}}'''{{Nihongo|''Vale Tudo Japan (VTJ)''|ヴァーリ・トゥード・ジャパン|Vāri Tūdo Japan|lead=yes}}''' is an annual [[mixed martial arts]] competition held in Japan. Originally arranged by promoter and former [[Pro Wrestler|professional wrestler]] [[Satoru Sayama]], he had previously created a [[Hybrid martial arts|hybrid martial art]] organization named [[Shooto]] in 1985. He arranged VTJ in 1994 with the objective of creating a more rules-free event similar to the early [[Ultimate Fighting Championship]] events in the United States and [[Vale Tudo]] competitions in Brazil, previously to this tournament, Shooto did not feature [[Strike (attack)|striking]] in [[Ground fighting|ground position]]. The fighters were composed by the best Japanese MMA fighters drawn from [[Shooto]], the [[Shoot wrestling|Shoot Wrestling]] circuit as well as foreign invitees, oneofthemandmost famously begin the older brother of [[UFC]] champion [[Royce Gracie]], [[Brazilian jiu-jitsu]] legend [[Rickson Gracie]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Fight Finder - Mixed Martial Arts Statistics|url=http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/fightfinder.asp?Organization_ID%3D12|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312200216/http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/fightfinder.asp?Organization_ID=12|archive-date=March 12, 2007|access-date=August 28, 2006}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Sherdog.com|title=The Resurrection of Vale Tudo Japan|url=https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/The-Resurrection-of-Vale-Tudo-Japan-20600|access-date=2021-12-14|website=Sherdog}}</ref>Some other notable fighters to fight at Vale Tudo Japan include [[Sanae Kikuta]], [[Takanori Gomi]], [[Enson Inoue]], [[João Roque]], [[Carlos Newton]], [[Rumina Sato]], [[Royler Gracie]], [[Dan Severn]], [[Vladimir Matyushenko]], [[Frank Shamrock]], [[Jean Jacques Machado]], [[Randy Couture]], [[Frank Trigg]], [[André Pederneiras]], [[Rafael Cordeiro]], [[Alexandre Franca Nogueira]], [[Hayato Sakurai]], and [[Yuki Nakai]]. Vale Tudo Japan events ran from 1994 to 1999, a pair of editions held in 1994 and '95 were [[Single-elimination tournament|single-elimination tournaments]], both of which were won by Rickson Gracie.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Blackett |first1=Todd |title=Throwback: Rickson Gracie vs Yuki Nakai At Vale Tudo Japan 1995 |url=https://jitsmagazine.com/throwback-rickson-gracie-vs-yuki-nakai-at-vale-tudo-japan-1995/ |website=Jitsmagazine |access-date=14 February 2024}}</ref> Afterwards, from 1996 to 1999 the events were invitationals.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Vale Tudo Japan - VTJ (Vale Tudo Japan Executive Committee) {{!}} MMA Promoter|url=https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/promotions/406-vale-tudo-japan-vtj|access-date=2021-12-14|website=Tapology|language=en}}</ref>
}}'''{{Nihongo|''Vale Tudo Japan (VTJ)''|ヴァーリ・トゥード・ジャパン|Vāri Tūdo Japan|lead=yes}}''' is an annual [[mixed martial arts]] competition held in Japan. Originally arranged by promoter and former [[Pro Wrestler|professional wrestler]] [[Satoru Sayama]], he had previously created a [[Hybrid martial arts|hybrid martial art]] organization named [[Shooto]] in 1985. He arranged VTJ in 1994 with the objective of creating a more rules-free event similar to the early [[Ultimate Fighting Championship]] events in the United States and [[Vale Tudo]] competitions in Brazil, previously to this tournament, Shooto did not feature [[Strike (attack)|striking]] in [[Ground fighting|ground position]]. The fighters were composed by the best Japanese MMA fighters drawn from [[Shooto]], the [[Shoot wrestling|Shoot Wrestling]] circuit as well as foreign invitees, including illustrious names such as [[Brazilian jiu-jitsu]] legend [[Rickson Gracie]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Fight Finder - Mixed Martial Arts Statistics|url=http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/fightfinder.asp?Organization_ID%3D12|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312200216/http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/fightfinder.asp?Organization_ID=12|archive-date=March 12, 2007|access-date=August 28, 2006}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Sherdog.com|title=The Resurrection of Vale Tudo Japan|url=https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/The-Resurrection-of-Vale-Tudo-Japan-20600|access-date=2021-12-14|website=Sherdog}}</ref>
Some other notable fighters to fight at Vale Tudo Japan include [[Sanae Kikuta]], [[Takanori Gomi]], [[Enson Inoue]], [[João Roque]], [[Carlos Newton]], [[Rumina Sato]], [[Royler Gracie]], [[Dan Severn]], [[Vladimir Matyushenko]], [[Frank Shamrock]], [[Jean Jacques Machado]], [[Randy Couture]], [[Frank Trigg]], [[André Pederneiras]], [[Rafael Cordeiro]], [[Alexandre Franca Nogueira]], [[Hayato Sakurai]], and [[Yuki Nakai]]. Vale Tudo Japan events ran from 1994 to 1999, a pair of editions held in 1994 and '95 were [[Single-elimination tournament|single-elimination tournaments]], both of which were won by Rickson Gracie.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Blackett |first1=Todd |title=Throwback: Rickson Gracie vs Yuki Nakai At Vale Tudo Japan 1995 |url=https://jitsmagazine.com/throwback-rickson-gracie-vs-yuki-nakai-at-vale-tudo-japan-1995/ |website=Jitsmagazine |access-date=14 February 2024}}</ref> Afterwards, from 1996 to 1999 the events were invitationals.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Vale Tudo Japan - VTJ (Vale Tudo Japan Executive Committee) {{!}} MMA Promoter|url=https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/promotions/406-vale-tudo-japan-vtj|access-date=2021-12-14|website=Tapology|language=en}}</ref>
Vale Tudo Japan returned in 2009, now organizing by the "Vale Tudo Japan Executive Committee", with semi-annual events and three reunion events in 2009, 2012 and 2016.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Vale Tudo Japan - VTJ (Vale Tudo Japan Executive Committee) {{!}} MMA Promoter |url=https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/promotions/406-vale-tudo-japan-vtj |access-date=2021-12-14 |website=Tapology |language=en}}</ref>
Vale Tudo Japan returned in 2009, now organizing by the "Vale Tudo Japan Executive Committee", with semi-annual events and three reunion events in 2009, 2012 and 2016.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Vale Tudo Japan - VTJ (Vale Tudo Japan Executive Committee) {{!}} MMA Promoter |url=https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/promotions/406-vale-tudo-japan-vtj |access-date=2021-12-14 |website=Tapology |language=en}}</ref>
Vale Tudo Japan returned in 2009, now organizing by the "Vale Tudo Japan Executive Committee", with semi-annual events and three reunion events in 2009, 2012 and 2016.[2][5]
Early Vale Tudo Japan events were a huge success, it led to a boom of the popularity and development of MMA and Shooto in Japan, and the tournament is considered a predecessor to PRIDE Fighting Championships. VTJ's format and rules would serve as a basis for PRIDE,[2] while Rickson Gracie's impressive victories in VTJ would make him a celebrity in Japan, leading to him being paired with popular Shoot-styleprofessional wrestlerNobuhiko Takada to headline Pride 1 in 1997.[6]
Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ 3rd (also known as VTJ 3RD) was held on October 5, 2013, at Ota City General Gymnasium in Ota, Tokyo, Japan. The main event featured longtime # 1 ranked Megumi Fujii in her retirement bout.