Puroresu (プロレス) is a Japanese term used for professional wrestling in and outside of Japan. The term comes from the Japanese pronunciation of "professional wrestling", which in Japanese is abbreviated to “puro” & “resu”. The term became popular among English-speaking fans due to Hisaharu Tanabe's activities in the online Usenet community. Growing out of origins in the traditional US style of wrestling, it has become an entity in itself. Japanese pro wrestling is distinct in its psychology and presentation of the sport and how it functions based on Japanese culture. It is treated closer to a legitimate competition, with fewer theatrics; the stories told in Japanese matches are about a fighter's spirit and perseverance. Pro wrestling in Japan led to the development of shoot wrestling and has been closely related to mixed martial arts (MMA) starting with Shooto and Pancrase, organizations which predate the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), along with influencing subsequent promotions such as RINGS and PRIDE. It is common for pro wrestlers and mixed martial artists in Japan to cross over.
Hidehiko Yoshida is a Japanese gold-medalist judoka and retired mixed martial artist. He is a longtime veteran of Japan's PRIDE Fighting Championships, competing in the Middleweight (93kg) and Heavyweight divisions. He won gold at the 1992 Summer Olympic Games at –78 kg. Yoshida also had two famous fights with MMA pioneer Royce Gracie that resulted in a no-contest and a time-limit draw.
A grappling hold, commonly referred to simply as a hold that in Japanese is referred to as katame-waza, is any specific grappling, wrestling, judo, or other martial art grip that is applied to an opponent. Grappling holds are used principally to control the opponent and to advance in points or positioning. The holds may be categorized by their function, such as clinching, pinning, or submission, while others can be classified by their anatomical effect: chokehold, headlock, joint-lock, or compression lock. Multiple categories may be appropriate for some of these holds.
In martial arts, a throw is a grappling technique that involves off-balancing or lifting an opponent, and throwing them to the ground, in Japanese martial arts referred to as nage-waza, 投げ技, "throwing technique". Throws are a subset of takedown (grappling). Certain throwing techniques called sacrifice throws involve putting oneself in a potentially disadvantageous position, such as on the ground, in order to execute a throw.
Naoya Ogawa is a Japanese world champion judoka, retired professional wrestler, and mixed martial artist. He won a total of seven medals at the All-Japan Judo Championships, and set a record of seven medals at the World Judo Championships. Ogawa won the silver medal in the +95 kg judo weight class at the 1992 Summer Olympics.
Shinobu Kandori is a Japanese politician and professional wrestler. She serves as a member of the House of Councillors, representing the Liberal Democratic Party. A native of Yokohama, Kanagawa, she ran unsuccessfully for the House of Councillors in 2004 but was allowed to join the house in 2006 when Heizo Takenaka, a member of the house, resigned.
Megumi Yabushita is a retired Japanese female mixed martial artist, kickboxer, professional wrestler and judoka. She has participated in several Japanese professional wrestling and mixed martial arts promotions. She is a Japanese national judo champion and a former Smackgirl open weight champion and tournament winner.
Gabrielle Lemos "Gabi" Garcia is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and grappler. She is one of the most successful competitors of all time in the female black belt divisions, and a member of the IBJJF Hall of Fame.
Naohisa Takato is a Japanese judoka.
Remco Pardoel is a retired Dutch mixed martial artist. He competed in the heavyweight division. He has fought in promotions such as the UFC, Shooto and Pancrase. He was a junior national champion in Judo in 1988, and a competitive BJJ grappler. He made his MMA debut at UFC 2, eventually losing to Royce Gracie. Over the course of his career he fought Vernon White, Minoru Suzuki, and Marco Ruas.
Ladies Legend Pro-Wrestling, also known as LLPW and currently as LLPW-X, is a Japanese independent women's professional wrestling promotion founded in 1992 by Rumi Kazama and Shinobu Kandori.
Sayori Saito was a Japanese professional wrestler, who performed under the ring name Harley Saito. She spent much of her career for Ladies Legend Pro-Wrestling.
The fight between Japanese judoka Masahiko Kimura and Brazilian jiu-jitsu founder Hélio Gracie was held at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on October 23, 1951. It was held as a special challenge, with no titles on the line: Gracie was the self-proclaimed national jiu-jitsu champion, seen as a regular judo 6th dan by Kimura, while Kimura himself was coming from a career in professional wrestling and teaching of judo. The result of the fight was a victory for Kimura by technical submission.
FMW 4th Anniversary Show: Origin was a professional wrestling event produced by Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW). The event took place on May 5, 1993 at the Kawasaki Stadium in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan. This was the fourth edition of the company's flagship event Anniversary Show, commemorating the fourth anniversary of the company.
Year End Spectacular (1996) was the third and final Year End Spectacular professional wrestling event produced by Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling on December 11, 1996. The event was a part of the 1996 Year End Sensation tour, which concluded with the Year End Spectacular event.
The rivalry between the Kodokan school of judo and the Totsuka school of Yoshin-ryu jujutsu happened in the 1880s during the Meiji Era in Japan. Consisting of several challenges and tournaments, its result saw the decline of the traditional jujutsu schools and the rise of judo as an institutionalized martial art. Although surrounded in controversy and legend because of inconsistent sources, it has been considered a vital part of the history of judo.
Hansuke Nakamura was a Japanese jujutsu practitioner. He was one of the best regarded jujutsu stylists in Japan before the rise of judo, and remains as the most famous exponent of the Ryōi Shintō-ryū school.
Rumi Kazama was a Japanese professional wrestler and promoter. Along with Shinobu Kandori, she co-founded the promotion Ladies Legend Pro-Wrestling.
(1993)
(1992, 1995)
