Bob "the beast" Sapp
Statistics
Nickname
The Beast
Height
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight
350 lb (159 kg)
Nationality
American
Born
September 22, 1974 (1974-09-22) (age 32)
Fighting out of
Washington, USA
Town of birth
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Mixed martial arts record
Wins
8
By knockout
5
By submission
2
Losses
2
Draws
1
Robert Malcolm Sapp aka Bob "The Beast" Sapp (born September 22, 1974) 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 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).
Bob Sapp is known as "The Beast". 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 (Chicago Bears '97, Minnesota Vikings '98, Baltimore Ravens '99, and Oakland Raiders '00 , each of which cut him within that season), he appeared in only one regular season game before washing out of the league. Bob went on to fight (and defeat) William "The Refrigerator" Perry in a Toughman boxing special promoted by the FX channel.
Preceded by
Jonathan Ogden
Morris Trophy (Offense)
Succeeded by
Olin Kreutz
Sapp was subsequently recruited by the Japanese MMA organization PRIDE, where he quickly became a fan favorite due to his preternatural size and aggression. 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.
Bob Sapp's pro-wrestling career started in NWA Wildside in 2001. He was briefly contracted by World Championship Wrestling as a developmental wrestler, before the company was bought out by the WWE, then WWF. 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.
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.
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 but 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. However, he did participate in this year's K-1 event in the Amsterdam Arena, fighting as a replacement for Remy Bonjasky, against Peter Aerts. Sapp, however, lost the fight at KO in the first round by a knee although there is no footage of a real hit by Aert's knee. Fans are furious and it is said Bob Sapp didn't come to fight at all, he just wanted to collect the money and took the first opportunity to hit the canvas.
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.
He most recently has been getting offers from the WWE again as well as TNA to work with them, but his K-1 contract is prohibiting him from going through with any return to the ring.
On February 10, 2007 it was announced by the United Kingdom's Cage Rage promotion - the biggest MMA group in Europe - that Sapp would appear on its Cage Rage 21 event on April 21, facing Gary Turner. The move is partly a retaliatory one, as the UFC had chosen to run its first British show in years that same night at the Manchester Evening News Arena, headlined by Mirko "Cro Cop", Andrei Arlovski and British star (and one-time Cage Rage competitor) Michael Bisping. Though Cage Rage promoter Andy Geer said that the UFC show would not affect ticket sales for CR21, the signing of Sapp was a clear sign that the company knew it would need a superstar draw in order to successfully compete with the American promotion. A few days before the event Bob Sapp pulled out of the scheduled fight. At short notice, Tank Abbott stepped in and lost to Gary Turner.
8 Wins - 2 Losses - 1 Draw
Date
Result
Opponent
Event
Method
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
10 Wins - 6 Losses - 0 Draws
Date
Result
Opponent
Event
Method
Round
6/23/2007
Loss
Peter Aerts
K-1 GP 2007 in Amsterdam
KO (Knee)
1R
12/31/2005
Loss
Mack Cox
K-1 - Premium Dynamite 2005
Decision
3R
6/14/2005
Win
Tatsufumi Tomihira
K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 - Hiroshima
Decision
3R
6/14/2005
Win
Hiraku Hori
K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 - Hiroshima
KO
2R, 1:54
6/14/2005
Win
Yoshihiro Nakao
K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 - Hiroshima
Decision
3R
6/26/2004
Loss
Ray Sefo
K-1 - Beast 2004 Shizuoka
KO
2R, 0:29
4/30/2004
Win
Tommy Glanville
K-1 - Battle at the Bellagio 2
KO
1R, 0:33
3/27/2004
Win
Seth Petruzelli
K-1 - Saitama 2004
TKO (elbow injury)
1R, 0:57
12/31/2003
Win
Akebono
K-1 - Premium 2003 Dynamite
KO
1R, 2:58
10/11/2003
Loss
Remy Bonjasky
K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 - Opening Round
DQ
2R
8/15/2003
Win
Kimo Leopoldo
K-1 - Battle at the Bellagio
TKO
2R, 1:11
3/30/2003
Loss
Mirko Filipovic
K-1 Saitama Grand Prix 2003
KO
1R, 1:26
12/7/2002
Win
Ernesto Hoost
K-1 World Grand Prix 2002 - Finals
KO
2R, 2:53
10/5/2002
Win
Ernesto Hoost
K-1 World Grand Prix 2002 - Opening Round
TKO (doctor stoppage)
1R, 3:00
9/22/2002
Win
Cyril Abidi
K-1 - Andy Spirits
TKO
1R, 1:17
6/2/2002
Loss
Tsuyoshi Nakasako
K-1 - Survival 2002
DQ
1R
