Jump to content

List of Pancrase champions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Frenchcafe (talk | contribs) at 12:31, 25 April 2016 (Featherweight Championship). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This is a list of Pancrase champions at each weight class. Pancrase is a Japan-based mixed martial arts (MMA) promoting and sanctioning organization founded in 1993. The champions of Pancrase are alternately referred to as "King of Pancrasist" or "King of Pancrase".

Men's Title Histories

Openweight Championship

No weight limit.
No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 United States Ken Shamrock
def. Manabu Yamada
Pancrase: King of Pancrase Tournament Second Round
Tokyo, Japan
Dec 17, 1994

1. def. Bas Rutten at Pancrase - Eyes Of Beast 2 on Mar 10, 1995 in Kanagawa, Japan

2 Japan Minoru Suzuki Pancrase - Eyes Of Beast 4
Tokyo, Japan
May 13, 1995
3 Netherlands Bas Rutten Pancrase - 1995 Anniversary Show
Tokyo, Japan
Sep 1, 1995

1. def. interim champion Frank Shamrock at Pancrase - Truth 5 on May 16, 1996 in Tokyo, Japan
2. def. Masakatsu Funaki at Pancrase - 1996 Anniversary Show on Sep 7, 1996 in Tokyo, Japan

- United States Frank Shamrock[1]
def. Minoru Suzuki for interim title
Pancrase - Turth 1
Kanagawa, Japan
Jan 28, 1996
Rutten vacated the title in October 1996 for family matters.[2]
4 Japan Masakatsu Funaki
def. Jason DeLucia
Pancrase - Truth 10
Tokyo, Japan
Dec 15, 1996
5 Japan Yuki Kondo Pancrase - Alive 4
Tokyo, Japan
Apr 27, 1997

1. def. Jason DeLucia at Pancrase - 1997 Anniversary Show on Sep 6, 1997 in Tokyo, Japan

6 Japan Masakatsu Funaki (2) Pancrase - Alive 11
Kanagawa, Japan
Dec 20, 1997
7 United States Guy Mezger Pancrase - Advance 5
Kanagawa, Japan
Apr 26, 1998

1. def. Ryushi Yanagisawa at Pancrase – 1998 Anniversary Show on Sep 14, 1998 in Tokyo, Japan
2. def. Yuki Kondo at Pancrase – Advance 12 on Dec 19, 1998 in Tokyo, Japan

Mezger vacated the title in February 1999 when he left Pancrase for the UFC.[2]
8 Japan Yuki Kondo (2)
def. Semmy Schilt
Pancrase - Breakthrough 4
Kanagawa, Japan
Apr 18, 1999

1. def. Kiuma Kunioku at Pancrase - 1999 Anniversary Show on Sep 18, 1999 in Tokyo, Japan

9 Netherlands Semmy Schilt Pancrase - Breakthrough 10
Osaka, Japan
Nov 28, 1999

1. def. Yoshiki Takahashi at Pancrase - Trans 3 on Apr 30, 2000 in Kanagawa, Japan
2. def. Osami Shibuya at Pancrase - 2000 Anniversary Show on Sep 24, 2000 in Kanagawa, Japan

Schilt vacated the title in 2001 when he signed with the UFC.
10 United States Josh Barnett
def. Yuki Kondo
Pancrase - 10th Anniversary Show
Tokyo, Japan
Aug 31, 2003

1. def. Yoshiki Takahashi at NJPW - Ultimate Crush on October 13, 2003 in Tokyo, Japan
2. def. Semmy Schilt at Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003 - Inoki Festival on Dec 31, 2003 in Kobe, Japan

205 to 265 lb (93 to 120.2 kg)
On January 30, 2008 Pancrase revised this weight class from 199 to 221 lb (90.5 to 100.5 kg) to its current limits.
No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Japan Yoshiki Takahashi
def. Shamoji Fujii
Pancrase - Proof 7
Kanagawa, Japan
Dec 1, 2001

1. def. Tsuyoshi Ozawa at Pancrase - 2003 Neo-Blood Tournament Opening Round on July 27, 2003 in Tokyo, Japan

Takahashi vacated the Heavyweight title.
2 Lithuania Kestutis Arbocius
def. Poai Suganuma
Pancrase - Blow 6
Kanagawa, Japan
Aug 27, 2006
Arbocius is stripped of Heavyweight title in May of 2007 due to injury.
3 Brazil Assuerio Silva
def. Tatsuya Mizuno
Pancrase - Rising 5
Tokyo, Japan
May 30, 2007
Assuerio Silva vacated the title in January of 2008 when he left the organization.
185 to 205 lb (83.9 to 93 kg)
On January 30, 2008 Pancrase revised this weight class from 181 to 199 lb (82 to 90.5 kg) to its current limits.
No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Japan Keiichiro Yamamiya
def. Ikuhisa Minowa
Pancrase - 2000 Anniversary Show
Kanagawa, Japan
Sep 24, 2000
Title Vacated.
2 Japan Sanae Kikuta
def. Ikuhisa Minowa
Pancrase - 2001 Anniversary Show
Kanagawa, Japan
Sep 30, 2001

1. drew with Yuki Kondo at Pancrase - Hybrid 5 on May 18, 2003 in Kanagawa, Japan

3 Japan Yuki Kondo Pancrase - Hybrid 10
Tokyo, Japan
Nov 30, 2003

1. def. Daijiro Matsui at Pancrase - Blow 6 on Aug 27, 2006 in Kanagawa, Japan

Yuki Kondo vacated the title in January 2008 to move down to middleweight.
4 Japan Ryo Kawamura
def. Keiichiro Yamamiya
Pancrase - Shining 8
Tokyo, Japan
Oct 1, 2008

1. def. Yukiya Naito at Pancrase: Changing Tour 3 on Jun 7, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan
2. def. Shunsuke Inoue at Pancrase: Changing Tour 8 on Dec 6, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan
3. drew with Yuji Sakuragi at Pancrase - Passion Tour 11 on Dec 5, 2010 in Tokyo, Japan

Ryo Kawamura vacated the title in May 2011 to move down to middleweight.
170 to 185 lb (77.1 to 83.9 kg)
On January 30, 2008 Pancrase revised this weight class from 165.7 to 181 lb (75 to 82 kg) to its current limits.
No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 United States Nate Marquardt
def. Shonie Carter
Pancrase - 2000 Anniversary Show
Kanagawa, Japan
Sep 24, 2000

1. drew with Kiuma Kunioku at Pancrase - Trans 7 on Dec 4, 2000 in Japan
2. def. Yuji Hoshino at Pancrase - Proof 6 on Oct 30, 2001 in Tokyo, Japan

2 Japan Kiuma Kunioku Pancrase - Proof 7
Kanagawa, Japan
Dec 1, 2001
3 United States Nate Marquardt (2) Pancrase - Spirit 9
Tokyo, Japan
Dec 21, 2002

1. def. Izuru Takeuchi at Pancrase - Hybrid 3 on Mar 8, 2003 in Tokyo, Japan

4 United States Ricardo Almeida Pancrase - Hybrid 10
Tokyo, Japan
Nov 30, 2003
Almeida vacated the title in July 2004 when he retired from active competition.
5 United States Nate Marquardt (3)
def. Kazuo Misaki
Pancrase - Brave 10
Chiba, Japan
Nov 7, 2004

1. def. Izuru Takeuchi at Pancrase - Spiral 4 on May 1, 2005 in Kanagawa, Japan

Marquardt vacated the title in October 2006 when he left Pancrase for the UFC.[3]
6 Japan Yuichi Nakanishi
def. Izuru Takeuchi
Pancrase - Blow 10
Tokyo, Japan
Dec 2, 2006
7 Japan Izuru Takeuchi Pancrase - Rising 9
Tokyo, Japan
Nov 28, 2007
Title Vacated.
- Japan Yuki Kondo

promoted to Interim Championship after vacating the Light Heavyweight title

- Jan 2008

1. def. Ki Bum Kim at Pancrase: Changing Tour 4 on Aug 8, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan
2. drew with Yuji Hisamatsu at Pancrase: Changing Tour 6 on Oct 25, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan
3. def. Takenori Sato at Pancrase - Passion Tour 1 on Feb 7, 2010 in Tokyo, Japan

8 Japan Yuki Kondo
def. Ichiro Kanai for undisputed title
Pancrase - Passion Tour 4
Tokyo, Japan
Apr 29, 2010

1. drew with Yuji Hisamatsu at Pancrase - Passion Tour 6 on Jul 4, 2010 in Tokyo, Japan

9 Japan Rikuhei Fujii Pancrase: Passion Tour 11
Tokyo, Japan
Dec 5, 2010
Rikuhei Fujii vacated the title in May 2011.
10 Japan Ryo Kawamura
def. Ikkei Nagamura
Pancrase - Progress Tour 1
Tokyo, Japan
Jan 28, 2012

1. def. Shungo Oyama at Pancrase - Progress Tour 7 on Jun 2, 2012 in Tokyo, Japan

11 Japan Shinsho Anzai Pancrase - 259
Tokyo, Japan
June 29, 2014
Shinsho Anzai vacated the title when he signed with the UFC.
155 to 170 lb (70.3 to 77.1 kg)
On January 30, 2008 Pancrase revised this weight class from 152.5 to 165.7 lb (69 to 75 kg) to its current limits.
No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Japan Kiuma Kunioku
def. Takafumi Ito
Pancrase - 2002 Neo-Blood Tournament Second Round
Tokyo, Japan
Jul 28, 2002

1. def. Hiroki Nagaoka at Pancrase - 2002 Anniversary Show on Sep 29, 2002 in Kanagawa, Japan
2. def. Kenichi Serizawa at Pancrase - Hybrid 10 on Nov 30, 2003 in Tokyo, Japan

Kunioku vacated the title in September 2004 when he left the organization.[4]
- Japan Katsuya Inoue[5]
promoted to interim champion when opponent withdrew due to injury
- ?

1. def. Kenji Arai at Pancrase - Spiril 4 on May 1, 2005 in Kanagawa, Japan
2. drew with Satoru Kitaoka at Pacrase - Blow 1 on Jan 26, 2006 in Tokyo, Japan

2 Japan Daizo Ishige
def. Katsuya Inoue for undisputed title
Pancrase – Blow 6
Kanagawa, Japan
Aug 27, 2006
- Japan Katsuya Inoue[6]
def. Fabricio Nascimento for interim title
Pancrase - 2007 Neo-Blood Tournament Finals
Tokyo, Japan
Jul 27, 2007
Daizo Ishige vacated the title in January 2008.
3 Japan Katsuya Inoue
def. Satoru Kitaoka for undisputed title
Pancrase - Shining 1
Tokyo, Japan
Jan 30, 2008
Katsuya Inoue vacated the title in February 2008 in order to compete at Lightweight.
- Japan Takuya Wada
def. Jason Palacios for interim title
Pancrase - Shining 3
Tokyo, Japan
Apr 27, 2008
4 Japan Takuya Wada
promoted to undisputed champion
- -

1. def. Tomoyoshi Iwamiya at Pancrase: Changing Tour 2 on Apr 5, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan

Takuya Wada vacated the title on April 30, 2010.
5 Japan Kengo Ura
def. Keiichiro Yamamiya
Pancrase - Passion Tour 5
Tokyo, Japan
Jun 5, 2010
6 Japan Takenori Sato Pancrase - Impressive Tour 1
Tokyo, Japan
Feb 6, 2011

1. def. Sojiro Orui at Pancrase - Impressive Tour 5 on Jun 5, 2011 in Tokyo, Japan
2. drew with Eiji Ishikawa at Pancrase - Impressive Tour 10 on Oct 2, 2012 in Tokyo, Japan
3. def. Kiichi Kunimoto at Pancrase - Progress Tour 3 on Mar 11, 2012 in Tokyo, Japan
4. def. Keiichiro Yamamiya at Pancrase - Progress Tour 10 on Sep 1, 2012 in Tokyo, Japan
5. drew with Akihiro Murayama at Pancrase - 246 on Mar 17, 2013 in Tokyo, Japan
6. def. Shingo Suzuki at Pancrase - 247 on May 19, 2013 in Tokyo, Japan

Takenori Sato vacated the title when he signed with the UFC.
7 Japan Gota Yamashita
def. Akihiro Murayama
Pancrase - 260
Tokyo, Japan
August 10, 2014

1. def. Yuki Kondo at Pancrase - 263 on Dec 6, 2014 in Tokyo, Japan

8 Japan Shingo Suzuki Pancrase - 270
Tokyo, Japan
October 4, 2015
9 Japan Akihiro Murayama Pancrase - 276
Tokyo, Japan
March 13, 2016
145 to 155 lbs (65.8 to 70.3 kg)
On January 30, 2008 Pancrase revised Lightweight from 141.4 to 152.5 lb (64 to 69 kg) to its current limits.
No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Japan Shoji Maruyama
def. Artur Oumakhanov
Pancrase - Shining 1
Tokyo, Japan
Jan 30, 2008
Shoji Maruyama vacated the title in May 2008 to compete at Featherweight.
2 Japan Katsuya Inoue
def. Koji Oishi
Pancrase - Shining 10
Tokyo, Japan
Dec 7, 2008

1. def. Daisuke Hanazawa at Pancrase: Changing Tour 1 on Feb 1, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan

3 Venezuela Maximo Blanco Pancrase: Changing Tour 4
Tokyo, Japan
Aug 8, 2009
Maximo Blanco vacated the title in April 2011 citing an inability to defend his belt due to numerous injuries.[7]
4 Japan Koji Oishi
def. Daisuke Hanazawa
Pancrase - Impressive Tour 4
Tokyo, Japan
May 3, 2011
5 Japan Isao Kobayashi Pancrase - Progress Tour 4
Tokyo, Japan
Apr 1, 2012

1. def. Yoshiaki Takahashi at Pancrase 252 - 20th Anniversary on Sep 29, 2013 in Yokohama, Japan

Isao Kobayashi vacated the title in 2014.
6 Japan Kazuki Tokudome
def. Satoru Kitaoka
Pancrase - 271
Tokyo, Japan
November 1, 2015
135 to 145 lb (61.2 kg to 65.8 kg)
On January 30, 2008 Pancrase revised this weight class from under 141.4 lb (64 kg) to its current limits.
No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Japan Yoshiro Maeda
def. Daiki "D.J.Taiki" Hata
Pancrase - Blow 6
Yokohama, Japan
Aug 27, 2006

1. def. Danny Batten at Pancrase - Rising 4 on Apr 27, 2007 in Tokyo, Japan

Yoshiro Maeda vacated the title when he left Pancrese for the WEC.
2 Brazil Marlon Sandro
def. Masaya Takita
Pancrase: Shining 9
Tokyo, Japan
Oct 26, 2008
- Japan Takumi Nakayama
def. Tomonari Kanomata for interim title
Pancrase - Impressive Tour 9
Tokyo, Japan
Sep 4, 2011

1. def. Jon Shores at Pancrase - Progress Tour 7 on Jun 2, 2012 in Tokyo, Japan

Sandro stripped of title for refusing to defend. [8]
3 Japan Takumi Nakayama
Promoted to undisputed champion.
- August 9, 2012
4 United States Nam Phan Pancrase - 264
Tokyo, Japan
January 31, 2015
5 United States Andy Main Pancrase - 270
Tokyo, Japan
October 4, 2015
- Japan Issei Tamura
def. Juntaro Ushiku for interim title
Pancrase - 277
Tokyo, Japan
Apr 24, 2016
125 to 135 lb (57 kg to 61.2 kg)
No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Japan Manabu Inoue
def. Seiya Kawahara
Pancrase - Shining 10
Yokohama, Japan
Dec 7, 2008

1. def. Masahiro Oishi at Pancrase: Changing Tour 6 on Oct 25, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan
2. def. Tashiro Nishiuichi at Pancrase - Passion Tour 8 on Sep 5, 2010 in Tokyo, Japan

2 Japan Shintaro Ishiwatari Pancrase - Impressive Tour 13
Tokyo, Japan
Dec 3, 2011

1. def. Tashiro Nishiuchi at Pancrase - Progress Tour 3 on March 11, 2012 in Tokyo, Japan
2. def. Yo Saito at Pancrase 256 on February 2, 2014 in Tokyo, Japan
3. def. Trevor Ward at Pancrase 258 on May 11, 2014 in Tokyo, Japan
4. def. Victor Henry at Pancrase 273 on December 13, 2015 in Tokyo, Japan

120 to 125 lb (54.4 kg to 57 kg)
No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Japan Mitsuhisa Sunabe
def. Takuya Eizumi
Pancrase: Changing Tour 3
Tokyo, Japan
Jun 7, 2009

1. def. Isao Hirose at Pancrase: Changing Tour 6 on Oct 25, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan

2 Japan Kiyotaka Shimizu Pancrase - Passion Tour 1
Tokyo, Japan
Feb 7, 2010

1. def. Isao Hirose at Pancrase - Passion Tour 6 on Jul 4, 2010 in Tokyo, Japan
2. drew with Mitsuhisa Sunabe at Pancrase - Passion Tour 11 on Dec 5, 2010 in Tokyo, Japan
3. def. Mitsuhisa Sunabe at Pancrase - Impressive Tour 5 on Jun 5, 2011 in Tokyo, Japan
4. drew with Seiji Ozuka at Pancrase - Progress Tour 1 on Jan 28, 2012 in Tokyo, Japan
5. def. Yuki Yasunaga at Pancrase - Progress Tour 14 on Dec 1, 2012 in Tokyo, Japan
6. def. Atshushi Yamamoto at Pancrase - 257 on March 30, 2014 in Yokohama, Japan

115 lb - 120 lb (52 - 54.4 kg)
No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Japan Mitsuhisa Sunabe
def. Hiroyuki Abe
Pancrase - Impressive Tour 13
Tokyo, Japan
Dec 3, 2011

1. def. Noboru Tahara at Pancrase 252: 20th Anniversary on Sept. 29, 2013 in Yokohama, Japan

Sunabe vacated title when he dropped to compete in a lower weight class.
2 Japan Kent Kambe
def. Yukitaka Musashi
Pancrase - 273
Tokyo, Japan
Dec. 13, 2015
up to 115 lb (52 kg)
No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Japan Hiroyuki Abe
def. Masakazu Utsugi
Pancrase - 269
Tokyo, Japan
Aug. 9, 2015
2 Japan Mitsuhisa Sunabe Pancrase - 271
Tokyo, Japan
Nov. 1, 2015

Women's Title Histories

135 lb (61 kg) and below
No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Japan Rin Nakai
def. Danielle West
Pancrase - Progress Tour 14
Tokyo, Japan
Dec 1, 2012

Retired Titles

Over 221 lb (100.5 kg)
On January 30, 2008 Pancrase adpoted the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts and retires the Super Heavyweight Championship.[9][10]
No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Japan Tsuyoshi Kosaka
def. Ron Waterman
Pancrase - Brave 10
Chiba, Japan
Nov 7, 2004
Kosaka vacated the title in January 2006.

By nationality

The following include championship title holders by nationality.

Country Titles
 Japan 40
 United States 10
 Brazil 2
 Netherlands 2
 Venezuela 1
 Lithuania 1

References and footnotes

  1. ^ Rutten was injured in January 1996 and could not defend his title; Shamrock captured an interim championship en route to his title-unification fight with Rutten.
  2. ^ a b "King of Pancrase Title History". Quebrada.net. Retrieved 2007-02-22.
  3. ^ Breen, Jordan (2006-10-23). "With Eye on UFC, Marquardt Relinquishes KOP Belt". Sherdog.com. Retrieved 2007-02-15.
  4. ^ Fukui, Masa (2004-09-15). "Former Welterweight & Middleweight King of Pancrase Kiuma Kunioku". Sherdog.com. Retrieved 2007-02-21.
  5. ^ "News Page 17: Pancrase 2005 Spiral Tour". StarzWorld.com. Retrieved 2007-02-21.
  6. ^ Nowe, Jason (2004-07-27). "Inoue Takes Interim King of Pancrase Title". Sherdog.com. Retrieved 2007-07-28.
  7. ^ Nelson, Chris (2011-04-11). "Blanco Abdicates Pancrase Throne; Lightweight GP Begins May 3". Sherdog.com. Retrieved 2011-04-11.
  8. ^ マルロン・サンドロがパンクラス王座返上 タクミが正規王者に昇格 (in Japanese). Sports Navi. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  9. ^ MMAFighting.com - Pancrase to adopt Unified Rules of MMA weight classes
  10. ^ PANCRASE Official Site

See also