This is a list of Shooto world champions at each weight class. Shooto is a Japan-based mixed martial arts (MMA) promoting and sanctioning organization founded first in 1985 as a particular fighting system, and then in 1989 as an MMA promotion.
Shooto used to promote different weight classes than the Association of Boxing Commissions, which are used by most MMA promotions. On January 1, 2015, weight limits were changed to the divisions established by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. [1] Then, on January 1, 2017, the names of the weight classes were also changed to the names established by NSAC. [2]
Division | Champion | Since | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|
Middleweight | Vacant | April 14, 2012 | — |
Welterweight | ![]() | August 25, 2013 | 0 |
Lightweight | ![]() | September 20, 2021 | 0 |
Featherweight | ![]() | July 25, 2021 | 2 |
Bantamweight | ![]() | March 21, 2022 | 0 |
Flyweight | ![]() | November 19, 2023 | 0 |
Strawweight | September 19, 2022 | 1 |
Division | Champion | Since | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|
Strawweight | ![]() | May 18, 2024 | 0 |
Super Atomweight | ![]() | May 21, 2023 | 0 |
Atomweight | ![]() | November 27, 2022 | 1 |
Weight limit of 83.9 kg (185 lb)
The weight limit was 83 kg (183 lb) prior to January 1, 2015. The Middleweight Championship was known as the Light Heavyweight Championship prior to January 1, 2017. [3]
No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign (total) | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() def. Manabu Yamada | Shooto: Shooto Tokyo, Japan | May 31, 1991 | 1,803 days | 1. def. Satoshi Honma on October 17, 1991 |
2 | ![]() | Shooto: Vale Tudo Junction 3 Tokyo, Japan | May 7, 1996 | 1,605 days | 1. def. Masanori Suda on August 29, 1998 |
Paulson vacated the title on September 28, 2000 when he retired from the sport. | |||||
3 | ![]() def. Lance Gibson | Shooto: Treasure Hunt 1 Tokyo, Japan | January 12, 2002 | 1,497 days | 1. def. Egan Inoue on May 9, 2003 |
Suda vacated the title on February 17, 2006, at his retirement ceremony. | |||||
4 | ![]() def. Dustin Denes | Absolute Fighting Championships 16 Boca Raton, FL, US | April 22, 2006 | 449 days | |
5 | ![]() | Shooto: Back To Our Roots 4 Tokyo, Japan | July 15, 2007 | 1,735 days | 1. def. Leandro Silva on August 27, 2009 |
Bahadurzada vacated the title on April 14, 2012 after signing with the UFC.[ citation needed ] | |||||
Weight limit of 77.1 kg (170 lb)
The weight limit was 77 kg (169.8 lb) prior to January 1, 2015. The Welterweight Championship was known as the Middleweight Championship prior to January 1, 2017. [4]
No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign (total) | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() def. Yoshimasa Ishikawa | Shooto: Shooto Tokyo, Japan | May 12, 1990 | 448 days | 1. drew with Naoki Sakurada on November 28, 1990 |
2 | ![]() | Shooto: Shooto Tokyo, Japan | August 3, 1991 | ? days | |
Ishikawa vacated the title in 1991 to compete as a lightweight. | |||||
3 | ![]() def. Yasuto Sekishima | Shooto: Shooto Osaka, Japan | October 17, 1991 | 1,920 days | 1. def. Kazuhiro Kusayanagi on September 25, 1992 |
Sakurada vacated the title on January 18, 1997, when he retired. | |||||
4 | ![]() | Shooto: Las Grandes Viajes 3 Tokyo, Japan | May 13, 1998 | 1,201 days | 1. def. Tetsuji Kato on March 17, 2000 |
5 | ![]() | Shooto: To The Top 7 Osaka, Japan | August 26, 2001 | 136 days | |
Silva vacated the title on January 9, 2002, after signing with Pride. | |||||
6 | ![]() def. Ray Cooper | Shooto Hawaii: Soljah Fight Night Honolulu, HI, US | July 9, 2004 | 158 days | |
7 | ![]() | Shooto: Year End Show 2004 Tokyo, Japan | December 14, 2004 | 430 days | |
8 | ![]() | Shooto: The Victory of the Truth Tokyo, Japan | February 17, 2006 | 1,554 days | 1. def. Akira Kikuchi on February 17, 2007 |
Aoki vacated the title on May 21, 2010 after years of not defending it, fighting for other promotions, and fighting primarily as a lightweight. | |||||
9 | ![]() def. Igor Fernandes | Shooto Brazil 17 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | August 6, 2010 | 368 days | |
Ramos vacated the title on August 9, 2011, after signing with the UFC. [5] | |||||
10 | ![]() def. Tommy Depret | Shooto: Gig Tokyo 15 Tokyo, Japan | August 25, 2013 | 3,992 days (incumbent) | |
Weight limit of 70.3 kg (155 lb)
The weight limit was 70 kg (154.3 lb) prior to January 1, 2015. The Lightweight Championship was known as the Welterweight Championship prior to January 1, 2017. [6]
No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign (total) | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() def. Kazuhiro Kusayanagi | Shooto: Shooto Tokyo, Japan | March 29, 1991 | 149 days | |
Watanabe vacated the title on August 25, 1991 for unknown reasons. | |||||
2 | ![]() def. Yoshimasa Ishikawa | Shooto: Shooto Osaka, Japan | October 17, 1991 | ? days | 1. def. Yomohiro Tanaka on September 25, 1992 |
Ohara announced his retirement in November 1992 and thus vacated the title. | |||||
3 | ![]() def. Kazuhiro Kusayanagi | Shooto: Vale Tudo Access 2 Tokyo, Japan | November 7, 1994 | ? days | |
Nakai suffered an eye injury at Vale Tudo Japan 1995 which forced him into retirement in April 1995. | |||||
4 | ![]() def. Rumina Sato | Shooto: 10th Anniversary Event Yokohama, Japan | May 29, 1999 | 568 days | 1. def. Rumina Sato on December 17, 2000 |
Uno vacated the title on December 17, 2000 to compete in the UFC. | |||||
5 | ![]() def. Rumina Sato | Shooto: To The Top Final Act Urayasu, Japan | December 16, 2001 | 602 days | 1. def. Dokonjonosuke Mishima on December 14, 2002 |
6 | ![]() | Shooto: 8/10 in Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium Yokohama, Japan | August 10, 2003 | 126 days | |
7 | ![]() | Shooto: Year End Show 2003 Urayasu, Japan | December 14, 2003 | 366 days | |
8 | ![]() | Shooto: Year End Show 2004 Tokyo, Japan | December 14, 2004 | 770 days | 1. def. Joachim Hansen on February 17, 2006 |
Kawajiri vacated the title on January 23, 2007, after suffering a knee injury which prevented him from defending his title in the mandatory time period per Shooto regulations. | |||||
9 | ![]() def. Ganjo Tentsuku | Shooto: Shooto Tradition 1 Tokyo, Japan | May 3, 2008 | 506 days | |
Nakakura vacated the title on September 21, 2009, declaring that he wasn't ready to properly defend it after losing a non-title fight to Takanori Gomi. [7] | |||||
10 | ![]() def. Kenichiro Togashi | Vale Tudo Japan 2009 Tokyo, Japan | October 30, 2009 | 212 days | 1. def. Yusuke Endo on May 30, 2010 |
Freire vacated the title on May 30, 2010 to compete in the UFC. [8] | |||||
11 | ![]() def. Kotetsu Boku | Shooto: Shootor's Legacy 3 Tokyo, Japan | July 18, 2011 | 1,595 days | 1. def. Giovani Diniz on May 18, 2012 |
Hironaka vacated the title on November 29, 2015 for unknown reasons. [9] | |||||
12 | ![]() def. Yuki Kawana | Mobstyles Present Fight & Mosh Tokyo, Japan | April 23, 2016 | 1,394 days | 1. def. Yuki Okano on March 25, 2018 |
Matsumoto vacated the title in February 16, 2020, when he signed with ONE Championship. [10] | |||||
13 | ![]() def. Captain Africa | Professional Shooto 2020 Vol.4 in Osaka Osaka, Japan | July 12, 2020 | 435 days | |
14 | ![]() def. Yuki Kawana | Professional Shooto 2021 Vol.6 Tokyo, Japan | September 20, 2021 | 1,044 days (incumbent) |
Weight limit of 65.8 kg (145 lb)
The weight limit was 65 kg (143.3 lb) prior to January 1, 2015. The Featherweight Championship was known as the Lightweight Championship prior to January 1, 2017. [11]
No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign (total) | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() def. Kazuhiro Sakamoto | Shooto: Shooto Tokyo, Japan | September 8, 1990 | 265 days | |
2 | ![]() | Shooto: Shooto Tokyo, Japan | May 31, 1991 | 301 days | 1. def. Hiroyuki Kanno on October 17, 1991 |
3 | ![]() | Shooto: Shooto Tokyo, Japan | March 27, 1992 | 2,718 days | 1. drew with Kenichi Tanaka on July 23, 1992 |
4 | ![]() | Shooto: Renaxis 4 Tokyo, Japan | September 5, 1999 | 2,436 days | 1. def. Uchu Tatsumi on August 27, 2000 |
Nogueira vacated the title on May 7, 2006, after suffering a knee injury which prevented him from defending his title in the mandatory time period per Shooto regulations. | |||||
5 | ![]() def. Antonio Carvalho | Shooto: The Devilock Tokyo, Japan | May 12, 2006 | 371 days | |
6 | ![]() | Shooto: Back To Our Roots 3 Tokyo, Japan | May 18, 2007 | 315 days | |
7 | ![]() | Shooto: Back To Our Roots 8 Tokyo, Japan | March 28, 2008 | 246 days | |
8 | ![]() | Shooto: Shooto Tradition 4 Tokyo, Japan | November 29, 2008 | 547 days (918 days) | 1. def. Rumina Sato on May 10, 2009 |
9 | ![]() | Shooto: The Way of Shooto 3: Like a Tiger, Like a Dragon Tokyo, Japan | May 30, 2010 | 366 days | |
Hioki vacated the title on May 31, 2011 to compete in the UFC. [12] | |||||
10 | ![]() def. Yoshifumi Nakamura | Professional Shooto Tokyo, Japan | January 11, 2016 | 1,906 days | 1. def. Caol Uno on April 23, 2017 |
Saito vacated the title on March 31, 2021 to compete in Rizin. [13] | |||||
11 | ![]() def. Ryoji Kudo | Professional Shooto 2021 Vol.5 Tokyo, Japan | July 25, 2021 | 1,101 days (incumbent) | 1. def. Tateo Iida on March 19, 2023 |
Weight limit of 61.2 kg (135 lb)
The weight limit was 60 kg (132.3 lb) prior to January 1, 2015. The Bantamweight Championship was known as the Featherweight Championship prior to January 1, 2017. [14]
No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign (total) | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() def. Jin Akimoto | Shooto: R.E.A.D. Final Urayasu, Japan | December 17, 2000 | 343 days | |
2 | ![]() | Shooto: To The Top 10 Tokyo, Japan | November 25, 2001 | 623 days | 1. drew with Hisao Ikeda on September 16, 2002 |
3 | ![]() | Shooto: 8/10 in Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium Yokohama, Japan | August 10, 2003 | 858 days | 1. def. Kentaro Imaizumi on November 12, 2004 |
Matsune vacated the title on December 15, 2005, after suffering a knee injury which prevented him from defending his title in the mandatory time period per Shooto regulations. [15] [16] | |||||
4 | ![]() def. Kenji Osawa | Shooto 2006: 7/21 in Korakuen Hall Tokyo, Japan | July 21, 2006 | 554 days | |
Hokazono vacated the title on January 26, 2008, when he retired. [17] | |||||
5 | ![]() def. Koetsu Okazaki | Shooto: Back To Our Roots 8 Tokyo, Japan | March 28, 2008 | 724 days | 1. drew with Marcos Galvao on September 28, 2008 |
6 | ![]() | Shooto: The Way of Shooto 2: Like a Tiger, Like a Dragon Tokyo, Japan | March 22, 2010 | 403 days | |
7 | ![]() | Shooto: Shooto Tradition 2011 Tokyo, Japan | April 29, 2011 | 385 days | |
8 | ![]() | Great East Japan Earthquake Reconstruction Support Charity Tokyo, Japan | May 18, 2012 | 302 days | |
9 | ![]() | Shooto: 2013 2nd Round Tokyo, Japan | March 16, 2013 | 948 days | 1. def. Shintaro Ishiwatari on June 22, 2013 |
Horiguchi vacated the title on October 20, 2015 to compete in the UFC. [18] | |||||
10 | ![]() def. Keita Ishibashi | Professional Shooto Urayasu, Japan | October 15, 2017 | 1,142 days | 1. def. Tristan Grimsley on July 15, 2018 |
— | ![]() def. Kazuma Kuramoto for interim title [19] | Professional Shooto 2020 Vol.3 Tokyo, Japan | May 31, 2020 | — | |
Sato vacated the title on November 30, 2020, in order to compete with ONE Championship. [20] | |||||
11 | ![]() promoted to undisputed champion | — | November 30, 2020 | 476 days | 1. def. Takafumi Otsuka on March 20, 2021 |
12 | ![]() | Professional Shooto 2022 Vol.2 Tokyo, Japan | March 21, 2022 | 862 days (incumbent) | |
Weight limit of 56.7 kg (125 lb)
The weight limit was 56 kg (123.5 lb) prior to January 1, 2015. The Flyweight Championship was known as the Bantamweight Championship prior to January 1, 2017. [21]
No. | Name | Date | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() def. Yasuhiro Urushitani | December 14, 2003 | 1. drew with Robson Moura on September 26, 2004 |
2 | ![]() | October 14, 2006 | 1. drew with Yasuhiro Urushitani on March 16, 2007 |
Kojima vacated the title on February 27, 2010 after suffering an ACL injury in his right knee which prevented him from defending his title in the mandatory time period per Shooto regulations. [22] | |||
3 | ![]() def. Ryuichi Miki | May 30, 2010 | 1. def. Yuki Shoujou on July 18, 2011 |
Urushitani vacated the title on December 10, 2011 to compete in the UFC. | |||
Ryuichi Miki drew with Yosuke Saruta for the vacant title on July 27, 2013. | |||
4 | ![]() def. Yosuke Saruta | November 9, 2013 | |
5 | ![]() | May 3, 2015 | |
6 | ![]() | April 23, 2016 | 1. def. Tadaaki Yamamoto on October 15, 2017 |
— | ![]() def. Yoshiro Maeda for the interim title. | July 12, 2020 | |
Ougikubo vacated the title on January 31, 2021. [23] Fukuda was promoted to undisputed status. [24] | |||
7 | ![]() promoted to undisputed champion | January 31, 2021 | |
8 | ![]() | July 3, 2021 | |
Taira vacated the title on May 21, 2023 to compete for the UFC. [25] | |||
9 | ![]() def. Wataru Yamauchi | November 19, 2023 | |
Weight limit of 52.2 kg (115 lb)
The weight limit was 52 kg (114.6 lb) prior to January 1, 2015. The Strawweight Championship was known as the Flyweight Championship prior to January 1, 2017. [26]
No. | Name | Date | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() def. Noboru Tahara | November 23, 2009 | 1. def. Hiroyuki Abe on July 19, 2010 |
Somdet vacated the title on April 16, 2011 due to a partially torn left bicep. [27] | |||
2 | ![]() def. Junji Sarumaru | April 29, 2011 | |
3 | ![]() | November 5, 2011 | 1. def. Junji Sarumaru on September 30, 2012 |
Yamagami vacated the title in December 2013 when he moved up in weight. [28] | |||
4 | ![]() def. Junji Sarumaru | January 13, 2014 | |
5 | ![]() | September 27, 2014 | 1. def. Ryuta Sawada on July 26, 2015 |
Naito vacated the title on April 7, 2016 when he signed with ONE Championship. [29] | |||
6 | ![]() def. Ryuto Sawada | July 17, 2016 | |
Kurosawa vacated the title in 2017. | |||
7 | ![]() def. Ryuto Sawada | October 15, 2017 | 1. def. Itchaku Murata on May 13, 2018 |
Saruta vacated the title on November 30, 2019, after signing with ONE Championship. [30] | |||
8 | ![]() def. Yohei Komaki | January 26, 2020 | |
— | ![]() def. Ryohei Kurosawa for the interim title [31] | November 7, 2021 | |
Sarumaru was promoted to undisputed champion status on August 1, 2022, after Minowa vacated the title. [32] | |||
9 | ![]() promoted to undisputed champion | August 1, 2022 | |
10 | ![]() def. Junji Sarumaru | September 19, 2022 | 1. def. Shuto Aki on July 23, 2023 |
Weight limit of 52.2 kg (115 lb)
No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign (total) | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() def. Megumi Sugimoto | Professional Shooto 2024 Vol.4 Tokyo, Japan | May 18, 2024 | 73 days (incumbent) | |
Weight limit of 50 kg (110 lb) [33]
No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign (total) | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() def. Megumi Sugimoto | Professional Shooto 2020 Vol.5 Tokyo, Japan | August 1, 2020 | 462 days | |
2 | ![]() | Professional Shooto 2021 Vol.7 Tokyo, Japan | November 6, 2021 | 561 days | |
3 | ![]() | Professional Shooto 2023 Vol.3 Tokyo, Japan | May 21, 2023 | 436 days (incumbent) | |
Weight limit of 47.6 kg (105 lb)
No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign (total) | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() def. Yuki Ono | Professional Shooto 2022 Vol.7 Tokyo, Japan | November 27, 2022 | 611 days (incumbent) | 1. def. Miku Nakamura on December 2, 2023 |
Weight limit of 120.2 kg (265 lb)
The weight limit was 100 kg (220.5 lb) prior to January 1, 2015. [34]
No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign (total) | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() def. Joe Estes | Shooto: Reconquista 4 Tokyo, Japan | October 12, 1997 | 693 days | |
Inoue vacated the title on September 5, 1999. |
The following includes all fighters with four or more championship and/or interim championship title wins.
Title wins | Champion | Division | W | L | D | NC |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 | ![]() | Lightweight | 6 | 1 | ||
4 | ![]() | Light Heavyweight | 4 | 1 | 1 | |
![]() | Featherweight Bantamweight | 1 3 | 0 0 | 1 |
The following includes all Shooto champions who were able to consecutively defend their title three times or more. Fighters with the same number of title defenses are listed chronologically.
Defenses | Champion | Division | Period |
---|---|---|---|
6 | ![]() | Lightweight | September 5, 1999 – May 7, 2006 |
3 | ![]() | Light Heavyweight | May 31, 1991 – May 7, 1996 |
![]() | Bantamweight | October 16, 2006 – March 1, 2010 | |
![]() | Featherweight | March 28, 2008 – March 22, 2010 |
Fighters who have won championships in multiple weight classes. [35] Tournament champions are not included.
Interim title | |
* | Simultaneous two division champion |
No. | Champion | Division | Period | Defense |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | Featherweight | December 17, 2000 – November 25, 2001 | 0 |
Bantamweight | December 14, 2003 – October 14, 2006 | 2 | ||
2 | ![]() | Featherweight | May 18, 2012 – March 16, 2013 | 0 |
Bantamweight | April 23, 2016 – January 31, 2021 | 2 |
The following include championship title holders by nationality.
Country | Titles |
---|---|
![]() | 62 |
![]() | 6 |
![]() | 3 |
![]() | 1 |
![]() | 1 |
![]() | 1 |
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