List of Pancrase champions explained

This is a list of Pancrase champions at each weight class. Pancrase is a Japan-based mixed martial arts (MMA) promoting and sanctioning organization founded in 1993. The champions of Pancrase are referred to by the title of "King of Pancrase" and "Queen of Pancrase".

Current champions

Men

width=120Divisionwidth=200Championwidth=120SinceDefenses
Openweight Josh Barnettalign=center 2
HeavyweightVacantalign=center -
Light HeavyweightVacantalign=center -
Middleweight Yura Naitoalign=center 0
Welterweight Ryuichiro Sumimuraalign=center 0
Lightweight Tatsuya Saikaalign=center 0
Featherweight Suguru Niialign=center 0
Bantamweight Tokitaka Nakanishialign=center 0
Flyweight Seiichiro Ito align=center 1
Strawweight Keito Yamakitaalign=center 0

Women

width=120Divisionwidth=200Championwidth=120SinceDefenses
BantamweightVacantalign=center 0
Flyweight Shizuka Sugiyamaalign=center 0
Strawweight Haruka Hasegawaalign=center 0
Atomweight Satomi Takanoalign=center 0

Men's championship history

Openweight Championship

No weight restrictions

width=1%No.width=21%Namewidth=20%Eventwidth=12%Datewidth=46%Defenses
1align=left Ken Shamrock
def. Manabu Yamada
align=center King of Pancrase tournament
align=center Dec 17, 1994
2align=left Minoru Suzukialign=center Pancrase Eyes Of Beast 4
align=center May 13, 1995
3align=left Bas Ruttenalign=center Pancrase 1995 Anniversary Show
align=center Sep 1, 1995
- align=left Frank Shamrock[1]
def. Minoru Suzuki for interim title
align=center Pancrase Truth 1
align=center Jan 28, 1996
Rutten vacated the title in October 1996 for family matters.[2]
4align=left Masakatsu Funaki
def. Jason DeLucia
align=center Pancrase Truth 10
align=center Dec 15, 1996
5align=left Yuki Kondoalign=center Pancrase Alive 4
align=center Apr 27, 1997
6align=left Masakatsu Funaki (2)align=center Pancrase Alive 11
align=center Dec 20, 1997
7align=left Guy Mezgeralign=center Pancrase Advance 5
align=center Apr 26, 1998
Mezger vacated the title in February 1999 when he left Pancrase for the UFC.
8align=left Yuki Kondo (2)
def. Semmy Schilt
align=center Pancrase Breakthrough 4
align=center Apr 18, 1999
9align=left Semmy Schiltalign=center Pancrase Breakthrough 10
align=center Nov 28, 1999
Schilt vacated the title in 2001 when he signed with the UFC.
10align=left Josh Barnett
def. Yuki Kondo
align=center Pancrase 10th Anniversary Show
align=center Aug 31, 2003

Heavyweight Championship

Weight limit: 1201NaN1

On January 30, 2008 Pancrase revised this weight class limit from 1051NaN1 to its current limits.

width=1%No.width=23%Namewidth=18%Eventwidth=12%Datewidth=46%Defenses
1align=left Yoshiki Takahashi
def. Shamoji Fujii
align=center Pancrase Proof 7
align=center Dec 1, 2001
Takahashi vacated the Heavyweight title.
2align=left Kestutis Arbocius
def. Poai Suganuma
align=center Pancrase Blow 6
align=center Aug 27, 2006
Arbocius was stripped of Heavyweight title in May 2007 due to injury.
3align=left Assuerio Silva
def. Tatsuya Mizuno
align=center Pancrase Rising 5
align=center May 30, 2007
Assuerio Silva vacated the title in January 2008 when he left the organization.

Light Heavyweight Championship

Weight limit: 931NaN1

Formerly known as Cruiserweight until 2008

On January 30, 2008 Pancrase revised this weight class limit from 951NaN1 to its current limits.

width=1%No.width=23%Namewidth=18%Eventwidth=12%Datewidth=46%Defenses
1align=left Keiichiro Yamamiya
def. Ikuhisa Minowa
align=center Pancrase 2000 Anniversary Show
align=center Sep 24, 2000
Title Vacated.
2align=left Sanae Kikuta
def. Ikuhisa Minowa
align=center Pancrase 2001 Anniversary Show
align=center Sep 30, 2001
3align=left Yuki Kondoalign=center Pancrase Hybrid 10
align=center Nov 30, 2003
Yuki Kondo vacated the title in January 2008 to move down to middleweight.
4align=left Ryo Kawamura
def. Keiichiro Yamamiya
align=center Pancrase Shining 8
align=center Oct 1, 2008

Ryo Kawamura vacated the title in May 2011 to move down to middleweight.

Middleweight Championship

Weight limit: 841NaN1

On January 30, 2008 Pancrase revised this weight class limit from 851NaN1 to its current limits.

width=1%No.width=23%Namewidth=18%Eventwidth=12%Datewidth=46%Defenses
1align=left Nathan Marquardt
def. Shonie Carter
align=center Pancrase 2000 Anniversary Show
align=center Sep 24, 2000
2align=left Kiuma Kuniokualign=center Pancrase Proof 7
align=center Dec 1, 2001
3align=left Nathan Marquardt (2)align=center Pancrase Spirit 9
align=center Dec 21, 2002
4align=left Ricardo Almeidaalign=center Pancrase Hybrid 10
align=center Nov 30, 2003
Almeida vacated the title in July 2004 when he retired from active competition.
5align=left Nathan Marquardt (3)
def. Kazuo Misaki
align=center Pancrase Brave 10
align=center Nov 7, 2004
Marquardt vacated the title in October 2006 when he left Pancrase for the UFC.[3]
6align=left Yuichi Nakanishi
def. Izuru Takeuchi
align=center Pancrase Blow 10
align=center Dec 2, 2006
7align=left Izuru Takeuchialign=center Pancrase Rising 9
align=center Nov 28, 2007
8align=left Ichiro Kanaialign=center Pancrase: Changing Tour 8
align=center Dec 6, 2009
- align=left Yuki Kondo
promoted to interim champion after vacating the Light Heavyweight title
align=center - align=center Jan 2008

9align=left Yuki Kondo
def. Ichiro Kanai for undisputed title
align=center Pancrase Passion Tour 4
align=center Apr 29, 2010
10align=left Rikuhei Fujiialign=center Pancrase: Passion Tour 11
align=center Dec 5, 2010
Rikuhei Fujii vacated the title in May 2011.
11align=left Ryo Kawamura
def. Ikkei Nagamura
align=center Pancrase Progress Tour 1
align=center Jan 28, 2012
12align=left Shinsho Anzaialign=center Pancrase 259
align=center June 29, 2014
Shinsho Anzai vacated the title when he signed with the UFC.
13align=left Ryo Kawamura (2)
def. Yuki Niimura
align=center Pancrase 281
align=center Oct 2, 2016
14align=left Yuki Niimura align=center Pancrase 291
align=center Nov 12, 2017
Niimura vacated the title when he signed with ONE Championship.
15align=left Yura Naito
def. Ryo Kawamura
align=center Pancrase 326
align=center Mar 21, 2022

Welterweight Championship

Weight limit: 771NaN1

Formerly known as Lightweight until 2006

On January 30, 2008 Pancrase revised this weight limit from 751NaN1 to its current limits.

width=1%No.width=23%Namewidth=18%Eventwidth=12%Datewidth=46%Defenses
1align=left Kiuma Kunioku
def. Takafumi Ito
align=center Pancrase 2002 Neo-Blood tournament second round
align=center Jul 28, 2002
Kunioku vacated the title in September 2004 when he left the organization.[4]
- align=left Katsuya Inoue[5]
promoted to interim champion when opponent withdrew due to injury
align=center - align=center ?
2align=left Daizo Ishige
def. Katsuya Inoue for undisputed title
align=center Pancrase Blow 6
align=center Aug 27, 2006
- align=left Katsuya Inoue[6]
def. Fabricio Nascimento for interim title
align=center Pancrase 2007 Neo-Blood Tournament Finals
align=center Jul 27, 2007
Daizo Ishige vacated the title in January 2008.
3align=left Katsuya Inoue
def. Satoru Kitaoka for undisputed title
align=center Pancrase Shining 1
align=center Jan 30, 2008
Katsuya Inoue vacated the title in February 2008 in order to compete at Lightweight.
- align=left Takuya Wada
def. Jason Palacios for interim title
align=center Pancrase Shining 3
align=center Apr 27, 2008
4align=left Takuya Wada
align=center - align=center -
Takuya Wada vacated the title on April 30, 2010.
5align=left Kengo Ura
def. Keiichiro Yamamiya
align=center Pancrase Passion Tour 5
align=center Jun 5, 2010
6align=left Takenori Satoalign=center Pancrase Impressive Tour 1
align=center Feb 6, 2011





Takenori Sato vacated the title when he signed with the UFC.
7align=left Gota Yamashita
def. Akihiro Murayama
align=center Pancrase 260
align=center August 10, 2014
8align=left Shingo Suzukialign=center Pancrase 270
align=center October 4, 2015
9align=left Akihiro Murayamaalign=center Pancrase 276
align=center March 13, 2016
10align=left Hiromitsu Miuraalign=center Pancrase 281
align=center October 2, 2016
11align=left Daichi Abealign=center Pancrase 288
align=center July 2, 2017
Daichi Abe vacated the title when he signed with the UFC.
12align=left Glaico França
def. Takashi Sato
align=center Pancrase 297
align=center July 1, 2018
Glaico França vacated the title when he signed with the PFL.[7]
- align=left Hiroyuki Tetsuka
def. Kenta Takagi for interim title
align=center Pancrase 306
align=center June 30, 2019
13align=left Hiroyuki Tetsuka
promoted to undisputed champion
align=center - align=center -
Hiroyuki Tetsuka vacated the title when he signed with the ONE Championship.[8]
- align=left Masayuki Kikuiri
def. Akihiro Murayama for interim title
align=center Pancrase 324
align=center October 16, 2021
14align=left Masayuki Kikuiri
promoted to undisputed champion
align=center - align=center May 26, 2022
Kikuiri vacated the title when he signed with Bellator.
15align=left Genpei Hayashi
def. Akihiro Murayama
align=center Pancrase 334
align=center June 4, 2023
16align=left Ryuichiro Sumimuraalign=center Pancrase 340
align=center December 24, 2023

Lightweight Championship

Weight limit: 701NaN1

width=1%No.width=23%Namewidth=18%Eventwidth=12%Datewidth=46%Defenses
1align=left Shoji Maruyama
def. Artur Oumakhanov
align=center Pancrase Shining 1
align=center Jan 30, 2008
Shoji Maruyama vacated the title in May 2008 to compete at Featherweight.
2align=left Katsuya Inoue
def. Koji Oishi
align=center Pancrase Shining 10
align=center Dec 7, 2008
3align=left Maximo Blancoalign=center Pancrase: Changing Tour 4
align=center Aug 8, 2009
Maximo Blanco vacated the title in April 2011 citing an inability to defend his belt due to numerous injuries.[9]
4align=left Koji Oishi
def. Daisuke Hanazawa
align=center Pancrase Impressive Tour 4
align=center May 3, 2011
5align=left Isao Kobayashialign=center Pancrase Progress Tour 4
align=center Apr 1, 2012
Isao Kobayashi vacated the title in 2014.
6align=left Kazuki Tokudome
def. Satoru Kitaoka
align=center Pancrase 271
align=center November 1, 2015
7align=left align=center Pancrase 280
align=center September 11, 2016


- align=left Salimkhan Sadulloev
def. Yusuke Kasuya for interim title
align=center Pancrase 308
align=center September 29, 2019
- align=left Tatsuya Saika
def. Genpei Hayashi for interim title
align=center Pancrase 318
align=center September 27, 2020
- align=left Akira Okada
def. Koshi Matsumoto for interim title
align=center Pancrase 329
align=center September 11, 2022
8align=left Akira Okada align=center Pancrase 333
align=center April 30, 2023
9align=left Tatsuya Saika align=center Pancrase 341
align=center March 31, 2024

Featherweight Championship

Weight limit: 661NaN1

Formerly known as Lightweight until 2008

On January 30, 2008 Pancrase revised this weight limit from 651NaN1 to its current limits.

width=1%No.width=23%Namewidth=18%Eventwidth=12%Datewidth=46%Defenses
1align=left Yoshiro Maeda
def. Daiki "D.J.Taiki" Hata
align=center Pancrase Blow 6
align=center Aug 27, 2006
Yoshiro Maeda vacated the title when he left Pancrase for the WEC.
2align=left Marlon Sandro
def. Masaya Takita
align=center Pancrase: Shining 9
align=center Oct 26, 2008
- align=left Takumi Nakayama
def. Tomonari Kanomata for interim title
align=center Pancrase Impressive Tour 9
align=center Sep 4, 2011
Sandro was stripped of title for refusing to attend the title defense. [10]
3align=left Takumi Nakayama
Promoted to undisputed champion.
align=center - align=center August 9, 2012
4align=left Nam Phanalign=center Pancrase 264
align=center January 31, 2015
5align=left Andy Mainalign=center Pancrase 270
align=center October 4, 2015
- align=left Issei Tamura
def. Juntaro Ushiku for interim title
align=center Pancrase 277
align=center Apr 24, 2016
- align=left Nazareno Malegariealign=center Pancrase 285
align=center Mar 12, 2017
6align=left Nazareno Malegarie
promoted to undisputed champion
align=center - align=center -
Andy Main was stripped of the title and Nazareno Malegarie was promoted to the Undisputed Champion in 2018.
- align=left Isao Kobayashi
def. Koyomi Matsushima for interim title
align=center Pancrase 295
align=center Apr 15, 2018
Title Unification.
7align=left Isao Kobayashi
def. Nazareno Malegarie for undisputed title
align=center Pancrase 305
align=center May 26, 2019
Kobayashi vacated the title when he signed with Bellator.
- align=left Tokitaka Nakanishi
def. Shinsuke Kamei for interim title
align=center Pancrase 328
align=center July 18, 2022
8align=left Tokitaka Nakanishi
promoted to undisputed champion
align=center - align=center -
Nakanishi vacated the title when he choose to compete at Bantamrweight..
9align=left Suguru Nii
def. Shinsuke Kamei
align=center Pancrase 337
align=center September 24, 2023

Bantamweight Championship

Weight limit: 611NaN1

In 2016 Pancrase revised this weight limit from 621NaN1 to its current limits.

width=1%No.width=23%Namewidth=18%Eventwidth=12%Datewidth=46%Defenses
1align=left Manabu Inoue
def. Seiya Kawahara
align=center Pancrase Shining 10
align=center Dec 7, 2008
2align=left Shintaro Ishiwatarialign=center Pancrase Impressive Tour 13
align=center Dec 3, 2011




Ishiwatari was stripped of the title when he left Pancrase for Rizin.
- align=left Rafael Silva
def. Masakatsu Ueda for interim title
align=center Pancrase 296
align=center May 20, 2018
3align=left Rafael Silva
promoted to undisputed champion
align=center - align=center -

Silva retired on October 7, 2022. Nakajima was promoted to full champion status. [11]
- align=left Taichi Nakajima
def. Rui Imura for interim title
align=center Pancrase 325
align=center Dec 11, 2021
4align=left Taichi Nakajima
promoted to undisputed champion
align=center - align=center Oct 7, 2022
- align=left Ryo Tajima
def. Toshinori Tsunemura for interim title
align=center Pancrase 330
align=center Dec 25, 2022
Nakajima vacated the title on November 16, 2023..
5align=left Tokitaka Nakanishi
def. Yasuhiro Kawamura
align=center Pancrase 340
align=center December 24, 2023

Flyweight Championship

Weight limit: 571NaN1

In 2016 Pancrase revised this weight limit from 581NaN1 to its current limits.

width=1%No.width=23%Namewidth=18%Eventwidth=12%Datewidth=46%Defenses
1align=left Mitsuhisa Sunabe
def. Takuya Eizumi
align=center Pancrase: Changing Tour 3
align=center Jun 7, 2009
2align=left Kiyotaka Shimizualign=center Pancrase Passion Tour 1
align=center Feb 7, 2010





Shimizu was stripped of the title after losing to Ryuichi Miki in "champion's assessment bout" in Dec 2015.[12]
3align=left Ryuichi Miki
def. Yuki Yasunaga
align=center Pancrase 279
align=center July 24, 2016
4align=left align=center Pancrase 285
align=center Mar 12, 2017
5align=left Senzo Ikedaalign=center Pancrase 289
align=center Aug 20, 2017
- align=left Shohei Masumizu
def. Masatatsu Ueda for interim title
align=center Pancrase 307
align=center Jul 21, 2019
- align=left Toru Ogawa
def. Masatatsu Ueda for interim title
align=center Pancrase 324
align=center Oct 16, 2021
Ikeda vacated the title on January 24, 2022, in order to compete with ONE Championship.[13]
6align=left Toru Ogawa
promoted to undisputed champion
align=center - align=center -
7align=left Satoru Enomoto align=center Pancrase 326
align=center March 21, 2022
8align=left Rei Tsuruya align=center Pancrase 330
align=center December 25, 2022
- align=left Seiichiro Ito
def. Naoki Arikawa for interim title
align=center Pancrase 340
align=center December 24, 2023
Tsuruya vacated the title on April 3, 2024.
9align=left Seiichiro Ito
promoted to undisputed champion
align=center - align=center April 3, 2024

Strawweight Championship

Weight limit: 521NaN1

In 2016 Pancrase revised this weight limit from 501NaN1 to its current limits.

width=1%No.width=23%Namewidth=18%Eventwidth=12%Datewidth=46%Defenses
1align=left Mitsuhisa Sunabe
align=center Pancrase 271
align=center Nov. 1, 2015
2align=left Daichi Kitakata
align=center Pancrase 307
align=center July 21, 2019 1. def. Yuta Miyazawa at Pancrase 325 on Dec. 12, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan
3align=left Keito Yamakitaalign=center Pancrase 328
align=center July 18, 2022
- align=left Ryohei Kurosawa
def. Takafumi Ato for interim title
align=center Pancrase 342
align=center April 29, 2024

Women's championship history

Women's Bantamweight Championship

Weight limit: 611NaN1

In 2016 Pancrase revised this weight limit from 621NaN1 to its current limits.

width=1%No.width=23%Namewidth=18%Eventwidth=12%Datewidth=46%Defenses
1align=left Rin Nakai
def. Danielle West
align=center Pancrase Progress Tour 14
align=center Dec 1, 2012



Nakai vacated the title in 2018 when she left Pancrase for the DEEP.

Women's Flyweight Championship

Weight limit: 571NaN1

In 2016 Pancrase revised this weight limit from 581NaN1 to its current limits.

width=1%No.width=23%Namewidth=18%Eventwidth=12%Datewidth=46%Defenses
1align=left Sidy Rocha
def. Takayo Hashi
align=center Pancrase 304
align=center Apr 14, 2019
- align=left Takayo Hashi
def. Nori Date for interim title
align=center Pancrase 324
align=center October 16, 2021
2align=left Takayo Hashi
promoted to undisputed champion
align=center - align=center March 30, 2023 1. def. Nori Date at Pancrase 333 on April 30, 2023 in Tokyo, Japan
3align=left Honoka Shigetaalign=center Pancrase 341
align=center March 31, 2024
4align=left Shizuka Sugiyamaalign=center Pancrase 346
align=center July 21, 2024

Women's Strawweight Championship

Weight limit: 521NaN1

width=1%No.width=23%Namewidth=18%Eventwidth=12%Datewidth=46%Defenses
1align=left Syuri Kondo
def. Kinberly Tanaka Novaes
align=center Pancrase 287
align=center May 28, 2017
Kondo vacated the title in September 2017 when she left Pancrase for the UFC.
2align=left Viviane Araujo
def. Emi Fujino
align=center Pancrase 298
align=center Aug. 5, 2018
Araujo vacated the title in 2019 when she signed with the UFC.
3align=left Emi Fujino
def. Hyun Ji Jang
align=center Pancrase 311
align=center December 8, 2019
4align=left Karen align=center Pancrase 326
align=center March 21, 2022
5align=left Haruka Hasegawa align=center Pancrase 333
align=center April 30, 2023

Women's Atomweight Championship

Weight limit: 47.61NaN1

width=1%No.width=23%Namewidth=18%Eventwidth=12%Datewidth=46%Defenses
1align=left Satomi Takano
def. Sayako Fujita
align=center Pancrase 341
align=center March 31, 2024

Defunct titles

Super Heavyweight Championship

Weight limit: unlimited

On January 30, 2008 Pancrase adopted a variant of Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts and retires the super heavyweight championship.[14] [15]

width=1%No.width=23%Namewidth=18%Eventwidth=12%Datewidth=46%Defenses
1align=left Tsuyoshi Kosaka
def. Ron Waterman
align=center Pancrase Brave 10
align=center Nov 7, 2004
Kosaka vacated the title in January 2006.

Light Flyweight Championship

Weight limit: 541NaN1

This weight class was disabled in 2016

width=1%No.width=23%Namewidth=18%Eventwidth=12%Datewidth=46%Defenses
1align=left Mitsuhisa Sunabe
def. Hiroyuki Abe
align=center Pancrase Impressive Tour 13
align=center Dec 3, 2011
Sunabe vacated title when he dropped to compete in a lower weight class.
2align=left Kento Kambe
def. Yukitaka Musashi
align=center Pancrase 273
align=center Dec. 13, 2015

By nationality

The following include championship title holders by nationality.

CountryTitles
Japan65
United States10
Brazil6
Netherlands2
1
Lithuania1
Argentina1

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Rutten was injured in January 1996 and could not defend his title; Shamrock captured an interim championship en route to his title-unification fight with Rutten.
  2. Web site: King of Pancrase Title History. 2007-02-22 . Quebrada.net.
  3. News: Breen. Jordan. With Eye on UFC, Marquardt Relinquishes KOP Belt. 2006-10-23. 2007-02-15. Sherdog.com.
  4. News: Fukui. Masa. Former Welterweight & Middleweight King of Pancrase Kiuma Kunioku. 2004-09-15. 2007-02-21. Sherdog.com.
  5. Web site: News Page 17: Pancrase 2005 Spiral Tour. 2007-02-21. StarzWorld.com. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070316092201/http://www.starzworld.com/news_page_17.htm. 2007-03-16.
  6. News: Nowe. Jason. Inoue Takes Interim King of Pancrase Title. 2004-07-27. 2007-07-28. Sherdog.com.
  7. Web site: Kenta Takagi replaces Hiromitsu Miura in Pancrase 306 headliner. May 29, 2019. asianmma.com.
  8. Web site: Akihiro Murayama faces Masayuki Kikuiri in interim welterweight title fight at Pancrase 3241 . August 17, 2021. asianmma.com.
  9. Web site: Blanco Abdicates Pancrase Throne; Lightweight GP Begins May 3 . Nelson . Chris . Sherdog.com . 2011-04-11 . 2011-04-11.
  10. Web site: http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/fight/headlines/20120809-00000022-spnavi-fight.html. ja:マルロン・サンドロがパンクラス王座返上 タクミが正規王者に昇格. Japanese. Sports Navi. September 30, 2012. https://archive.today/20130112032636/http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/fight/headlines/20120809-00000022-spnavi-fight.html. January 12, 2013. dead.
  11. Web site: 2022-10-07 . パンクラス 12.25 横浜武道館:中島太一のバンタム級王座に4連勝中のTSUNEが挑戦。石渡・瀧澤・金太郎・佐藤将光と戦ったハファエル・シウバは引退 BOUTREVIEW . 2022-10-07 . ja.
  12. News: Breen. Jordan. 'TUF 12' Winner Brookins Rematches Ishiwatari for BW Crown at Pancrase 279 Title Doubleheader. 2016-05-16. 2016-06-01. Sherdog.com.
  13. Web site: 【パンクラス】仙三がフライ級王座返上、正規王者となった小川徹が早くも1位・猿飛流の挑戦を受ける . efight.jp . 25 January 2022.
  14. http://www.mmafighting.com/news/2007/pancrase_to_adopt_unified_rules_of_mma_weight_classes.html MMAFighting.com - Pancrase to adopt Unified Rules of MMA weight classes
  15. http://www.pancrase.co.jp/en/ Pancrase Official Site