ZST

ZST
Private
Industry Mixed martial arts Promotions
Genre Promoting
Founded November 23, 2002
Founder Kōki Hioki
Headquarters Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
Key people
 Jō Uehara (Head of promotion)
Services Promoting Mixed Martial Mrts events
Parent ZST Office
Website http://www.zst.jp/

ZST (pronounced Zest) is a Japan-based mixed martial arts promotion and sanctioning organization holding amateur and semi-professional MMA events. ZST adopts unique rules in the MMA industry and also used to hold tag-team MMA matches.

History

Before establishment

ZST was conceived in efforts to accommodate fighters of puroresu MMA promotion RINGS that went defunct in February 2002. On September 22, 2002, Takeshi Caesar, the president of Shoot Boxing Association (SBA), and Koki Hioki, representative of ZST, had a conversation after a Shoot Boxing event, and they announced that SBA would support ZST. For this reason, ZST promoted some matches under shoot boxing rule early on.[1]

First event

The first ZST event "The Battle Field ZST Opening Event" was arranged on November 23, 2002 in Tokyo, and it has since experienced a dramatic increase in popularity possibly in large part due to their highly different rule format. In this event, not only usual MMA matches but MMA tag match also was held among Takumi Yano, Masakazu Imanari and Remigijus Morkevicius, Mindaugas Stankos .[2]

ZST GP

On November 23, 2003, "ZST GP Opening" was held in Tokyo.

On May 17, 2008, ZST announced a major partnership with DEEP. The partnership will allow the two organizations to co-promote shows, share fighters and eventually unify the organizations.[3]

Rules

ZST Rule

Bouts consist of three rounds with a rest period of one and a half minutes. The first and second rounds are five minutes in duration and the third round is three minutes in duration, but the third round is an extra round. Punches, elbow strikes, knees and kicks are allowed to the head and body when both fighters are standing. On the ground punches, elbow strikes, knees and kicks are only allowed to the body. Bouts are not judged. In the event that the bout goes the full-time, the bout is ruled a draw.

Grappling rule (GT-F Rule)

Bouts consist of two rounds with a rest period of one and two minutes. The first and second rounds are five minutes in duration. The positioning is not regarded for scoring as important factor and any motions including clinching and holding which impedes bouts are prohibited. GT-F came from "Grappling Tournament - Featherweight".

Events

ZST holds various types of events depending on their theme.

Weight division

ZST sets 11 weight divisions.

Weight division Weight limit No. Name of Champion Nationality
Absoluteweight No weight restrictions - Vacant -
Super heavyweight Unlimited - Vacant -
Heavyweight 105 kg (231.5 lb) - Vacant -
Cruiserweight 95 kg (209.4 lb) - Vacant -
Light heavyweight 85 kg (187.4 lb) - Vacant -
Middleweight 80 kg (176.4 lb) - Vacant -
Welterweight 75 kg (165.3 lb) - Tetsuya Yamada JapanJapan
Lightweight 70 kg (154.3 lb) - Vacant -
Featherweight 65 kg (143.3 lb) - Masayuki Okude JapanJapan
Bantamweight 60 kg (132.3 lb) 1st Keisuke Fujiwara JapanJapan
Flyweight 55 kg (121.3 lb) 1st Ryosuke Tanuma[4] JapanJapan

References

  1. ↑ 11.23 ディファ：ヤノタク、純朴なリトアニア人コンビを挑発　11.23 Differ Ariake: Takumi Yano provokes the naive Lithuanian pair BoutReview: 2002-11-22. Reverted: 2008-9-24.
  2. ↑ 11.23 有明：足関十段、1人で2本!イリホリ組が旗揚げ戦を食う 11.23 Differ Ariake: Ashikan Judan submits twice by himself! Iri-Hori pair upstages the first event BoutReview: 2003-1-4. Reverted:2008-9-25.
  3. ↑ Deep, ZST Partner Up
  4. ↑ 【ZST】田沼良介がKO勝利で初代フライ級王者に！奥出雅之は東谷輝彦に一本勝ち 【ZST】Ryosuke Tanuma becomes the first champion at flyweight by KO! Masayuki Okuide beats Teruhiko Azumaya by submission
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