The Kyokushinkai organization has built its strength on a foundation of the fighting ability and courage not only of its founder, the late Grandmaster Masutatsu Oyama, but its students. Sosai Oyama therefore introduced a test unique only to Kyokushin Karate, the "Hyaku Nin Kumite" or the "One Hundred Man Kumite". This is considered the ultimate test in Kyokushin Karate as one has to fight 100 opponents in full contact knockdown fighting with each bout lasting two minutes.
Should one be knocked down for more than five seconds, one would fail the test even if it were your last fight. To make it more difficult, one must win a greater percentage of your fight by Ippon (full points) and not take continuous punishment or block only, in order to stay on your feet. To show that this feat could be done, in his prime Sosai Oyama fought 100 opponents on each of three consecutive days. He wanted to continue for a fourth day but there were no opponents left to fight. It is little wonder that only 14 other people in the whole world have successfully completed this test, where only the strongest, both mentally and physically, survive.
Two top Kyokushin World Champions completed this feat in 1995. They are Sensei Kenji Yamaki 4th Dan of Japan and Shihan Francisco Filho (then) 3rd Dan of Brazil. Both fights took place at the Kyokushin headquarters in Japan and were filmed live. Yamaki, who is the 6th World Champion, fought on March 18, 1995 and took 3 hours and 27 minutes to complete his 100 man fight. He won 22 fights by Ippon, won 61 by decision of which 23 were Waza-ari (half points), drew 12 fights and lost 5 fights. Filho, who is the 7th World Champion, fought on March 22, 1995 and took 3 hours and 8 minutes to complete his 100 man fights. He won 26 fights by Ippon, won 50 by decision, drew 24 and did not lose any fights. 
By completing this feat, they joined the elite group of men who are considered as legends in Japan and in the Karate world.
Since it was first started 42 years ago, the 100 man Kumite was always completed over two days and 50 fights on each day. Then Sosai Oyama decided that the test should be completed on one day. On December 1, 1972, Shihan Howard Collins 7th Dan of Britain, completed his 100 fights in less than four hours in one day. Since then, all those who have completed this feat have done so in less than four hours. It is these people whom Sosai Oyama considers as real budoka, those who have achieved the true test of the Hundred Men Kumite, for the preparation involves years of forging an indomitable spirit and a will of granite. Those who have completed this unique feat are the most humble people as they do not boast of it. To complete this feat, one does not have to be a world champion as out of the fourteen, only three have been World Champion.
Many Karatekas including two time world champion, Shihan Makoto Nakamura 6th Dan, have attempted this feat but have failed. Shihan Keiji Sampei 6th Dan, failed on his first attempt after 49 fights. He persevered and succeeded after the second attemp. To accomplish this feat, one must have a strong grasp of the "Spirit of Osu" or perseverance beyond normal limits. The Hundred Man Kumite is the "Supreme Test of the Spirit of Osu", the ultimate test of physical an mental perseverance in the Martial Arts.
The Hundred Man Kumite offers the dedicated and serious Karate warrior a challenge like no other in any other martial art or sport today.
| 1965 | Sosai Oyama |  |
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| 1965 | Steve Arneil |  |
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| 1965 | Tadashi Nakamura | |
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| 1965 | Shigeru Oyama | |
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| 1967 | Loek Hollander |  |
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| 1967 | John Jarvis |  |
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| 1971 | Howard Collins |  |
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| 1972 | Miyuki Miura | |
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| 1986 | Shokei Matsui | | Link to video of Kancho Matsui 100 man kumite |
| 1987 | Ademir DaCosta |  |
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| 1990 | Keiji Sanpei | |
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| 1991 | Akira Masuda | |
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| 1995 | Kenji Yamaki | |
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| 1995 | Francisco Filho | | Link to video of Francisco Filho 100 man kumite |
| 1999 | Hajime Kazumi | |
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| 2009 | Artur Hovhannisyan |  |
Last updated 20/03/2015
