Shoot Wrestling
Shoot Wrestling is a Combat Sport that originated in the 1970s in Japan's Professional Wrestling circuit. The Pro Wrestlers of that era utilized more realistic or "Full Contact" moves in order to make their matches more exciting. The name "Shoot Wrestling" comes from the term "Shoot" which refers to any unscripted occurance within a scripted Wrestling event.
Before the sport of Shoot Wrestling existed, "Shoot" was a term used in the U.K to describe the legitimate sport of Catch Wrestling. Nowdays the term Shoot Wrestling can be used to describe different hybrid Fighting Systems such as Shootfighting, Shooto, Pancrase. RINGS Submission Fighting and Shoot Boxing.
Wrestler Karl Gotch had a prominent role in the development of Shoot Wrestling. Karl Gotch was a student of the "Snake Pit" gym that was run by the famous Catch Wrestler Billy Riley in Wigan England. The "Snake Pit" gym was known for Submission Wrestling, AKA Catch-as-Catch-Can Wrestling. This is where Gotch learned his Catch Wrestling skills.
Karl Gotch Wrestled Professionally in Japan and introduced Catch Wrestling to other Pro Wrestlers on the circuit. Karl Gotch became a legend in Japan and earned the name Kamisama (God of Wrestling).
One of Gotch's students Antonio Inoki promoted a series of Mixed Martial Arts matches where his Wrestlers were matched against fighters of other Martial Arts. Later on many Wrestlers became interested in more realistic matches. and these matches evolved into real Mixed Martial Arts competitions.
Students of Shoot Wrestling developed many other sub-styles from the art.
Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki developed Pancrase.
Bart Vale created Shootfighting.
Satoru Sayama developed a style that included Muay Thai Kicks, and is called Shooto.
Akira Maeda created a version of Shoot Wrestling that emphasizes Submissions called RINGS Submission Fighting.
Caesar Takeshi formed Shoot Boxing.
Gyms such as the Lion's Den and Shamrock Martial Arts Academy practice Shoot Wrestling style Martial Arts.
Former King of Pancrase and UFC Heavyweight Champion Bas Rutten trained with Shoot Wrestler Masakatsu Funaki.