History Wrestling / UniversalWrestlingFederation

'''Universal Wrestling Federation''' (later called '''UWF Newborn''') was a Japanese UsefulNotes/ProfessionalWrestling company founded in 1984. Established by former members of Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling, UWF was the first promotion in featuring the realistic "shoot-style" (originally called "shooting" until Wrestling/SatoruSayama temporarily used it as the name of his MMA promotion, though the Japanese also refer to it as UWF-style), and though it featured mainly worked matches, it influence arguably gave birth to the modern UsefulNotes/MixedMartialArts in Japan and abroad.

** Promotions like Kingdom, U-STYLE, and even the recently formed GLEAT's "LIDET UWF Rules" used Pancrase's 5 point system, probably due to its popularity. Ganko Pro (another U-FILE Camp affiliated promotion like U-STYLE) also used a 5 point system for 30 minute bouts, while using a 3 point system for 15 minute bouts, while Hard Hit adopts a 5 point system for 15 minute matches and a 3 point system for 10 minute matches (its Wrestling/DramaticDreamTeam years had 30 minute matches with a 5 point limit, tag team matches had an 8 point limit and allowed 3-count pins). GAEA Japan's few matches under "GAEA-Kai Rules" (which is referred to on some English sites as "Reforming Rules" for some reason) were originally based on Pancrase's ruleset, but later distinguished itself by making its point system have different point limits for knockdowns and rope escapes, with victory coming from either two knockdowns or five rope escapes.

* '''GAEA Japan''': A joshi promotion named after the Greek mythological goddess of the Earth, Gaea or Gaia. Founded by Wrestling/ChigusaNagayo in 1995 in order to come out of retirement that was caused by Wrestling/AllJapanWomensProWrestling's mandatory age limit and was made up of young wrestlers whom she trained and also attracted veteran freelancers like Akira Hokuto and Nagayo's Wrestling/CrushGals partner Wrestling/LionessAsuka and unlike most joshi promotion it did not market its wrestlers as idols, instead they were heavily marketed as athletes. Nagayo has a complicated connection with shoot style, she once trained under and dated Akira Maeda until they had a falling out, nevertheless his training influenced her wrestling style and in order to ride the shoot style wave at the time, GAEA held a few matches under "GAEA-Kai Rules" starting in 1997 which were basically shoot style rules matches under a different name, though that was never the main focus of the promotion. While the promotion was successful, it closed in 2005 mostly due to Nagayo retiring.

* '''GAEA Japan''': A joshi promotion named after the Greek mythological goddess of the Earth, Gaea or Gaia. Founded by Wrestling/ChigusaNagayo in 1995 in order to come out of retirement that was caused by Wrestling/AllJapanWomensProWrestling's mandatory age limit and was made up of young wrestlers whom she trained and also attracted veteran freelancers like Akira Hokuto and Nagayo's Wrestling/CrushGals partner Wrestling/LionessAsuka. Nagayo has a complicated connection with shoot style, she once trained under and dated Akira Maeda until they had a falling out, nevertheless his training influenced her wrestling style and in order to ride the shoot style wave at the time, GAEA held a few matches under "GAEA-Kai Rules" starting in 1997 which were basically shoot style rules matches under a different name, though that was never the main focus of the promotion. While the promotion was successful, it closed in 2005 mostly due to Nagayo retiring.

** Promotions like Kingdom, U-STYLE, GAEA Japan's "GAEA-Kai Rules" and even the recently formed GLEAT's "LIDET UWF Rules" used Pancrase's 5 point system, probably due to its popularity. Ganko Pro (another U-FILE Camp affiliated promotion like U-STYLE) also used a 5 point system for 30 minute bouts, while using a 3 point system for 15 minute bouts, while Hard Hit adopts a 5 point system for 15 minute matches and a 3 point system for 10 minute matches (its Wrestling/DramaticDreamTeam years had 30 minute matches with a 5 point limit, tag team matches had an 8 point limit and allowed 3-count pins).

* InsistentTerminology: Some modern promotions hold matches under what they refer to as "UWF Rules", even though the rules they use are more similar to the original ruleset of Pancrase than the one used in Newborn or even UWFI. Even GAEA Japan's few matches under "GAEA-Kai Rules" (which is referred to on some English sites as "Reforming Rules" for some reason) are based on Pancrase's ruleset.

* '''GAEA Japan''': A joshi promotion named after the Greek mythological goddess of the Earth, Gaea or Gaia. Founded by Wrestling/ChigusaNagayo in 1995 in order to come out of retirement that was caused by Wrestling/AllJapanWomensProWrestling's mandatory age limit and was made up of young wrestlers whom she trained and also attracted veteran freelancers like Akira Hokuto and Nagayo's Wrestling/TheCrushGals partner Wrestling/LionessAsuka. Nagayo has a complicated connection with shoot style, she once trained under and dated Akira Maeda until they had a falling out, nevertheless his training influenced her wrestling style and in order to ride the shoot style wave at the time, GAEA held a few matches under "GAEA-Kai Rules" starting in 1997 which were basically shoot style rules matches under a different name, though that was never the main focus of the promotion. While the promotion was successful, it closed in 2005 mostly due to Nagayo retiring.

** Promotions like Kingdom, U-STYLE and the recently formed GLEAT used Pancrase's 5 point system, probably due to its popularity. Ganko Pro (another U-FILE Camp affiliated promotion like U-STYLE) also used a 5 point system for 30 minute bouts, while using a 3 point system for 15 minute bouts, while Hard Hit adopts a 5 point system for 15 minute matches and a 3 point system for 10 minute matches (its Wrestling/DramaticDreamTeam years had 30 minute matches with a 5 point limit, tag team matches had an 8 point limit and allowed 3-count pins).

* InsistentTerminology: Some modern promotions hold matches under what they refer to as "UWF Rules", even though the rules they use are more similar to the original ruleset of Pancrase than the one used in Newborn or even UWFI.

** GAEA Japan would hold some matches under "GAEA-Kai Rules" (with some English sites listing them as "Reforming Rules" for some reason) which was a [[FollowTheLeader more genuine attempt at shoot style]] than a lot of other promotions as it did have a points system, but it was never displayed for the viewers, so many miss that.

** GAEA Japan would hold some matches under "GAEA-Kai Rules" (with some English sites listing them as "Reforming Rules" for some reason) which was a [[FollowTheLeader more genuine attempt at shoot style]] than a lot of other promotions, but again it did not use the points system.

** Even when RINGS, PWFG and UWFI were still active, other promotions would sometimes hold matches under "UWF Rules" like Wrestling/AllJapanWomensProWrestling, except their versions never used any of the above three's point systems and looked more like proto-Battlarts type matches.

** Paradigm Pro Wrestling uses UWFI rules but modified them to allow elbow strikes, strikes to a downed opponent, and time limits have been removed from all fights. They also introduced a variant of the rules called "Terminal Combat", where wrestlers will have five minutes (ten minutes in tag team matches) to win the bout via their modified UWFI rules, but if a winner has not been decided within 5 minutes, then it becomes a more of a hardcore match as weapons and striking to any part of the body (including closed fists to the face and low blows) would then be legal, the point system and rope breaks would be suspended, and the only way to win is by KO, TKO or submission.

* InsistentTerminology: Some promotions hold matches under what they refer to as "UWF Rules", even though the rules they use are more similar to the original ruleset of Pancrase than the one used in Newborn or even UWFI.

** Paradigm Pro Wrestling uses UWFI rules but modified them to allow elbow strikes, strikes to a downed opponent, and time limits have been removed from all fights. They also introduced a variant of the rules called Terminal Combat, where wrestlers will have five minutes (ten minutes in tag team matches) to win the bout via their modified UWFI rules, but if a winner has not been decided within 5 minutes, then it becomes a more of a hardcore match as weapons would then be legal, the point system and rope breaks would be suspended, and the only way to win is by KO, TKO or submission.

* '''Paradigm Pro Wrestling''': Originally a standard American independent promotion formed in 2017 and formerly known as "Prodigy Pro Wrestling", Paradigm began showcasing UWFI rules match on their shows starting in 2019, first with the Fighting Spirit Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament and sporadically on their other shows.

* '''Big Mouth LOUD''': Started up by former New Japan booker Fumihiko Uwai after he was kicked out by president Masakazu Kusama. He started it as a way to keep strong style wrestling to its roots while New Japan was modernizing its style for better entertainment. He brought in Wrestling/AkiraMaeda as a supervisor, Wrestling/MasakatsuFunaki as a trainer, and even brought Osamu Kido out of retirement. Creative differences doomed BML as Uwai wanted the promotion to be a copy the Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling from before the 2000s while Maeda wanted to turn it into a 'Super UWF'. It lasted for about only a year and while there have been attempts at a revival, none of them have been successful.

* HitPoints: UWF Newborn established a new ruleset in which the first person to score 5 knockdowns (in which the opponent could not get back up at once, similar to boxing knockout attempts) would win, giving the 5-knockdown situation the same weight as a submission or knockout, with three rope escapes also considered as one knockdown and fouls would be at the referee’s discretion. Newborn’s offshoots would also carry this ruleset, with a few modifications overtime.

* '''H Production''': Or H Pro for short is an obscure promotion based in Chiba. Founded in 2002 by Daisuke Oishi, Junichi Hanawa and other staff, it features quite a few genres of wrestling from regular, comedy, shoot style, MMA and other martial arts, and something called "FANTASY ZONE" (it apparently has something to do with {{Tokusatsu}}).

* MartialArtsUniform: Mostly averted, though a few karatekas like Wrestling/KojiKitao and Tariel Bitsadze have been allowed to keep their gi on (at the least the pants for Bitsadze). Hard Hit actually allows their wrestlers to fight in full judo/jiu jitsu gi.

** In 1996, Wrestle Association R's resident karateka (and pre-shootist) Koki Kitahara wrestled 150% Machine from the Golden Cups stable in an UWF-i event. However, after a regular worked match starting, Kitahara attacks Machine brutally and destroys him with kicks, making him literally leave the ring on a stretcher. The thing, if it was a shoot, never seemed to have any consequences, and nobody knows what was the reason behind it.

* '''Unified Shoot Wrestling Federation''': The USWF was an attempt to popularise the shoot-style in America. Originally called the "Universal Shoot Wrestling Federation", it was formed by UWFI alumni Steve Nelson in his hometown of Amarillo, Texas in 1996, when MMA was still NHB, having a hard time getting off the ground, and facing difficulties due to not being recognised as a sport, its reputation of being "human cockfighting", and its almost anything goes ruleset. This organization was one of the most successful local promotions of its time was drawing large crowds of upwards of 4000 fans at its peak with shows limited to Amarillo and West Texas. Like Pancrase, the fights were all real and were held under the normal shootfighting rules, with only open hand strikes, all submissions allowed, as well as kicks and knees permitted, [[DoesNotLikeShoes but with a modification being that no shoes were to be wore]] (Pancrase even used this modification for a while when trying to adapt to the popularity of the MMA style of Shooto and Pride). With the rise of MMA in America, it closed down officially in 2003. It is now remembered as a platform that started the careers of several future legends of the sport and is a small but important part of MMA's history in America.

Maeda and the rest of UWF members returned to New Japan, where they formed an invasion stable against the native wrestlers, but their return met with backstage heat. Although Maeda was set to become the next big star, Inoki was not willing to give him his place and, after he shot on Wrestling/RikiChoshu, the UWF staff ended leaving again to continue his shoot-style adventures. The next incarnation, UWF Newborn, got insane amounts of success thanks to its refined real wrestling style and young wrestlers, and it even started to feature shoot fights with some regularity. However, Newborn lasted only two years and broke in various factions with its own ideas about how shoot-style should be done, a circuit nicknamed U-system (U-kei). Among those were Pro Wrestling Fujiwara-Gumi, Fighting Network RINGS and UWF International, the latter getting considered the "official" or most successful one and being the detonating behind PRIDE Fighting Championships and the MMA boom in Japan and United States. Outside of those three, other promotions formed and declared themselves "shoot-style", whether it was to a) [[ToBeAMaster prove that their wrestlers were tough]], b) [[MoneyDearBoy replicate the financial success the U-system circuit seemed to enjoy]], c) [[IJustWantToBeSpecial add shoot style moves to their wrestling style to make it seem different]], or d) [[DoingItForTheArt express their thought that shoot style was the coolest style around]], to varying degrees of success.

** UWF International was a more complicated matter. Wrestlers would start with 15 points and one way a wrestler could win was to reduce his opponents points to zero. Knockdowns would reduce 3 points, rope escapes would reduce 1 point, and being overhead suplexed would reduce 1 point. When they opened up to let wrestlers from NJPW and WAR compete, pinfalls would reduce 5 points. TagTeam matches would have each team start with 21 points (even the one-time TagTeam UsefulNotes/{{Kickboxing}} match used it, with an additional rule that tagging reduces 1 point from their own score), while the Bridge of Dreams event showed an UWFI rules 6-man tag team match with each team starting with 30 points. Their UsefulNotes/{{Kickboxing}} matches also had a point system, with each fighter starting with 40 points, 8 points are deducted for knockdowns and 2 points are deducted for losing a round.

* '''Ganko Pro''': Students of U-FILE Camp led by Kazuki Okubo with Tamura's blessing created this promotion. A small indy fed, it's more true to its shoot style roots than fellow U-FILE Camp affiliates STYLE-E and the later HEAT-UP promotion, with a 5 point limit system, but with an abundance of WrestlerInAllOfUs thrown around and pinfalls, so basically the Battlarts equivalent of the U-FILE Camp promotions.

* '''Ganko Pro''': Students of U-FILE Camp led by Kazuki Okubo with Tamura's blessing created this promotion. A small indy fed, it's more true to its shoot style roots than fellow U-FILE Camp affiliates STYLE-E and the later HEAT-UP promotion, with a 5 point limit system, but with an abundance of WrestlerInAllOfUs thrown around and pinfalls.

'''Universal Wrestling Federation''' (later called '''UWF Newborn''') was a Japanese UsefulNotes/ProfessionalWrestling company founded in 1984. Established by former members of Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling, UWF was the first promotion in featuring the realistic "shoot-style", and though it featured mainly worked matches, it influence arguably gave birth to the modern UsefulNotes/MixedMartialArts in Japan and abroad.

Maeda and the rest of UWF members returned to New Japan, where they formed an invasion stable against the native wrestlers, but their return met with backstage heat. Although Maeda was set to become the next big star, Inoki was not willing to give him his place and, after he shot on Wrestling/RikiChoshu, the UWF staff ended leaving again to continue his shoot-style adventures. The next incarnation, UWF Newborn, got insane amounts of success thanks to its refined real wrestling style and young wrestlers, and it even started to feature shoot fights with some regularity. However, Newborn lasted only two years and broke in various factions with its own ideas about how shoot-style should be done, a circuit nicknamed U-system. Among those were Pro Wrestling Fujiwara-Gumi, Fighting Network RINGS and UWF International, the latter getting considered the "official" or most successful one and being the detonating behind PRIDE Fighting Championships and the MMA boom in Japan and United States. Outside of those three, other promotions formed and declared themselves "shoot-style", whether it was to a) [[ToBeAMaster prove that their wrestlers were tough]], b) [[MoneyDearBoy replicate the financial success the U-system circuit seemed to enjoy]], c) [[IJustWantToBeSpecial add shoot style moves to their wrestling style to make it seem different]], or d) [[DoingItForTheArt express their thought that shoot style was the coolest style around]], to varying degrees of success.

The list includes pro wrestling promotions that used shoot style wrestling rules as its main ruleset. Joshi promotions with shoot style influences are included as they are very distinct from the other joshi promotions. MMA promotions that were in their beginnings based on shoot style wrestling rules as well as promotions that were greatly influenced by people from the U-system are also included. Special mention should be given to Shootboxing and amateur promotions International Shoot Fighting Association, Submission Arts Wrestling and Combat Wrestling, which are not included on this list despite their links to shoot style, due to lack of information on their events.

* '''Shooto''': The first of them was not formed after UWF Newborn, but after the original UWF. Created by Wrestling/SatoruSayama and originally called "Shin-Kakutōgi" (New Martial Arts), then "Shooting" and finally to "Shooto" to avoid connection with shooting sports, it was the first professional MMA promotion in the world (amateur promotions and one-off events like the Vale Tudo fights in Brazil have existed long before), though it was not very known and remained as a cult feud until the peak of PRIDE. Shooto was essentially the Wrestling/DragonGate of MMA, featuring fighters from low weight classes and an emphasis in fighting techniques incredibly advanced for the time.

* '''Fighting Network RINGS''': A promotion which started as pro wrestling and transitioned very gradually into MMA. Originally called "Pro Wrestling Network RINGS", it was created by Wrestling/AkiraMaeda with the help of martial arts dojos from around the world, so its matches frequently oscillated between beautiful battles by grappling experts and showy brawls by legit fighters who were in turn unaccustomed to pro wrestling. After Maeda's retirement, it took a full transition to MMA and became a showcase for future legends of the sport, before being sucked away by PRIDE and gave birth to MMA promotions like ZST (sometimes called Fighting Network ZST) and HERO'S which died and birthed DREAM, though RINGS Holland and Lithuania (as the Lithuania Bushido Federation) stayed in business and is still growing strong and RINGS in Japan was resurrected with RINGS: The Outsider and the brand even came back as Fighting Network RINGS: Battle Genesis: Vol. 9 in 2012 sanctioned by ZST.
* '''UWF International''': The biggest promotion after the fall of Newborn and the nearest to a third UWF which the world saw. Short for "Union of Wrestling Forces International", it was built by Wrestling/NobuhikoTakada and most of the original UWF staff, though his style was actually a return to the theatrical puroresu, featuring big suplexes and wrestling monsters. Wrestling/LouThesz and other wrestling legends helped them for a time. After its folding, it gave birth to a hyper-realistic promotion called Kingdom and finally to PRIDE Fighting Championships.