Mixed martial arts in Japan has been legal since at least the 1980s, Pancrase began to be held.[2]
| Mixed martial arts in Japan | |
|---|---|
 A Pride Fighting Championships bout in 2006 | |
Audience records | |
| Single match | 91,107[1] |
History
Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki took place in Japan between American boxer Muhammad Ali and Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki in 1976.[3] The classic match-up between professional boxer and professional wrestler turned sour as each fighter refused to engage in the other's style of fighting style, and after 15 round stalemate it was declared a draw.[4] This was the earliest example of mixed martial arts in Japan. [5]
Pride FC for much of early 21st century in the 2000s was one of the preeminent Mixed martial arts organizations until it was discovered it was being run by the Yakuza.[6][7][8]
Since the 2010s, MMA in Japan has seen a sharp decline in popularity in television viewership and popularity.[9][10][11][12]
Domestic organizations
The major MMA organizations in Japan are Rizin Fighting Federation, Pancrase, Shooto and ZST.