Quick Facts
Biography
Shungo Oyama (大山 峻護 Ōyama Shungo [oːjama ɕɯŋɡo]; born April 11, 1974) is a Japanese mixed martial artist with an extensive and successful background in judo and sambo. Oyama holds notable victories over Renzo Gracie, Denis Kang, Rodrigo Gracie, Carlos Newton, and Valentijn Overeem. He is one of four fighters to defeat at least two members of the Gracie family.
Early life
He was born in Nasu District in Tochigi Prefecuture, Japan on April 11, 1974 as Toshiyuki Oyama. He started practicing judo when he was 5 years old, winning the All Japan Businessmen's Individual Championship, among other titles. He did not limit itself to a single grappling style, and also won the All Japan Sambo Championship and the All Japan Combat Wrestling Championship. Then, he began training MMA and won All Japan Amateur Shooto Championship, making a pro debut in 2001.
Mixed martial arts career
Shungo Oyama has appeared in the KOTC, Pancrase, Pride, K-1 HERO'S, and Dream organizations.
He is most known for being a student of Japanese judo superstar Hidehiko Yoshida, and briefly trained with 3 time King of Pancrase Bas Rutten. Shungo has also trained at the famed Takada Dojo, run by former Pride General Director Nobuhiko Takada.
Though his record is not impressive, Shungo has gained respect for his die hard spirit, and stubbornness to submit. On more than one occasion he has been injured or choked unconscious due to his refusal to tap out. Shungo was also once thought to be one of Japan's most feared strikers.
PRIDE
Oyama had his anticipated debut in Pride Fighting Championships in 2001 against feared Wanderlei Silva. In a fight of 30 seconds, Oyama met a spirited striking exchange, but he was overwhelmed and knocked out while he tried to avoid Silva. Shungo followed with a bout against famed Brazilian jiu-jitsu Wallid Ismail, but he underperformed again. The judoka met Ismail in his field of expertise by pulling guard early with a guillotine choke, which only allowed the Brazilian to pass guard, but Oyama escaped and contained Wallid until the second round. At the end, however, Ismail blocked a triangle choke attempt from Oyama and locked an arm triangle choke which Shungo refused to tap out to, rendering the Japanese unconscious. After the match, it was revealed that Oyama had suffered a retinal detachment.
His third match in Pride finally dissipated the negative criticism towards Oyama when he faced Renzo Gracie of the famed Gracie Jiu-Jitsu family. With a combination of his own unorthodox striking style, a good takedown defense and a little Kazushi Sakuraba imitation, Shungo was able to frustrate Gracie and dominate the fight to gain a unanimous decision. In a controversial moment, Gracie, irritated by his fight antics, spit in Shungo’s face. Shortly after, Ryan Gracie challenged him to a fight to avenge Renzo. Oyama and Ryan met in the main event of PRIDE 22-Beasts From The East 2, in a fight in which the BJJ specialist caught Oyama in an armbar. The judoka, in a last action of defiance, refused to submit and got his arm broken. After the fight, Ryan assaulted Oyama and verbally insulted him before being restrained.
Oyama faced Dan Henderson in 2003, going to the fight with an arm injury. After being knocked out by punches, medical examination showed that his eye injury had reopened, and he had to go to hiatus. His last fight in Pride was against Mirko Filipović, losing again by KO.
Post-PRIDE
In 2006, Oyama faced another Gracie family member in the form of Rodrigo Gracie at the Hero's 6 event. He got his second victory over the family, controlling Rodrigo and landing ground and pound for a unanimous decision.
Oyama faced Handong Kong at Pancrase 257 on March 30, 2014. He won by first round heel hook.
He participated "Martial Combat 10" as a substitute of Daiju Takase in Singapore for the title of Light heavyweight(-87 kg) on September 16, 2010. He beat Brian Gassaway from USA with an inverted triangle choke and won the first professional title in his career.
After winning, he proposed to Junko Kawada, with whom he had a 4-year relationship while in the cage. They were married in his hometown.
Mixed martial arts record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 33 matches | 14 wins | 19 losses |
| By knockout | 4 | 15 |
| By submission | 8 | 3 |
| By decision | 2 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 14–19 | Yuji Sakuragi | TKO (corner stoppage) | Pancrase 263 | December 6, 2014 | 2 | 1:03 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Loss | 14–18 | Ikkei Nagamura | KO (punch) | Pancrase 260 | August 10, 2014 | 2 | 1:01 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 14–17 | Handong Kong | Submission (heel hook) | Pancrase 257 | March 30, 2014 | 1 | 3:26 | Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan | |
| Loss | 13–17 | Jordan Currie | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | Pancrase 252: 20th Anniversary | September 29, 2013 | 1 | 5:00 | Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan | |
| Loss | 13–16 | Eun Soo Lee | KO (punches) | Road FC 10: Monson vs. Kang | November 12, 2012 | 1 | 2:48 | Busan, South Korea | Lost ROAD FC Middleweight Championship |
| Loss | 13–15 | Asif Tagiecv | TKO (knees and punches) | Rings Vol. 2: Conquisito | September 23, 2012 | 1 | 4:44 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Loss | 13–14 | Ryo Kawamura | KO (soccer kick) | Pancrase - Progress Tour 7 | June 2, 2012 | 1 | 4:19 | Tokyo, Japan | For Middleweight King of Pancrase |
| Win | 13–13 | Hae Suk Son | TKO (punches) | Road FC 6: The Final Four | February 5, 2012 | 1 | 2:10 | Seoul, South Korea | Won ROAD FC Middleweight Championship |
| Win | 12–13 | Jong Dae Kim | Submission (heel hook) | Road FC 6: The Final Four | February 5, 2012 | 1 | 1:44 | Seoul, South Korea | |
| Win | 11–13 | Denis Kang | TKO (knees) | Road FC 5: Night of Champions | December 3, 2011 | 1 | 4:30 | Seoul, South Korea | |
| Win | 10–13 | Kyu Suk Son | KO (punch) | Pancrase: Impressive Tour 9 | September 4, 2011 | 1 | 0:11 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 9–13 | Brian Gassaway | Technical Submission (inverted triangle choke) | MC - Martial Combat 10 | September 16, 2010 | 1 | 1:50 | Sentosa, Singapore | Won Martial Combat Light Heavyweight Championship |
| Loss | 8–13 | Vitalius Shemetov | KO (punches) | X-1 Nations Collide | June 4, 2010 | 1 | 1:31 | Honolulu, Japan | |
| Win | 8–12 | Mike Wimmer | Submission (heel hook) | KOTC: Toryumon | January 30, 2010 | 1 | 1:07 | Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan | |
| Loss | 7–12 | Andrews Nakahara | TKO (punches) | DREAM.8 | April 5, 2009 | 1 | 2:00 | Nagoya, Aichi, Japan | |
| Loss | 7–11 | Yoon Dong-Sik | Decision (unanimous) | Dream 2: Middleweight Grand Prix 2008 First Round | April 29, 2008 | 2 | 5:00 | Saitama, Saitama, Japan | 2008 DREAM Middleweight Grand Prix First Round |
| Win | 7–10 | Carlos Newton | Submission (punches) | Hero's 2007 in Korea | October 28, 2007 | 3 | 2:42 | Seoul, South Korea | |
| Loss | 6–10 | Melvin Manhoef | TKO (punches) | Hero's 7 | October 9, 2006 | 1 | 1:04 | Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan | Hero's 2006 Light Heavyweight Grand Prix semi-final. |
| Win | 6–9 | Rodrigo Gracie | Decision (unanimous) | Hero's 6 | August 5, 2006 | 2 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | Hero's 2006 Light Heavyweight Grand Prix quarter-final. |
| Loss | 5–9 | Melvin Manhoef | TKO (doctor stoppage) | Hero's 4 | March 15, 2006 | 1 | 2:51 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 5–8 | Peter Aerts | Submission (heel hook) | K-1-Premium 2005 Dynamite | December 31, 2005 | 1 | 0:30 | Osaka, Japan | |
| Win | 4–8 | Yun Seob Kwak | Submission (achilles lock) | Hero's 2005 in Seoul | November 5, 2005 | 1 | 1:14 | Seoul, South Korea | |
| Loss | 3–8 | Sam Greco | KO (knees and punches) | Hero's 3 | September 7, 2005 | 1 | 2:37 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 3–7 | Valentijn Overeem | Submission (toe hold) | Hero's 1 | March 26, 2005 | 1 | 1:28 | Saitama, Saitama, Japan | |
| Loss | 2–7 | Sean O'Haire | TKO (punches) | K-1 Fighting Network Rumble on the Rock 2004 | November 20, 2004 | 1 | 0:31 | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| Loss | 2–6 | Mirko Filipović | TKO (punches) | PRIDE Bushido 4 | July 19, 2004 | 1 | 1:00 | Nagoya, Aichi, Japan | |
| Loss | 2–5 | Dan Henderson | TKO (punches) | PRIDE 25 | March 16, 2003 | 1 | 3:28 | Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan | |
| Loss | 2–4 | Ryan Gracie | Submission (armbar) | PRIDE 22 | September 29, 2002 | 1 | 1:37 | Nagoya, Aichi, Japan | |
| Win | 2–3 | Renzo Gracie | Decision (unanimous) | PRIDE 21 | June 23, 2002 | 3 | 5:00 | Saitama, Saitama, Japan | |
| Loss | 1–3 | Wallid Ismail | Submission (triangle choke) | PRIDE 15 | July 29, 2001 | 2 | 2:30 | Saitama, Saitama, Japan | |
| Loss | 1–2 | Wanderlei Silva | TKO (punches) | Pride 14 - Clash of the Titans | May 27, 2001 | 1 | 0:30 | Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan | |
| Loss | 1–1 | Phillip Miller | TKO (strikes) | KOTC 8 - Bombs Away | April 29, 2001 | 2 | 3:00 | Williams, California | |
| Win | 1–0 | Mike Bourke | KO (punch) | KOTC 7 - Wet and Wild | February 24, 2001 | 1 | 0:17 | San Jacinto, California |
Championships and accomplishments
Mixed martial arts
- K-1 Hero's
- 2006 K-1 Hero's Light Heavyweight Grand Prix Semi Finalist
- Martial Combat
- Martial Combat Light Heavyweight Championship (1 Time)
- ROAD FC
- ROAD FC Middleweight Championship (1 Time)
- Shooto
- 7th All Japan Amateur Shooto Championship, Light heavyweight winner (September 10, 2000)
Judo
- 28th All Japan Business Groups Judo Individual Championship, Men 81 kg class winner
Sambo
- 21st All Japan Sambo Championship, Men Senior 82 kg class runner-up (1997)
- 22nd All Japan Sambo Championship, Men Senior 82 kg class winner (1998)
- 24th All Japan Sambo Championship, Men Senior 82 kg class winner (June 28, 1998)
- 25th All Japan Sambo Championship, Men Senior 82 kg class winner (1999)
- 26th All Japan Sambo Championship, Men Senior 82 kg class winner (July 16, 2000)