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Robert Malcolm SappDatabase Football. Bob Sapp. 2006. August 27, 2006. . better known as Bob "The Beast" Sapp (born September 22, 1974 in Colorado Springs, Colorado) is an American kickboxer, mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter and former world champion professional wrestler and professional American Football player. Sapp currently has an MMA record of 8-2-1 as of December 2005, mostly fighting in Korea and Japan. He is well-known in Japan, where he has appeared in commercials, television programs, and has released a music CD entitled "It's Sapp Time". Sapp also appeared in an episode of the HBO program Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. In Japan he has appeared in 23 commercials, 200 times on TV, in 1000 interviews, on 200 products with his name or image, as an author or subject of 4 books (according to his self-introduction in the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on 11 August 2003).

Biography

Bob Sapp is known as "The Beast". Contrary to popular belief, Bob Sapp is not related to Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Warren Sapp. Sapp began his athletic career in college football as a standout offensive lineman for the University of Washington, where he won the Morris Award. Expected by some to get high notice from pro scouts in the 1997 NFL draft, he slipped to the third round before being chosen by the Chicago Bears at 69th overall. Although Sapp was under pro contract for the next four seasons (with four different teams, each of which cut him within that season), he appeared in only one regular season game before failing many steroid tests and washing out of the league.

Bob Sapp's first taste of competitive fighting came when he fought (and defeated) William "The Refrigerator" Perry in a Toughman boxing special promoted by the FX channel. He was subsequently recruited by the Japanese MMA organization PRIDE, where he quickly became a fan favorite due to his preternatural size and aggressiveness. After a number of successes in Pride, Sapp was then invited by Kazuyoshi Ishii to K-1. Ishii, inventor of the fighting sport K-1, saw in Sapp the combination of great potential and great marketability.

Pro Wrestling

Bob Sapp's pro-wrestling career started in NWA Wildside in 2001. He was briefly contracted by World Championship Wrestling as a developmental wrestler, but he washed out of the program. In 2004, Sapp competed for New Japan Pro Wrestling, winning their prestigious IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, though it was vacated shortly thereafter due to a mixed martial arts fight loss and film commitments. Sapp had roles in Elektra and the 2005 remake of The Longest Yard, starring Adam Sandler and Chris Rock. Bob Sapp also appeared as an extra in the movie, Fun with Dick and Jane. He is currently in talks with the WWE & TNA about signing a deal as reported in UK wrestling magazine Powerslam.

PRIDE

After arriving in Japan, Sapp fought a number of well-regarded Japanese fighters, winning all his bouts through sheer strength and size. During this time fans were first introduced to Sapp's "bullrush" technique, whereby he would rush an opponent with punches, quickly overwhelming them. PRIDE and K-1 collaborated to create a show billed "Dynamite" in Japan and "Shockwave" in the United States. He faced then-champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Sapp was defeated and shortly afterward moved to K-1.

K-1

Despite losing his first fight by disqualification, Sapp was initially successful in K-1. He twice defeated four-time K-1 champion Ernesto Hoost by technical knockout. Sapp's initial success with his intimidating, blind chase-and-punch method slowly petered out into disqualifications for bullrushing and punching after referee breaks. Additionally, experienced opponents discovered Sapp's weak points—his weak chin and legs. He also engaged in an ineffective, yet, entertaining defensive stance consisting of cowering away from attacks and spinning around in a circle. In what marked the beginning of his K-1 decline, Sapp was knocked out by Croatian Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipović in 86 seconds at the March 30, 2003, Saitama event. After Filipović landed several solid kicks to his sides and legs, an overhand left broke Sapp's orbital bone. In May 2004 he tapped out while on the ground due to kicks and strikes from Kazuyuki Fujita.

In June 2005, Sapp won the K-1 Japan Grand Prix in Hiroshima to become one of 16 fighters qualified for the 2005 K-1 World GP. In the Japan GP, Sapp showcased greatly improved stamina, as well as better technique, than in his previous fights after intensive training under Sam Greco. In the K-1 2005 World GP Eliminations he lost by decision to "The Techno Goliath" Choi Hong-man.

On May 13 2006, Sapp was to headline the K-1 show in Holland. His opponent was Ernesto Hoost. Hoost stated in previous interviews and the interview on that show that this was to be his last match in Holland before his retirement. Sapp attended all the pre-fight press conferences and even attended the opening ceremonies for the show. It is unclear at the moment as to why, but Sapp pulled out of the event midway through the show.

K-1 issued a statement claiming Sapp pulled out due to new demands he brought to promoters during the show. K-1 would not agree to those demands since they felt their written contract was final and Sapp left. The full K-1 press release can be viewed on the organization's website.

Sapp has not issued a statement, but a different point of view on the events that occurred can be read at http://www.mmaringreport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=857&Itemid=53.

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

• K-1

• 2005 K-1 Japan GP Champion

Professional wrestling

• New Japan Pro Wrestling

• IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter

• 2002 Best Box Office Draw
• 2002 Rookie of the Year
• 2003 Best Box Office Draw
• 2003 Most Charismatic Wrestler

MMA Record

8 wins (5 KO's, 2 submissions, 1 other), 2 losses (2 submissions), 1 draw. Sapp currently has a Mixed Martial Arts record of 8-2-1 as of August 5, 2006.

|- |style="background: #f0f0f0"|Date ||style="background: #f0f0f0"| Result ||style="background: #f0f0f0"| Opponent ||style="background: #f0f0f0"| Event ||style="background: #f0f0f0"| Method ||style="background: #f0f0f0"|Round |- |11/5/2005 |Win |Kim Jong Wang |K-1-Seoul Heroes |KO |Round 1, 0:08 |- |7/6/2005 |Win |Alan Karaev |K-1-Heroes 2 |KO (Punch) |Round 1, 3:44 |- |3/26/2005 |Win |Min Soo Kim |K-1-Heroes 1 |KO (Punch) |Round 1, 1:12 |- |12/31/2004 |Draw |Jérôme Le Banner |K-1-Premium 2004 Dynamite |Draw |Round 4, 3:00 |- |5/22/2004 |Loss |Kazuyuki Fujita |K-1 MMA-ROMANEX |Submission (Strikes) |Round 1, 2:15 |- |3/14/2004 |Win |Sumiyabazar Dolgorsuren |K-1-Beast 2004 |Towel (Groin Injury) |Round 1, 5:00 |- |9/21/2003 |Win |Stefan Gamlin |K-1-Japan Grand Prix 2003 |Submission (Guillotine Choke) |Round 1, 0:52 |- |12/31/2002 |Win |Yoshihiro Takayama |Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2002-K-1 vs Inoki |Submission (Armbar) |Round 1, 2:16 |- |8/28/2002 |Loss |Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira |PRIDE Shockwave |Submission (Armbar) |Round 2, 4:03 |- |6/23/2002 |Win |Kiyoshi Tamura |PRIDE 21 |TKO (Punches) |Round 1, 0:11 |- |4/28/2002 |Win |Yoshihisa Yamamoto |PRIDE 20 |TKO (Strikes) |Round 1, 2:44

Kickboxing Record

Filmography

• Big Stan (2007)
• The Longest Yard (2005) as Switowski
• Elektra (2005) as Stone
• Devilman (2005) as World Newscaster
• Izo (2004)
• Taiho Shichauzo (2003) as Bob Hage
• Bob Sapp: Sapp Time The Movie! (2003) documentary

Trivia

• He has endorsed various minor consumables and promotion materials (including mouse pads, trading cards, coffee mugs, tote bags, T shirts, apple crunch cakes)

• His likeness is featured in Beast Sapp, a Pachislo slot machine

• He has defeated William "Refrigerator" Perry in a toughman boxing competition on FX.

• He has defeated "Butterbean" (Eric Esch) in a sumo match.

• He has endorsed and given his voice to the japanese song, Sapp Time!—Rap CD EP; # 28 JPN

• Bob Sapp has been referenced in the Tekken series of fighting games designed by Namco. The character Craig Marduk is loosely based on Bob Sapp both in appearance and fighting style (even down to trademark moves).

• He is a Northwest Airlines' Seattle-to-Tokyo route ambassador

• The boss character "Behemoth" in the WWE WrestleMania XIX video game is loosely based on Bob Sapp.

• Owns a pet serval, Trinity. Valley Stables and Exotic Alternative Livestock. John K. Babb. 2000. November 5, 2006. .

External links

• A Beast Is Made: The Bob Sapp Story

Videos

• FEAR THE BEAST!!!

References

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