Name Yushin Okami
Nickname Thunder
Association Wajyutsu Keisyukai Tokyo
Weight Class Middleweight (185 lbs.)
Height 6′ 2″ (188 cm)
Style Wrestling, Kickboxing, Judo
Birth Date July 21, 1981
Fighting Out Of Kanagawa, Japan
Country Japan
Yushin Okami Pictures Official Website

”’Yushin “Thunder” Okami”’ is a Japanese mixed martial artist who competes as a Middleweight. He holds notable wins over Mike Swick, Nick Thompson, Evan Tanner, and a win over Anderson Silva when Silva was disqualified for using an illegal kick. He currently fights at middleweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

== Professional Record ==

Record 29 – 7 – 0 (Win â€Â“ Loss â€Â“ Draw)
Wins 10 (T)KOs
4 Submissions
14 Decisions
1 Other
Losses 3 (T)KOs
0 Submissions
4 Decisions
Result Opponent Method Event Title Date Round Time Notes
Win Hector Lombard Decision (Split) UFC on FUEL TV 8Silva vs Stann 3/2/2013 3 5:00
Win Alan Belcher Decision (Unanimous) UFC 155 Dos Santos vs Velasquez 2 12/29/2012 3 5:00
Win Buddy Roberts TKO (Punches) UFC 150 Henderson vs Edgar 2 8/11/2012 2 3:09
Loss Tim Boetsch TKO (Punches) UFC 144 Edgar vs Henderson 2/25/2012 3 0:54
Loss Anderson Silva TKO (Punches) UFC 134 Silva vs Okami 8/27/2011 2 2:04 For UFC Middleweight Championship
Win Nate Marquardt Decision (Unanimous) UFC 122 Marquardt vs Okami 11/13/2010 3 5:00
Win Mark Munoz Decision (Split) [[UFC Live 2 Jones vs Matyushenko‎]] 8/01/2010 3 5:00
Win Lucio Linhares TKO (Doctor Stoppage) UFC Fight Night 21 Florian vs Gomi 3/31/2010 2 2:47
Loss Chael Sonnen Decision (Unanimous) UFC 104 Machida vs Shogun 10/24/2009 3 5:00
Win Dean Lister Decision (Unanimous) UFC 92 The Ultimate 2008 12/27/2008 3 5:00
Win Evan Tanner KO (Knee) UFC 82 Pride of a Champion 3/01/2008 2 3:00
Win Jason MacDonald Decision (Unanimous) UFC 77 Hostile Territory 10/20/2007 3 5:00
Loss Rich Franklin Decision (Unanimous) UFC 72 Victory 6/16/2007 3 5:00
Win Mike Swick Decision (Unanimous) UFC 69 Shootout 4/07/2007 3 5:00
Win Rory Singer Submission (Punches) UFC 66 Liddell vs Ortiz 2 12/30/2006 3 4:03
Win Kalib Starnes TKO (Punches) UFC 64 Unstoppable 10/14/2006 3 1:40
Win Alan Belcher Decision (Unanimous) UFC 62 Liddell vs Sobral 8/26/2006 3 5:00 UFC debut
Win Izuru Takeuchi TKO (Punches) GCM: D.O.G. 6 6/11/2006 1 3:39
Win Pang Ji Won TKO (Punches) MARS: MARS World Grand Prix 5/13/2006 1 4:38
Loss Jake Shields Decision (Majority) ROTR 9: Rumble on the Rock 9 4/21/2006 3 5:00 ROTR 2006 Welterweight (175 lbs.) Tournament Semi-finals
Win Anderson Silva DQ (Illegal Kick) ROTR 8: Rumble on the Rock 8 1/20/2006 1 2:33 ROTR 2006 Welterweight (175 lbs.) Tournament Opening Round
Win Myun Joo Lee TKO (Corner Stoppage) K-1 HERO’s: HERO’s 2005 in Seoul 11/05/2005 1 4:14
Win Damien Riccio TKO (Punches) GCM: D.O.G. 3 9/17/2005 2 2:44
Win Nick Thompson Submission (Elbow Injury) GCM: D.O.G. 2 6/11/2005 1 0:29
Win Brian Foster Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) GCM: D.O.G. 1 3/12/2005 3 2:53
Win Eiji Ishikawa Decision (Unanimous) Pancrase: Brave 9 10/12/2004 3 5:00
Loss Falaniko Vitale Decision (Split) SB 36: SuperBrawl 36 6/18/2004 3 5:00
Win Ryuta Sakurai Decision (Unanimous) PRIDE Bushida 2 2/15/2004 2 5:00
Win Kousei Kubota TKO (Punches) GCM: Demolition 040118 1/18/2004 1 1:47
Loss Amar Suloev TKO (Punches) M-1 MFC: Russia vs the World 6 10/10/2003 1 4:44
Win Kazuhiro Hanada TKO (Punches) GCM: Demolition 030721 7/21/2003 1 4:47
Win Hidehiko Hasegawa Decision (Unanimous) GCM: Demolition 030501 5/01/2003 2 5:00
Win Hikaru Sato Decision (Unanimous) Pancrase: Hybrid 1 1/26/2003 2 5:00
Win Sen Nakadai Decision (Unanimous) Pancrase: Spirit 8 11/30/2002 2 5:00
Win Steve White Submission (Punches) [[PRIDE The Best Vol. 3]] 10/20/2002 2 3:25
Win Kyosuke Sasaki Decision (Unanimous) GCM: Demolition 020908 9/08/2002 2 5:00

== Mixed Martial Arts Career ==
As an amateur, Okami fought in the pre-Pride 4 tournament, defeating two opponents before submitting Yuuki Tsutsui in the finals via triangle choke to win the tournament. He began his professional career in 2002, fighting in the GMC promotion and Pancrase as well as making an appearance at Pride The Best Vol.3, amassing a professional record of 6-0. In 2003 he competed in the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship, but was defeated by Matt Lindland. Also in 2003, he suffered his first professional MMA loss to Amar Suloev.

Okami continued fighting in multiple promotions before arriving at Rumble on the Rock, where he entered a 175 lb tournament. Anderson Silva, Frank Trigg, Renato Verissimo, and Jake Shields also competed in the tournament. In the opening round, Okami fought current UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva. Silva controlled the fight on the feet before Okami secured a takedown. Okami landed a few blows from top position before Silva landed an illegal upkick to Okami’s chin while both fighters were grounded, and Silva was in the guard position. Okami’s knees were on the ground at the time, making the attack an illegal strike to the head of a downed opponent. Silva later said that the rule had not been properly explained to him before the bout.

: “When I fought Okami the rules really weren’t explained to me properly in the event I was fighting in,” said Silva. “You could kick a downed opponent to the groin or to the head when your back’s on the ground. So the rules weren’t explained to me properly.”

While Okami was given the opportunity to recover and continue fighting, Okami opted for the disqualification win. Silva responded by saying he “felt it was a cheap, cowardly way of winning,” and that “people that were there saw that he was in the condition to come back and keep fighting, and he didn’t.” Referee Troy Mandaloniz separated the fighters immediately and gave Okami a chance to recover, but he could not, and the fight was ruled a disqualification victory for Okami. Moving on to the next round, he faced the future EliteXC welterweight champion Jake Shields, a tournament favorite. Okami lost a hard-fought majority decision to Shields, who went on to win the tournament

=== UFC Career ===
Okami made his UFC debut at UFC 62, defeating Alan Belcher by unanimous decision. He then defeated Kalib Starnes via TKO at UFC 64, and made his third UFC appearance at UFC 66, defeating Rory Singer by submission from strikes. Singer was a replacement for Okami’s original opponent, David Terrell, who had withdrawn from the card due to an elbow injury.

After winning three consecutive fights in the UFC, Okami was matched up against The Ultimate Fighter 1‘s Mike Swick at UFC 69 in Houston, Texas. Okami won the bout by unanimous decision.

Okami also competed in the ADCC, a prestigious grappling tournament consisting only of top 16 grapplers in the world of each weight class in 2007 under 87 kg (191 lb) on May 5, 2007 and lost to renown Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Demian Maia in the elimination round. Maia went on to defeat Rafael Lovato, Tarsis Humphres, and Flavio Almeida that day, winning the tournament.

Okami lost a close unanimous decision to former UFC Middleweight Champion Rich Franklin at UFC 72. His next fight was on October 20, 2007 against Jason MacDonald at UFC 77, where he won by unanimous decision. Okami then rebounded with win in his last fight against former UFC Middleweight Champion Evan Tanner at UFC 82 on March 1, 2008 by KO.

Okami was set to fight current UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva for the second time, this time for the UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 90 but was forced to drop out of the bout due to a broken hand. Patrick Cote was chosen to replace Okami.

After his recovery, Okami faced 2003 ADCC Absolute Division gold medalist Dean Lister at UFC 92. Despite previously being scheduled for a main event, Okami fought on the undercard and earned a Unanimous Decision. Lister made frequent attempts to pull guard and take Okami down to the ground, but was not able to secure any submissions. The bout was considered tedious by spectators, but Okami was victorious.

Yushin was scheduled to return at UFC 98 Evans vs Machida against Dan Miller, but was forced to withdraw from the event due to a torn ligament in his knee. He was replaced by Team Quest‘s Chael Sonnen, who he ended up facing at UFC 104 Machida vs Shogun on October 24, 2009. Sonnen controlled the bout, pushing the pace, and winning a unanimous decision.

It was announced mid-January 2010 that Okami would return to action at UFC Fight Night 21 against Finish fighter Lucio Linhares, who is coming off an unsuccessful UFC debut against Rousimar Palhares.

Okami returned to action against recent UFC-newcomer Lucio Linhares on March 31, 2010 at UFC Fight Night 21. Okami dropped his opponent in the first round with an uppercut and then continued the assault in the second with punches from all angles. The barrage of strikes forced the referee to call for the doctor, who wouldn’t allow the fight to continue due to facial cuts and a possible broken nose suffered by Linhares. The TKO stoppage came at the 2:47 mark of the second round.

: “[My striking] is something I’ve been working on a lot,” Okami said. “I feel like my striking is becoming better each day.”

Okami’s next fight was as co-headliner at UFC Live 2 Jones vs Matyushenko on August 1, 2010, where he faced Mark Munoz who had been a perfect 3-0 since dropping to Middleweight. Okami successfully neutralized Munoz’s advanced takedown skills, battered the former NCAA Division I national champion with counter-shots, and essentially shut down his opponent’s varied advances with both technique and brute strength. With solid footwork, an effective sprawl and his ability to shake off a punch that knocked him down in the second round, Okami earned the hard-fought Decision (Split) victory. Before the fight Dana White suggested that it may be time for Okami to get a title shot.

== Ranks and Titles ==
* Third-ranked Pancrase Middleweight
* 2003 ADCC Japanese qualification winner