Vale Tudo MMA events 1994–2013
Vale Tudo Japan Native name
ヴァーリ・トゥード・ジャパン Industry Mixed martial arts promotion Founded Japan (1994 (1994 ) ) Founder Satoru Sayama Parent Shooto (1994-1999) Vale Tudo Japan Executive Committee (2009-Present) Website http://www.valetudojapan.com/
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.[ 1] [ 2]
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, a pair of editions held in 1994 and '95 were single-elimination tournaments , both of which were won by Rickson Gracie.[ 3] Afterwards, from 1996 to 1999 the events were invitationals.[ 2] [ 4]
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.[ 2] [ 5]
Early Vale Tudo Japan events were a huge success, it led to 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,[ 2] 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.[ 6]
Events and results
Vale Tudo Japan 1994 Vale Tudo Japan 1994 was held on July 29, 1994, at the Tokyo Bay NK Hall in Urayasu , Japan .
Vale Tudo Japan 1994 bracket * = Lomulder was unable to continue.
Vale Tudo Japan 1995 Vale Tudo Japan 1995 Information Promotion Vale Tudo Japan Date April 20, 1995 Venue Nippon Budokan Hall City Chiyoda, Tokyo , Japan Event chronology Vale Tudo Japan 1994 Vale Tudo Japan 1995 Vale Tudo Japan 1996
Vale Tudo Japan 1995 was held on April 20, 1995, at the Nippon Budokan Hall in Chiyoda, Tokyo , Japan .
Yuki Nakai fights Gerard Gordeau at Vale Tudo Japan 1995
Vale Tudo Japan 1995 bracket * = Hays was unable to continue. Kimura defeated Emons to claim his place.
Vale Tudo Japan 1996 Vale Tudo Japan 1996 Information Promotion Vale Tudo Japan Date July 7, 1996 Venue Tokyo Bay NK Hall City Urayasu, Chiba , Japan Event chronology Vale Tudo Japan 1995 Vale Tudo Japan 1996 Vale Tudo Japan 1997
Vale Tudo Japan 1996 was held on July 7, 1996, at the Tokyo Bay NK Hall in Urayasu , Japan .
Main Card Weight class Method Round Time Notes Royler Gracie def. Noboru Asahi Submission (rear naked choke) 1 5:07 Igor Zinoviev vs. Enson Inoue TKO (punches) 1 0:44 John Lewis vs. Rumina Sato Draw 3 8:00 Dan Severn def. Doug Murphy Submission (keylock) 1 3:23 Todd Bjornethun def. Eric Lavigne KO (punches) 1 6:53 Ed de Kruijf def. Joe Estes Submission (rear naked choke) 1 0:53 Yumiko Hotta def. Margot Neyhoft Submission (keylock) 2 4:14 Mushtaq Abdullah def. Sanae Kikuta Submission (forearm choke) 1 6:27 Alex Cook def. Tomoaki Hayama Technical Submission (arm triangle choke) 2 6:23
Vale Tudo Japan 1997 Vale Tudo Japan 1997 Information Promotion Vale Tudo Japan Date November 29, 1997 Venue Tokyo Bay NK Hall City Urayasu, Chiba , Japan Event chronology Vale Tudo Japan 1996 Vale Tudo Japan 1997 Vale Tudo Japan 1998
Vale Tudo Japan 1997 was held on November 29, 1997, at the Tokyo Bay NK Hall in Urayasu , Japan .
Vale Tudo Japan 1998 Vale Tudo Japan 1998 Information Promotion Vale Tudo Japan Date October 25, 1998 Venue Tokyo Bay NK Hall City Urayasu, Chiba , Japan Event chronology Vale Tudo Japan 1997 Vale Tudo Japan 1998 Vale Tudo Japan 1999
Vale Tudo Japan 1998 was held on October 25, 1998, at the Tokyo Bay NK Hall in Urayasu , Japan .
Vale Tudo Japan 1999 Vale Tudo Japan 1999 Information Promotion Vale Tudo Japan Date December 11, 1999 Venue Tokyo Bay NK Hall City Urayasu, Chiba , Japan Event chronology Vale Tudo Japan 1998 Vale Tudo Japan 1999 Vale Tudo Japan 2009
Vale Tudo Japan 1999 was held on December 11, 1999, at the Tokyo Bay NK Hall in Urayasu , Japan .
Vale Tudo Japan 2009 Vale Tudo Japan 2009 Information Promotion Vale Tudo Japan Date October 30, 2009 Venue JCB Hall City Tokyo , Japan Event chronology Vale Tudo Japan 1999 Vale Tudo Japan 2009 Vale Tudo Japan 2012
Vale Tudo Japan 2009 was held on October 30, 2009, at the JCB Hall in Tokyo , Japan .
Main Card Weight class Method Round Time Notes Takanori Gomi def. Tony Hervey Decision (unanimous) 5 5:00 Takeshi Inoue def. Alexandre Franca Nogueira TKO (punches) 4 2:58 Rumina Sato def. Corey Grant TKO (punches) 1 3:20 Tito Jones def. Tenkei Oda Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 Williamy Freire vs. Kenichiro Togashi TKO (doctor stoppage) 1 2:05 [ a] Mamoru Yamaguchi def. Jesse Taitano TKO (punches) 1 4:41 Jung Min Kang vs. Yoichiro Sato KO (punches) 1 2:48 Masato Sannai vs. Kosuke Eda Draw (majority) 2 5:00
Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ 1st Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ 1st (also known as VTJ 1ST ) was held on December 24, 2012, at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo , Japan .
Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ 2nd 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 .
Main Card Weight class Method Round Time Notes Bantamweight Kyoji Horiguchi def. Shintaro Ishiwatari KO/TKO 5 0:41 Featherweight Daniel Romero def. Hiroyuki Takaya KO/TKO 1 3:21 Catchweight 59 kg Hideo Tokoro def. Taylor McCorriston Submission (heel hook) 2 2:34 Featherweight Caol Uno def. Anthony Avila Submission (rear naked choke) 3 1:53 Flyweight Mikihito Yamagami def. Mamoru Yamaguchi Decision (majority) 3 5:00 Bantamweight Yuta Nezu def. Akiyo Nishiura Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 Featherweight Teruto Ishihara def. Koji Mori KO/TKO 1 2:12 Catchweight 97 kg Gabriel Zobo Lebay def. Lucas Tani Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 Preliminary card Weight class Method Round Time Notes Bantamweight Shooto Watanabe def. Shintaro Kubo Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 Lightweight Yuki Kawana def. Kazumasa Sugawara Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 Strawweight Ryuto Sawada def. Hiroaki Shishino Submission (armbar) 3 2:36
Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ 3rd 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.
Main Card Weight class Method Round Time Notes Women's Strawweight Megumi Fujii def. Jessica Aguilar TKO (doctor stoppage) 2 5:00 Featherweight Caol Uno def. Daniel Romero Submission (inverted triangle choke) 2 2:23 Flyweight Will Campuzano def. Hideo Tokoro Decision (split) 3 5:00 Featherweight Yusuke Yachi def. Takeshi Inoue Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 Featherweight Ulka Sasaki def. Geun Do Park Submission (rear naked choke) 1 1:36 Lightweight Naoyuki Kotani def. Daisuke Hoshino Submission (armbar) 3 3:57 Bantamweight Yuta Nezu def. Motonobu Tezuka Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 Featherweight Akiyo Nishiura def. Shigeki Osawa Decision (split) 3 5:00 Welterweight Koshi Matsumoto def. Kengo Ura Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 Preliminary card Weight class Method Round Time Notes Strawweight Ryuto Sawada def. Hiroyuki Takahashi Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 Flyweight Seiichiro Ito def. Taku Kajikawa Submission (armbar) 1 1:35 Featherweight Taiyo Hayashi def. Yuji Kurogane TKO (punches) 2 2:18
Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ 4th Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ 4th (also known as VTJ 4TH ) was held on February 23, 2014, at Ota City General Gymnasium in Ota, Tokyo, Japan.
Main Card Weight class Method Round Time Notes Featherweight Hiroyuki Takaya def. Yojiro Uchimura TKO (punches) 1 1:23 Featherweight Caol Uno def. Jesse Brock Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 Lightweight Naoyuki Kotani def. Yoshihiro Koyama Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 Flyweight Ryuichi Miki def. Yoshiro Maeda Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 [ a] Flyweight Czar Sklavos def. Mamoru Yamaguchi Submission (rear naked choke) 1 1:28 [ b] Flyweight Hiromasa Ougikubo def. Takeshi Kasugai Decision (majority) 3 5:00 [ c] Flyweight Kana Hyatt def. Freddy Arteaga Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 [ d] Featherweight Jae Woong Kim def. Wataru Miki Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 Welterweight Kengo Ura def. Daisuke Hoshino Decision (split) 3 5:00 Bantamweight Ulka Sasaki def. Teruto Ishihara Submission (rear naked choke) 2 1:46 Preliminary card Weight class Method Round Time Notes Flyweight Katsuya Murofushi def. Hidenobu Izena Decision (unanimous) 3 3:00 Lightweight Joji Mikami def. Kazushi Okutsu Decision (unanimous) 3 3:00 Featherweight Makoto Maeda vs. Yuki Suzuki Draw (majority) 3 3:00
^ VTJ Flyweight Tournament Quarter Finals ^ VTJ Flyweight Tournament Quarter Finals ^ VTJ Flyweight Tournament Quarter Finals ^ VTJ Flyweight Tournament Quarter Finals
Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ 5th in Osaka VTJ 5TH IN OSAKA Information Promotion Vale Tudo Japan Date June 28, 2014 Venue Bodymaker Colosseum City Osaka , Japan Event chronology VTJ 4TH VTJ 5TH IN OSAKA VTJ 6TH
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.
Main Card Weight class Method Round Time Notes Bantamweight Teruto Ishihara def. Jung Hwan Jo TKO (punches) 2 2:24 Flyweight Czar Sklavos def. Ryuichi Miki Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 [ a] Flyweight Hiromasa Ougikubo def. Kana Hyatt Submission (rear naked choke) 1 1:27 [ b] Featherweight Takumi Nakayama def. Wataru Miki Submission (rear naked choke) 2 2:28 Bantamweight Yusaku Nakamura def. Kenji Yamamoto Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 Preliminary card Weight class Method Round Time Notes Flyweight Junya Kodo def. Hidenobu Izena Submission (guillotine choke) 3 1:25 Featherweight Tsuneo Kimura def. Kazumasa Majima Decision (split) 3 3:00 Featherweight Akira Takano vs. Takaaki Murata TKO (doctor stoppage) 1 3:00
^ VTJ Flyweight Tournament Semi Finals ^ VTJ Flyweight Tournament Semi Finals
Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ 6th 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.
Main Card Weight class Method Round Time Notes Bantamweight Hiromasa Ougikubo def. Czar Sklavos Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 [ a] Featherweight Isao Kobayashi def. Takeshi Inoue Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 Featherweight Hiroyuki Takaya def. Ryogo Takahashi KO (punch) 2 0:38 Featherweight Caol Uno def. Raja Shippen Submission (rear naked choke) 2 4:33 Lightweight Kuniyoshi Hironaka def. Dong Hyun Ma Submission (arm triangle choke) 2 2:33 Flyweight Mamoru Yamaguchi def. Yosuke Saruta TKO (referee stoppage) 2 0:25 Bantamweight Shoko Sato def. Kota Onojima TKO (knees and punches) 1 0:35 Bantamweight Hayato Suzuki def. Ryuya Fukuda Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 Featherweight Joji Mikami def. Shigeki Osawa KO (punch) 1 2:01 Featherweight Juri Ohara def. Kazuyuki Numajiri TKO (doctor stoppage) 2 2:07 Preliminary card Weight class Method Round Time Notes Featherweight Taison Naito def. Taiyo Hayashi Decision (unanimous) 3 3:00 Featherweight Tomoya Hirakawa def. Daiki Kaneko Decision (unanimous) 3 3:00 Women's Atomweight Kanna Asakura vs. Naomi Okaki Decision (unanimous) 3 3:00
^ VTJ Flyweight Tournament Final
Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ in Osaka Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ in Osaka (also known as VTJ in Osaka ) was held on June 21, 2015, at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium in Osaka , Japan.
Main Card Weight class Method Round Time Notes Flyweight Yoshiro Maeda def. Kentaro Watanabe Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 Flyweight Yusaku Nakamura def. Kana Hyatt KO (knee to the body) 2 2:22 Flyweight Takeshi Kasugai def. Kiyotaka Shimizu Decision (split) 3 5:00 Bantamweight Daisuke Endo def. Motonobu Tezuka Decision (split) 3 5:00 Bantamweight Daichi Takenaka def. Jun Doi TKO (doctor stoppage) 2 4:09 Bantamweight Kazuma Sone def. Yuto Hokamura TKO (head kick and punches) 1 3:52 Featherweight Daiki Tsubota def. Takaaki Murata Submission (rear-naked choke) 1 2:34 Women's Catchweight (110 lb) Yukari Yamaguchi def. Mikiko Hiyama Submission (rear-naked choke) 1 1:22 Women's Atomweight Kanna Asakura def. Miyuki Furusawa Submission (rear-naked choke) 1 2:17 Flyweight Yuto Sekiguchi def. Yuya Wakamatsu Submission (armbar) 1 2:43 Featherweight So Murata vs. Biraru Dodo KO (punches) 1 0:13
Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ 7TH VTJ 7TH Information Promotion Vale Tudo Japan Date September 13, 2015 Venue Maihama Amphitheater City Urayasu , Japan Event chronology VTJ 6TH VTJ 7TH VTJ IN OKINAWA
Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ 7TH (also known as VTJ 7TH ) was held on September 13, 2015, at Maihama Amphitheater in Urayasu , Japan.
Main Card Weight class Method Round Time Notes Flyweight Masaaki Sugawara def. Kiyotaka Shimizu Decision (split) 3 5:00 Flyweight Yoshiro Maeda def. Takaki Soya Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 Bantamweight Shoko Sato def. Tatsuya Ando Decision (split) 3 5:00 Lightweight Yuki Kawana def. Daisuke Nakamura TKO (punches) 3 2:26 Flyweight Yusaku Nakamura def. Ssang Soo Kwon KO (punch) 2 0:36 Bantamweight Daichi Takenaka def. Choong Il Jeon Submission (rear-naked choke) 1 2:16 Featherweight Taison Naito def. Min Uk Yoon TKO (punches) 2 0:54 Lightweight Yoichi Fukumoto def. Daisuke Hoshino Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 Lightweight Joji Mikami def. Komei Kimura Submission (rear-naked choke) 1 4:46 Preliminary card Weight class Method Round Time Notes Flyweight Ryo Mizuno def. Atsushi Tamura Draw (split) 3 3:00 Women's Atomweight Kanna Asakura def. Yasuko Tamada Decision (unanimous) 3 3:00
Vale Tudo Japan: VTJ 7TH VTJ 7TH Information Promotion Vale Tudo Japan Date October 3, 2015 Venue Okinawa Prefectural Budokan City Naha , Okinawa , Japan Event chronology VTJ 7TH VTJ 7TH VTJ IN OSAKA 2
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.
Main Card Weight class Method Round Time Notes Flyweight Ryota Matsune def. Kana Hyatt Submission (armbar) 1 3:31 Catchweight 209 lb Justin Morton def. Ikuhisa Minowa Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 Flyweight Shinichi Kojima def. Tatsuya So Decision (split) 3 5:00 Bantamweight Shinya Irei def. Kazuma Sone Decision (split) 3 5:00 Flyweight Ryohei Kurosawa def. Tomohiro Adaniya Decision (majority) 3 5:00 Featherweight Wataru Miki def. Keiichiro TKO (doctor stoppage) 1 2:56 Catchweight 147 lb Takaaki Murata def. Kaoru Toyama TKO (punches) 1 1:13 Lightweight Hisho Takeda def. Christopher Ike Draw (majority) 2 5:00 Catchweight 128 lb Yuichi Miyagi def. Good Sun Submission (rear-naked choke) 2 1:19
References ^ "Fight Finder - Mixed Martial Arts Statistics". Archived from the original on March 12, 2007. Retrieved August 28, 2006 . ^ a b c d Sherdog.com. "The Resurrection of Vale Tudo Japan". Sherdog . Retrieved 2021-12-14 . ^ Blackett, Todd. "Throwback: Rickson Gracie vs Yuki Nakai At Vale Tudo Japan 1995". Jitsmagazine . Retrieved 14 February 2024 . ^ "Vale Tudo Japan - VTJ (Vale Tudo Japan Executive Committee) | MMA Promoter". Tapology . Retrieved 2021-12-14 . ^ "Vale Tudo Japan - VTJ (Vale Tudo Japan Executive Committee) | MMA Promoter". Tapology . Retrieved 2021-12-14 . ^ "Archived Magazine Article". www.japaninc.com . 2006-11-08. Retrieved 2022-01-28 .
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