Post by EWA.com on Jul 22, 2019 15:15:54 GMT
EWA.com Exclusive Report
In 1993 Minoru Suzuki and Masakatsu Funaki started a revolution. They founded Pancrase Hybrid Wrestling, a one-of-a-kind professional wrestling organization with deep roots in mixed martial arts. Blurring the lines between the showmanship of wrestling and the intensity of shoot fighting, Pancrase quickly became the promotion of choice for fighter’s from every corner of the world.
Funaki and Suzuki were students of the legendary Antonio Inoki. Inspired by the famous 1976 bout between Inoki and Muhammad Ali, the company sought to identify the greatest fighters across many different disciplines.
Soon after the company’s founding in May of 1993, Ken Shamrock arrived. The American street fighter injected a fresh energy into the company, pumping up Pancrase and elevating it on the international stage. Shamrock’s aggressive, brash behavior helped rocket him to the top of the company. In front of a sold out crowd at Pancrase’s debut event in Tokyo on September 21, 1993 Ken Shamrock defeated Pancrase co-founder Masakatsu Funaki with an arm triangle choke.
By January 1994, Ken Shamrock squared off against the other Pancrase co-founder, Minoru Suzuki. This fight is what sparked controversy and an early rivalry between the two fighters. Suzuki defeated Shamrock in a close fight on January 19, 1994. In the showdown, Suzuki refused to release a kneebar when he grabbed the ropes to escape, risking severe injury to his American rival. In the decades since, Shamrock has repeatedly claimed that Pancrase management specifically requested that he avoid injuring Suzuki because of nagging back pain. Ken Shamrock claims that his compliance with this request opened a door for Suzuki to defeat him.
This setback did not prevent Shamrock from reaching the top of Pancrase. By December 1994, Ken Shamrock was crowned the King of Pancrase Openweight Champion after defeating Maurice Cook, Alex Cook, Masakatsu Funaki, and Manabu Yamada. With this victory, Ken Shamrock was the first foreign-born MMA champion in Japan’s history.
After successfully defending Dutch fighter Bas Rutten in 1995, Shamrock and Suzuki renewed their rivalry. Shamrock lost to Suzuki, dropping his King of Pancrase Championship and effectively ending the tremendous run he had in the company. Within a year, Ken Shamrock reportedly had a major falling out with Minoru Suzuki, Masakatsu Funaki and the rest of Pancrase’s management. Little is known about what drove Shamrock out of the company, but by 1996 Shamrock had returned stateside to join UFC.
Shamrock’s time in Pancrase can seem lost to history. It’s easy for fans to forget that he had a remarkable run in Japan during the earliest days of his career. With the EWA’s return to Japan, Ken Shamrock seems determined to complete unfinished business. At Tokyo SOS, Shamrock and Suzuki meet one last time to settle the score. With this match, Ken’s career will come full circle as he works to cement his legacy as one of the greatest MMA fighters to step in a Japanese ring.
Pankration: The Hidden Rivalry of Ken Shamrock and Minoru Suzuki.
In 1993 Minoru Suzuki and Masakatsu Funaki started a revolution. They founded Pancrase Hybrid Wrestling, a one-of-a-kind professional wrestling organization with deep roots in mixed martial arts. Blurring the lines between the showmanship of wrestling and the intensity of shoot fighting, Pancrase quickly became the promotion of choice for fighter’s from every corner of the world.
Funaki and Suzuki were students of the legendary Antonio Inoki. Inspired by the famous 1976 bout between Inoki and Muhammad Ali, the company sought to identify the greatest fighters across many different disciplines.
Soon after the company’s founding in May of 1993, Ken Shamrock arrived. The American street fighter injected a fresh energy into the company, pumping up Pancrase and elevating it on the international stage. Shamrock’s aggressive, brash behavior helped rocket him to the top of the company. In front of a sold out crowd at Pancrase’s debut event in Tokyo on September 21, 1993 Ken Shamrock defeated Pancrase co-founder Masakatsu Funaki with an arm triangle choke.
By January 1994, Ken Shamrock squared off against the other Pancrase co-founder, Minoru Suzuki. This fight is what sparked controversy and an early rivalry between the two fighters. Suzuki defeated Shamrock in a close fight on January 19, 1994. In the showdown, Suzuki refused to release a kneebar when he grabbed the ropes to escape, risking severe injury to his American rival. In the decades since, Shamrock has repeatedly claimed that Pancrase management specifically requested that he avoid injuring Suzuki because of nagging back pain. Ken Shamrock claims that his compliance with this request opened a door for Suzuki to defeat him.
This setback did not prevent Shamrock from reaching the top of Pancrase. By December 1994, Ken Shamrock was crowned the King of Pancrase Openweight Champion after defeating Maurice Cook, Alex Cook, Masakatsu Funaki, and Manabu Yamada. With this victory, Ken Shamrock was the first foreign-born MMA champion in Japan’s history.
After successfully defending Dutch fighter Bas Rutten in 1995, Shamrock and Suzuki renewed their rivalry. Shamrock lost to Suzuki, dropping his King of Pancrase Championship and effectively ending the tremendous run he had in the company. Within a year, Ken Shamrock reportedly had a major falling out with Minoru Suzuki, Masakatsu Funaki and the rest of Pancrase’s management. Little is known about what drove Shamrock out of the company, but by 1996 Shamrock had returned stateside to join UFC.
Shamrock’s time in Pancrase can seem lost to history. It’s easy for fans to forget that he had a remarkable run in Japan during the earliest days of his career. With the EWA’s return to Japan, Ken Shamrock seems determined to complete unfinished business. At Tokyo SOS, Shamrock and Suzuki meet one last time to settle the score. With this match, Ken’s career will come full circle as he works to cement his legacy as one of the greatest MMA fighters to step in a Japanese ring.