Bas Rutten

Sebastiaan "Bas" Rutten (born 24 February 1965) is a Dutch-American actor, former mixed martial artist, kickboxer and professional wrestler.

He was a UFC Heavyweight Champion, a three-time King of Pancrase world champion, and finished his career on a 22 fight unbeaten streak (21 wins, 1 draw).

Rutten became a naturalized American citizen in the late 1990s.

As a professional fighter, one of his favorite tactics was the liver shot (both punch and kick), and he popularized its use in MMA.

One of them would be 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 he decided not to pull out.

He decided to end soon his kickboxing career after being criticized for this single match.

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.

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.

Though his first training was a difficult start for him, he focused on learning the rudiments of the art.

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 immediately chosen after they saw him 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 boasted early MMA names Frank Shamrock, Vernon White, Maurice Smith, Ken Shamrock, and Guy Mezger.

In September 1993, Rutten had his debut in Pancrase against the 45lb heavier Ryushi Yanagisawa, knocking him out with palms and knee strikes in only 48 seconds.

Rutten is known for his charisma and has capitalized on his celebrity status since retiring from fighting in 1999.

He has worked as a color commentator in several MMA organizations, including Pride, and has appeared in numerous television shows, movies, and video games.

He also coaches MMA and has authored several instructional materials.

From 2007 to 2016, Rutten was the co-host of Inside MMA on AXS TV.

In 2008, Rutten was ranked by Inside MMA as the fourth-greatest mixed martial arts fighter of all time.

Rutten was born in Tilburg, Netherlands.

At the age of six, he developed eczema and severe asthma.

His eczema meant he always wore long sleeves, turtle necks and gloves, as well as bandages every night, and his asthma meant he was unable to partake in exercise, and was consequently relatively skinny.

He was bullied on a daily basis as a child, although he hid it from his parents in order to spare them more worrying.

He learned to climb trees and jump between treetops to evade his bullies, who eventually stopped chasing him when one of them fell and almost died trying to follow him.

Bas 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 could not get in because the movie was rated 17+, so he and his brother Sjoerd snuck into the theatre.

After he saw the movie, he took an interest in martial arts.

Rutten even built a makeshift nunchaku to emulate Lee.

At first, his conservative parents did not allow him to pursue his interest but at age 14, after two years of begging, they allowed him to practice taekwondo.

He picked it up very quickly, even defeating adults in sparring, and after a few months he got in a street fight with his worst bully, whom Rutten knocked out with the first punch he threw, breaking his nose.

The police came to his parents' house and Rutten was immediately prohibited by his parents from further practicing martial arts.

Even then, Rutten made a list with all of his bullies and beat them up one by one.

At age 21, he moved out of his parents' house, going to work as a chef as he went to culinary school for four years.

He also started training taekwondo once again.

He was committed, eventually earning a 2nd degree black belt.

He then began learning Kyokushin karate and earned a 2nd-degree black belt.

Bas 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.