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Shooto

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This article is about a martial arts organization. For the baseball pitch, see Shuuto. For shutō, see Knifehand strike.
Shooto
修斗
FormerlyShin-Kakutōgi
Company typePrivate
IndustryMixed martial arts promotion
Founded1986; 38 years ago (1986)
FounderSayama Satoru
Headquarters
Japan
Key people
Yuki Nakai
Websitehttp://www.shooto-mma.com/

Shooto is a combat sport and mixed martial arts organization that is governed by the Shooto Association and the International Shooto Commission. Shooto was originally formed in 1985, as an organization and as a particular fighting system derived from shoot wrestling. Practitioners are referred to as shooters, similarly to practitioners of shoot wrestling. Shooto rules have evolved such that their events are now true mixed martial arts competitions.

The word shooto is an English transliteration of 修斗 (pronounced shū-to), an ateji derived from the English word "shoot". The word shooto contains 修 meaning to practice or train in, and 斗 which is just used for its pronunciation, as its literal meaning is a spoon or ladle.

Shooto weight classes are different from those of the United States Association of Boxing Commissions, which are used by most MMA promotions.[1][2][3]

In 2019 Shooto entered into a partnership with ONE Championship. Under the terms of the partnership, Shooto champions will have the opportunity to sign a contract with ONE, while their amateur champions will be given an opportunity to train at Evolve MMA for a year.[4]

History

Shooto was established as a "New Martial arts" (Shin-Kakutōgi) in 1985 by Satoru Sayama (the original Tiger Mask), a Japanese professional wrestler trained in shoot wrestling, who wished to create a sport that revolved around a realistic and effective fighting system.[5][6] After its establishment, New Martial arts was renamed "Shooting" which came from Shoot, a term of professional wrestling meaning "Serious match", but this changed to "Shooto" to avoid confusion with Shooting sports. Compared with the other professional wrestling organizations of the time, such as the New Japan Pro Wrestling and the Universal Wrestling Federation (Japan), Shooto was aimed at having no predetermined results. The first amateur event was held in 1986 and the first professional event in 1989.[5][6]

The Shooto organization hosted the Vale Tudo Japan tournament in the summer of 1994. Previously to this tournament, Shooto did not feature punches to the face in a ground position, but after seeing effective usage of punching by foreign participants, Sayama decided to incorporate these striking techniques into shooto. In April 1996, World Shooto, the Shooto Association and the International Shooto Commission were formed. This marked the end of Shooto as a single organization, and turned it into a combat sport with governing bodies. Since establishment of ISC, the champions of Shooto are called "World Champion". Vale Tudo Japan events were held annually from 1994 to 1999.[7] In May 2009, it was announced that Vale Tudo Japan would return for the first time in ten years on October 30, 2009.

Shooto was brought to America in the late 1980s by top student of Satoru Sayama, Yorinaga Nakamura. He began teaching Shooto at the Inosanto Academy in 1991, and is the instructor of Erik Paulson, Ron Balicki, Dan Inosanto, Larry Hartsell, and many others.

Shooto South America, also known as ShootoBazil is managed by founder of Nova União mixed martial arts academy, André Pederneiras.[8] Its first event was held in Rio de Janeiro in May 2002[9]

There has been an ongoing effort, spearheaded by Rich Santoro, to promote Shooto competition into the United States and Canada. He was officially named the Director of the International Shooto Commission - SHOOTO Americas division (the North American branch of the Shooto Association) in 2001. He has worked with both U.S. event promoters and state officials to spread the Shooto brand of competition throughout North America. As of 2006 Shooto has taken place in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee, Missouri, Nevada, Hawaii, and Vancouver, British Columbia. Promoters of Shooto events in North America have been HOOKnSHOOT, The Ironheart Crown, Midwest Fighting, Tennessee Shooto, RSF Shooto Challenge, TUFF-N-UFF, World Freestyle Fighting, SHOOTO Hawaii and Mannidog Productions.

Previous to 2009, Shooto's rules included a knockdown rule giving knocked down fighters an eight-count to recover as well as allowing strikes to the back of the head. Shooto had argued that the potential for a knocked out (and thus unconscious) fighter to receive unnecessary damage while on the ground necessitated the rule, but with Shooto being one of the lone organizations still having the rule, consideration of the potential for injury allowing a knocked down fighter time to recover thus allowing additional blows, and with the original vision of Shooto's founder being a synthesis of striking, throwing and submitting - the rule change was instituted in mid-2008. The disallowment of strikes to the back of the head was done for similar medical reasons.[5]

The long-running Japanese league Shooto and sister organization Vale Tudo Japan live-streamed its first shows on UFC Fight Pass in 2016. Vale Tudo Japan bouts are contested in a cage instead of Shooto's traditional ring, Broadcast schedules for both promotions were announced April 20, 2016 during a press conference in Tokyo. Shooto made its Fight Pass debut Saturday, April 23, with “Fight & Mosh” live from Maihama Amphitheater in Urayasu, Japan. Two world titles were on the line, Masaaki Sugawara made his first defense of the 125-pound belt against Hiromasa Ogikubo, plus Koshi Matsumoto and Yuki Kawana vied for the vacant 155-pound mantle. Shooto followed that up with events on July 17 and Nov. 12, both took place at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo as well as VTJ in Osaka” June 19 at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, and “VTJ 9th” on Sept. 19 which saw the organization return to its birthplace of Chiba prefecture.[citation needed]

Techniques and strategies

The aim in a shooto match is to defeat the opponent by a knockout or a submission, but fights can also end in a referee stoppage or by a judge decision. Legal techniques include general grappling, chokeholds, joint locks, kicks, knee strikes, punches, takedowns and throws. Illegal techniques include biting, elbow strikes, eye-gouging, forearm strikes, hair pulling, headbutting, kicking or kneeing the head of a downed opponent, small joint manipulation, strikes to the groin or throat and since September 1, 2008, strikes to the back of the head.[5]

Fighter classes

Shooto fighters are categorized into four Classes.[10]

  • Class-D : Amateur (2x2min, Headgear, Special point system)
  • Class-C : Amateur (2x3min, Headgear, Special point system)
  • Class-C+: Amateur (2x3min)
  • Class-B : Pro (2x5min)
  • Class-A : Pro (3x5min)

Fighters start out as Class-D or Class-C fighters and enter amateur competitions that Shooto hosts together with the help of local gyms all over Japan. Class-D Shooto does not allow knee strikes to the face or striking on the ground. Class-C Shooto does not allow striking on the ground, but knee strikes to the head are allowed. There are regional championship and once a year the All-Japan amateur championships. Then a fighter can get a Class-B pro license, these fights are 2x5 minute long and use the same rules as Class-A fights. Shooto holds yearly rookie tournaments in each weight class.

When a fighter has gathered enough wins and experience in Class-B he will get awarded with a Class-A license, as a sign that he's part of the elite professional fighters.

Shooto events

Main article: List of Shooto Events

Shooto organize most of their events in Japan,[11] although it has organized some amateur tournaments in China.[12].

Domestically, it broadcasts its events over AbemaTV and Samurai TV.[13] Internationally, it has broadcast over the UFC Fight Pass in the past, and a number of their events are part of the UFC Fight Library.[14] Recently, they have put up their events on YouTube.[15]

Current Shooto world champions

Main article: List of Shooto champions
Men's division Upper weight limit Champion Since Title Defenses
Light Heavyweight 84 kg (185.2 lb) Vacant N/A N/A
Middleweight 77 kg (169.8 lb) Brazil Hernani Perpetuo August 25, 2013 0
Welterweight 70 kg (154.3 lb) Vacant N/A N/A
Lightweight 65 kg (143.3 lb) Japan Yuki Kawana July 12, 2020 0
Featherweight 60 kg (132.3 lb) Japan Shoko Sato November 15, 2017 2
Bantamweight 56 kg (123.5 lb) Japan Hiromasa Ogikubo April 23, 2016 2
Flyweight 52 kg (114.6 lb) Japan Hiroshi Minowa January 26, 2020 0
Women's Super Atomweight 50 kg (110.2 lb) Japan Mina Kurobe August 1, 2020 0

Current Shooto Pacific Rim champions

Main article: List of Shooto Pacific Rim champions
Men's division Upper weight limit Champion Since Title Defenses
Middleweight 77 kg (169.8 lb) Vacant N/A N/A
Welterweight 70 kg (154.3 lb) Japan Yuki Kawana July 23, 2017 0
Lightweight 65 kg (143.3 lb) Japan Takashi Nakayama January 26, 2020 0
Featherweight 60 kg (132.3 lb) Japan Tatsuya Ando August 1, 2020 0

Current Shooto Brazil champions

Men's division Upper weight limit Champion Since Title Defenses
Heavyweight 120 kg (264.6 lb) Vacant N/A
Light Heavyweight 93 kg (205.0 lb) Brazil Rafael Viana December 21, 2014 1
Super-middleweight 88 kg (194.0 lb) Brazil Alessandro Macedo October 27, 2017 0
Middleweight 84 kg (185.2 lb) Vacant N/A
Welterweight 77 kg (169.8 lb) Brazil Ismael de Jesus December 21, 2014 1
Super Lightweight 72 kg (158.7 lb) Brazil Rangel de Sá July 26, 2020 0
Lightweight 70 kg (154.3 lb) Brazil Valmir "Bidu" Lázaro July 26, 2019 0
Super Featherweight 68 kg (149.9 lb) Brazil Kauê Fernandes August 5, 2018 0
Featherweight 65 kg (143.3 lb) Brazil Leonardo Limberger April 28, 2018 1
Super Bantamweight 63 kg (138.9 lb) Brazil Elvis Silva August 23, 2019 0
Bantamweight 61 kg (134.5 lb) Vacant N/A
Super Flyweight 59 kg (130.1 lb) Vacant N/A
Flyweight 56 kg (123.5 lb) Brazil Edilceu Alves March 15, 2019 0
Super Strawweight 54 kg (119.0 lb) Brazil Gilberto Dias September 28, 2018 1
Flyweight 52 kg (114.6 lb) Brazil Jhonata Silva august 27, 2017 1
Women's Bantamweight 60 kg (132.3 lb) Brazil Dayana Silva September 6, 2019 0
Flyweight 52 kg (114.6 lb) Brazil Julia Polastri October 19, 2019 0

See also

References

  1. ^ "Shooto". Full Contact Martial Arts. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  2. ^ "Shooto Brazil adopts new weight classes, will crown super lightweight champion". MMAFighting.com. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  3. ^ "Shooto Brasil". Tapology. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  4. ^ "Shooto Enters Exclusive Partnership With ONE Championship". ONE FC. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d Breen, Jordan (2008-06-08). "Changes Come to Shooto, Fighters React". Sherdog.com. Retrieved 2009-05-13.
  6. ^ a b Breen, Jordan (2009-05-08). "A Blood Called Shooto". Sherdog.com. Retrieved 2009-05-13.
  7. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 12, 2007. Retrieved August 28, 2006.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. ^ Jordy McElroy (2013-12-17). "Shooto Brazil Promoting 'First Male vs. Female Fight in MMA History'". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  9. ^ "Shooto Americas Fights, Fight Cards, Videos, Pictures, Events and more". Sherdog.com. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  10. ^ "Shooto Rules" (PDF). Shooto. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  11. ^ "Shooto". Tapology. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  12. ^ "Hong Kong Amateur Shooto Ranking Tournament". Tapology. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  13. ^ "PROFESSONAL SHOOTO 2020 Supported by ONE Championship". Shooto. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  14. ^ "UFC FIGHT PASS signs Shooto Japan to exclusive live-event and on-demand content deal". UFC.com. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  15. ^ "shootoofficial". Youtube.com. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
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