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Fighting Network Rings, trademarked as RINGS, is a Japanese combat sport promotion that has lived three distinct periods: shoot style puroresu promotion from its inauguration to 1995, mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion from 1995 to its 2002 disestablishment, and a revived MMA promotion from 2008 onward.
Maurice L. Smith is a retired American kickboxer and mixed martial artist. In kickboxing, he held the WKC world light heavyweight championship, the WKA world heavyweight championship, and the ISKA world heavyweight championship. In mixed martial arts, he held the Heavyweight championship in Battlecade Extreme Fighting and the UFC, and became a member of the UFC Hall of Fame in 2017. A professional competitor since 1980, Smith has formerly competed in kickboxing for the companies All Japan Enterprise and K-1, Pancrase, RINGS, PRIDE, Strikeforce, International Fight League and RFA.
Valentijn Overeem is a Dutch retired professional mixed martial artist and kickboxer. A professional competitor since 1996, he has previously fought for the PRIDE Fighting Championships, RINGS, KSW, the World Fighting Alliance, K-1, M-1 Global, Its Showtime, World Victory Road, and Strikeforce. He is the older brother of fellow MMA Superstar Alistair Overeem. Overeem has notable wins over fighters such as Randy Couture and Renato Sobral.
Gilbert Yvel is a Dutch professional mixed martial artist. A professional competitor since 1997, Yvel competed in the PRIDE Fighting Championships, Affliction, the UFC, Road FC, the RFA, RINGS, M-1 Challenge, Cage Rage, K-1, and Showtime promotions. He is the former RINGS Openweight Champion.
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Wataru Sakata is a Japanese retired mixed martial artist and professional wrestler. A professional MMA competitor from 1994 until 2016, Sakata fought for Fighting Network RINGS, Pride FC, Deep and Rizin Fighting Federation, and holds notable victories over RINGS King of Kings 2000 Tournament runner up Valentijn Overeem, UFC 23 Middleweight Tournament winner Kenichi Yamamoto, ADCC bronze medallist and RINGS Light Heavyweight title contender Chris Haseman, and NCAA All-American and UFC veteran Branden Lee Hinkle.
Hirotaka Yokoi (横井宏考) is a Japanese former mixed martial artist and professional wrestler. A professional MMA competitor from 2000 until 2007, Yokoi fought for PRIDE, Shooto, RINGS, and DEEP, while in professional wrestling he wrestled mainly for Pro Wrestling Zero1.
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Masanori Suda is a Japanese mixed martial artist. He competed in the Welterweight, Middleweight and Heavyweight divisions. Suda is known primarily for his time in Shooto, where he is a former Light Heavyweight Champion.
Tariel Bitsadze is a Georgian karateka and mixed martial artist. He competed in the Heavyweight and Super heavyweight division. He is a former RINGS Openweight Champion.
Dick Vrij is a retired Dutch professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. A professional competitor from 1995 until 2003, he competed in the Heavyweight division for RINGS and It's Showtime.
Joe Charles is an American mixed martial artist. He competed in the Heavyweight division. He is best known for his time in the UFC from 1994 to 2000.
Katsuya Toida, is a Japanese mixed martial artist. He competed in the Bantamweight and Featherweight divisions. His real name is Katsuya Toida. He is known for his judo and shoot wrestling expertise.
Ryuta Sakurai Japanese: 桜井隆多(born September 8, 1971) is a Japanese mixed martial artist who currently competes in the middleweight division. A veteran who fought for many companies such as Shooto, Pancrase and PRIDE. Nicknamed Mr. DEEP, he is best known for spending most of his fighting career in DEEP, where he is a former DEEP Middleweight champion.
References
- ↑ "Willie Peeters". Sherdog. Archived from the original on November 1, 2014.
- ↑ "Willie Peeters". mixedmartialarts.com. Archived from the original on November 1, 2014.
- ↑ "Willie Peeters". fightmatrix.com. Archived from the original on November 1, 2014.
- ↑ Wrestling Observer Newsletter, June 7, 1999
