Shoot boxing

Shoot boxing
シュートボクシング

Also known as	Standing Vale Tudo, Shootboxing
Focus	Hybrid
Country of origin	Japan
Creator	Caesar Takeshi
Famous practitioners	Andy Souwer, Kenichi Ogata, Hiroki Shishido, Rena Kubota, Ai Takahashi, Mitsuya Nagai
Parenthood	Boxing, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Judo, Jujutsu, Shoot Wrestling
Olympic sport	No
Official website	shootboxing.org

Shoot boxing (シュートボクシング, Shūtobokushingu), commonly written as Shootboxing, is a combat sport.

Shoot boxing is also a stand-up fighting promotion company based in Tokyo, Japan. The organization was founded by former kickboxer Caesar Takeshi in 1985.

Shootboxing, the combat sport, is a mixture of its two parent combat styles of shoot wrestling and kickboxing, allowing for kicks, punches, knees, elbows, throws, and standing submissions (chokeholds, armlocks and wristlocks).

History

Shoot boxing was created in August 1985 by former kickboxer Caesar Takeshi. The first Shootboxing event took place on September 1, 1985.

Some mixed martial artists such as Hayato Sakurai began their careers in Shootboxing. Shootboxing has also drawn fighters who became famous in other promotions such as Jens Pulver. Many K-1 World MAX stars also either debuted in Shootboxing or have fought for Shootboxing in the past, including Andy Souwer, Albert Kraus, and Buakaw Banchamek.

Rules

Shootboxing rules are as follows:

Match form

Professional shoot boxing matches fall into one of two classes, Expert class and Freshman class. The length of an Expert class match is five rounds of three minutes each, followed by one or two extra rounds of three minutes each in the event of a tie. The interval between rounds is one minute.

The length of a Freshman class match is three rounds of three minutes each, followed by one or two three-minute rounds in the event of a tie. The interval between rounds is also one minute.

Weight classes

Professional shoot boxers are divided into weight classes as follows:

Old weight division (until 2001)

Current weight division

13 classes (+1 women's class) Name Upper weight limit Men Eagleweight Unlimited Junior Eagleweight 80 kg (176.4 lb) Hawkweight 75 kg (165.3 lb) Junior Hawkweight 72.5 kg (159.8 lb) Falconweight 70 kg (154.3 lb) Junior Falconweight 67.5 kg (148.8 lb) Seagullweight 65 kg (143.3 lb) Junior Seagullweight 62.5 kg (137.8 lb) Cardinalweight 60 kg (132.3 lb) Junior Cardinalweight 57.5 kg (126.8 lb) Owlweight 55 kg (121.3 lb) Junior Owlweight 52.5 kg (115.7 lb) Sparrowweight 50 kg (110.2 lb) Women Ladybugweight 52 kg (114.6 lb)

15 classes (+6 women's classes) Name Upper weight limit Men Super heavyweight Unlimited Heavyweight 90 kg (198.4 lb) Light heavyweight 80 kg (176.4 lb) Super middleweight 75 kg (165.3 lb) Middleweight 72.5 kg (159.8 lb) Super welterweight 70 kg (154.3 lb) Welterweight 67.5 kg (148.8 lb) Super lightweight 65 kg (143.3 lb) Lightweight 62.5 kg (137.8 lb) Super featherweight 60 kg (132.3 lb) Featherweight 57.5 kg (126.8 lb) Super bantamweight 55 kg (121.3 lb) Bantamweight 52.5 kg (115.7 lb) Super flyweight 50 kg (110.2 lb) Flyweight 47.5 kg (104.7 lb) Women Lightweight 65 kg (143.3 lb) Featherweight 60 kg (132.3 lb) Bantamweight 55 kg (121.3 lb) Flyweight 52 kg (114.6 lb) Strawweight 49 kg (108.0 lb) Atomweight 46 kg (101.4 lb)

Sparrowweight was divided into Flyweight and Super flyweight, and Eagleweight was divided into Heavyweight and Super heavyweight since 2001.

Match judgment

One way to win a shoot boxing match is to knock one's opponent out. A fighter can be knocked out in different ways. If, after being knocked down, a fighter fails to stand up after a count of ten, or if, after standing up, he fails to assume a fighting stance after a count of eight, he is knocked out. The same occurs if a fighter is knocked out of the ring and fails to return before a count of twenty. A referee may also rule a fighter knocked out if the fighter shows no fighting spirit, appears unable to defend his or her self, or makes a gesture of submission.

Technical knockouts can also occur in shoot boxing, in cases where the fighter is injured, the referee rules the fighter knocked out after two knockdowns in the same round, or the fighter's corner throws in the towel. A fight may also be stopped if a doctor rules that continuation would be dangerous to a fighter.

If neither a knockout nor a technical knockout occurs, the winner is determined by a decision. Fighters are graded on their effectiveness on attack and defense, their success in achieving and escaping submissions, and how close they have come to ending the match. Decisions generally produce a winner, but can result in a draw.

A judgement of "no contest" may also be returned, if the judges suspect foul play or conclude that the fighters are not fighting sincerely.

Match scoring

Fighters are awarded points for their success in striking, throwing, and applying standing submission holds to their opponent. They are also given points for four categories of performance: number of times down, amount of damage done to opponent, number of clean hits, and aggressiveness. Fighters are graded from 1–10 in each category, with the difference of score in any one category being limited to 4 points.

Extra points can be awarded at certain points in the match, when the referee makes certain calls. When a fighter performs a front or back throwing technique, the referee calls "shoot", denoting one of these opportunities. The other occurs when a fighter achieves a standing submission; at this point, the referee calls "catch".

Fouls

Foul play is recognized as the following ① to ⑬. After a warning, the fighter will receive a point deduction for further infractions. If the same fighter commits another foul, another point is deducted, and a final warning is given. If a third warning is given to the same fighter, he is disqualified and loses the fight. If the referee feels that it was not a flagrant foul, he may allow the fight to continue.

• 1:Headbutting the opponent.
• 2:Striking the opponent in the groin.
• 3:Biting the opponent.
• 4:Attacking the opponent while he is falling, or when he is getting up.
• 5:Attacking an opponent after the referee signals for a break.
• 6:Utilizing the ropes to aid one's offense or defense.
• 7:To insult or use offensive speech and actions towards an opponent or the referee.
• 8:Striking the opponent in the back of the head.
• 9:The act of intentionally grounding a glove or knee to the mat to defend an attack.
• 10:Intentionally causing the opponent to fall out of the ring.
• 11:Intentionally leaving the ring.
• 12:It makes everything of the act of not being admitted by the other rule foul play.
  • a) If a fighter ever accuses the judges of not being impartial, points are to be immediately deducted.
  • b) The act of ducking the head low and diving into the opponent in such a manner that appears similar to a headbutt.

When either fighter receives a cut from a headbutt, the fighter that made the cut receives a point deduction, even if the headbutt was accidental. If the referee decides that the headbutt was intentional, the fighter receives a two-point deduction.

• • c) Repeated holding which does not appear to be an attack, nor an attempt to escape attacks, will be subject to point deductions after warnings from the referee.

"An attempt to escape attacks" is defined as the act whose intent is to interrupt the opponent's offense or defense by grappling immediately after an attack.

A fighter will be disqualified in the case of any of the following situations:

• 1:When there is intentional foul play, and the referee declares a disqualification for the action.
• 2:When the fighter does not obey the referee.
• 3:If a fighter cannot continue when the round begins.
• 4:When a fighter's attitude is overly rough or violent, with the intent to cause bodily harm above and beyond what is considered to be necessary to compete.
• 5:When the referee decides a fighter lacks fighting spirit, or the desire to continue.
• 6:When a fighter receives three point deductions in one round.
• 7:When a doctor declares a fighter unfit to continue the match.
• 8:When violating fight regulations.

Championship history

S-Cup World Champions

Male S-Cup World Champions

S-Cup, the Shoot Boxing World Cup, is the 8 man single elimination World Tournament generally held once every 2 years since 1995.

Year	Champion	Runner-up
2025	Haruto Yasumoto	Kotaro Yamada
2018	Kaito	UMA
2016	Zakaria Zouggary	Masaya
2014	Hiroaki Suzuki	Zakaria Zouggary
2012	Andy Souwer	Henri van Opstal
2010	Buakaw Por. Pramuk	Toby Imada
2008	Andy Souwer	Kenichi Ogata
2006	Kenichi Ogata	Andy Souwer
2004	Andy Souwer	Hiroki Shishido
2002	Andy Souwer	Zheng Yuhao
1997	Rayen Simson	Mohamed Ouali
1995	Hiromu Yoshitaka	Ron Belliveau

Girls S-Cup World Champions

Girls S-Cup, is the 8 woman single elimination World Tournament generally held once every year since 2009.

Year	Champion	Runner-up
2018	Jleana Valentino	MIO
2017	Rena Kubota	Jleana Valentino
2016	Rena Kubota	Klaudia Pawicka
2015	MIO	Momi Furuta
2014	Rena Kubota	Thicha Rongrien Kila Korat
2013	Mizuki Inoue	Ai Takahashi
2012	Rena Kubota	Mei Yamaguchi
2011	Erika Kamimura	Seo Hee Ham
2010	Rena Kubota	Ai Takahashi
2009	Rena Kubota	Mei Yamaguchi

Shoot Boxing Japan champions

Men Shoot Boxing Japan champions

Heavyweight championship (formerly Super Eagleweight)

Weight limit: 90kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Kengo Shimizu (def. Nangoku Chojin)	December 1, 2015

Light Heavyweight championship (formerly Eagleweight)

Weight limit: 80kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Keisuke Tsuyama (def. )
2	Go Takano (def. )
3	Kazuya Mori (def. )

Super Middleweight championship (formerly Hawkweight)

Weight limit: 75kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Takeshi Caesar (def. Riki Tadakatsu)	July 12, 1987
2	Hiromu Yoshitaka (def. Naoyuki Taira)	August 26, 1990

Middleweight championship (formerly Junior Hawkweight)

Weight limit: 72.5kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Toshiaki Tanaka (def. )
2	Takashi Abe (def. Toshiaki Tanaka)	1993
3	Ryuji Goto (def. Shonan Kiarimi)	February 2, 2003

Super Welterweight championship (formerly Falconweight)

Weight limit: 70kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Kenichi Ogata (def. Seiichiro Nishibayashi)	June 4, 1998
Ogata vacated the title on November 30, 2007.
2	Kenji Kanai (def. Koichi Kikuchi)	February 3, 2008	def. Takashi Ohno on July 21, 2008.
3	Takaaki Umeno (def. Kenji Kanai)	June 1, 2009
4	Satoru Suzuki (def. Kenji Kanai)	September 10, 2011
5	Yuki Sakamoto (def. Satoru Suzuki)	April 20, 2013
6	Kentaro Hokuto (def. Yuki Sakamoto)	February 11, 2017
6	Kosuke Takagi (def. Ryotaro)	February 8, 2025

Welterweight championship (formerly Junior Falconweight)

Weight limit: 67.5kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Hiroki Shishido (def. Koichi Kikuchi)	June 6, 2005	def. Hitoshi Yamaguchi on July 21, 2008.
Shishido vacated the title on April 3, 2009.
2	Takahiro Okuyama (def. Yoshimitsu Murata)	June 26, 2022

Super Lightweight championship (formerly Seagullweight)

Weight limit: 65kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Masahiro Hada (def. )
2	Li Sogi (def. Takashi Abe)	1992
3	Takashi Abe (def. Li Sogi)	December 9, 1992
4	Hidekazu Miyake (def. )
5	Katsuo Ise (def. )
6	Kenjiro Tatsumi (def. Katsuo Ise)
7	Hiroyuki Doi (def. Kenjiro Tatsumi)	October, 1997	def. Atsuhiro Tsuboi on May 21, 2000.
Doi vacated the title in 2000.
8	Hiroki Shishido (def. Ki Sakaguchi)	September 25, 2001	def. Masaaki Kato on June 1, 2003.
Shishido vacated the title on February 1, 2005.
9	MASAYA (def. Rudo)	September 23, 2013
MASAYA vacated the title on May 1, 2014.
10	Hiroaki Suzuki (def. Shinsuke Hirai)	September 20, 2014
Suzuki vacated the title on August 21, 2015.
11	MASAYA (def. Takahiro Okuyama)	September 19, 2016
MASAYA vacated the title on March 1, 2017.
12	Kaito (def. Kenta)	November 22, 2017
Kaito vacated the title on November 21, 2021.
13	Imoto Volcano (def. Kiyoaki Murata)	December 26, 2021	def. Hiroki Kasahara on August 9, 2025.

Lightweight championship (formerly Junior Seagullweight)

Weight limit: 62.5kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Hiroaki Suzuki (def. Yuuji Sagawara)	February 2, 2012
Suzuki vacated the title on September 20, 2014.
2	Renta Nishioka (def. Kiyoaki Murata)	September 15, 2018
3	Hiroki Kasahara (def. Renta Nishioka)	April 10, 2022
Kasahara vacated the title in 2024.

Super Featherweight championship (formerly Cardinalweight)

Weight limit: 60kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Katsumi Omura (def. Toshio Kurosawa)	March 21, 1987
2	Kyoichi Otsu (def. Katsumi Omura)	July 12, 1987	def. Nobukazu Katori on January 31, 1988
3	Makoto Oe (def. Kyoichi Otsu)	May 21, 1988
Oe vacated the title in 1990.
4	Nobukazu Katori (def. )	1991
5	Kazuki Wakamiya (def. Nobukazu Katori)	October 5, 1991	def. Ryuji Ooike on April 17, 1992
Wakamiya vacated the title in 1992.
6	Masahiro Okamoto (def. )	November 22, 1992	def. Seichiro Nishibayashi on January 23, 1994.
7	Takehiro Murahama (def. Masahiro Okamoto)	November 22, 1994	def. Kazuki Wakamiya on June 4, 1998.
Murahama vacated the title in 1999.
8	Tatsuya Maeda (def. Takato Kitaoka)	April 7, 2000
9	Tomohiro Oikawa (def. Tatsuya Maeda)	September 22, 2002
10	Tomoki Matsuura (def. Tomohiro Oikawa)	July 4, 2003
11	Tomohiro Oikawa (def. Tomoki Matsuura)	June 4, 2004	def. Takeshi Ishikawa on April 4, 2008. def. Hiroaki Suzuki on September 4, 2009.
Oikawa vacated the title in 2011.
12	Akifumi Utagawa (def. Koji Ikegami)	June 3, 2012	def. Naguranchun Masa M-16 on June 21, 2014.
Utagawa vacated the title on June 21, 2014.
13	Kiyoaki Murata (def. Koji Ikegami)	September 16, 2017
Murata vacated the title on August 2, 2018.
14	Kazuki Fukada (def. Kazuya Ueda)	September 15, 2018
15	Hiroki Kasahara (def. Kazuki Fukada)	September 28, 2019
Kasahara vacated the title on November 21, 2021.
16	Yuki Kasahara (def. Shota Tezuka)	December 26, 2021

Featherweight championship (formerly Junior Cardinalweight)

Weight limit: 57.5kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Naguranchun Masa M-16 (def. Akito Sagimura)	September 10, 2011
Naguranchun vacated the title on April 4, 2013.
2	Koya Shimada (def. Motohiro Shinohara)	April 18, 2014
Shimada vacated the title immediately after winning it on April 18, 2014.
3	Kazuki Fukada (def. Genki)	August 13, 2016	def. Taiki Naito on June 16, 2017
Fukada vacated the title on August 2, 2018.
4	Hiroki Kasahara (def. Genki)	September 15, 2018
5	Yuki Kasahara (def. Shota Tezuka)	September 19, 2020
Kasahara vacated the title on November 21, 2021.
6	Kyo Kawakami (def. Kaito)	April 10, 2022
7	Kotaro Yamada (def. Kyo Kawakami)	April 30, 2023	def. Kyo Kawakami on April 12, 2025

Super Bantamweight championship (formerly Owlweight)

Weight limit: 55kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Nobukazu Katori (def. Katsushi Sanada)	July 9, 1988
2	Yoshikazu Katori (def. )	July 9, 1988
3	Ryuji Ooike (def. )
4	Shigeyuki Wakabayashi (def. )
5	Yoshichika Suzuki (def. )
6	Yoshihiro Moriya (def. Atsushi Miyaji)	April 15, 2001	def. Takafumi Ichimasa on September 22, 2002.
Moriya vacated the title on September 23, 2006, when he retired.
7	Phantom Shinya (def. Akito Sagimura)	February 3, 2008
8 (interim)	Noriyuki Enari (def. Akito Sagimura)	September 12, 2008
9	Phantom Shinya (def. Noriyuki Enari)	September 4, 2008
10	Ryuya Kusakabe (def. Phantom Shinya)	September 18, 2010
11	Masahiro Fujimoto (def. Kazuyuki Fushimi)	June 3, 2012
12	Kazuyuki Fushimi (def. Masahiro Fujimoto)	February 23, 2014
13	Taiki Naito (def. Kazuyuki Fushimi)	November 30, 2014	def. Seiki Ueyama on November 11, 2016 def. Seiki Ueyama on September 16, 2017
Naito vacated the title on June 10, 2018.
14	Seiki Ueyama (def. Genki Takeno)	December 26, 2021
15	Koyata Yamada (def. Seiki Ueyama)	February 11, 2023

Bantamweight championship (formerly Junior Owlweight)

Weight limit: 52.5kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Kyo Kawakami (def. Syuto Sato)	November 24, 2019
Kawakami vacated the title on November 11, 2021.
2	Syuto Sato (def. Kazuyuki Fushimi)	December 26, 2021

Women Shoot Boxing Japan champions

Girls Japan S-cup

2014 SHOOT BOXING Japan Girls -48 kg S-cup

Date	Champion	Nationality	Event	Location	Runner-up	Nationality
2014-08-02	Yukari Yamaguchi	Japan	SHOOT BOXING Girls S-cup 2014	Tokyo, Japan	MIO	Japan

2015 SHOOT BOXING Japan Girls -48 kg S-cup

Date	Champion	Nationality	Event	Location	Runner-up	Nationality
2015-08-21	MIO	Japan	SHOOT BOXING Girls S-cup 2015	Tokyo, Japan	Momi	Japan

SHOOT BOXING Girls S-cup 2019

Date	Champion	Nationality	Event	Location	Runner-up	Nationality
2019-07-21	Megami	Japan	SHOOT BOXING Girls S-cup 2019	Tokyo, Japan	MISAKI	Japan

Women's Lightweight championship

Weight limit: 65kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Mina (def. Takako Mizoguchi)	November 28, 2020

Women's Flyweight championship (formerly Ladybugweight)

Weight limit: 52kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Terumi Fujiyama (def. )
2	Fumiko Ishimoto (def. )
3	Kyoko Kamikaze (def. )	1990
4	Terumi Fujiyama (def. )
5	Rumi Nakamura (def. )	May 1, 1996
6	Ai Takahashi (def. RENA)	June 5, 2011
Takahashi vacated the title when she retired on December 1, 2015.

Women's Strawweight championship

Weight limit: 49kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	MIO (def. Union Akari)	November 11, 2016	def. MISAKI on February 10, 2018.

Women's Atomweight championship

Weight limit: 46kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	MISAKI (def. Suzuka Tabuchi)	December 26, 2021

Shoot Boxing International Men champions

World Heavyweight championship

Weight limit: 90kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Nobuki Iwashita (def. )
2	Adam Watt (def. Bill Lasfar)	October 27, 1995

World Middleweight championship

Weight limit: 75kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Takeshi Caesar (def. John Navarolli)	August 13, 1988
2	Manson Gibson (def. Takeshi Caesar)	May 26, 1989

World Super Welterweight championship

Weight limit: 70kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Andy Souwer (def. Hiroyuki Doi)	February 1, 2004
2	Kaito (def. Samo Petje)	June 25, 2023	def. Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy on April 13, 2024

Australia Super Welterweight championship

Weight limit: 70kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Daniel Dawson (def. )
2	Luke Maitland (def. )

Brazil Super Welterweight championship

Weight limit: 70kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Marfio Canoletti (def. )

America Super Welterweight championship

Weight limit: 70kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Ronnie lewis (def. )	January 12, 2001

World Welterweight championship

Weight limit: 67.5kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Hiroyuki Doi (def. Danny Steele)	January 12, 2001

Oriental and Pacific Super Welterweight championship

Weight limit: 67.5kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Hiroki Shishido (def. Luke Maitland)	June 1, 2009
Shishido vacated the title on June 30, 2012.
2	Hiroki Shishido (def. Moody Rawai)	August 10, 2013	def. Jaoweha Grandthaiboxing on September 19, 2015

World Super Lightweight championship

Weight limit: 65kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Hiroaki Suzuki (def. Christian Baya)	August 22, 2015
Suzuki vacated the title when he left the Shoot Boxing organization on August 31, 2018.

America Super Featherweight championship

Weight limit: 60kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	Shane Stafford (def. )

Shoot Boxing International Women champions

Asia Tournament

2016 SHOOT BOXING Girls Asia Tournament

Date	Champion	Nationality	Event	Location	Runner-up	Nationality
2016-07-07	MIO	Japan	Shoot Boxing Girls S-cup 2016 ～Shichiseki Joshi Kaku Matsuri～	Tokyo, Japan	Union Akari	Japan

World Women's Flyweight championship

Weight limit: 52kg

No.	Name	Date	Defenses
1	RENA (def. Kane Chopirom)	August 21, 2015	def. Klaudia Pawicka on July 7, 2016

See also

• List of male kickboxers
• List of female kickboxers
• Sanda (sport)
• Shootfighting
• Shootwrestling

References

• Shoot boxing official rules
• [1]

External links

• Official website of shoot boxing(Japanese)
• Official website of Hong Kong Shoot Boxing Association