Yoshihiro Akiyama

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Yoshihiro Akiyama
Statistics
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	87 kg (191 lb)
Nationality	Japanese
Born	29 July 1975
Fighting out of	Osaka, Japan
Town of birth
Fighting style	Judo
Mixed martial arts record
Wins	9
By knockout	4
By submission	5
Losses	1
Draws
No contests	1

Yoshihiro Akiyama (Korean: 추성훈, Hanja: 秋成勳, born 29 July 1975) is a judoka and mixed-martial artist with the K-1 Hero's promotion. A fourth-generation ethnic Korean born in Japan, he obtained Japanese nationality as an adult. He was involved in a controversial series of wins during the 2003 Osaka World Judo Championships. He later moved to mixed-martial arts, and is the 2006 K-1 Hero's light heavyweight tournament champion.

1 Professional career
2 See also
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Professional career

[edit] Judo

[edit] 2003 World Judo Championships

Akiyama defeated three opponents from France, Mongolia and Turkey to reach the semifinals of the 81kg light middleweight division. Opponents claimed that Akiyama had a slippery judogi. International Judo Federation referee director Juan Carlos Barcos said an examination of the gi found that the slippery texture was due to high humidity which prevailed in Osaka and a detergent used to wash the uniform. "At any moment, we did not have any doubt about fair play in the case. We are absolutely sure that Mr Akiyama is correct," said Barcos. "The case is finished. We don't need it [special inquiry]," IJF president Park Yong-sun later said. Akiyama was forced to wear a reserve gi. He was narrowly defeated by German Florian Wanner, who eventually won the world championship.^[1]

[edit] K-1 Hero's

Akiyama's debut mixed-martial arts match was in the K-1 Premium 2004 Dynamite event on 31 December 2004, where he defeated boxer Francois Botha by armbar submission in the first round. His only defeat has been to Jerome LeBanner, who knoced him out with knees in his second fight at the K-1 Hero's 1 event on 26 March 2005. He has notable wins against Tokimitsu Ishizawa, Taiei Kin, Kestutis Smirnovas and Melvin Manhoef. His bout with Kazushi Sakuraba has been ruled a no contest.^[2]

[edit] K-1 Dynamite!! 2006 controversy

In K-1 Premium 2006 Dynamite, Akiyama fought Sakuraba in the main event. During the match, Sakuraba called to the referee saying "(Akiayama is) Slippery!" Akiayama went to win the match with a referee stop. This created a controversy amongst MMA fans in Japan, assuming Akiyama was using some sort of body oil or lubricant, banned in K-1 rules.

On January 11, Akiyama and FEG held a press conference during which Akiyama admitted to using some skin cream prior to the fight to moisturize his dry skin. As a result, Akiyama was disqualified and his fight money was suspended.^[3] Akiyama himself was later suspended himself indefinitely from HERO'S competition six days later.^[4] Public outcry against Akiyama did not cease however, as Nike was swamped with complaints when Akiyama was featured on a television commercial in Japan.^[5]