rage 21. But Sapp pulled out of the fight a few days before. Tank Abbott replaced him.

Sapp fought Jan "The Giant" Nortje at the Strikeforce: At The Dome event on February 23, 2008. Sapp lost by TKO in the first round. Sapp then returned to Japan and won against Akihito Tanaka.

Sapp lost to Japanese fighter Ikuhisa Minowa in May 2009. He also lost to Bobby Lashley in June 2009. In October, Sapp lost to Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou.

On November 27, Sapp fought Jörgen Kruth. Sapp's corner stopped the fight after only 45 seconds. This was after Kruth hit Sapp with a knee.

Sapp was supposed to fight Stav Economou at BAMMA 5. But the event was canceled due to bad weather.

Dynamite, ONE, and Legend

Sapp was scheduled to fight Shinichi Suzukawa at K1 Dynamite!! 2010. But he pulled out at the last minute. Sapp said he refused to fight because the promoters offered him less money than agreed.

On February 11, 2012, Sapp fought for the ONE Fighting Championship. He faced Rolles Gracie and lost in the first round.

Sapp fought James Thompson at SFL 1 on March 11, 2012. Sapp lost due to a leg injury.

Sapp using his Beast Backbreaker move.

He also fought Yōsuke Nishijima in Nishijima's last fight. This was a kickboxing match in Japan on November 17, 2013. Sapp was knocked down and then lost by punches.

Sapp announced his retirement in April 2014. He said he had paid off medical bills and had saved money.

Sapp returned to kickboxing on August 4, 2017. He faced Greg Tony in France. Sapp lost by TKO in the first round. On January 27, 2018, Sapp lost to Selcuk Ustabasi.

Rizin Fighting Federation

Sapp had a rematch against Akebono on December 31, 2015. This was under shoot boxing rules. Sapp won the fight.

He returned in September 2018 at Rizin 13. He fought former sumo Osunaarashi. Sapp took many hits in the first round. In the second, he took Osunaarashi down and controlled the fight. Sapp won by unanimous decision. This was his first MMA win in almost nine years.

Boxing and Fight Circus

Sapp was rumored to fight Mike Tyson in an exhibition boxing match. But it didn't happen. Tyson fought Roy Jones Jr. instead.

In 2021, Sapp started competing regularly in Full Metal Dojo's Fight Circus in Thailand. On April 2, 2023, Sapp was in the main event of Fight Circus 6. It was a two-on-two boxing match. Sapp teamed with Quinton Jackson. They fought the promotion's CEO, Jon Nutt, and Andrew Wood. Sapp and Jackson won by TKO in the third round.

Fighting Style

Bob Sapp did not have a background in martial arts before he started fighting. His style was mostly about using his size and strength. He would often rush his opponents. He called this his "NFL Style." He would charge at them, usually at the start of a round. Then, he would hit them with many punches.

Even though he was known for his strength, Sapp also knew some basic submission moves. This was shown in his wins over fighters like Yoshihiro Takayama.

Awards and Achievements

Kickboxing and Mixed Martial Arts

• Black Belt Magazine
  • 2003 NHB Fighter of the Year
• K-1
  • K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Hiroshima Tournament Winner
• Nikkan Sports
  • Match of the Year (2002) vs. Ernesto Hoost (K-1, December 7)
• Superkombat Fighting Championship
  • 2011 Special Fight of the Year. Alexandru Lungu)
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter
  • 2002 Best Box Office Draw- K-1, PRIDE Fighting Championships
  • 2003 Best Box Office Draw- K-1, PRIDE Fighting Championships
  • 2002 Rookie of the Year- K-1, PRIDE Fighting Championships

Professional Wrestling

• New Japan Pro-Wrestling
  • IWGP Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• Nikkan Sports
  • Wrestler of the Year (2002)
  • Outstanding Performance Award (2002)
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • Ranked No. 26 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2004
• Tokyo Sports
  • MVP Award (2002)
• World Wrestling Association (South Korea)
  • WWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter
  • Most Charismatic (2003)
  • Best Box Office Draw (2002, 2003)

Film and TV Roles

See also

In Spanish: Bob Sapp para niños

• List of professional wrestlers by MMA record
• List of gridiron football players who became professional wrestlers