Shootfighting has its origins in in catch wrestling and specifically from the 1970’s when legendary catch wrestler, Karl Gotch taught Japanese pro wrestlers his catch wrestling techniques which were also known as “shooting”.
Shootfighting is the overall umbrella term that included hybrid styles and organisations/tournaments which included Pancrase, Shoot boxing and Shooto.
The main common them running through each of the different styles of Shootfighting, Pancrase, Shoot boxing and Shooto is their origins in Japan and Japanese pro wrestling.
Shootfighting Includes Each of the Hybrid Japanese styles
In fact fighters who competed in Pancrase, Shoot boxing and Shooto still considered themselves shoot fighters which pays homage to the origins of the various styles in the “shooting” techniques taught by Karl Goth to Japanese pro wrestlers in the 1970s.
Shootfighting Leads to ‘shoot wrestling’ and MMA in Japan
One of the Japanese wrestlers Gotch taught, Antonio Inoki then began hosting matches against others martial arts styles in 1976.
While these matches were largely “predertmied, this began the hosting of matches known as shoots which involved mixed martial arts or hybrid matches featuring different styles and that were not limited to grappling only.
The ‘shoot-wrestling’ that became more popular featured real and effective grappling matches.
However, hybrid or mixed martial arts style maths also became increasingly popular as legitimate matches that included more than wrestling.
Thus, shoot fighting was born.
The Main Difference Between Shootfighting and Other Japanese “shoot” styles
The main difference is purely in name and specifically the trademarking of the term “shoot fighting” by American pro wrestler and Japanese Pro Wrestling Champion, Bart Vale.
Vale used the term shootfighting to describe his style of fighting which was a mixed style combining shoot wrestling he learned in Japan as well as Kenpo, Japanese Jujutsu and Thai Boxing.
Vale also founded the International Shootfighting Association and trademarked the term Shootfighting and reserving rights over the term.
Pancrase “shootfighting”
Pancrase or Pancrase Hybrid Wrestling is actually a promotion rather than a particular style of mixed martial art.
Pancrase Hybrid Wrestling is a promotion company founded in Japan in 1993 by Japanese professional wrestlers Masakatsu Funaki and Monoru Suzuki.
Pancrase takes its name from the Ancient Greek style of combat sport known as Pankration.
Is Pancrase a Style of Shootfighting?
You could say legitimately, that Pancrase is a type of shootfighting.
But as stated above, Pancrase is actually a fighting promotion/organization that originated in Japan.
The rules of Pancrase are mixed or hybrid in nature in that both grappilng and striking are included.
Much of the rules of Pancrase had origins in Pro-wrestling; for example:
- a submission hold must be let go if the fighter can reach and grab the rope
- fighters who claim a “rope break” in order to get a submission hold released also lose a point
- a fighter who gains a specified number of “rope breaks” is disqualified and forfeits the match
- closed fist punches to the head and face are not allowed (open hand slaps are allowed)
Pancrase Moves Away from Shootfighting
Today, Pancrase has moved away from more shoofighting and Pro Wrestling influenced rules to more modern MMA rules.
Pancrase as a fight promotion has now adopted the “Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts.”
This essentially means that Pancrase today is a modern Mixed Martial Arts promotion and no longer a Shootfighting promotion.
Shooto
Unlike Shoot Boxing, Shooto is more of a hybrid or mixed martial arts style that includes both striking and grappling.
Shooto was established by Satoru Sayama in 1985.
Sayama who was a Pro Japanese Wrestler who trained in shoot wrestling, developed shooto in order to create a combat sport that was realistic and also effective as a fighting system.
Unlike Shoot wrestling which was popular in Japan at the time, Shooto was developed to be more realistic with no predetermined results which was the case in Pro Japanese Wrestling around this time.
The first amateur shooto event was took place in 1986 and 1989 was the year of the first professional shooto event.
Shooto became established in America in the 1980s when a top student of Sayama began teaching Shooto at the Inosanto Academy.
Shooto also developed into ShootoBrazil with the first held in Rio de Janeiro in 2002.
Shoot Boxing
Unlike other ‘shootfighting’ styles, Shoot Boxing is more focussed on stand up striking.
Shoot Boxing was created by Japanese Kickboxer Cesar Takeshi in 1985.
In fact to those who are not familiar with martial arts and combat sports, Shoot Boxing looks very similar to kickboxing.
And it is true that much of Shoot Boxing is very much the same as kickboxing.
In fact one of the most famous muay thai fighters, Buakaw Banchamek fought in and won the World Shoot Boxing tournament in 2010.
Famous Shootfighters
Shootfighting has produced many great champions and excellent all round fighters who were also able to be very successful under modern MMA rules.
Ken Shamrock
Probably the most famous and recognized shootfighter would be Ken Shamrock.
Shootfighting was the disicpline Shamrock utilized in the early UFC tournaments.
Ken Shamrock was the first King of Pancrase CHampion
Frank Shamrock
Frank Shamrock also was a notable Pancrase competitor and fighter.
Frank (younger brother of Ken Shamrock) also became King of Pancrase Champion, 2 years after his brother won the same crown.
Similarly, Frank would also go on to compete in the UFC and have a successful career in MMA.
Josh Barnett
Josh Barnett, was also Pancrase Open weight Champion before fighting in the UFC where he became UFC Heavyweight Champion.
Barnett became UFC Heavy weight champion when he defeated UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture by TKO using ground and pound.
Similar to Ken Shamrock, Barnett would also move between MMA and Pro Wrestling, highlighting their range of fighting skills, especially in the area of grappling and shootfighting.
