Masakatsu Funaki is a well-known Japanese professional wrestler who performed in New Japan Pro Wrestling, PWFG, as well as the UWF and its later incarnation, the UWFi. However, he is most famous as the co-founder of Pancrase along with Minoru Suzuki, one of the first modern-day non-rehearsed shoot wrestling promotions (following five years after the inception of Shooto but predating America's Ultimate Fighting Championship by a month). Not only the organization's co-founder, Funaki was also one of Pancrase's most successful fighters, scoring submission victories over the likes of Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Guy Mezger and Bas Rutten through the course of his 50-fight career. New Japan Pro Wrestling (新日本プロレス, shin nihon puroresu) is a major professional wrestling federation in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in 1972. ... The acronym UWF can refer to the following things: The University of West Florida The Universal Wrestling Federation, an American professional wrestling promotion, forerunner to the WCW. One of a number of related Japanese pro wrestling promotions called Universal Wrestling Federation. ... Pancrase or Pancrase Hybrid Wrestling is a mixed martial arts promotion in Japan founded in 1993. ... Shooto logo ISC logo This article deals with the martial arts organisation, for the baseball pitch, see gyroball. ... Ultimate Fighting Championship is a U.S.-based mixed martial arts organization. ... Pancrase or Pancrase Hybrid Wrestling is a mixed martial arts promotion in Japan founded in 1993. ... Ken Shamrock (born Kenneth Wayne Kilpatrick) is a mixed martial arts fighter. ... Frank Shamrock (born December 8, 1972) is a famous mixed martial arts competitor. ... Guy Mezger (Jan 1, 1968-) is an American mixed martial arts fighter. ... Bas Rutten (February 24, 1965 -) is a Mixed Martial Arts expert, three time Undefeated Pancrase champion and a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Champion. ...