Bas Rutten
Sebastiaan Rutten is a Dutch and American actor, former mixed martial artist, kickboxer and professional wrestler. As a kickboxer, he fought 16 times, winning the first 14 matches by knockout, 13 in the first round, and losing his final two fights, one of them against Frank Lobman for the European Muay Thai title in 1991, with Rutten losing by knockout in the first round. In MMA, he was a UFC Heavyweight Champion and a three-time King of Pancrase world champion. After his submission loss to Ken Shamrock in 1995, he finished his MMA career on a 22 fight unbeaten streak.
As a professional fighter, one of his most commonly used strikes was the liver shot, and he popularized its use in MMA. He competed in Japanese professional wrestling following his Pancrase tenure. Since his retirement, he has worked as a color commentator in several martial arts organizations, including Pride and Karate Combat, and has appeared in numerous television shows, movies, and video games. From 2007 to 2016, he was the co-host of Inside MMA on AXS TV. Rutten also coaches MMA and has authored several instructional materials.
In 2008, Rutten was ranked by Inside MMA as the fourth-greatest mixed martial arts fighter of all time. In 2015, he was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. In 2018, he was also inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame.
Early life
Rutten was born in Tilburg, Netherlands. At the age of six, he developed eczema and severe asthma. Due to his eczema, he always wore long sleeves, turtle necks and gloves, as well as bandages at night. Due to his asthma, he struggled with prolonged physical activity. He was often bullied as a child, although he hid it from his parents. He learned to climb trees and jump between treetops to evade his bullies, who eventually stopped chasing him when one of them fell while trying to follow him.Rutten started training in boxing in the backyard of an elementary school with a friend. Rutten became interested in martial arts at age 12 after his family went on vacation to France, where the movie Enter the Dragon starring Bruce Lee was playing at a local movie theatre. Bas was underage for the movie's 17+ age guidelines, so he and his brother Sjoerd snuck into the theatre. After he saw the movie, he took an interest in martial arts. Afterwards, Rutten built a makeshift nunchaku to emulate Lee.
At first, his parents did not allow him to pursue his interest, but at age 14, they allowed him to practice taekwondo. At some point after he had begun training, Rutten got into a physical altercation with another child, after which the police were called and Rutten was prohibited by his parents from further practicing martial arts.
At age 21, he moved out of his parents' house, going to work as a chef while he attended culinary school for four years. He also started training taekwondo once again, leading to him later earning a 2nd-degree black belt. He also began learning Kyokushin karate and earned his second 2nd-degree black belt.
Kickboxing career
Rutten started competing in kickboxing at the age of 20 while working also as a bouncer and model. He fought 16 times, winning the first 14 matches by knockout, 13 in the first round, and losing his final two fights. One of his losses came against Frank Lobman for the European Muay Thai title on 12 February 1991, with Rutten losing by KO in the first round. According to Rutten, he signed up for the match while under the influence and without any kind of earlier preparation, but fought anyway. After the match, Rutten ended his kickboxing career. His second to last fight was against Rene Rooze, who bit Rutten's ear during the match. In response, Bas landed a knee to the groin, which interrupted the bout and caused a brawl.Mixed martial arts career
Early career
Rutten began his professional mixed martial arts career when he was working as an entertainer. He was scouted by Chris Dolman and invited to train at the Fighting Network RINGS Holland dojo. In 1993, when Japanese pro wrestlers Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki traveled to the Netherlands to scout fighters for their new "hybrid wrestling" organization, Pancrase, Rutten was chosen after knocking out the RINGS champion in sparring. A precursor to modern mixed martial arts, the organization was the first of its kind and featured fighting with no closed fisted strikes to the face, and featured now-known fighters such as Frank Shamrock, Vernon White, Maurice Smith, Ken Shamrock, and Guy Mezger.Pancrase
1993
In September 1993, Rutten debuted in Pancrase against the 45lb heavier Ryushi Yanagisawa, knocking him out with palm strikes and knee strikes 48 seconds into the bout. Due to injuries sustained during the match, Yanagisawa was hospitalized for two days. Rutten's second match was against Takaku Fuke, which Rutten won.1994
His third match would be his first loss in Pancrase, as he faced Pancrase founder Masakatsu Funaki. Rutten was submitted by Funaki via a toehold. Afterwards, Rutten started taping Pancrase trainings and practicing moves with his trainee Leon Van Dijk.In his next fight, Rutten submitted Japanese wrestler Kazuo "Yoshiki" Takahashi with an inverted heel hook. The hold itself, which Rutten had learned the previous day by watching it in a promo, broke Takahashi's shin. Rutten was awarded an honorary 5th-degree black belt in Kyokushin Budokai by Jon Bluming after the match. Rutten's next bout was against Pancrase co-founder Minoru Suzuki, which Rutten won via TKO due to a liver strike.
20 days later, Rutten faced future UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock, who was then one of the best Pancrase fighters. In preparation for the match, Rutten had trained in shoot wrestling with Masakatsu Funaki. Rutten lost the match due to a rear naked choke by Shamrock. After this, Rutten decided to omit strikes from his training and focus only on grappling, submitting Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Jason DeLucia with a guillotine choke.
In December 1994, Rutten participated in the inaugural King of Pancrase tournament, where the winner would be crowned the first champion of Pancrase. Rutten was one of the four #1 seeds in the tournament, and his first fight was against MMA newcomer and future UFC champion Frank Shamrock. Rutten lost the match in a majority decision.
1995
In his next match, Rutten submitted King of Pancrase tournament finalist Manabu Yamada on 26 January 1995 with an arm triangle choke from half guard. Rutten later was booked for a rematch and a title shot against tournament winner and then-current King of Pancrase Ken Shamrock for the King of Pancrase title on 10 March, in which Rutten was submitted via a kneebar.As a result of the match, Rutten started training 2 to 3 times a day solely on submissions. In his next bout, Rutten submitted Takaku Fuke with an armbar from the guard and a finishing heel hook. He then faced American kickboxing champion Maurice Smith. Rutten submitted Smith a figure-four toehold to win the match. Rutten then submitted Jason DeLucia, and was booked for a rematch with Frank Shamrock on 23 July. Their fight was similar to the first bout, with both men trading positions and holds, with Rutten taking a split decision victory.
The win granted him a challenge title match in September 1995 against the King of Pancrase champion Minoru Suzuki, a rematch from their fight at the beginning of both men's careers. Late in the match, Rutten landed a front kick to the body which knocked down Suzuki and followed with a guillotine choke, submitting Suzuki.
Rutten took time away due to an injury, later returning in a rematch against Maurice Smith, which Rutten earned a submission win via a rear naked choke. Rutten's next match was against Ryushi Yanagisawa, who Rutten fought in his Pancrase debut. Rutten broke his hand during the match, but earned a submission victory via a rear naked.
1996
In March 1996, Rutten faced Lion's Den fighter and future Ultimate Fighting Championship winner Guy Mezger, who Rutten submitted via a heel hook.On 16 May 1996, Rutten defended his title against Frank Shamrock in their third match, which was also for Shamrock's interim King of Pancrase title. During the fight, Shamrock gained north-south position several times, but was unable to submit Rutten, and Rutten in turn knocked him down with an open-handed uppercut. Frank taunted Rutten by sticking out his tongue during a leglock exchange, causing Bas to hit him in the face with a closed-fisted punch, losing a point by red card. Rutten won the fight by doctor's stoppage and ruled TKO due to an eye cut, unifying the King of Pancrase belts.
Right after his match against Shamrock, Rutten had his rubber match against Jason DeLucia. The fight was controversial for DeLucia repeatedly claiming Rutten had hit him with a closed fist, causing Rutten to be issued a yellow card and later a red card. In response, Rutten hit several shots to DeLucia's liver, rupturing it.
At the Pancrase 1996 Anniversary Show, taking place on 7 September, Rutten defended his undisputed title against Masakatsu Funaki. Funaki frequently used a knee-on-stomach technique and a mount position to initiate leglocks, and later landed an illegal kick to a downed Rutten. Later in the fight, Rutten knocked Funaki down twice with palm and knee strikes, eventually landing a knee to the face and earning a knockout victory, becoming a three-time King of Pancrase.
Rutten described the war with Funaki in an interview:
His next fight was a rematch with Manabu Yamada, in which Rutten earned a toehold submission victory 54 seconds into the bout. Following the match, Rutten relinquished his title to be present for the birth of his second daughter.
1997
On 22 March 1997 Rutten returned to Pancrase in a match against Osami Shibuya, fighting to a draw after breaking his sternum during the bout. Rutten later had a rematch with Shibuya, earning a submission victory` spinal lock from an ura-gatame position that he nicknamed the "Bas Rutten Neck Crank."Rutten earned 8 more victories in his Pancrase career, bringing his unbeaten streak up to 19 straight fights.
Rutten left Pancrase as one of the most dominant fighters in the history of the organization. Rutten agreed to come out of retirement to fight Ken Shamrock in PRIDE FC, however, Shamrock stated that he already beat Rutten twice and that a third time wasn't necessary. Later, in 2002, Rutten said that he would not fight Shamrock again even if it was offered to him, due to the friendship they developed over the years, and that he could not put his mind and heart into fighting Ken again.
In 1997, Rutten was featured on the cover of Karaté Bushido, the oldest magazine dedicated to martial arts in Europe, joining martial artists such as Bruce Lee, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Rickson Gracie, Jackie Chan, Fedor Emelianenko, Georges St-Pierre, Jérôme Le Banner, Francis Ngannou, and Dave Leduc.