Masahiko Kimura

Masahiko Kimura was a Japanese judo legend and professional wrestler who is widely considered one of the greatest judoka of all time. He won the All-Japan Judo Championships three times in a row for the first time in history and had never lost a judo match from 1936 to 1950. He was known for his strength, speed, and skill, as well as his fanatical training regimen. He invented many judo techniques, such as the reverse ude-garami arm lock, which is often called the "Kimura" in his honor. He also challenged and defeated Helio Gracie, the co-founder of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, in a famous match in 1951. He later became a professional wrestler and a pioneer of mixed martial arts in Japan. He was also a karate practitioner and an assistant instructor of Goju-Ryu karate. He died of lung cancer in 1993 at the age of 75. He was posthumously promoted to 8th dan in judo by the Kodokan in 1997. He is regarded as a national hero and a cultural icon in Japan and around the world.