Japanese MMA Fighter Norifumi ‘Kid’ Yamamoto Dies of Cancer at the Age of 41
Legendary Japanese Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto passed away on Tuesday while hospitalized and receiving treatment for cancer in Guam.
The 41-year-old legendary MMA fighter, whose fighting record stood at 18-6, first announced on his Instagram account in August that he was battling cancer, according to BBC Sports. Before his eventual debut in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in 2011, Yamamoto already made a name for himself in Japan’s Shooto and K-1 circuits.
Throughout his career, the 5-foot-3-inches, 141 pounds (63.9 kilograms) fighter fought under the lightweight division and sometimes in the featherweight division against opponents who were much taller than him, MMA Fighting reported.
Yamamoto, the youngest in a family of Japanese wrestlers, including two older sisters who both won several world championships, was sent to Arizona to attend high school and be trained under Townsend Saunders, an Olympic silver medalist in wrestling. He was sent there by his father, Ikuei Yamamoto, who represented Japan in the 1972 Olympics held in Munich, Germany.
However, he quit wresting for a brief period of time to study fighting under Enson Inoue, his sister’s husband who is a famous MMA star in japan.
His name first exploded after his match with Masato on Dec. 31, 2004.
Then in 2007, he announced that he would take an indefinite break from fighting to pursue wrestling after his win against Rani Yahya in Osaka, Japan. He competed to get in the 2008 Beijing Olympics but failed after dislocating his shoulder in the semi-finals against 2004 Athens Bronze Medalist Kenji Inoue.
Many of his fans, both avid watcher of his fights and professionals alike, immediately took to social media to express their sadness to the loss of one of this age’s legendary fighters after hearing the news.
RIP Norifumi Kid Yamamoto
Only 3 weeks ago he announced that he has cancer and today he lost his toughest fight. It is shocking. He was such a strong fighter! May you find peace in heaven 😔 pic.twitter.com/BOR0hE21n7— Alpha Female (@Jazzy_Gabert) September 18, 2018
Rest In Peace ~ Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto
One of my all time favorite fighters. pic.twitter.com/85xaJendmQ
— Brandon Gibson (@SixGunGibson) September 18, 2018
Gutted to hear that Kid Yamamoto has passed. After his fight with cancer, God’s finger touched him and he slept. RIP Kid. You will be missed. Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto Highlight & Tribute (SW) 山本徳郁 https://t.co/65l0hjjYQX
— MichaelSchiavello PM (@SchiavelloVOICE) September 18, 2018
Norifumi “KID” Yamamoto passed on at age 41. Maybe the best pure athlete to grace the lighter weights, he went from black sheep of a wrestling family to pound-for-pound star in the mid-00’s, maturing whilst collapsing foes two divisions above him. He is a phenom forever. #山本KID pic.twitter.com/GHvzM37yAB
— Kyle Johnson (@Maldobabo) September 18, 2018
Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto…. I was always a fan of you. Your style, your attitude, your demeanor, and of course your fights. Your career spoke to me and kept me intrigued. You stood out in… https://t.co/lCv0Vv7tTH
— Gray Maynard (@GrayMaynard) September 18, 2018
Sad news, Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto passed away. Thoughts and prayers go out to his family. RIPower Kid! pic.twitter.com/47OwJe3ifm
— Bas Rutten (@BasRuttenMMA) September 18, 2018
RIP Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto thank you for the many moments of excitement.
— Samoa Joe (@SamoaJoe) September 18, 2018
One of my favorite pictures of Norifumi “KID” Yamamoto pic.twitter.com/dKOPlzDDLz
— FuriouslyHigh (@AcidHaze) September 18, 2018
“Me? I’m no legend. I never feel legend … If I feel legend, I’m finished, you know. I always think I’m bottom.” – Norifumi ‘Kid’ Yamamoto, 2013.
Photo – taken by me the same year – of a wall in his Krazy Bee gym. #kidyamamoto @KID_KRAZYBEE @KB_official pic.twitter.com/7KPLV2EwiV
— justin (@JustinOngCNA) September 18, 2018
Featured image via Instagram / kid_yamamoto
The post Japanese MMA Fighter Norifumi ‘Kid’ Yamamoto Dies of Cancer at the Age of 41 appeared first on NextShark.
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