Pancrase Turns 15
Published by Kal Thompson on April 27th, 2009 in History

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Its origins rest in a time that has long since past, but has yet to be forgotten. Historians estimate 648 BC as the year in which the Greeks introduced the original blend of boxing and wrestling to the eager masses of spectators within the coliseum walls. In these ancient olympic games, brave warriors battled solely for pride and honor in the sport of Pankration.

Hundreds of years later, martial arts legends Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki joined forces to found the sport of Pancrase. 1993 marked the year of inauguration for this mixed martial arts masterpiece, and like its ancient predecessor, Pancrase matches brave warriors who do battle with strength and honor for the pride of themselves as well as their country.

Throughout the years, Pancrase has evolved with the times.. In the early years of the organization, closed-fist strikes to the face were deemed illegal. In essence, shoot style wrestling was the focal point. As was the case in other wrestling organizations, submission holds had to be released if the opponent reached the ring ropes. The rule set has now become more streamlined, and is similar to those that have been instituted in other popular mixed martial arts organizations. However, being a Pancrase champion and having the title of “King of Pancrase” bestowed upon you, is an honor that remains timeless.

Since 1993, several legendary MMA fighters have achieved the organization’s top honor. Fighters such as Ken Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Frank Shamrock and Josh Barnett have all earned the distinguished title of “King of Pancrase.” Their historical battles within Pancrase have been chronicled through the blood and sweat that each fighter has shed within the ring.

Overseas, the popularity of Pancrase has been astounding since its inception. Playing host to sold-out arenas led to various television deals for the company. In November of 2007, Asian cable networks began airing an ongoing series dedicated to past Pancrase events.

To honor all those who have competed, along with the organization itself, a 15 Year Anniversary of Pancrase is currently being featured on pay-per-view. Within this special presentation, the best moments of over 130 Pancrase bouts will be featured. Ranging from its inception to the current day, this video on demand offers 90 minutes of premier combat action.

Taking you on the journey within the anniversary broadcast is none other than current “King of Pancrase” Josh Barnett. Acting as host of the event, Barnett offers first hand accounts of many unforgettable matches. “The concept is to bring some of the greatest fights that have ever happened in MMA, some of the best fighters and pioneers of the sport to the forefront. These are things that some of the newer fans who have come onboard recently wouldn’t know about, shares Barnett. “This will be a whole new world to these people; and I’m very proud of that.”