Pancrase

The origin of the name PANCRASE dates back to the ancient Greeks who had a sport competition called PANKRATION. Today, noble warriors from around the globe descend upon Japan to battle in one of the most exciting events in modern-day athletic competition. PANCRASE is the name of the organization founded by Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki in May, 1993 which produces the new professional martial arts sport. The ultimate goal and spirit of PANCRASE is the completion of "total-fight"-a collection of the best of all the styles of martial arts in the world. Martial arts techniques used in the PANCRASE matches include wrestling, judo, boxing, sambo, karate, kempo, jiu-jitsu, and Thai boxing. In the PANCRASE logo, red indicates blood, and black indicates the complete collection of all martial arts, as the mixing of colors ends up creating black. The PANCRASE cross indicates all the best techniques from all the martial arts.

One of the unique aspects of a PANCRASE fight is the need of the combatants to adapt their existing techniques to this unique competition. For example, even if the fighter is an expert with katare techniques, these techniques alone will not be effective enough to win in a PANCRASE fight. The fighter needs to think about what he will do if he throws a kick but his leg is grabbed by his opponent. Karate does not have submission techniques. Judo does not have kick techniques. traditional wrestling does not have kick techniques. In order to win, PANCRASE fighters need to train mixing various techniques from every martial arts disciplines. The alternatives is almost certain defeat.

PANCRASE fighters are from a total of over 26 locations in 18 countries; Japan, U.S.A., Canada, Holland, Sweden, Austria, U.K., France, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Russia, Armenia, Georgia, Lithuania, Korea, India, and Indonesia. This number of countries has been increasing every year. We have also been contacted by fighters in other countries including China, Philippines, Mexico, Chili, and Germany who will soon join the ranks as prestigious PANCRASE fighters.

The territory of PANCRASE events continues to expand. PANCRASE events are being aired by pay-per- view in the U.S. nationwide in 1996. PANCRASE is also in negotiation with Latin America and other Asian countries to introduce the PANCRASE events in their territories.

In addition to producing professional PANCRASE competitors who are known as PANCRASEism (captain/ Kiuma Kunioku); Pancrase Inagakigumi (captain / Katsuomi Inagaki); Pancrase GRABAKA (captain/ Sanae Kikuta); Pancrase Mission (captain / Minoru Suzuki); Pancrase Megaton (captain/ Keigo Takamori). PANCRASE Organization has its own gyms in Japan which is called P's LAB with plans to establish additional PANCRASE amateur gyms and also to spread Hybrid Wrestling around the world.

Main Gyms

P's LAB Tokyo: representative/ Yoshinori Umeki
P's LAB Yokohama: representative/ Minoru Suzuki
P's LAB Osaka: representative/ Katsuomi Inagaki

Authorized Gyms

Beverly Hills Jiu Jitsu Club (CA, U.S.A.): Bas Rutten
Freestyle Martial Arts (TX, U.S.A.): Guy Mezger
Pancrase Hybrid Budokan (MA, U.S.A.): Jason DeLucia
I.F. Academy (IN, U.S.A.): Jason Godsey
Colorado Stars (CO, U.S.A.): Nathan Marquardt
Golden Glory (Holland): Semmy Schilt
Chikara Gym (Holland): Leon van Dijk
Bas Rutten Academy U.K. (London, U.K.): Fred Rado
Mixed Martial Arts Stockholm (Sweden): Omar Bouiche
DeWeaver Promotion (Sydney, Australia): Christopher DeWeaver
Neo Fight( Kyongsangbutto, Korea): Seo Sung Yeel
Ingram Gym (Bangkok, Thailand): Hideki Suzuki
Pancrase Indonesia (Jakarta, Indonesia): Setya Novanto
Hybrid Wrestling Mugen (Okinawa, Japan): Mitsuyoshi Sunabe
Hybrid Wrestling Kagoshima (Kagoshima, Japan): Takayuki Nakazato
Hybrid Wrestling Yamada Dojo (Tochigi, Japan): Koichi Ota
Hybrid Wrestling Hachinohe (Aomori, Japan): Akira Suzuki

How Popular Is PANCRASE?

An average of 3,000 people buy a ticket to watch the PANCRASE shows every month in Japan.
Over 300,000 PANCRASE videotapes and DVD have sold in Japan.
Over a dozen Japanese newspapers have featured articles on PANCRASE.
Over 61 Japanese magazines and websites have featured articles on PANCRASE.
Over 25 TV shows have featured stories on PANCRASE or had PANCRASE competitors as guests.
Over 6 radio shows invited PANCRASE competitors as guests.
A total of 6 PANCRASE music CDs have been released.
Overseas martial arts website such as FULL CONTACT FIGHTER and Abu Dhabi post Pancrase information and also Pancrase videotapes can be bought through these websites.
Over 800 students signed up at amateur course (called P's LAB) in Tokyo, Yokohama, and Osaka.

Other Exposure of PANCRASE
Official website: http://www.pancrase.co.jp/
TV Games
TV Commercials
Feature films
P.P.V. shows in the U.S.A.(aired in 1996)
KBS-SKY in Korea
Cable TV shows in Taiwan
TV show in Lithuania

Company Profile

Founded: May 16, 1993
President: Masami Ozaki
Head Office: World Pancrase Create, Inc.
4-2-25 Minami Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0047 Japan
Tel: 81(03)5792-7077; FAX: 81(03)5792-7080
Capital: JPY30,000,000-

Activities:
Producing and promoting professional martial arts competitors in Japan. Pancrase Organization holds 10 to 12 events a year. These event are held into Tokyo and some other major cities. The public who want to learn hybrid wrestling can take classes at P's LAB Tokyo since August 1997; P's LAB Yokohama since March 2000; P's LAB Osaka since April 2001; GRABAKA Gym since December 2002. Pancrase also is in the process of establishing branch gyms for the public worldwide.


Taken from: http://www.pancrase.co.jp/