Kestutis Smirnovas is a Lithuanian MMA fighter and Judoka who fought in Pride Fighting Championships, RINGS, Shooto and HERO'S.
Despite dominating the beginning of the contest, almost knocking Sakuraba out with a long sequence of ground-and-pound, Smirnovas lost via submission due to an armbar still in the first round.
[3] Smirnovas replaced Sakuraba in the semifinal as he was unable to compete due to medical conditions.
He faced Yoshihiro Akiyama on October 9, 2006 at K-1 Hero's 7, losing via TKO in the first round.
[5] In 2016 he was elected to the Seimas, defeating Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius in the Vilkaviškis electoral district.