Hiroyuki “Japanese Beast” Tetsuka

Pancrase Welterweight World Champion Hiroyuki Tetsuka is was born to a farming family, and he continues to help out on the family farm to this day while his martial arts career. Tetsuka trained in kickboxing for two years during his time as a student, but he was unable to get the results he desired.

However, a passion for martial arts was ignited, and he decided to journey to the United States to pursue a career as a mixed martial artist. There, he gained valuable experience training with famed veteran Chael Sonnen, and he kicked off his amateur career competing in the American Pacific Northwest. Tetsuka returned to Japan after two years of training and competing in the United States to make his professional debut, putting together a solid record with six stoppages in Pancrase to capture the Pancrase Welterweight World Title.

Tetsuka is known for his muscular physique and boasts a finishing rate of over 85 percent, thanks to his powerful punches and potent ground-and-pound attack. Tetsuka has only been stopped once as a professional and is happy to stand and trade in the pocket, which often leads to highly-exciting bouts.