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Pancrase
is a Japanese mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Tokyo. It was founded in 1993 by professional wrestlers Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki. The name was based on pankration, a fighting sport in the Ancient Olympic Games. Suzuki and Funaki practiced catch wrestling. They based the promotion and its rules on professional wrestling. The promotion's champions were called "King of Pancrase". The rules allowed closed-fisted punches, except to the head, and palm strikes to the head. A wrestler must break a submission hold when the opponent reaches the ropes, but a wrestler who claims a rope break loses a point. A wrestler who claims a specified number of rope breaks (between 3 and 5) was disqualified. From 1998 to 2000, the promotion changed its rules to resemble other mixed martial arts promotions. Beginning in 2007, Pancrase: Legends of Mixed Martial Arts aired weekly on ImaginAsian TV. The network folded in 2011. In 2008, the Fight Netwo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Minoru Suzuki
(born June 17, 1968) is a Japanese Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and former Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist, known for his tenure in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former one-time IWGP Intercontinental Championship, IWGP Intercontinental Champion, former two-time NEVER Openweight Champion, former one-time IWGP Tag Team Champion, former one-time NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship, NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champion (with former Suzuki-gun stablemates El Desperado (wrestler), El Desperado and Ren Narita) and a former KOPW (professional wrestling championship), Provisional KOPW Champion. He also makes appearances for Major League Wrestling (MLW), where he is a member of Contra Unit and is a former MLW World Tag Team Championship, MLW World Tag Team Champion, with Ikuro Kwon. Suzuki was the co-founder of Pancrase, one of the first mixed martial arts organizations in the world. During the 1990s, he was widely considered one ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Masakatsu Funaki
is a Japanese actor, mixed martial artist and professional wrestler known professionally as , who has previously wrestled in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi (PWFG), Newborn UWF (UWF), and Wrestle-1 (W-1). He is also the co-founder of Pancrase, one of the first mixed martial arts organizations and non-rehearsed shoot wrestling promotions (following five years after the inception of Shooto but predating America's Ultimate Fighting Championship). Funaki was also Pancrase's biggest star; Josh Barnett described him as the "symbol of Japan", Frank Shamrock labeled Funaki "the golden boy" of Pancrase, and Guy Mezger called Funaki "hands down the smartest and most skilled fighter in Pancrase next to Ken Shamrock". Not only the organization's co-founder and most popular fighter, Funaki was also one of Pancrase's most successful fighters to date, scoring submission victories over numerous MMA champions such as Ken Shamroc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bas Rutten
Sebastiaan "Bas" Rutten (; born 24 February 1965) is a Dutch-American actor, former mixed martial artist, kickboxer and professional wrestler. As a kickboxer, he fought 16 times, winning the first 14 matches by knockout, 13 in the first round, and losing his final two fights, one of them against Frank Lobman for the European Muay Thai title in 1991, with Rutten losing by knockout in the first round. In MMA, he was a UFC Heavyweight Champion and a three-time King of Pancrase world champion. After his submission loss to Ken Shamrock in 1995, he finished his MMA career on a 22 fight unbeaten streak (21 wins, 1 draw). As a professional fighter, one of his favorite tactics was the liver shot (both punch and kick), and he popularized its use in MMA.The 10 Best Signature Moves in MMA. ''Bas Rutten's liver shot ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guy Mezger
Guy Mezger (born January 1, 1968) is an American martial artist, who competed in professional combat sports including full contact karate, kickboxing, and boxing, but is most recognized as a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter. Mezger retired from professional competition on January 25, 2005. He is associated with Lion's Den and runs their school in Dallas. Mezger was a champion in mixed martial arts in two different promotions, the UFC and Pancrase. He holds wins over Tito Ortiz, Masakatsu Funaki, Yuki Kondo, Semmy Schilt, and Minoru Suzuki. Mezger has trained with many great martial arts competitors and trainer/instructors; his main trainers have been Vince Tamura (judo), Willie Thompson (wrestling), Billy "Jack" Jackson (kickboxing), and Ken Shamrock (shootfighting). Mezger has co-written a book, ''The Complete Idiot's Guide to Kickboxing''; he had an uncredited speaking role in the first-season episode of ''Walker, Texas Ranger'' titled "Night of the Gladiator". Early li ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ken Shamrock
Kenneth Wayne Shamrock ( né Kilpatrick; born February 11, 1964) is an American retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. He is currently signed to WWE under a Legends contract, under the ring name Ken Shamrock. He is best known for his time in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), WWE and other combat sports. An inaugural inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame, Shamrock is widely regarded as an icon and pioneer of the sport. He has headlined over 15 main events and co-main events in the UFC and Pride FC and set numerous MMA pay-per-view records. In the early part of his UFC career, Shamrock was named "The World's Most Dangerous Man" by ABC News in a special called "The World's Most Dangerous Things". The moniker has stuck as his nickname. Shamrock became known early on in the UFC for his rivalry with Royce Gracie. After fighting to a draw in the inaugural UFC "Superfight", he became the first UFC Superfight Champion when he defeated Dan Severn at UFC 6; the tit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frank Shamrock
Frank Shamrock (born Frank Alisio Juarez III; December 8, 1972) is an American former professional mixed martial artist. Shamrock was the first to hold the UFC Middleweight Championship (later renamed the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship) . Shamrock was the No. 1 ranked pound for pound UFC fighter in the world during his reign as the UFC Middleweight Champion. Shamrock has won numerous titles in other martial arts organizations, including the interim King of Pancrase title, the WEC Light Heavyweight Championship and the Strikeforce Middleweight Championship. Shamrock is regarded as one of the first complete mixed martial artists, having adapted his game from a ground-focused style of fighting to a more well-rounded and versatile style. He is a seventh degree black belt in submission fighting. He was named "Fighter of the Decade" for the 1990s by the '' Wrestling Observer'', "Best Full Contact Fighter" by ''Black Belt'' magazine (1998), and three time "Fighter of the Y ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Takaku Fuke
Takaku Fuke (冨宅飛駈; January 30, 1969), born Yusuke Fuke (冨宅裕介) is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial arts fighter. He was most notably involved in the early days of Pancrase, at infancy of Mixed Martial Arts in Japan. Fight Matrix ranked Takaku Fuke was #2 Heavyweight and #4 Pound-for-Pound best MMA fighter in the world in 1994. Background Fuke was an active practitioner of judo in high school. After graduating from high school in 1989, he became a UWF trainee. There, he would train with likes of Tatsuo Nakano and Ken Shamrock. Subsequently, he would work for Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi. While employed with PWFG, he was involved in a proto-MMA match with kickboxer Lawi Napataya. Combat sport career At Pancrase 2 (October 1993), he lost to Bas Rutten via TKO, following a knee to Fuke's liver. In November 1993, Fuke lost to Ken Shamrock via submission. In December 1994, Fuke took part in the King of Pancrase tournament, where he lost a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Josh Barnett
Joshua Lawrence Barnett (born November 10, 1977) is an American mixed martial artist, submission wrestler, professional wrestler, and color commentator. Barnett previously competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he was the youngest-ever UFC Heavyweight Champion. Barnett was the final Openweight King Of Pancrase, a finalist in both the 2006 PRIDE Openweight Grand Prix and the 2012 Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship Grand Prix. He has also competed in Affliction, World Victory Road, DREAM and Impact FC. Barnett is one of the most prominent modern-day catch wrestlers. He won an IBJJF no-gi jiu-jitsu world championship in 2009 - despite no formal jiu-jitsu training, the Metamoris Heavyweight Championship in 2014, and a Snake Pit Catch Wrestling World Championship in 2018. As a professional wrestler, Barnett made his in-ring debut in 2003 in the main event of New Japan Pro-Wrestling's annual January 4 Tokyo Dome Show, in a bout against IWGP Heavyweigh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mixed Martial Arts
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place throughout Japan and the countries of East Asia. At the same time, in Brazil there was a phenomenon called vale tudo, which became known for unrestricted fights between various styles such as judo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, catch wrestling, luta livre, Muay Thai and capoeira. An early high-profile mixed bout was Masahiko Kimura vs. Hélio Gracie, Kimura vs Gracie in 1951. In mid-20th century Hong Kong, rooftop street fighting contests between different martial arts styles gave rise to Bruce Lee's hybrid martial arts style Jeet Kune Do. Another precursor to modern MMA was the 1976 Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki, Ali vs. Inoki exhibition bout, fought between boxer Muhammad Ali and wrestler Antonio Inoki in Japan, where ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Karl Gotch
Karl Istaz (born Karel Alfons Ceclie Istaz; August 3, 1924 – July 28, 2007), best known by the ring name , was a competitor and trainer in Professional wrestling, professional, Amateur wrestling, amateur, and catch wrestling, born in Antwerp, Belgium. Considered one of the most influential wrestlers of his time period, he is best known for training several acclaimed and influential professional wrestlers in Japan, and for becoming a catalyst in the faculty development of Puroresu#Strong style, ''Strong style'', alongside New Japan Pro-Wrestling founder Antonio Inoki and fellow trainer Billy Robinson. Born in 1924, he was raised into a Hungarians, Hungarian-Dutch people, Dutch family in Flanders, and was a victim of Holocaust persecutions Discrimination against atheists#Nazi Germany, due to his father's atheism. After 1945, he became involved in Olympic-level wrestling training, culminating in him representing Belgium at the 1948 Summer Olympics in both Wrestling at the 1948 Summ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wrestling
Wrestling is a martial art, combat sport, and form of entertainment that involves grappling with an opponent and striving to obtain a position of advantage through different throws or techniques, within a given ruleset. Wrestling involves different grappling-type techniques, such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins, and other grappling holds. Many different wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat sports, and military systems. Wrestling comes in different forms, the most popular being professional wrestling, which is a form of athletic theatre. Other legitimateThe term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to predetermined professional wrestling, which is very different from the legitimate (or real-life) wrestling combat predominantly detailed in this article. competitive forms include Greco-Roman, freestyle, judo, sambo, folkstyle, catch, shoot, luta livre, submission, sumo, pehl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
