In 2010, world famous Thai Kickboxer, Buakaw Bancahmek did not compete in the K-1 World Max and instead he entered the Shoot Boxing world tournament.
In his first competition under Shoot Boxing rules Buakaw defeated another newbie to the Japanese style in finalist and MMA fighter Toby Imada to become the shoot Boxing world tournament Champion.
In this post we discuss;
- What is shoot Boxing?
- How is it connected to muay thai and catch wrestling
- Shoot Boxing vs Muay thai – similarities/differences
- Famous fighters
What is shoot boxing?
Shoot Boxing is a Japanese hybrid style of martial art that is focussed on stand up striking.
It was created by Japanese Kickboxer cesar Takeshi in 1985. Takeshi was the promoter for the 2010 S-Cup which buakaw won.
It is both a fighting style as well as a fight promotion company in Japan.
In terms of fighting style it is similar to muay thai in that kicks, punches, knees and takedowns are allowed.
But the Japanese style does allow standing submissions and a wider range of throws and takedowns than in muay thai.
Shoot Boxing techniques
According to the rules of the combat sport from shootboxing.org, the “valid fighting techniques” include:
Punches: Straight, Hook, Upper, Back blow, Elbow
Kick: Front Kick, Low Kick, Middle Kick, High Kick, Side Kick, Back Kick, Inside thigh-Kick, Jump Kick, Knee.
Throws : Neck-toss, Hip-toss, Judo throws, Back drop, suplex.
Standing Locks: Standing font neck lock; Standing straight arm bar
So to those who are inexperienced in kickboxing and muay thai, the two styles pretty much appear the same.
Shoot Boxing connections with muay thai
The creator of Shoot Boxing, Cesar Takeshi was a former kickboxer who began kickboxing at the age of 16 at Nishio gym.
Takeshi was the Asia Pacific Kickboxing federation welterweight champion and proved himself a legit fighter.
Training kickboxing in japan meant training a fighting style that was influenced by Japanese styles as well as muay thai.
The creation of Japanese kickboxing came out of the muay thai vs karate match ups of the 1950-60s.
Following losses by the Japanese karateka, many Karate practitioners began incorporating muay thai training into their styles to create a kickboxing style.
Shoot Boxing and Catch wrestling
Takeshi also became interested in professional wrestling which was also popular in japan. In the early 1980’s Takeshi trained shoot-style wrestling with Satoru Sayama at his Super Tiger Gym.
Takeshi also came to learn from legendary catch wrestler Karl gotch as well as akira Maeda.
This led later to the creation of the new kickboxing and shoot wrestling style by Takeshi who was influenced by both styles.
Shoot Boxing vs Muay Thai
Similairities
As combat sports and fighting styles, shoot boxing and muay thai are very similar.
1.Both Fight in a ring with timed rounds
Fights take place in similar settings and formats including the boxing ring and similar timed rounds.
In muay thai fights are 5 rounds of 3 minutes each with a 2 minute break.
Shoot fighting rounds in the expert class are also five rounds of 3 minutes each with a one minute break between rounds.
2.Both use 8 Limbs
The influence of Kickboxing and also muay thai on the Japanese style is evident in the primary fighting style of striking using all 8 limbs.
In both styles punches, kicks, knees and elbows are permitted.
3.Stand Up Grappling only
Similar to muay thai there is no ground fighting and no submissions on the ground either.
Stand up grappling is used in both styles.
The muay thai clinch is very intricate and specialized while in shoot fighting there is also the inclusion of stand up submissions.
Main differences
Though they look quite similar especially to the untrained eye, both styles are quite unique and different in their history, development and rule set.
i) Takedowns
In shoot boxing a much wider range of takedowns are allowed including Judo throws and suplex throws.
In muay thai takedowns are extensive and include a wide variety of dumps, sweeps and trips.
However outside reap type takedowns which use the calf/back of the leg of the calf to reap an opponent such as in osoto gari or ouchi gari and not permitted in muay thai.
ii) Stand Up Submissions
In shoot fighting standing submissions are permitted and include the ‘standing front neck lock’ and ‘standing straight arm bar’.
These techniques and submissions in general are not allowed in muay thai.
iii) History & Spirituality
As a hybrid style of martial art, the Japanese combat syle founded in 1985 is very new compared to the thousands of years of history of muay thai and muay boran or ‘Ancient Boxing’ of Thailand from which muay thai developed from.
So tradition and custom is another major difference between the two.
In muay thai how you enter the ring, the arm bands, headband and wai khru ram muay are all important parts that cannot be excluded in real muay thai.
Before each muay thai fight the wai kru is performed and this also relates to the spiritual culture of Thailand in an act of ‘sealing the ring’ to keep bad luck out and paying respect to the teacher and school.
There are no such traditions in shot boxing where fighting and competition are the sole focus.
Shoot Boxing Fighters
Shootboxing Champions have included the likes of Buakaw in 2010.
But, there are also Shoot boxing specialists who are world class strikers and who have gone on from the S-Cup to others world class kickboxing and MMA promotions.
Below are some of the more popular and well known names in shoot boxing.
Andy Souwer
Souwer is a dutch kickboxer and MMA fighter. He was a four time shootboxing champion. He fights out of the famous Mejiro Gym in amsterdam which has historical connections with Japanese kickboxing.
Souwer is well known for his wins in the S-Cup. He was also WMTA Muay thai cHampion, WKA Kickboxing Champion and ISKA Champion making him a striking phenom.
Hiroki Shishido
With is primary fighting style being Shoot booxing, Shishido fights out of Cesar Gym and is a former S-Cup finalist and WMC champion.
He was also multiple Japanese shoot Boxing Champion as well as Oriental and Pacific Shoot boxing champion.
Rena Kubota
Record 4 time Shootboxing girls S-Cup winner, Rena is a former Shootboxing flyweight champion who now competes regularly in MMA on Rizin.
She is highly regarded as one of the world best female strikers and MMA fighters.
Wrap Up
The Japanese combat style of Shoot Boxing is also a fight promotion that was started by Cesar Takeshi in 1985.
It has developed into a fighting style that has roots in Muay thai, Japanese Kickboxing and Catch Wrestling.
It shares many similarities with muay thai most notably the use of the elbow and clinch.
However it includes a much wider range of takedowns as well as stand up submissions.
Overall it is a unique hybrid style that is still quite new in the martial arts world, but one that has a lot to offer in terms of world class fighters and effective fighting techniques.
