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The Evolution of the Japanese Shooters
Karl (Istaz) Gotch, known by the moniker Kamisama (God of Wrestling) in Japan, was responsible for the training of notable wrestling figures such as Antonio Inoki, Tatsumi Fujinami, Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Satoru Sayama, Masami Soronaka, and Akira Maeda. Several of these Japanese fighters also had previous training in other arts. Soronaka was an esteemed Karateka, Judoka, and Sumo wrestler. Fujiwara had extensive experience with Muay Thai and judo. Sayama was also well versed in Muay Thai and boasted a background in Sambo training under Victor Koga.
Gotch was highly respected by the Japanese. He belayed his knowledge of wrestling to all those under his tutelage. Not only did Gotch teach submissions to his students, he also taught a strict regimen of conditioning exercises that are still used in many Japanese Pro Wrestling Dojos to this day. Many of the Gotch-influenced wrestlers plied their trade in the New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) organization.
In 1984, a group of wrestlers split from NJPW to form the Union of Wrestling Forces (UWF) promotion. UWF, led by Maeda, was comprised of top talent from NJPW to include Kazuo Yamazaki, Rusher Kimura, Ryuma Go, Mach Hayato, and Gran Hamada. Satoru Sayama (the original Tiger Mask) and Yoshiaki Fujiwara, both trained by Karl Gotch, joined UWF a few months after its inception. Nobuhiku Takada, who received extensive training under Lou Thesz, signed with UWF shortly after Sayama and Fujiwara made their presence known. The UWF wrestlers promoted a reality based, stiff style of wrestling. They routinely held exhibition matches to pit their skills against boxers, kickboxers, sumo wrestlers, and other martial artists.
By 1985, the UWF had begun a financial downturn due to internal problems and a power struggle between Maeda and Sayama. In September of that year, Maeda and Sayama were scheduled to compete in a worked match. The work quickly turned to a shoot when Maeda threw several intentional kicks targeted at Sayama's groin. Sayama responded by firing back with strikes and ultimately attempted to choke Maeda out. Following the political turmoil caused by this foray, UWF held its final show nine days after the Maeda/Sayama match. Sayama left the organization to establish the Super Tiger Gym in which he trained the early crop of fighters for his SHOOTO organization. Maeda, Fujiwara, Takada, and Yamazaki all returned to their previous home with NJPW.
1987 was an interesting year for the Japanese wrestling world. Sayama's SHOOTO organization burst onto the scene with an array of talent and boasting cards comprised of 100% shoot matches. Also, in November of this year, Akira Maeda once again became the subject of controversy inside the squared circle. During a match with Riki Choshu, Maeda intentionally kicked him in the face and broke three bones in the process. Maeda was suspended from competition and eventually fired by the administration of NJPW.
April of 1998 saw Maeda one again rally together with his old cohorts and begin a new organization. The second incarnation of the UWF, headed by Maeda, boasted the talents of Takada, Yamazaki, and other mainstays from the NJPW stable. In 1989, one year after its inception, this "new" UWF signed Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki into the organization. Both of these men were trained in the UWF style under the watchful eye of Maeda. The organization peaked in 1990 when signing Yoji Anjoh and Naoki Sano. American fighters Ken Shamrock and Bart Vale (also initially trained by Maeda in the stiff style of wrestling) also appeared in the UWF ranks at this time. December of 1990 marked the fall of the second UWF as organization President Shinji Jin fired all wrestlers and disbanded the organization.
The early months of 1991 saw a three way split between the members of the now defunct UWF. Fujiwara formed his own organization in Pro Wrestling Fujiwaragumi (PWFG). He took along Japanese standouts Funaki, Suzuki, and Fuke along with American fighter Bart Vale. Maeda formed the RINGS Fighting Network by using a strong stable of Japanese Wrestlers, European Kickboxers, and Russian Sambo Players. RINGS was known for mixing both shoot and worked matches on the fight cards. Notable RINGS competitors from outside Japan included Russians Volk Han and Andrei Kopylov (Sambo) along with Dutchmen Chris Dolman (Judo, Sambo), Dick Vrij, and Willie Peters (Kickboxing). American fighter Willie Williams (Kyokushin Karate) was also an early mainstay of the RINGS organization. Takada formed the Union of Wrestling Forces International (UWFi) organization using a lot of lesser-known UWF talent including American standout Ken Shamrock. Lou Thesz held this organization in high regards. Being a mentor to Takada, Thesz offered up his original NWA World Championship Title Belt as the official trophy of the UWFi champion.
1992 was a big year for the American competitors in Japan. Bart Vale captured the PWFG title and held it, undefeated, for the next three years. Ken Shamrock made the move from UWFi to the PWFG organization. Shamrock's stay in PWFG was very short lived. In late 1992/early 1993, Several members of PWFG (including Shamrock, Suzuki, and Fuke) were led by Masakatsu Funaki to establish the Pancrase organization. Pancrase was to be considered the first "all shoot" wrestling promotion since the early days of the 20th century. However, there were rumored to be worked matches in the beginning to build rivalries and establish interest in order to build a strong fan base.
By 1995, PWFG was in financial turmoil. Fujiwara made several appearances in NJPW in order to save the PWFG promotion. It was useless, however, as PWFG held its final show in November of 1995. All members of PWFG, except Fujiwara, went on to form the BattleArts organization. Fujiwara returned to compete in NJPW.
The year of 1995 also marked the merger of UWFi and NJPW. Nobuhiku Takada won the unified title in a worked match. Upset at the blatant mixing of work and shoot style matches, Lou Thesz asked Takada to vacate the UWFi title (which was originally Thesz' own belt). Takada complied with this request, eventually leaving NJPW/UWFi and forming the KINGDOM Organization.
The realm of Japanese Mixed Martial Arts and Pro Wrestling in entrenched in a rich history. Influences can be seen as far back as the early 20th Century challenge matches between Ad Santel and Kodokan Judoka. In one way or another, the lineage and relationships of every Japanese shoot promotion all coincide with each other. They all feed off of the history and influence that the forefathers of this style laid down many years ago.
Written by Steve Loftin (14June02)
