Yusuke Fujimoto facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yusuke Fujimoto |
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| Born | Fujimoto Yūsuke July 22, 1975 Kyoto, Japan |
| Native name | 藤本 祐介 |
| Other names | Bun Bun Maru |
| Nationality |  Japanese |
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Weight | 98 kg (216 lb; 15.4 st) |
| Division | Heavyweight |
| Style | Seidokaikan |
| Team | Monster Factory |
| Years active | 11 (1999–2010) |
| Kickboxing record | |
| Total | 45 |
| Wins | 27 |
| By knockout | 13 |
| Losses | 17 |
| By knockout | 15 |
| No contests | 1 |
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last updated on: December 11, 2010
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Yusuke Fujimoto (Japanese: 藤本祐介; born on July 22, 1975) is a Japanese former heavyweight kickboxer. He was a champion in the K-1 World Grand Prix in Hong Kong in 2007.
People called him "Bun Bun Maru" because he often threw big, swinging punches. You could also easily spot him because he had a bald head and no eyebrows. He won important fights against famous kickboxers like Musashi, Dewey Cooper, and Francois Botha.
Contents
Becoming a Kickboxing Star
Fujimoto started his professional kickboxing career on January 25, 2000, at an event called K-1 Rising 2000. He won his first fight by a TKO in the second round. Later that year, he won the Monster Challenge 2000 K-2 Tournament as an amateur. This was his only championship for a while. He entered many tournaments but often lost, not getting past the final match of the K-1 Survival 2003 Japan Grand Prix.
Overcoming Injuries
In 2004, Fujimoto broke his right arm during a fight. This injury kept him from competing for 14 months. When he returned in 2005, he got injured again, breaking his nose in a match. He later reached the finals of the K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Hawaii but was knocked out.
Turning Point and Big Wins
Things started to change for Fujimoto in 2006. On June 3, he won the K-1 World Grand Prix 2006 in Seoul. He beat three different types of fighters: a ssireum wrestler, a karateka, and an Olympic judoka. This made him the first Japanese K-1 fighter to win a tournament outside of Japan!
His victory led him to fight the famous Ernesto Hoost in Osaka, but he lost that match. In March 2007, he entered a tournament to find the first K-1 Heavyweight Champion. He had a very important win against Musashi in the semifinals. Fujimoto used his good timing and reach to win by TKO with a kick to the head. He then faced Badr Hari in the finals but was knocked out quickly.
More Tournament Success
Later in 2007, Fujimoto won his second big tournament, the K-1 World Grand Prix 2007 in Hong Kong. It was a bit unusual because he lost his semifinal match but still moved to the final because his opponent got injured. He then won the final match against Wang Qiang.
Life Outside the Ring
Fujimoto has a unique look with his bald head and no eyebrows. He says this happened because of a condition called alopecia areata, which caused hair loss due to stress from his martial arts competitions. He decided to shave his head. His eyebrows started growing back in 2005.
He enjoys bodybuilding and weightlifting. He can bench press a lot of weight, about 140 kilograms (308 pounds)!
Yusuke Fujimoto has a sister, a niece, and a nephew. His favorite food is ayu.
Career Highlights
- Professional
- 2007 K-1 World Grand Prix in Hong Kong champion
- 2006 K-1 World Grand Prix in Seoul champion
- 2005 K-1 World Grand Prix in Hawaii runner up
- 2005 Japan GP 3rd place
- 2003 K-1 Japan GP runner up
- 2002 K-1 Japan GP 3rd place
- Amateur
- Monster Challenge 2000 K-2 Tournament Heavyweight Winner
Kickboxing Record Summary
Yusuke Fujimoto officially retired from kickboxing in 2010. His final record was 27 wins, 17 losses, and 1 no contest.
His last fight was on December 10, 2010, at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 Final. He fought Hesdy Gerges and lost by TKO in the first round. After the fight, he had a retirement ceremony where he thanked his family and fans.
