Tatsuya Kawajiri

MMAstatsbox|name=Tatsuya Kawajiri
nick=Crusher

---

height=171 cm (5 ft 7 in) [http://www.prideofficial.com/free/fighters/details/1115624035.html PRIDE profile] ]
weight=72.9 kg (160.7 lb)
nationality= flagicon|JPN Japanese
birthdate=Birth date and age|1978|5|8|mf=y
died=
fightingfrom=
hometown=Inashiki, Ibaraki, Japan
fightstyle=Shooto & Jiu-Jitsu
association= T-Blood
wins=22
losses=5
draws=2
nocontest=
ko=10
submissions=5|

Tatsuya Kawajiri (Japanese: 川尻達也, born May 8 1978-) is a Japanese mixed martial arts fighter and a former Shooto welterweight champion, currently competing in DREAM's lightweight division.

He holds wins over the likes of UFC veteran Yves Edwards, and Vitor Ribeiro whom he captured the Shooto Championship Belt. Kawajiri's Bushido Tournament match with Takanori Gomi was voted as PRIDE Fighting Championship's Fight of the Yearref|sherdog.

Biography

He was born in the Inashiki District of Ibaraki Prefectureref|prideprofile. He graduated from Chuo Gakuin University.

MMA career

Kawajiri is nicknamed " The Crusher" for his strength in the clinch and his "Ground and Pound" techniques.

HOOTO

Kawajiri's professional career started in Japan's Shooto organization where he lost to Takumi Nakayama via rear naked choke at 2:44 of the first round. After this loss Kawajiri went on to fight Yohei Suzuki to a Draw at Shooto's "Wanna Shooto 2001." He would then remain undefeated in Shooto until a disappointing decision loss to future Shooto welterweight champion Vitor Ribeiro in 2002. He would then continue on a new winning streak eventually rematching Ribeiro to capture the welterweight crown at Shooto's 2004 Year-End show.

PRIDE FC

On 22 May 2005 Kawajiri made his debut in PRIDE and score a quick TKO over In Seok Kim. He went on to score a one-sided victory over Luis Firmino at PRIDE Bushido 8 on July 17 2005. On 25 September, he entered PRIDE's first ever Lightweight tournament in hopes of eventually being crowned PRIDE's first Lightweight Champion as well as holding the Shooto championship at the same time. His first match in the tournament was againts MMA lightweight superstar Takanori Gomi. Gomi ended up knocking down Kawajiri after a flurry of punches and proceeded to submit him with a rear naked choke 7:42 into the first round.

In Between Shooto and PRIDE

Kawajiri went back to Shooto to defend his lightweight championship against Joachim Hansen (one of the four people to have ever beaten Gomi). The match was stopped 8 seconds into the first round when Hansen was disqualified for kicking Kawajiri in the groin, making Kawajiri the victor. Kawajiri came back to PRIDE in a fight against Charles Bennett whom he submitted by kneebar after 2:30 in the first round. He then made another PRIDE appearance in which he fought Chris Brennan and scored an even quicker victory 29 seconds in the first round by TKO. His next fight was a non-title bout against Per Eklund in Shooto where he scored a TKO at 4:10 into the first round.

Kawajiri return to PRIDE was at PRIDE Shockwave 2006 on New Years Eve. There he lost a controversial decision to at the time undefeated American fighter and rising star in the lightweight division, Gilbert Melendez.

On January 23, 2007, Tatsuya Kawajiri relinquished his Shooto title because he could not defend his title by the next Shooto event due to a thumb injury that occurred with his fight against Melendez.

DREAM

In March 2008 Kawajiri entered the DREAM Lightweight Grand Prix, where he has advanced to the semifinals after back to back victories over Kultar Gill, and Brazilian Top Team fighter Luiz Firmino. At DREAM.5 Kawajiri lost a semi-final match-up to Eddie Alvarez by TKO at 7:35 of the first round.

Mixed martial arts record

MMArecordbox
wins=22
losses=5
draw=2
ko-wins=10
sub-wins=6
sub-losses=3
dec-wins=12
dec-losses=2{| style="font-size: 85%; text-align: left;" class="wikitable" width="100%"
-!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Date!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Result!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Opponent!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Event!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Method!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Round!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Time!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Notes
-
7/21/2008
no2Loss
flagicon|USA Eddie Alvarez
Heiwa DREAM.5 - Lightweight Grand Prix 2008 Finals
TKO (Punches)
1
7:35|
-
5/11/2008
yes2Win
flagicon|Brazil Luiz Firmino
Heiwa DREAM.3 - Lightweight Grand Prix 2008 Quarter Finals
Decision (Unanimous)
2
5:00|
-
3/15/2008
yes2Win
flagicon|Canada Kultar Gill
Heiwa DREAM.1 - Lightweight Grand Prix 2008 Opening Round
Decision (Unanimous)
2
5:00|
-
12/31/2007
yes2Win
flagicon|Brazil Luiz Azeredo
Yarennoka - New Years Eve 2007
Decision (Unanimous)
2
5:00|
-
12/31/2006
no2Loss
flagicon|USA Gilbert Melendez
PRIDE Shockwave 2006
Decision (Unanimous)
2
5:00|
-
10/14/2006
yes2Win
flagicon|Sweden Per Eklund
Shooto - Champion Carnival
TKO (Punches)
1
4:10|
-
8/26/2006
yes2Win
flagicon|USA Chris Brennan
PRIDE Bushido 12
TKO (Strikes)
1
0:29|
-
6/04/2006
yes2Win
flagicon|USA Charles Bennett
PRIDE Bushido 11
Submission (Kneebar)
1
2:30|
-
2/17/2006
yes2Win
flagicon|Norway Joachim Hansen
Shooto - The Victory of the Truth
DQ (Kick to Groin)
1
0:08
Defended Shooto Welterweight Title
-
9/25/2005
no2Loss
flagicon|Japan Takanori Gomi
PRIDE Bushido 9
Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
1
7:42
Voted PRIDE FC Fight of the Year 2005
-
7/17/2005
yes2Win
flagicon|Brazil Luiz Firmino
PRIDE Bushido 8
Decision (Unanimous)
2
5:00|
-
5/22/2005
yes2Win
flagicon|South Korea In Seok Kim
PRIDE Bushido 7
TKO (Punches)
1
3:28|
-
4/23/2005
yes2Win
flagicon|Sweden Jani Lax
Shooto 2005 - 4/23 in Hakata Star Lanes
TKO (Punches)
1
4:42|
-
12/14/2004
yes2Win
flagicon|Brazil Vitor Ribeiro
Shooto 2004 - Year-End Show
TKO (Punches)
2
3:11
Won Shooto Welterweight Title
-
9/26/2004
yes2Win
flagicon|Lithuania Mindaugas Laurinaitis
Shooto 2004 - 9/26 in Korakuen Hall
TKO (Punches)
2
2:00|
-
3/22/2004
colspan=1 style="background: #c5d2ea" | Draw
flagicon|Japan Caol Uno
Shooto 2004 - 3/22 in Korakuen Hall
Draw
3
5:00|
-
12/14/2003
yes2Win
flagicon|USA Ryan Bow
Shooto 2003 - Year-End Show
TKO (Punches)
1
4:21|
-
8/10/2003
yes2Win
flagicon|Bahamas Yves Edwards
Shooto 2003 - 8/10 in Yokohama Gymnasium
Decision (Unanimous)
3
5:00|
-
5/30/2003
yes2Win
flagicon|Japan Takumi Nakayama
Shooto - Shooter's Dream 2
TKO (Punches)
1
3:44|
-
12/14/2002
no2Loss
flagicon|Brazil Vitor Ribeiro
Shooto - 2002 Year-End Show
Decision (Unanimous)
3
5:00|
-
10/27/2002
yes2Win
flagicon|Japan Ken Omatsu
Shooto - GIG West 3
Submission (Armbar)
1
4:40|
-
7/19/2002
yes2Win
flagicon|Japan Tsutomu Shiiki
Shooto - Treasure Hunt 8
Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
1
4:42|
-
5/28/2002
yes2Win
flagicon|Japan Daisuke Sugie
Shooto - GIG East 9
TKO (Punches)
2
4:19|
-
4/21/2002
yes2Win
flagicon|Japan Takeshi Yamazaki
Shooto - Wanna Shooto Japan
Decision (Unanimous)
2
5:00|
-
3/13/2002
yes2Win
flagicon|Japan Masaya Takita
Shooto - Treasure Hunt 4
TKO (Swollen Eye)
2
1:22|
-
9/27/2001
yes2Win
flagicon|Japan Kazumichi Takada
Shooto - To The Top 9
Technical Submission (Triangle/Armbar)
1
3:03|
-
5/22/2001
yes2Win
flagicon|Japan Yohei Suzuki
Shooto - GIG East 2
Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
1
2:42|
-
4/08/2001
colspan=1 style="background: #c5d2ea" | Draw
flagicon|Japan Yohei Suzuki
Shooto - Wanna Shooto 2001
Draw
2
5:00|
-
4/12/2000
no2Loss
flagicon|Japan Takumi Nakayama
Shooto - R.E.A.D. 4
Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
1
2:44|
-
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

References

External links

* [http://blog.livedoor.jp/crusher1214/ Official blog]