Minoru Suzuki

Minoru Suzuki (鈴木 実, Suzuki Minoru?, ring name: 鈴木 みのる) is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Suzuki was the co-founder of Pancrase, one of the first mixed martial arts organizations in the world. During the 1990s he was known as one of the best fighters in the Pancrase promotion and was the second King of Pancrase world champion. Suzuki returned to regular puroresu in 2003, where he has become a perennial top contender for all major Japanese heavyweight championships. He is currently performing for both All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is a former two-time AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, and New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Suzuki is well noted for his excellence in freestyle wrestling and catch wrestling. He was an Olympic alternate freestyle wrestler for Japan and former Japanese freestyle wrestling national champion. As good as his wrestling credentials are, Suzuki is even more respected for his excellence in the art of catch wrestling and submissions. Suzuki has been praised many times by elite fighters such as Josh Barnett, Bas Rutten and Ken Shamrock for his outstanding grappling and submission skills. He is also famous for taunting opponents by sticking his tongue out at them.