World Victory Road
Encyclopedia
World Victory Road is a defunct Japan
ese Mixed Martial Arts
(MMA) organization which promoted the Sengoku Raiden Championship in Japan
. The organization was formed in 2007 following the purchase of Pride FC by Zuffa. It operated in conjunction with the Japan Mixed Martial Arts Federation (JMM). The Sengoku championship was broadcasted on Fuji TV
and pay-per-view in Japan, and on HDNet
in United States.
Beginning with the December 31st show, Sengoku was known as Sengoku Raiden Championship. "Raiden" means "thunder and lightning" and refers to a legendary 18th century sumo. WVR exec Kokuho said they hoped the initials "SRC" will be more palatable to international audiences.
On March 12, 2011 it was reported that Don Quijote
, a Japanese discount store chain serving as the primary sponsor of the promotion, had ceased all funding to WVR. That same day, WVR officials issued a press release stating that barring the sudden emergence of a new primary sponsor, the promotion was effectively finished.
when it reached a broadcast agreement for Fuji TV to televise matches in Japan. It was significant given the fact that this is the first MMA promotion to be televised on the network since it dropped PRIDE FC from its lineup in mid-2006. The events will be shown live on Fuji TV 739 and then a two-hour version later in the night on Fuji TV.
On February 6, 2009, HDNet
announced they had reached and agreement with WVR to broadcast its Sengoku-events in America starting March 20, 2009.
– Former PRIDE fighter Sanae Kikuta
– Former ADCC Submission Wrestling World Champion Hidehiko Yoshida
– 1992 Judo Olympic Gold Medalist -78 kg Kazuo Misaki
– 2006 PRIDE Welterweight Grand Prix winner Makoto Takimoto
– 2000 Judo -81 kg Olympic Gold Medalist Satoru Kitaoka
– Sengoku Lightweight Grand Prix and former Lightweight champion Hatsu Hioki
– Current TKO Featherweight Champion Satoshi Ishii
– 2008 Olympic Judo Gold Medalist +99 kg Eiji Mitsuoka
– Former PRIDE fighter Kazuyuki Fujita
– Former PRIDE fighter Muhammed Lawal
– a.k.a. King Mo Former NCAA Division II Champion, 2004 U.S. Olympic alternate -84 kg Kevin Randleman
– Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Travis Wiuff
– YAMMA Pit Fighting
Heavyweight Tournament Champion Nick Thompson
– Former BodogFight
welterweight champion Josh Barnett
– former UFC heavyweight champion, PRIDE veteran Jeff Monson
– 2005 –99 kg ADCC champion Dave Herman
– Elite XC, and Bellator veteran Logan Clark
– UFC and WEC
veteran Antonio Silva
– Last EliteXC Heavyweight Champion Xande Ribeiro – 2007 –99 kg ADCC champion Antonio Braga Neto
– 2008 World Jiu-Jitsu Gold Medalist Evangelista Santos
– Former PRIDE fighter Seung Hwan Bang – Former DEEP
Lightweight Champion Current pro-boxer Chan Sung Jung – 2007 Pancrase Korea Neo-Blood Tournament Champion Mu Bae Choi – 1990 Asian Games
-100 kg Greco-Roman Wrestling
Medalist Paweł Nastula – 1995 and 1997 Judo World Champion, 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist, -99 kg Mamed Khalidov
– KSW
champion, EliteXC veteran Stanislav Nedkov
– Bulgarian jiu jitsu champion Blagoi Ivanov
– 2008 World Sambo champion, +99 kg Maximo Blanco
-2007 Pan American Games Bronze Medalist and Current Lightweight King of Pancrase
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese Mixed Martial Arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
(MMA) organization which promoted the Sengoku Raiden Championship in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The organization was formed in 2007 following the purchase of Pride FC by Zuffa. It operated in conjunction with the Japan Mixed Martial Arts Federation (JMM). The Sengoku championship was broadcasted on Fuji TV
Fuji Television
is a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
and pay-per-view in Japan, and on HDNet
HDNet
HDNet is a men's interest television channel in the United States, broadcasting exclusively in high-definition format and available via cable and satellite television...
in United States.
Beginning with the December 31st show, Sengoku was known as Sengoku Raiden Championship. "Raiden" means "thunder and lightning" and refers to a legendary 18th century sumo. WVR exec Kokuho said they hoped the initials "SRC" will be more palatable to international audiences.
On March 12, 2011 it was reported that Don Quijote
Don Quijote (store)
is a discount chain store that has over 160 locations throughout Japan as well as three stores in Hawaii. It carries a wide range of products, from basic groceries to electronics to clothing. The store is well known in Japan and is often referred to by its shortened name .-History:Don Quijote...
, a Japanese discount store chain serving as the primary sponsor of the promotion, had ceased all funding to WVR. That same day, WVR officials issued a press release stating that barring the sudden emergence of a new primary sponsor, the promotion was effectively finished.
Broadcast
The promotion received a boost in visibility in their endeavor to compete with DREAMDREAM (mixed martial arts)
Dream is a mixed martial arts organization promoted by former PRIDE FC executives and K-1 promoter Fighting and Entertainment Group. DREAM replaced FEG's previous-run mixed martial arts fight series, Hero's. The series retains many of the stylistic flourishes and personnel from Pride FC...
when it reached a broadcast agreement for Fuji TV to televise matches in Japan. It was significant given the fact that this is the first MMA promotion to be televised on the network since it dropped PRIDE FC from its lineup in mid-2006. The events will be shown live on Fuji TV 739 and then a two-hour version later in the night on Fuji TV.
On February 6, 2009, HDNet
HDNet
HDNet is a men's interest television channel in the United States, broadcasting exclusively in high-definition format and available via cable and satellite television...
announced they had reached and agreement with WVR to broadcast its Sengoku-events in America starting March 20, 2009.
Rules
WVR's rules differ somewhat from the unified rules of mixed martial arts . Among the differences are the allowance of knees and stomps to the head of downed opponent while elbows to the head and soccer kicks are prohibited. Similar to the Unified Rules, fights have 3 rounds each lasting 5 minutes.Sengoku events
| Date | Event | Location | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-03-05 | 01 – World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku Vanguard World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 1 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 1, billed as "Sengoku Vanguard" in Japan, was the inaugural mixed martial arts event promoted by the World Victory Road... |
 TokyoTokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Yoyogi National Gymnasium Yoyogi National Gymnasium is an arena in Yoyogi Park, Tokyo, Japan which is famous for its suspension roof design.It was designed by Kenzo Tange and built between 1961 and 1964 to house swimming and diving events in the 1964 Summer Olympics. A separate annex was used for the basketball competition at those same games... |
| 2008-05-18 | 02 – World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 2 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 2 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 2 was a mixed martial arts event promoted by the World Victory Road. It took place on May 18, 2008 at the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo, Japan.-Results:... |
Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Ariake Coliseum Ariake Coliseum is an indoor sporting arena in located in Ariake, Kōtō, Tokyo, Japan. It has a capacity of 10,000. The arena is used as the center court for the Japan Open Tennis Championships and the Toray Pan Pacific Open held in Ariake Tennis Forest Park.... |
| 2008-06-08 | 03 – World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 3 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 3 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 3 was a mixed martial arts event promoted by World Victory Road. The event took place on June 8, 2008 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama City, Japan.-Results:... |
Saitama City, Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Saitama Super Arena Saitama Super Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Chūō-ku, Saitama City, Saitama, Japan. Its spectator capacity is 37,000 at maximum settings.This main arena capacity is between 19,000-22,500 when events such as basketball, volleyball, tennis, ice hockey, gymnastics, boxing, mixed martial arts and... |
| 2008-08-24 | 04 – World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 4 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 4 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 4 was a mixed martial arts event promoted by World Victory Road. The event took place on August 24, 2008 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama City, Japan... |
Saitama City, Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Saitama Super Arena Saitama Super Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Chūō-ku, Saitama City, Saitama, Japan. Its spectator capacity is 37,000 at maximum settings.This main arena capacity is between 19,000-22,500 when events such as basketball, volleyball, tennis, ice hockey, gymnastics, boxing, mixed martial arts and... |
| 2008-09-28 | 05 – World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 5 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 5 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 5 was a mixed martial arts event promoted by World Victory Road. The event took place on September 28, 2008 at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan... |
Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Yoyogi National Gymnasium Yoyogi National Gymnasium is an arena in Yoyogi Park, Tokyo, Japan which is famous for its suspension roof design.It was designed by Kenzo Tange and built between 1961 and 1964 to house swimming and diving events in the 1964 Summer Olympics. A separate annex was used for the basketball competition at those same games... |
| 2008-11-01 | 06 – World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 6 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 6 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 6 was a mixed martial arts-event promoted by World Victory Road. The event took place on November 1, 2008 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama City, Japan... |
Saitama City, Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Saitama Super Arena Saitama Super Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Chūō-ku, Saitama City, Saitama, Japan. Its spectator capacity is 37,000 at maximum settings.This main arena capacity is between 19,000-22,500 when events such as basketball, volleyball, tennis, ice hockey, gymnastics, boxing, mixed martial arts and... |
| 2009-01-04 | 07 – World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku Rebellion 2009 | Saitama City, Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Saitama Super Arena Saitama Super Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Chūō-ku, Saitama City, Saitama, Japan. Its spectator capacity is 37,000 at maximum settings.This main arena capacity is between 19,000-22,500 when events such as basketball, volleyball, tennis, ice hockey, gymnastics, boxing, mixed martial arts and... |
| 2009-03-11 | 08 – World Victory Road Presents: Gold Rush Korea |  SeoulSeoul Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world... , South Korea South Korea The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south... |
Team Maru Training Center |
| 2009-03-20 | 09 – World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 7 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 7 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 7 was a mixed martial arts-event promoted by World Victory Road. It took place on March 20, 2009.- Results :... |
Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Yoyogi National Gymnasium Yoyogi National Gymnasium is an arena in Yoyogi Park, Tokyo, Japan which is famous for its suspension roof design.It was designed by Kenzo Tange and built between 1961 and 1964 to house swimming and diving events in the 1964 Summer Olympics. A separate annex was used for the basketball competition at those same games... |
| 2009-05-02 | 10 – World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 8 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 8 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 8 was a mixed martial arts event promoted by World Victory Road. It took place on May 2, 2009 and featured the second round of WVR's 2009 Featherweight Grand-Prix.- Results :... |
Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Yoyogi National Gymnasium Yoyogi National Gymnasium is an arena in Yoyogi Park, Tokyo, Japan which is famous for its suspension roof design.It was designed by Kenzo Tange and built between 1961 and 1964 to house swimming and diving events in the 1964 Summer Olympics. A separate annex was used for the basketball competition at those same games... |
| 2009-08-02 | 11 – World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 9 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 9 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 9 was a mixed martial arts event promoted by World Victory Road on August 2, 2009. It featured the final round of WVR's 2009 Featherweight Grand-Prix. This event was broadcast in North America via tape delay on HDNet.... |
Saitama City, Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Saitama Super Arena Saitama Super Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Chūō-ku, Saitama City, Saitama, Japan. Its spectator capacity is 37,000 at maximum settings.This main arena capacity is between 19,000-22,500 when events such as basketball, volleyball, tennis, ice hockey, gymnastics, boxing, mixed martial arts and... |
| 2009-09-23 | 12 – World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 10 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 10 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 10 was a mixed martial arts event promoted by World Victory Road on September 23, 2009. The event included three Gold Cup matches featuring the winners of Sengoku: Gold Cup South Korea versus the winners of Sengoku: Gold Cup Japan. It was broadcast live in North... |
Saitama City, Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Saitama Super Arena Saitama Super Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Chūō-ku, Saitama City, Saitama, Japan. Its spectator capacity is 37,000 at maximum settings.This main arena capacity is between 19,000-22,500 when events such as basketball, volleyball, tennis, ice hockey, gymnastics, boxing, mixed martial arts and... |
| 2009-11-07 | 13 – World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 11 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 11 World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 11 was a mixed martial arts event promoted by World Victory Road. It took place on November 7th, 2009.This event was broadcasted live in North America on HDNet.-Fight Card:... |
Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Ryōgoku Kokugikan Ryogoku Kokugikan , also known as Sumo Hall, is an indoor sporting arena located in the Ryōgoku neighborhood of Sumida, one of the 23 wards of Tokyo in Japan, next to the Edo-Tokyo Museum. It is the third building built in Tokyo associated with the name kokugikan. The current building was opened in 1985 and has a... |
| 2009-12-31 | 14 – Dynamite!! The Power of Courage 2009 Dynamite!! 2009 Dynamite!! 2009 was a mixed martial arts and kickboxing events promoted by Fighting and Entertainment Group, held in the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on December 31, 2009. The event included bouts that encompass the DREAM, Sengoku Raiden Championship, K-1, and K-1 World MAX banners... |
Saitama Saitama, Saitama ' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Saitama Super Arena Saitama Super Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Chūō-ku, Saitama City, Saitama, Japan. Its spectator capacity is 37,000 at maximum settings.This main arena capacity is between 19,000-22,500 when events such as basketball, volleyball, tennis, ice hockey, gymnastics, boxing, mixed martial arts and... |
| 2010-03-07 | 15 – World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku Raiden Championships 12 | Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Ryōgoku Kokugikan Ryogoku Kokugikan , also known as Sumo Hall, is an indoor sporting arena located in the Ryōgoku neighborhood of Sumida, one of the 23 wards of Tokyo in Japan, next to the Edo-Tokyo Museum. It is the third building built in Tokyo associated with the name kokugikan. The current building was opened in 1985 and has a... |
| 2010-06-20 | 16 – World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku Raiden Championships 13 | Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Ryōgoku Kokugikan Ryogoku Kokugikan , also known as Sumo Hall, is an indoor sporting arena located in the Ryōgoku neighborhood of Sumida, one of the 23 wards of Tokyo in Japan, next to the Edo-Tokyo Museum. It is the third building built in Tokyo associated with the name kokugikan. The current building was opened in 1985 and has a... |
| 2010-07-04 | 17 – World Victory Road Presents: Asia Vol. 1 | Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Differ Ariake |
| 2010-08-22 | 18 - World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku Raiden Championships 14 | Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Ryōgoku Kokugikan Ryogoku Kokugikan , also known as Sumo Hall, is an indoor sporting arena located in the Ryōgoku neighborhood of Sumida, one of the 23 wards of Tokyo in Japan, next to the Edo-Tokyo Museum. It is the third building built in Tokyo associated with the name kokugikan. The current building was opened in 1985 and has a... |
| 2010-10-30 | 19 - World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku Raiden Championships 15 | Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Ryōgoku Kokugikan Ryogoku Kokugikan , also known as Sumo Hall, is an indoor sporting arena located in the Ryōgoku neighborhood of Sumida, one of the 23 wards of Tokyo in Japan, next to the Edo-Tokyo Museum. It is the third building built in Tokyo associated with the name kokugikan. The current building was opened in 1985 and has a... |
| 2010-12-30 | 20 - World Victory Road Presents: Soul of Fight | Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Ariake Coliseum Ariake Coliseum is an indoor sporting arena in located in Ariake, Kōtō, Tokyo, Japan. It has a capacity of 10,000. The arena is used as the center court for the Japan Open Tennis Championships and the Toray Pan Pacific Open held in Ariake Tennis Forest Park.... |
Current champions
| Division | Upper weight limit | Champion | Since | Title Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Featherweight | 145 lb (65.8 kg; 10.4 st) | Vacant | 25 June 2011 | |
| Lightweight | 155 lb (70.3 kg; 11.1 st) | Vacant | 7 March 2010 (Sengoku Raiden Championship 12) | |
| Welterweight | 170 lb (77.1 kg; 12.1 st) | Keita Nakamura Keita Nakamura is a Japanese mixed martial artist. He is the winner of the World Victory Road Welterweight Grand Prix Tournament when he defeated Yasubey Enomoto at World Victory Road Presents: Soul of Fight therefore becoming the first Sengoku Welterweight Champion.... |
30 December 2010 (Soul of Fight) | 0 |
| Middleweight | 185 lb (83.9 kg; 13.2 st) | Vacant | 8 February 2011 |
Notable Fighters
Yoshihiro NakaoYoshihiro Nakao
Yoshihiro "Kiss" Nakao is a Japanese heavyweight mixed martial artist and former K-1 kickboxer who has defeated the likes of Don Frye, Jim York, Wesley Correira, and Edson Draggo. He is currently under contract to fight for DREAM and World Victory Road promotions...
– Former PRIDE fighter Sanae Kikuta
Sanae Kikuta
Sanae Kikuta is a Japanese mixed martial artist who rose to popularity fighting in the Pancrase organization, and currently fights for World Victory Road...
– Former ADCC Submission Wrestling World Champion Hidehiko Yoshida
Hidehiko Yoshida
is a Japanese gold-medalist judoka and retired mixed martial artist. He is a long time veteran of Japan's Pride Fighting Championships, competing in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, also managing to fight in the semi-finals in the Pride 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix...
– 1992 Judo Olympic Gold Medalist -78 kg Kazuo Misaki
Kazuo Misaki
Kazuo Misaki is a Japanese professional mixed martial artist and former judoka. He was the 2006 Pride Welterweight Grand Prix winner, and is currently competing in Sengoku. He is a long time veteran of Pancrase and has also competed in Strikeforce...
– 2006 PRIDE Welterweight Grand Prix winner Makoto Takimoto
Makoto Takimoto
is a Japanese judoka. He won a gold medal at the -81 kg category of the 2000 Summer Olympics.He is from Iwai, Ibaraki. He began judo at the age of 6. After graduation from Nihon University, he belonged to the Japan Racing Association. Takimoto made his MMA debut on 31 December 2004 against...
– 2000 Judo -81 kg Olympic Gold Medalist Satoru Kitaoka
Satoru Kitaoka
, is a Japanese mixed martial artist. He has fought the majority of his career as a welterweight for Pancrase, but moved down to lightweight in 2008 when he joined MMA promoter World Victory Road. Kitaoka is renowned for his submission grappling abilities and is the reigning BJJ and No-Gi Open...
– Sengoku Lightweight Grand Prix and former Lightweight champion Hatsu Hioki
Hatsu Hioki
is a Japanese mixed martial artist signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship competing in the featherweight division. He is the former Shooto Lightweight Champion and former Sengoku Featherweight Champion...
– Current TKO Featherweight Champion Satoshi Ishii
Satoshi Ishii
is a Japanese judoka and mixed martial artist noted for winning a gold medal in Olympic Judo at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China, a silver medal at the 2006 Asian Games and two All-Japan Judo Championships...
– 2008 Olympic Judo Gold Medalist +99 kg Eiji Mitsuoka
Eiji Mitsuoka
Eiji Mitsuoka is a Japanese professional mixed martial artist and Cage Force veteran who has fought for DREAM, World Victory Road, PRIDE, Shooto, DEEP, and King of the Cage promotions. Eiji holds notable wins over Rodrigo Damm, Joachim Hansen, and Brian Cobb...
– Former PRIDE fighter Kazuyuki Fujita
Kazuyuki Fujita
is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and a former amateur wrestler. He has fought in mixed martial arts promotions including PRIDE, K-1 and currently fighting in Sengoku....
– Former PRIDE fighter Muhammed Lawal
Muhammed Lawal
|-| Win|align=center| 8–1| Roger Gracie| KO | Strikeforce World Grand Prix: Barnett vs. Kharitonov| |align=center| 1|align=center| 4:37|Cincinnati, Ohio, United States|||-| Loss|align=center| 7–1| Rafael Cavalcante| TKO...
– a.k.a. King Mo Former NCAA Division II Champion, 2004 U.S. Olympic alternate -84 kg Kevin Randleman
Kevin Randleman
Kevin Christopher Randleman is a retired American mixed martial arts fighter and a former UFC heavyweight champion. Randleman's background is in Collegiate wrestling. Wrestling at 177 pounds, Randleman was a two time Division I NCAA Champion for The Ohio State University...
– Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Travis Wiuff
Travis Wiuff
Travis Wiuff is a mixed martial arts fighter born in Minnesota, United States. He competes in the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight divisions...
– YAMMA Pit Fighting
YAMMA Pit Fighting
Yamma Pit Fighting was a mixed martial arts promotion that was created by original UFC promoter Bob Meyrowitz. The promotion's first and only event, YAMMA 1, was held on April 11, 2008 in Atlantic City, New Jersey at the Trump Taj Mahal....
Heavyweight Tournament Champion Nick Thompson
Nick Thompson
Nicholas Delton Thompson is a retired American mixed martial artist. He retired with a professional mixed martial arts record of 38-14-1. He has fought professionally on both the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Bodog Fight shows...
– Former BodogFight
BodogFight
bodogFight was a mixed martial arts promotion founded by online gambling magnate Calvin Ayre. It was a part of Ayre's bodog.com Entertainment Group....
welterweight champion Josh Barnett
Josh Barnett
Joshua Lawrence Barnett is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler who currently fights in the heavyweight division of Strikeforce. Barnett has been an accomplished fighter in mixed martial arts, winning the UFC Heavyweight Championship and the King of Pancrase Openweight...
– former UFC heavyweight champion, PRIDE veteran Jeff Monson
Jeff Monson
Jeffrey William Monson is an American mixed martial artist from Olympia, Washington. He is a 2 time winner of the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship, and a No Gi Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Champion. He currently holds the Heavyweight titles in the International Sport Karate Association...
– 2005 –99 kg ADCC champion Dave Herman
Dave Herman (fighter)
Dave Herman is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Herman received a significant amount of buzz from fans and media for being undefeated in his first fifteen fights and beating his opponents impressively, having only been...
– Elite XC, and Bellator veteran Logan Clark
Logan Clark
Logan Thomas Clark is an American mixed martial artist.-Biography:Born in Southeastern Minnesota, Clark was raised on a farm north of Dover, MN. In 1987, at the age of 2, Clark's father died leaving his mother to raise the family. Clark has 3 siblings: Tyrel Clark, Doron Clark, and Amanda Clark...
– UFC and WEC
World Extreme Cagefighting
World Extreme Cagefighting was an American mixed martial arts promotion. It was purchased by Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of Ultimate Fighting Championship , in 2006. In its final incarnation, it was made up of 3 weight classes: 135, 145 and 155 lbs. To accommodate the smaller...
veteran Antonio Silva
Antonio Silva (fighter)
Antonio Silva is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He initially fought in the super heavyweight division, but currently competes in the heavyweight weight class. He is the first and last EliteXC heavyweight champion...
– Last EliteXC Heavyweight Champion Xande Ribeiro – 2007 –99 kg ADCC champion Antonio Braga Neto
Antonio Braga Neto
Antonio Braga Neto is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who has competed for World Victory Road and is a Gold Medalist in the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt World Champion under Roberto "Gordo" Correa, Braga Neto currently trains out of in Brazil and...
– 2008 World Jiu-Jitsu Gold Medalist Evangelista Santos
Evangelista Santos
Evangelista Santos is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who is a member of the famous Chute Boxe Academy. He has fought in Strikeforce, Pride Fighting Championship, Cage Rage, International Vale Tudo Championships and Pancrase. He is currently fighting for World Victory Road and Strikeforce...
– Former PRIDE fighter Seung Hwan Bang – Former DEEP
DEEP
Deep is a Japan- based mixed martial arts promoting and sanctioning organization. It is promoted by Shigeru Saeki who is also the former Public Relations Director of Pride Fighting Championships. Deep is considered second-tier Japanese promotion, as a feeder to larger shows like Dream. Their...
Lightweight Champion Current pro-boxer Chan Sung Jung – 2007 Pancrase Korea Neo-Blood Tournament Champion Mu Bae Choi – 1990 Asian Games
Asian Games
The Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...
-100 kg Greco-Roman Wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestling is a style of wrestling that is practised worldwide. It was contested at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been included in every edition of the summer Olympics held since 1908. Two wrestlers are scored for their performance in three two-minute periods, which can...
Medalist Paweł Nastula – 1995 and 1997 Judo World Champion, 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist, -99 kg Mamed Khalidov
Mamed Khalidov
Mamed Khalidov is a Chechen-Polish mixed martial artist, competing in the Middleweight division of Polish MMA promotion KSW. Khalidov is currently undefeated in the promotion and holds the KSW Light Heavyweight Championship belt...
– KSW
Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki
Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki, better known by its acronym, KSW, is widely considered to be the premiere mixed martial arts organization in Poland and one of the leading promotions in Europe. To date, most events have been hosted in Warsaw, Poland...
champion, EliteXC veteran Stanislav Nedkov
Stanislav Nedkov
Stanislav Nedkov is a Bulgarian mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the light heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship .His nickname is Staki.-Early career:...
– Bulgarian jiu jitsu champion Blagoi Ivanov
Blagoi Ivanov
|-| Win| 5-0 | Zak Jensen| Technical submission | Bellator 52| |align=center| 2|align=center| 2:35|Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States| Bellator Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament Quarterfinal|-| Win| 4–0 | William Penn| TKO...
– 2008 World Sambo champion, +99 kg Maximo Blanco
Maximo Blanco
Maximo Blanco is a Venezuelan mixed martial artist and former lightweight King Of Pancrase who has competed for World Victory Road. Blanco holds notable wins over brothers Seigo Inoue and Katsuya Inoue.-Early life:...
-2007 Pan American Games Bronze Medalist and Current Lightweight King of Pancrase