Description
Bas Rutten established himself as a complete kickboxing powerhouse and dynamic martial arts showman before being recruited to join a revolutionary new fighting landscape in Japan. He was brought over as one of many top international combatants to compete in a newly formed, strictly realistic promotion known as Pancrase.
The organization implemented a highly unusual and grueling set of hybrid rules that blurred the lines between pro wrestling styling and full combat reality. Bouts consisted of a single 30-minute round where closed-fist strikes to the face were strictly prohibited, though open-palm strikes and knees to the head were perfectly legal. Additionally, fighters could grab the ring ropes to break submission attempts, though doing so cost them valuable points on the judges' scorecards.
#BasRutten #Pancrase #KickboxingHistory #TheModernMartialArtist