Nobuaki Kakuda

On September 26, 2015, Kakuda entered the world of competitive bodybuilding by participating in the Japan-Guam Goodwill Bodybuilding Championship, where he placed third in the master class. The following summer, he earned second place at the Bodybuilding Fitness Championship Tournament in Osaka. The victory allowed him to advance to the 28th Japan Masters Championship Competition, where he earned second place.

Kakuda returned from retirement to take part in the first kickboxing tournament of his career - the K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Seoul. His first opponent in 19 months was ex-sumo wrestler Akebono Tarō. Despite being the match favorite due to Tarō's 0-5 kickboxing record, Kakuda found himself in trouble when the former yokozuna made use of his tremendous size advantage by swarming his opponent, wearing him down with knees and uppercuts. Kakuda was left with little opportunity (or room) to strike back and lost by unanimous decision.

Kakuda redeemed himself of the loss later that year with his most dominant win yet over mixed martial artist Mavrick Harvey. Within the first minute of fighting, Kakuda scored a one-hit knockout when he struck his opponent in the face, shattering Harvey's cheekbone. Kakuda's next match would mark his second retirement from kickboxing, taking place at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Osaka – Final Elimination. His final opponent was K-1 newcomer George Longinidis, who defeated Kakuda via unanimous decision in a hard-fought battle.

At the time of his second retirement in 2005, Kakuda was the oldest (44) and shortest (174 cm) participant in the K-1 tournaments. His association with K-1 continues as a regent, ringside judge, and referee – positions he'd already held during his fighting career. He has also served as an executive producer for K-1 under the Fighting and Entertainment Group.

Faring better in his following six matches, Kakuda endured no worse than a draw to mixed martial artist Ryūshi Yanagisawa and gained his only victory over a world champion by defeating Duncan Airlie James. However, after eight years as an active kickboxer, Kakuda sought retirement to focus on his other duties within K-1. What was to be his final match took place at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 in Las Vegas against fellow seidokaikan stylist Musashi. Kakuda endured four knockdowns in the final two rounds and lost via unanimous decision.

Kakuda repeatedly set Guinness world records for breaking the most wooden baseball bats with his shin in one minute: 27 bats in 2001, 33 in 2002, and 54 in 2009. His record was eventually beaten by German martial artist Kerim Duygu, who managed to break 65 bats in 2017.

Competitive karate made up the longest portion of Kakuda's martial arts career, beginning relatively early in his life as captain of his university's karate club. Less than a decade later, he was representing Japan in international competition, fighting under kyokushin and eventually seidokaikan rules. He retired following a loss to Michael Thompson at the Seidokaikan Karate World Cup in 1993, but revisited the sport occasionally in later years. His most recent karate fight to date was a decision loss to Hiroki Kurosawa at Pride 6.

From December 1991 to July 1993, Kakuda performed in RINGS, an organization which promoted professional wrestling and eventually mixed martial arts. Though his tenure was prior to the federation's official move to no-holds-barred competition, he competed in a single legitimate fight at the RINGS Battle Dimensions Tournament 1992, meeting kickboxing legend Rob Kaman under mixed rules. He lost the fight when, in the third round, Kaman smashed his knee into his downed opponent's face and a technical knockout was ruled.

Nobuaki Kakuda (角田信朗 , Kakuda Nobuaki, born April 11, 1961 in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture) is a retired karateka and kickboxer.