Kazushi Sakuraba announced for Pioneer Wing of UFC Hall of Fame

It’s tough to argue that Kazushi Sakuraba may have been the most entertaining and original character in the world of mixed martial arts. During tonight’s UFC 212 PPV broadcast, the promotion announced that ‘The Gracie Hunter’ will be rewarded by the UFC this summer during International Fight Week when he’s inducted into the Pioneer Wing of the UFC Hall of Fame.

With wins over Ken Shamrock, Kevin Randleman, Quinton Jackson, Vitor Belfort and just about every Gracie competing at the time, Sakuraba quickly became a superstar in Japan due to his unmatched charisma and exciting style.

The induction is set to take place on July 6th at the Park Theater in Vegas.

Here’s a look at the UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2017 thus far:

Urijah Faber (Modern-era wing)
Maurice Smith (Pioneer wing)
Joe Silva (Contributors)
Kazushi Sakuraba (Pioneer wing)