Birthdate - 3/13/69
5'11" 212 lbs. - Aomori, Japan
Aliases - Yuji Funaki, Masaharu Funaki, Masakatsu Funaki

Athletic background - Submission Wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, Muay Thai Kickboxing

Teachers - (New Japan Dojo); Akira Maeda

Professional background - New Japan(`84-`88), Europe(`88), UWF(`88-`90), PWFG(`91-`93), Pancrase(`93-`00)

Career Highlights - n/a

Favorites -
- Reverse Heel Hook
- Heel Hook
- Cross Armbreaker
- Kneebar
- Solebutt
- Leg Kick

Ringwork Rating -
technique - 9
science - 8
counters - 8
transitions - 7
diversity - 6
power - 7
strikes - 7

Intangible Rating -
entertainment - 8
selling - 8
toughness - 7
carrying - 7
heat - 7
star level - 7

Place in History - Masa Funaki was inspired to get into pro-wrestling by Tiger Mask and despite being only 15 when he started training, he showed a gift for it. While he never really broke through in New Japan, Funaki got his break when Akira Maeda brought him into the second version of the UWF. After training personally under Maeda with fellow former New Japan youngster Minoru Suzuki, Funaki began the slow climb up the ranks. The company bottomed out before he got far though and the two became future aces for Yoshiaki Fujiwara's group. Fujiwaragumi's young lions and Wayne (Ken) Shamrock aligned and walked out on the company and started Pancrase soon after. It was the first "real pro-wrestling" company of modern times and Funaki was one of its top stars. His natural talents and affinity for leg locks served him well and he worked successfully doing shoots every other month through 1999. Funaki's 38-11-1 record includes wins over the likes of: Vernon White, Bas Rutten, Frank Shamrock, Guy Mezger and his business partner Ken Shamrock. His final shoot was a challenge to the legendary Rickson Gracie and at just under 13 minutes he was choked out. Funaki's not been a ghost since leaving the sport though as he's become something of a successful actor.