PRIDE Fighting Championships was a Japanese mixed martial arts promotion company. Its inaugural event was held at the Tokyo Dome on October 11, 1997. Pride held more than sixty mixed martial arts events, broadcast to about 40 countries worldwide. PRIDE was owned by the holding company Dream Stage Entertainment (DSE).
Vale Tudo, also known No Holds Barred (NHB) in the United States, is an unarmed, full-contact combat sport with relatively few rules. It became popular in Brazil during the 20th century and would eventually evolve into modern Mixed martial arts (MMA). For years "Vale Tudo" was used as a synonym for MMA in Brazil, but the term fell into disuse due to the emergence of stricter rules and the influence of the media to have a more "civilized" name. It is now used to refer to an early, more rules-free stage of the modern sport.
Takanori Gomi is a Japanese professional mixed martial artist who gained international fame in Pride Fighting Championships. Later in his career, Gomi also competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Gomi is the only Pride FC Lightweight Champion in the organization's history. He became the Lightweight Grand Prix Winner at Pride Shockwave 2005, thus winning every lightweight accolade put forth by Pride FC. Gomi also held a record twelve-fight winning streak in Shooto, where he was a former Shooto Lightweight Champion, as well as a four-time All-Japan Combat Wrestling Champion.
Shinya Aoki is a Japanese mixed martial artist, professional wrestler and grappler currently competing in ONE Championship's and Rizin Fighting Federation's Welterweight division. He also competes in DDT Pro-Wrestling where he is a former three-time DDT Extreme Champion. A professional competitor since 2003, he is noted for being the DREAM Lightweight Champion, former two time ONE Lightweight World Champion, former WAMMA Lightweight Champion and former Shooto Welterweight Champion. Aoki is an A-class Shootist and BJJ black belt, both under his long-term mentor Yuki Nakai, as well as a Black Belt Judoka. As of 2008, Aoki, along with DEEP champion Masakazu Imanari, and Sengoku champion Satoru Kitaoka have founded the "Nippon Top Team" as a group of elite Japanese grapplers competing in MMA. As well as his MMA credentials, Aoki has garnered several submission grappling accolades including two All Japan Jiu-Jitsu Championships, a Japan Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship, a Budo Open Championship, and an ADCC Japan Championship. As of October 6, 2022, he is ranked #5 in the ONE Lightweight rankings.
2009 in Bellator MMA was the first installment of the Bellator Fighting Championships -produced series. It started broadcasting April 3, 2009, through an exclusive television agreement with ESPN Deportes. The episodes had a one-day tape delay.
Eduard Folayang is a Filipino mixed martial artist and wushu practitioner who fights in ONE Championship, where he is a two-time ONE Lightweight World Champion. He also competed for Universal Reality Combat Championship, where he was the last welterweight champion.
Jadamba Narantungalag is a Mongolian professional mixed martial artist, kickboxer and grappler who has fought for World Victory Road, K-1 MAX, Legend FC, Art of War Fighting Championship, and ONE Championship.
Legend Fighting Championship started as a Hong Kong-based mixed martial arts (MMA) organisation which invited national champion fighters from throughout the Asia-Pacific to compete for regional supremacy. Legend was unique among MMA tournaments in that it focused exclusively on native Asia-Pacific fighters. The company was sold in April 2014 to Kwokman Productions. The promotion re-launched in September 2018 as a China-based organization.
Titan Fighting Championship is an American mixed martial arts promotion based out of Pompano Beach, Florida. Their shows were originally run in and near Kansas City and have since expanded to include venues all over North America and eventually, international locations. Since July 2015, Titan FC events are broadcast on the UFC online streaming service UFC Fight Pass, which also showcases a library of the organization's previous events.
Respect Fighting Championship (RESPECT.FC) is a mixed martial arts organization in Germany. It has won the GNP Award for the best German promotion in 2009, 2010 and 2011 Especially noteworthy in this context is that RESPECT.FC has beaten the Ultimate Fighting Championship, who was nominated with their first German based event UFC 99. The events are broadcast by Fightcast.tv.
ONE Championship is a Singaporean combat sports promotion. According to Nielsen, ONE is amongst the world's top 10 biggest sports media properties in terms of viewership and engagement. Founded on 14 July 2011 by entrepreneur Chatri Sityodtong and former ESPN Star Sports senior executive Victor Cui, its events have featured mixed martial arts (MMA), submission grappling, kickboxing, Muay Thai and Lethwei bouts.
The year 2012 has seen champions retain their belt, new champions crowned and new promotions begin their campaigns. As of March 30, 2012, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has held seven events with another fourteen so far reported to be held throughout the rest of the year. Bellator Fighting Championship began its sixth season containing tournaments in five different weight classes. A new Indian promotion, Super Fight League, arrived on the scene in 2012 with seven events scheduled throughout the year.
Invicta Fighting Championships, also known as Invicta FC, is an American professional mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion dedicated to Women's mixed martial arts that was founded in 2012 by Janet Martin and Shannon Knapp. The promotion is currently owned by the Canadian-based Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Leandro Issa is a mixed martial artist from Brazil. Issa is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and has won numerous BJJ competitions and tournaments including the Mundials and the Brazilian national championships. He is a member of the Evolve MMA fight team and is based in Singapore.
Rizin Fighting Federation is a Japanese mixed martial arts organization created in 2015 by the former Pride Fighting Championships and Dream Stage Entertainment president Nobuyuki Sakakibara.
The year 2014 is the 4th year in the history of the ONE Championship, a mixed martial arts promotion based in Singapore.
The year 2012 is the 2nd year in the history of the ONE Championship, a mixed martial arts promotion based in Singapore.
2022 is the 1st year in the history of the Eagle Fighting Championship, a mixed martial arts promotion based in Miami, Florida. 2022 began with Eagle FC 44.
Kallang, Singapore