U-Kei (martial arts)
From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
| Part of a series on |
| Professional wrestling |
|---|
 |
U-Kei (U系 or ユーけい, eng. U-Series, U-Group or Class U）is a combat sports related term that refers to either a professional wrestling-, martial arts- and/or mixed martial arts organization, programme or a sportsman with either UWF and/or shootwrestling roots.
The U refers to Japanese professional wrestling promotion UWF, that was active from 1984 to 1986. UWF is credited in pioneer in the "shoot-style" of pro-wrestling and has acted as genesis to modern mixed martial arts, in both Japan and overseas.[1][2][3]
During early days of shoot-style pro wrestling in Japan, the professional wrestling and/or mixed martial arts organizations that derived from the idea of UWF are collectively called "UWF-kei", or "U-kei" for short.[4][5][6]
List groups, promotions, gyms referred to as U-Kei[edit]
- Shooto
- Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi
- Union of Wrestling Forces International - better known as UWF International, U-Inter, or simply UWFi.
- Fighting Network Rings - trademarked RINGS
- Pancrase (branched from Professional Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi)
- Vale Tudo Japan (event organized by Shooto)
- Battlarts - Fighting Investigation Team Battlarts (格闘探偵団バトラーツ, Kakuto Tantei-dan Batoratsu)(branched from Professional Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi)
- Kingdom (successor to UWF International)
- C.A.C.C. Snakepit Japan (formerly U.W.F. Snakepit Japan) (successor to UWF International)
- U-FILE CAMP (successor to UWF International)
- ZST (successor to Rings)
- Real Japan Pro Wrestling (organized by former Shooto founder)
- Futen Promotion (branching from Battlarts)
- Gankopuroresu (branching from UWF International and Rings)
- HARDHIT (organizer is a fighter from Pancrase)
- Pro-Wrestling Heat-Up Co., Ltd. (branched from UWF International and Rings)
- GETTO (organizer is a former Shooto fighter)
- GLEAT (a rebirth of UWF)
- HOOKnSHOOT (MMA promotion which originally ran Pancrase rules and later became affiliated with Shooto)
References[edit]
- ^ Ｕの青春 ～カッキーの闘いはまだ終わらない ISBN 978-4331519592
- ^ ザ・UWF最強伝説―格闘プロレスは永遠に不滅! (1995) ISBN 978-4876892006
- ^ 証言UWF 最終章 3派分裂後の真実 ISBN 978-4800283504
- ^ Ｕの青春 ～カッキーの闘いはまだ終わらない ISBN 978-4331519592
- ^ ザ・UWF最強伝説―格闘プロレスは永遠に不滅! (1995) ISBN 978-4876892006
- ^ 証言UWF 最終章 3派分裂後の真実 ISBN 978-4800283504