Tsuyoshi Kosaka
| Tsuyoshi Kohsaka 高阪剛 | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 6, 1970 Shiga, Japan |
| Other names | TK, Kakutogi Kai no Kenja ("The Sage of the Combat Sports World") |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) |
| Weight | 214 lb (97 kg; 15 st 4 lb) |
| Division | Heavyweight |
| Style | Judo, Shoot Wrestling, Kickboxing |
| Fighting out of | Tokyo, Japan |
| Team | Rings Japan Team Alliance Alliance Square |
| Teacher(s) | Akira Maeda |
| Rank | 4th dan black belt in Judo |
| Years active | 1994–2006; 2015–2022 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 53 |
| Wins | 30 |
| By knockout | 10 |
| By submission | 12 |
| By decision | 9 |
| Unknown | 2 |
| Losses | 21 |
| By knockout | 10 |
| By submission | 4 |
| By decision | 7 |
| Draws | 2 |
| Other information | |
| Website | Official blog |
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |
Last updated on: March 19, 2011 | |
Tsuyoshi Kosaka (Japanese: 高阪 剛, Kōsaka Tsuyoshi; born March 6, 1970) is a retired Japanese mixed martial artist, submission grappler and professional wrestler who competed in the Heavyweight division. A professional MMA competitor from 1994 till 2022, he has competed for the UFC, PRIDE Fighting Championships, RIZIN, RINGS, Pancrase, and DEEP. Kosaka is the former King of Pancrase Super Heavyweight Champion.
Kosaka is considered to be one of the early pioneers of mixed martial arts and was one of the top ranked Japanese fighters for several years. Known for his grappling skills, Kosaka is trained in Judo and Shoot Wrestling, His "TK guard" position, a precursor to modern butterfly guard, is famous for its efficiency; former UFC champions Frank Shamrock and Maurice Smith have both credited him with having vastly improved their grappling from that particular position.