Vale Tudo Japan (VTJ) ( Japanese : ヴァーリ・トゥード・ジャパン , Hepburn : Vāri Tūdo Japan ) is an annual mixed martial arts competition held in Japan. Originally arranged by promoter and former professional wrestler Satoru Sayama , he had previously created a hybrid martial art organization named Shooto in 1985. He arranged VTJ in 1994 with the objective of creating a more rules-free event similar to the early Ultimate Fighting Championship events in the United States and Vale Tudo competitions in Brazil, previously to this tournament, Shooto did not feature striking in ground position . The fighters were composed by the best Japanese MMA fighters drawn from Shooto , the Shoot Wrestling circuit as well as foreign invitees, including illustrious names such as Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend Rickson Gracie .
21-438: Some other notable fighters to fight at Vale Tudo Japan include Sanae Kikuta , Takanori Gomi , Enson Inoue , João Roque , Carlos Newton , Rumina Sato , Royler Gracie , Dan Severn , Vladimir Matyushenko , Frank Shamrock , Jean Jacques Machado , Randy Couture , Frank Trigg , André Pederneiras , Rafael Cordeiro , Alexandre Franca Nogueira , Hayato Sakurai , and Yuki Nakai . Vale Tudo Japan events ran from 1994 to 1999,
42-548: A boom of the popularity and development of MMA and Shooto in Japan, and the tournament is considered a predecessor to PRIDE Fighting Championships . VTJ's format and rules would serve as a basis for PRIDE, while Rickson Gracie's impressive victories in VTJ would make him a celebrity in Japan, leading to him being paired with popular Shoot-style professional wrestler Nobuhiko Takada to headline Pride 1 in 1997. Vale Tudo Japan 1994
63-657: A job as a Judo teacher, Kikuta applied again to the entrance exam for NJPW, but he failed for a second time, this time due to showing dehydration symptoms during a sparring with fellow examinee Kenichi Yamamoto . Kikuta left college and went to train Kickboxing under Stan Longinidis in Australia. Upon his return to Japan, Kikuta started training at Seidokaikan and won the All Japan amateur Shootboxing heavyweight championship. However, after watching Royce Gracie win
84-696: A member of the Tokyo team) in the judo boys' team division at the National Athletic Meet. He also learned under Toshihiko Koga at the Nippon Sport Science University . During his university tenure, Kikuta also tried Professional Wrestling , failing to enter New Japan Pro-Wrestling , but being accepted in Union of Wrestling Forces International and training with them for a time before leaving. After considering finding
105-413: A pair of editions held in 1994 and '95 were single-elimination tournaments , both of which were won by Rickson Gracie. Afterwards, from 1996 to 1999 the events were invitationals. Vale Tudo Japan returned in 2009, now organizing by the "Vale Tudo Japan Executive Committee", with semi-annual events and three reunion events in 2009, 2012 and 2016. Early Vale Tudo Japan events were a huge success, it led to
126-516: A student at the Super Tiger Gym when he was in the 6th-grade elementary school, learning Shooto under Satoru Sayama , but he left the feeling that he wasn't being given enough attention in the combative aspect. Kikuta started training in Judo in his junior high school. In 1986, he won the junior high school judo Kantō tournament in the 78 kg class. In 1989, he won the championship (as
147-436: A sudden twist when Nogueira landed a surprising right hook, knocking Sanae out completely. Nogueira was declared the winner. Sanae fought again for PRIDE in the event Shockwave 2005, taking on Makoto Takimoto , judo gold medalist and apprentice to Hidehiko Yoshida . Kikuta opened the fight pulling guard, after which the two judoka traded positions and submission attempts with Sanae coming over in most of them. Having maintained
168-571: Is a Japanese mixed martial artist currently competing in the Welterweight division. A professional competitor since 1996, he has competed for the UFC , PRIDE Fighting Championships , Pancrase , DREAM , World Victory Road , DEEP , Shooto , and Vale Tudo Japan . He is the former Pancrase Light Heavyweight Champion (2001–2003) and the winner of the ADCC 88 kg class in 2001. Kikuta became
189-684: The ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship in April 2001 and won its 88 kg class. In September 2001 he won the title of Pancrase Light Heavyweight Champion. He currently runs the Grabaka gym in Nakano, Tokyo , which trains fighters such as Kazunori Yokota , Akihiro Gono , and formerly Genki Sudo , and Kazuo Misaki . In his sole apparition for Ultimate Fighting Championship , Kikuta took part in
210-524: The 1997 tournament, too, defeating Suda again. Kikuta made his worldwide MMA debut for the PRIDE promotion at its second event, where he faced Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert Renzo Gracie in a special rules match. The fight turned out to be a slow, methodical bout which lasted six fifteen minutes rounds, whose end saw Renzo submitting Kikuta via guillotine choke at the sixth one. Kikuta returned to PRIDE to face Takada Dojo understudy Daijiro Matsui . Again,
231-545: The advantage for all of the three rounds both standing and on the ground, Kikuta was given the unanimous decision win. After a single match for Shooto , Kikuta joined the Pancrase fighting organization in April 1994. He scored big victories over veterans Minoru Suzuki and Ryushi Yanagisawa , and shortly after he founded the Grabaka team along with Genki Sudo , Eiji Ishikawa and Hiroo Matsunaga. Kikuta also participated in
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#1732801679923252-405: The event Ultimate Japan III in April 2000. He defeated Eugene Jackson in dominant fashion, taking him down and locking an armbar for the submission. On January 4, 2009, at World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku Rebellion 2009 , Kikuta faced fellow judoka Hidehiko Yoshida . The bout started characteristically slow, with Kikuta taking Yoshida down and tentatively exchanging strikes with him. At
273-510: The fight was a technical battle, ending with a draw after none of the fighters could finish the other. At PRIDE 20, Kikuta fought Alexander Otsuka . This time the fight was a controversial one, with Otsuka throwing several knees to the groin which weren't penalized. Despite so, Sanae controlled the match with dominant positions and soccer kicks, and won by unanimous decision. At UFO Legend, Kikuta fought PRIDE competitor Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira . The two grappling specialists exchanged assaults on
294-553: The first Ultimate Fighting Championship events, he became interested in Mixed Martial Arts . Kikuta had his MMA debut for the first tournament hosted in 1996 by Lumax Cup, which featured the use of keikogi . Kikuta won after beating Egan Inoue and Masanori Suda . He then went to compete in the Vale Tudo Japan event, but was defeated by Mushtaq Abdullah by forearm choke. After returning to Lumax Cup, he won
315-512: The ground, with the Brazilian taking down Kikuta and attacking his half guard before the Japanese capitalized on a failed calf slicer to switch positions. Kikuta pressed from the top, but Nogueira regained full guard and scrambled to switch positions again, where the Japanese defended again from half guard. At the second round, Kikuta looked to take the match to the ground again, but it took
336-399: The second round, Kikuta opted for pulling guard and pursuing an ankle lock , but Yoshida remained on top and landed several punches through his guard. Afterwards, however, Kikuta reversed and got the mount, unloading ground and pound until the end of the round. The third round saw Yoshida stunning Kikuta with a punch and scoring a judo throw, but Sanae took his back and kept striking on him for
357-750: Was held on December 24, 2012, at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo , Japan . Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ 2nd (also known as VTJ 2ND ) was held on June 22, 2013, at the Tokyo Dome City Hall in Tokyo , Japan . Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ 3rd (also known as VTJ 3RD ) was held on October 5, 2013, at Ota City General Gymnasium in Ota, Tokyo, Japan. The main event featured longtime # 1 ranked Megumi Fujii in her retirement bout. Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ 4th (also known as VTJ 4TH )
378-545: Was held on February 23, 2014, at Ota City General Gymnasium in Ota, Tokyo, Japan. Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ 5th in Osaka (also known as VTJ 5TH IN OSAKA ) was held on June 28, 2014, at Bodymaker Colosseum in Osaka , Japan. Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ 6th (also known as VTJ 6TH ) was held on October 4, 2014, at Ota City General Gymnasium in Ōta, Tokyo , Japan. Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ in Osaka (also known as VTJ in Osaka )
399-674: Was held on July 29, 1994, at the Tokyo Bay NK Hall in Urayasu , Japan . * = Lomulder was unable to continue. Vale Tudo Japan 1995 was held on April 20, 1995, at the Nippon Budokan Hall in Chiyoda, Tokyo , Japan . * = Hays was unable to continue. Kimura defeated Emons to claim his place. Vale Tudo Japan 1996 was held on July 7, 1996, at the Tokyo Bay NK Hall in Urayasu , Japan . Vale Tudo Japan 1997
420-540: Was held on June 21, 2015, at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium in Osaka , Japan. Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ 7TH (also known as VTJ 7TH ) was held on September 13, 2015, at Maihama Amphitheater in Urayasu , Japan. Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ IN OKINAWA (also known as VTJ IN OKINAWA ) was held on September 13, 2015, at Okinawa Prefectural Budokan in Naha , Okinawa , Japan. Sanae Kikuta Sanae Kikuta ( Japanese : 菊田 早苗 , Kikuta Sanae , born September 10, 1971)
441-497: Was held on November 29, 1997, at the Tokyo Bay NK Hall in Urayasu , Japan . Vale Tudo Japan 1998 was held on October 25, 1998, at the Tokyo Bay NK Hall in Urayasu , Japan . Vale Tudo Japan 1999 was held on December 11, 1999, at the Tokyo Bay NK Hall in Urayasu , Japan . Vale Tudo Japan 2009 was held on October 30, 2009, at the JCB Hall in Tokyo , Japan . Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ 1st (also known as VTJ 1ST )
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