Mixed martial arts legend Norifumi
Yamamoto has announced that he is battling cancer. The man
nicknamed "Kid," a former K-1 HEROES tournament champion and
veteran of Shooto,
Dream
and the
Ultimate Fighting Championship, made the announcement in an
Instagram post on Sunday (h/t to BJPenn.com for translation):
"Although it will be a personal report, I will do my best to treat cancer,” Yamamoto wrote. “I am absolutely energetic and I strongly want to return, so please give me a warm support!”
Yamamoto did not give any details on the type of cancer he has, nor any specific prognosis.
The 41 year-old icon, who has not fought since 2015, came from a college wrestling background but quickly became infamous for his prodigious knockout power, a relative rarity in the sub-155 weight divisions of the day. Debuting in 2001, his true coming-out party was winning the 2005 K-1 HERO'S Lightweight Grand Prix. Along with Urijah Faber, Yamamoto is generally credited as one of the lighter weight classes' first superstars, and Faber vs. "Kid" was a favorite fantasy matchup and source of debate among hardcore MMA fans in the mid-00s.
"Although it will be a personal report, I will do my best to treat cancer,” Yamamoto wrote. “I am absolutely energetic and I strongly want to return, so please give me a warm support!”
Yamamoto did not give any details on the type of cancer he has, nor any specific prognosis.
The 41 year-old icon, who has not fought since 2015, came from a college wrestling background but quickly became infamous for his prodigious knockout power, a relative rarity in the sub-155 weight divisions of the day. Debuting in 2001, his true coming-out party was winning the 2005 K-1 HERO'S Lightweight Grand Prix. Along with Urijah Faber, Yamamoto is generally credited as one of the lighter weight classes' first superstars, and Faber vs. "Kid" was a favorite fantasy matchup and source of debate among hardcore MMA fans in the mid-00s.
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