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ZST

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ZST
Company typePrivate
IndustryMixed martial arts Promotions
GenrePromoting
FoundedNovember 23, 2002
FounderKōki Hioki
Headquarters
Key people
Jō Uehara (Head of promotion)
ServicesPromoting Mixed Martial Mrts events
ParentZST Office
Websitehttp://www.zst.jp/

ZST (pronounced Zest) is a Japan-based mixed martial arts promotion and sanctioning organization holding amateur and semi-professional MMA events. ZST adopts unique rules in the MMA industry and also used to hold tag-team MMA matches.

History

Before establishment

ZST was conceived in efforts to accommodate fighters of puroresu cum MMA promotion RINGS that went defunct in February 2002. On September 22, 2002, Takeshi Caesar, the president of Shoot boxing Association(SBA), and Koki Hioki, representative of ZST, had a conversation after the shoot boxing event, and they announced that SBA supports ZST. For this reason, ZST promoted some metches under shoot boxing rule in the early age[1].

First event

The first ZST event "The Battle Field ZST Opening Event" was arranged on November 23 2002 in Tokyo, and it has since experienced a dramatic increase in popularity possibly in large part due to their highly different rule format. In this event, not only usual MMA matches but MMA tag match also was hold among Takumi Yano, Masakazu Imanari and Remigijus Morkevicius, Mindaugas Stankos [2].

ZST GP

On November 23 2003, "ZST GP Opening" was hold in Tokyo.

On May 17 2008, ZST announced a major partnership with DEEP. The partnership will allow the two organizations to co-promote shows, share fighters and eventually unify the organizations.[3]

Rules

ZST Rule

Bouts consist of three rounds with a rest period of one and a half minutes. The first and second rounds are five minutes in duration and the third round is three minutes in duration, but the third round is a extra round. Punches, elbow strikes, knees and kicks are allowed to the head and body when both fighters are standing. On the ground punches, elbow strikes, knees and kicks are only allowed to the body. Bouts are not judged. In the event that the bout goes the full time, the bout is ruled a draw.

Grappling rule (GT-F Rule)

Bouts consist of two rounds with a rest period of one and two minutes. The first and second rounds are five minutes in duration. The positioning is not regarded for scoring as important factor and any motions including clinching and holding which impedes bouts are prohibited. GT-F came from "Grappling Tournament - Featherweight".

Events

ZST holds various types of events depending on their theme.

  • ZST
    The main events held regularly under ZST rule for the top contenders.
  • ZST GP
    The tournament events under KOK rule. The events are divided to twice.
  • Battle Hazard
    The events focusing the matches which are not under ZST rule.
  • GT-F
    The tournament events of grappling.
  • Genesis
    The opening matches of ZST and Battle Hazard for the fresh professional contenders.
  • SWAT!
    The events focusing the fresh professional contenders who currently participate Genesis matches. It holds "Genesis tournament" every year, and it is an actual freshmen tournament.
  • Pre Stage
    The events of grappling for the amateur contenders.

Weight division

ZST sets 11 weight divisions.

Weight division Weight No. Name of Champion Nationality
Absoluteweight No limit - Vacant -
Super heavyweight above 100kg - Vacant -
Heavyweight from 90 to less than 100kg - Vacant -
Cruiserweight from 85 to less than 90kg - Vacant -
Light heavyweight from 80 to less than 85kg - Vacant -
Middleweight from 75 to less than 80kg - Vacant -
Welterweight from 70 to less than 75kg - Tetsuya Yamada JapanJapan
Lightweight from 65 to less than 70kg - Vacant -
Featherweight from 60 to less than 65kg - Masayuki Okude JapanJapan
Bantamweight from 55 to less than 60kg 1st Keisuke Fujiwara JapanJapan
Flyweight less than 55kg 1st Ryosuke Tanuma[4] JapanJapan

References