After he started practicing Seidokaikan karate, he took his ring name from the famous samurai Musashi Miyamoto, as his kicking techniques were said to resemble the latter's sword-slashing moves.

[2] Musashi made his entrance into kickboxing and K-1 debut with an impressive knockout victory over fellow karate competitor Patrick Smith in 1995.

[3] The following year saw a reversal in fortune, as Musashi secured his rival Kirkwood Walker’s WAKO Pro World Muay Thai Heavyweight title and won his first tournament – the K-1 Spirits '99 Japanese Grand Prix.

Upholding his new standard, he remained undefeated throughout most of the following year, achieving a four-match winning streak that brought him to the K-1 World Grand Prix 2004.

He defeated returning opponent Ray Sefo and Thai sensation Kaoklai Kaennorsing before meeting Remy Bonjasky in the finals for the second time.

Despite showcasing excellent agility throughout by evading Bonjasky’s kicks and knees, Musashi was visibly exhausted by the final round and endured several unanswered strikes that resulted in his defeat by unanimous decision.

In conjunction with the film part, Musashi provided voice acting for the same character in the video game Kamen Rider: Battride War II.

Musashi's manner of fighting was fairly unique for a K-1 front runner in that he was a technical fighter who relied primarily on his fists for offense.

A longtime student of former WBA Super Middleweight champion Frankie Liles, Musashi would continually employ the powerful kicks that inspired his stage name but focused on punching combinations to wear down his opponents.

He was a conservative fighter whose technical approach resulted in relatively few knockout victories for a K-1 headliner, but he also boasted a steely defense that made KO losses a rarity as well.