Daiju Takase

is a Japanese mixed martial artist and kickboxer. He has fought as a middleweight and welterweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and PRIDE Fighting Championship.

Mixed martial arts career PRIDE Fighting Championships A representative of Yoshinori Nishi's Wajyutsu Keishukai MMA dojo, Takase made his debut in PRIDE Fighting Championship at its third event, facing amateur sumo champion Emmanuel Yarbrough. Outweighed by a total of 430-lbs, more than twice his own weight, Takase resolved to get his opponent tired by running around the ring, making him chase Takase, which gained him a yellow card. At the second round, Daiju tried a single leg takedown only for Yarbrough to land on top of him, but the Japanese managed to get his arms free and landed punches to the head for the TKO.

Takase didn't return to PRIDE until 2002, when he got a win and a loss against Brazilians Johil de Oliveira and Nino Schembri. However, his popularity came in PRIDE 26, when he fought Chute Boxe rising star Anderson Silva. At the time, Silva was on a 9-match winning streak, and given Takase's unimpressive record, he was a heavy underdog. However, Takase surprised spectators with a first-round triangle choke submission victory.

He next faced Rodrigo Gracie from the Gracie family at the first event of PRIDE Bushido, which featured a special Team Gracie vs Team Japan series of matches. Takase came to the fight wearing orange tights similar to "Gracie Hunter" Kazushi Sakuraba's, including his initials on the back. During the match, Gracie took down repeatedly Takase and landed hard ground and pound, but the Japanese was skilled enough to keep him from passing guard or knocking him out. The second round would see similar action, with Takase losing striking exchanges by punches and knees and avoiding submissions on the ground. After the action, Gracie was awarded with a unanimous decision.

At PRIDE Shockwave 2003, Takase fought former Shooto champion Hayato Sakurai. Daiju controlled a part of the first round, taking down Sakurai and bloodying his nose with punches. At this point, however, Sakurai started coming back, hijacking the standing segments with superior striking and negating Takase's submission attempts in order to do damage through his guard. The Shooto fighter ended the fight taking down Takase several times and controlling the action, which gained him a unanimous decision.

After defeating Chris Brennan by decision, Takase accomplished another of his biggest wins in his match on May 23, 2004, against grappling expert Carlos Newton. The first round of the bout saw multiple exchanges on the mat between the two contenders and increasingly complex submissions attempts by the Japanese, including an omoplata, a series of triangle chokes and even a cartwheel into a flying triangle choke while standing; however, Newton was able to defend all of them and land minor striking in every opportunity. The last half saw instead the two trading strikes, and it ended with Takase stopping Newton from passing his guard and trying a last triangle choke. After the battle, Takase was awarded the split decision.

Daiju's last apparition in PRIDE would be on April 3, 2005, losing to Daniel Acacio by TKO.

Ultimate Fighting Championship Takase made his debut in Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 16, 1999 at UFC 21, where he was pitted against Jeremy Horn, who sported a large size advantage and a 31-4-4 record. The Japanese lost the fight by TKO after receiving a long punishment in ground and pound.

He returned at UFC 23, the second event of the promotion on Japanese ground. Takase took part in a four-man tournament which got him pitted against former RINGS fighter Kenichi Yamamoto in the semi-finals. Takase controlled portions of the fight through striking from the guard and defensive grappling, but he was ultimately defeated by unanimous decision.

Takase's final return to UFC would be in 2000 at UFC 29, fighting Brazilian jiu-jitsu exponent Fabiano Iha. The bout was short, with Iha knocking out Takase with punches in 2:24.

Other promotions Takase most recently fought on July 25, 2015, when he got a decision loss to Yoon Dong-sik at ROAD FC 24.

Mixed martial arts record Loss

Dong-sik Yoon Decision (split) Road FC: Road Fighting Championship 24

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Carlos Toyota KO (punches) Real Fight Championship - Real 1

Tokyo, Japan Win

Seung-Bae Whi TKO (punches) Road FC: Road Fighting Championship 16

Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea Win

Yuji Sakuragi Submission (guillotine choke) Deep - Haleo Impact

Tokyo, Japan Win

Brandon Kesler Decision (unanimous) Dare Fight Sports - Dare 1/12

Bangkok, Thailand Draw

Hoon Kim Draw (majority) Pancrase: Passion Tour 4

Tokyo, Japan Win

Mr. X Submission (armbar) TFC - Titan Fighting Championship 5

Tokyo, Japan Win

Shuji Morikawa Decision (split) GCM - Cage Force 11

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Masataka Chinushi KO (punch) Heat - Heat 8

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Terry Martin DQ (low blows) Adrenaline MMA: Guida vs. Russow

Chicago, Illinois, United States Loss

Hector Lombard KO (punch) X - plosion 13

Australia Loss

Daniel Acácio TKO (soccer kicks) PRIDE Bushido 6

Yokohama, Japan Win

Carlos Newton Decision (split) PRIDE Bushido 3

Yokohama, Japan Win

Chris Brennan Decision (unanimous) PRIDE Bushido 2

Yokohama, Japan Loss

Hayato Sakurai Decision (unanimous) PRIDE Shockwave 2003

Saitama, Japan Loss

Rodrigo Gracie Decision (unanimous) PRIDE Bushido 1

Saitama, Japan Win

Anderson Silva Submission (triangle choke) PRIDE 26

Yokohama, Japan Loss

Antonio Schembri Decision (split) Pride The Best Vol.2

Tokyo, Japan Win

Johil de Oliveira Decision (unanimous) Pride The Best Vol.1

Tokyo, Japan Win

LaVerne Clark Submission (triangle choke) Pancrase - 2001 Neo-Blood Tournament Opening Round

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Kiuma Kunioku Decision (majority) Pancrase - Proof 2

Osaka, Japan Loss

Fabiano Iha TKO (punches) UFC 29

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Nate Marquardt KO (knee) Pancrase - Trans 4

Tokyo, Japan Win

Daisuke Watanabe Decision (unanimous) Pancrase - Trans 1

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Kenichi Yamamoto Decision (unanimous) UFC 23

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Ikuhisa Minowa Submission (triangle choke) Pancrase - 1999 Neo-Blood Tournament Opening Round

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Jeremy Horn TKO (punches) UFC 21

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States Draw

Daisuke Ishii Draw Pancrase - Breakthrough 4

Yokohama, Japan Win

Emmanuel Yarborough TKO (submission to punches) PRIDE 3

Tokyo, Japan Kickboxing record Loss Nangoku Chojin Shootboxing - 2016 Act.2 Tokyo, Japan Decision (unanimous)

5-4 Win Ryo Sakai Big Bang - The Fighter 15 Tokyo, Japan Decision (unanimous)

5-3 Loss Takeshige Hayashi Big Bang - Consolidation Road 22 Tokyo, Japan Decision (unanimous)

4-3 Win Mitsuyo Hosoi Big Bang - The Fighter 12 Tokyo, Japan Decision (unanimous)

4-2 Win Soichi Nishida Big Bang - Consolidation Road 15 Tokyo, Japan Decision (unanimous)

3-2 Win Takeshige Hayashi Big Bang - Consolidation Road 5 Tokyo, Japan Decision (unanimous)

2-2 Loss Naoki Samukawa Fujiwara Festival 2009 Tokyo, Japan Decision (unanimous)

1-2 Loss Koichi Takemura RISE XLI Tokyo, Japan Decision (unanimous)

1-1 Win Ken Noisho J-RED Mach Go-GO '06 Tokyo, Japan Decision (unanimous)

1-0

Submission grappling record Result Opponent Method Event Date Round Time