Revolutionary "Exchanges"

At Shooto's "Revolutionary Exchanges 2" event on sept. 22, the event pamphlet included some interesting lines. Shooto will be holding two events at JCB Hall this year, one in October and one in November. The Oct. 20 card is "Vale Tudo Japan 2009," and the Nov. 23 card is "Revolutionary Exchanges 3". The pamphlet also hinted that with two events this close together, there must be a "secret plan".

Unlike the usual Shooto venue of Korakuen Hall, which has a capacity of just over 1800 people, JCB Hall has a capacity of around 3100 people.

The Vale Tudo Japan card has fights like Takanori Gomi and Rumina Sato who can bring a crowd. However, "Revolution Exchanges 3" doesn't have enough star power for the venue. The Rambaa "M-16" Somdet and Noboru "Shinpei" Tahara fight is important to start Shooto's 115-pound division, but that's not enough to fill JCB Hall.


In the past, Shooto and Pancrase have not had a great relationship, which you can read about their history is here:. However, in recent years, that relationship has improved. Recently, Kazuhiro Sakamoto, a former Shooto world champion who now leads the largest Shooto promoter Sustain, told Japanese MMA magazine Kakutougi Tsushin that he wanted former Sengoku champion and Pancrase fighter Satoru Kitaoka for the Vale Tudo Japan card. Maybe Pancrase fighters in Shooto is the "secret plan"?

I know Pancrase is holding their own event in October, so maybe fighters who don't take any damage can fight on the Nov. 23 Shooto card. If that happened, here the Pancrase-Shooto fights I'd like to see, including fighter that would be physically able to fight on that date.

My wish-list of (macth ups)

Yuki Shoujou vs. Mitsuhisa Sunabe
Hiroshi "Iron" Nakamura vs. Tashiro "Akai" Nishiuchi
So Tazawa vs. Seiya Kawahara
Ganjo Tentsuku vs. Katsuya Inoue
Siyar Bahadurzada vs. Ryo Kawamura (at middleweight)

I ask Jordan Breen about your wish-list and his answer is.

Shiroobi : Hey could you make me five match ups?

Breen : On the five match-ups... I don't know if I can. It's like the UFC thing at this point. When there's so much possibility, I don't care. I just want good MMA.Literally take Sunabe, and put him against any of Shooto's Class A flyweights, and I would be totally content.
Not even just content. Ecstatic. Ecstatic for the fight in and of itself, the excitement therein, but also ecstatic for the crossover and what it means for moving forward in MMA.
And giving clarity to a developing weight class.
I find it virtually impossible to use quality talent from either promotion, and make unappealing fights. I would literally have to try to do such a thing.

Shirrobi : So you can just fight each other flyweights.

Breen : It's not even necessarily just flyweights though. I feel the same way at 135.If you took Manabu Inoue, should he beat Oishi, and put him against any decent 132'ers in Shooto, I'd love it.For both the fight itself, and for what it represents.

I know that's sort of a lame answer, but that's really my outlook on any potential crossover there.

I also ask Tony Loiseleur about your wish-list too.

Shiroobi : Do you have any hope about Shooto Pancrase match ups?

Tony : Ah, you have Seiya Kawahara already in there. I was going to say (Yuta) Nezu vs Kawahara.

Shiroobi : Fmm That's interesting.

Tony : One hit kill versus blitzing type striking.
Tony : Hey, do you know how heavy Kyoko Takabayashi is?Maybe around 115 lbs?I was thinking maybe Kyoko Takabayashi vs Windy Tomomi.For at least one G-Shooto fight.Oh snap, they fought already.

Shiroobi : Yup.

Tony : And she RNCed Windy.okay, rematch.

Special Thanks to Jordan Breen for English support and actual answer for list.Also Special Thanks to Tony Loiseleur for answer for list.