Pancrase
Pancrase · 1993 –
Active
- Founded
- 1993 (first event Sept 21, 1993)
- Founders
- Masakatsu Funaki, Minoru Suzuki (Ken Shamrock is also credited)
- Home base
- Tokyo, Japan
- Fate
- Active.
Notable Eras
- Hybrid wrestling era, 1993–1990s: no closed-fist strikes to the head
- Modern MMA era
Key Events
- Pancrase: Yes, We Are Hybrid Wrestlers (1993)
- King of Pancrase tournament (1994), won by Ken Shamrock
Legendary Champions
- Ken Shamrock
- Bas Rutten
- Frank Shamrock
- Nate Marquardt
The Full History
1993: Hybrid Wrestling
Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki founded Pancrase in 1993, the same year as UFC 1. Its real fights banned closed-fist strikes to the head.
1994–2000s: Kings of Pancrase
Ken Shamrock became the first King of Pancrase. Bas Rutten and Frank Shamrock rose to fame there.
Modern Era
Pancrase moved to standard MMA rules and is still active.
Legacy
Older than the UFC by two months, Pancrase made real fights out of pro wrestling and produced the first King of Pancrase.
