Bob Sapp...wrestler of the year.

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

"Bob Sapp broke one of the oldest traditions in Japanese wrestling by being named Pro Wrestling MVP in the media balloting held earlier today.

 

Sapp becomes the first foreign wrestler to ever win the award in the 29-year history of the balloting. Sapp also won the award while participating in only two of what would be called pro wrestling matches in many people's eyes all year."

 

From the observer site.

 

Now...I only know Sapp from Pride...and even then I haven't even seen him fight.

 

Is he really any good? Or how did this happen?

[Guest blachuuh_monkey]

Could someone please explain to me who that is. I have never even heard of him. Must be a pretty bad year when someone I've never evn heard of wins that award.

[Guest RickyChosyu]

Zach's been posting pictures of the guy on his site for quite a while now. Big, burly black guy who's gotten media attention for being a monster in Pride.

 

From what I've heard, most of his fights have been pretty borring, though. I think he pinned Mutoh also, or something.

 

I guess the Inoki brand weed is leaking into the Japanese press as well.

[Guest J*ingus]

He did pin Mutoh, but damn, I'm pretty sure I can count the number of pro matches he's had in Japan this year on my hands. Fixed, maybe?

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

I read somewhere that the Japanese fans have taken to this guy like he was the second coming of Bruiser Brody.

 

For whatever reason he's just massively popular over there.

 

The guy is a monster, but I still don't get this.

[Guest XdojimeX]

"The guy is a monster, but I still don't get this."

 

What's not to get? In the Japanese media MMA and Pro-Wrestling are pretty much in the same boat so that's not really what's surprising (Saku won in 2K). It's the fact that a gaijin was selected. But it's a down year (hell a down era at this rate) in the industry, and Sapp's been a relatively big draw when big draws are hard to come buy. He's a monster with a lot of charisma, and apparently his being exposed as a raw fighter (especially against Nog) hasn't hurt him. He's caught on regardless.

 

I wasn't really buying the 'next Bruiser Brody' hype either but the business has changed, maybe Sapp is the closest to a gaijin phenom Japan is going to get these days.

[Guest Grenouille]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the Tokyo Sports Awards were as worked as the year enders in PWI.

[Guest RickyChosyu]

It's always been my understanding that they're based on voting from fans. That might just be an assumption on my part, but Arnold and others have always treated them as legitimate.

[Guest ChaosTheory]

Bob Sapp Pic

[Guest PlatypusFool]

XdojimeX is correct, Sapp has created the most interest out of everyone in the world of fighting sports this year in Japan. His monster physique has gained him repute, but his interview skills and mammoth claims have kept him in the media's eye permanently for the last 6 months or so. Everyone wants to fight him, and everyone has been heard to say that they want to fight him.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

That's one mean lookin' dude.

[Guest Sandman9000]

He's what, 6'3", 6'4"? Three bills easily? I say they're just trying to keep a large man happy. I'd give him any award he wanted too.

[Guest cynicalprofit]

i think he was 6'5 330

[Guest tigerdrivah91]

He beat Mutoh with freakin diving headbutt

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

Didn't he lose to Noguera(sp)? It was a classic Underdog vs. Favourite from what I remember, so I would have guessed losing to someone almost half your size would have caused your monster reputation to somewhat lose its appeal. That piledriver was still fucked up to see in an MMA fight though. Has that happened before?

[Guest CED Ordonez]

Sapp did indeed lose to Nogueira, but was very impressive in the fact that he lasted a round against such a high-caliber opponent and even demonstrated some ground submission skills, attempting to get Nog in an armbar. And let's not forget Sapp did legitimately powerbomb Nog to counter a triangle choke.

 

Nogueira is undoubtedly one of the best fighters in the MMA business right now. For Sapp to hold his own against the likes of him only adds to his reputation.

 

On a side note, Sapp doing the diving headbutt is one the scariest visuals I can think of right now.

[Guest ChaosTheory]

Diving

 

Headbutt

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

I remember Bob Sapp. The Bears picked him in the third round of the NFL draft five(?) years ago. He got cut in training camp. This story is officially really weird.

[Guest Brian]

Well, his fight with PRIDE drew huge numbers. For a guy that's still not refined and throwing bombs (I think he's closer to 370) and can absorb an insane ton of punishment, he's going to be scary with the right training.

[Guest papacita]

He beat William "Refrigerator " Perry on Toughman Celebrity Boxing a few years ago. I remember him saying something about being the product of WCW's Power Plant.

[Guest Lei Tong]

His MMA accomplishments aren't all that impressive when you consider that physically, it's the equivalent of Vanderlei Silva fighting a middle schooler.

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

didn't Nogueira beat him?

 

anyway...yeah I think Sapp was a Power Plant flop. Which is scary when you think of the crap that the Power Plant considered a success.

[Guest RickyChosyu]

Yeah, already mentioned in this thread. From the looks of it, the fight only helped him gain notoriety, though.

[Guest deadbeater]

Damn, the Power Plant people are all over the place.

[Guest ConspiracyVictim]

Sapp did recently beat Hoost two times in a row and would have won the Grand Prix im sure if it wasnt for his hand getting hurt. The guy can already strike and he is working on his ground technique constantly, plus he is a monster so I say give him a year or two and he will be awesome. Right now he relies mostly on his strength but he is getting better. I cant wait to see his victory over Hoost when I get the Grand Prix tape in. Hoost got so lucky...

[Guest tigerdrivah91]

I've got the Hoost match and its scary how dominant Sapp can be. Hoost throws numerous low kicks to the knee to the delight of the crowd....but Sapp just wails away, dropping bigtime shots to the head and torso of Hoost....the low kicks continue to no avail and one killer rush and its over.....

 

After the match Sapp bounces around and flexes his leg showin the crowd that Hoost's low kicks were nothing.....and then he breaks into that dance he did after the Mutoh match....LOL Hoost looks pissed....

 

Some clips from Mutoh Sapp for yall.

 

Sapp Headbutt

 

Sapp Dances