Report Last Updated - 4/02
Birthdate - 8/24/75
5'8" 167 lbs. - Ibaraki, Japan
Team - Gustman Shooto Dojo
Style - Shooto

Career Highlights
- Makes his Shooto big show debut defeating Caol Uno by submission
- Beats Marcelo Aguiar to avenge a draw at JVT `97
- Defeats Jutaro Nakao by decision to win the vacant Middleweight title
- Hands Russian Sergei Bytchkov his first loss at Japan Vale Tudo
- Scores a win over Frank Trigg by TKO at Shooto's READ Final show

Striking - One of the most relentless ground strikers I've ever seen, Sakurai seldom gives an inch. He will chase and pounce, often masterful getting a high mount, then rains down blows. Also being a complete package, Sakurai uses short, fast kicks and knees when he gets the opportunity. Sakurai is also the only fighter I've ever seen use a kick more popular to pro-wrestling than MMA, the Rolling Heel Kick.

Wrestling - A little bundle of power with very good technique, Sakurai is able to hang with either strikers or grapplers how ever he wants. He is able to muscle down or drag down strikers and fend off takedowns and often counters them into his own. Sakurai's power allows him to keep people down if he wants to submit them and his speed allows him to force them to butt-scoot, a position that is able to deal with quite well.

Hooking - Sakurai loves armbars and rear naked chokeholds, which have given him about half his wins. His strength and technique make him really a menace, though he seems to enjoy "Ground and Pound" once he's on top of an opponent.

Strengthes - Perhaps the most well-rounded Welterweight fighter in the world, Sakurai can strike, wrestle and submit very well. He is also an entertaining fighter, which may not be important to other audiences, but it has undoubted helped his marketability in Japan and the new UFC.

Weaknesses - While the most well-rounded in his weight class, there are better strikers (Anderson Silva), wrestlers (Matt Hughes) and hookers (Carlos Newton). Sakurai can sometimes be at a loss when he take on people better at him in one area, especially if they force a fight in that direction. He's shown that while he's a complete package an inferiority in one area is his Achilles' heel.

Outlook - One of the most entertaining and talented fighters, Hayato Sakurai may very well be the next big thing in MMA. While he's not the icon of a fighter Sakuraba was, Sakuari has a similar aura about him. Unlike Saku though, Shooto has been his springboard into the bigger MMA groups, where he could really catch on huge. But as we've seen with Uno and Nakao, who are both awesome fighters, it can be hard in the Octogon.