PANCRASE
PANCRASE Official Rules
-2008 EDITION-

THIS RULES SHALL BE EFFECTIVE FROM 30th of January 2008.

'HYBRID WRESTLING'

HYBRID WRESTLING is a professional sport in which the athletes compete employing; techniques, physical strength, mental power, intelligence, and luck.utilizing; punching, kicking, throwing, submission techniques, and choking. Therefore the athletes observe the rules, and the matches shall be conducted with a sportman-like attitude.
PART 1 RING

Article 1. The ring shall follow the specifications as set out below.
  1. The shape and dimension of the ring shall be a square with sides measuring 7m(23') and it shall be surrounded by four(4) ring ropes. The mat outside the ring ropes shall have a span of 32cm(1'1'). Also the height of the floor shall be 95cm(3'1').
  2. The floor of the ring shall be horizontal and made of felt or other materials of similar softness with 1.3cm(0'5') to 1.9cm(0'8') of thickness. The ring shall be completely covered with canvas, and wrinkle-free.
  3. The ring's highest rope shall be stretched at a height of 125cm(4'1') and the other three ring ropes shall be evenly spaced below the highest rope. Pads shall be attached at the corner of the ring ropes. As for the two opposite fighting corners, one shall be red and the other blue.The neutral corners shall be white.
  4. Two(2) places of the four ring ropes shall be vertically tied with a rope on all sides. The tie-downs shall be ring ropes as well.
  5. Hard objects that could become obstacles during a match shall not be placed inside the ring ropes and on the mat.
  6. Other rings will be available for Pancrase official rings in case PANCRASE approves.
PART 2 EQUIPMENTS

Article 2. As for the competitor's outfits and protectors for a match, the following items shall be followed as a rule.
  1. Competitors shall wear open-finger gloves witch PANCRASE provides and their own spandex shorts/ wrestling spats, mouthpieces, and groin protectors ("THE ITEMS").
  2. Any hard material (except for groin protectors), are not allowed to use during the match. Competitors shall not wear any types of slippery or slack shorts such as muay-thai trunks and surfing pants. Only spandex shorts/wrestling spats is allowed.
  3. Competitors may wear knee protectors made of flexible cloth. The inner material shall be neoprene or sponge less than 20cm (0'8") in length, less than 25cm (1') in width, and less than 1.5cm (0'06") in thickness.
  4. Competitors may wear shin protectors. The surface shall be leather and the inner materials shall be neoprene or hard sponge. The thickness shall be less than 1.5cm(0'06").
  5. Competitors are able to wear wrestling shoes that PANCRASE approved. In that case, cover the knots or piece of Velcro on shoes by tapes and bandages. Wrestling shoes with plastic, hard rubbers or zippers, are not allowed.
  6. Competitors shall use only bandages and tapes that PANCRASE approves. Competitors shall not put any hard stuff or strings in between bandages, tapes or knuckles. The thickness of the bandage and the tape shall be thin enough to recognize the fist and knuckles from the top of it.
  7. Bandages, tapes and The Items will be physically examined by the official referees or the official doctors during the "Referee's Check" handled by PANCRASE, prior to the match. In case a competitor does not have this check or violate regulations, PANCRASE may impose penalties on the fouled competitor.
  8. If the competitor is wearing any other outfits (except "The Items", open-finger gloves, knee protectors, shin protectors, and shoes), or if any equipment do not meet the specifications, this will require obtaining both PANCRASE's and the opponents consent in advance.
  9. Vaseline, grease, hair oil/ cream, resin, any objectionable drugs and medical materials or similar shall not be applied to any part of the body.
  10. Competitor's upper half of the body shall be naked.
Article 3. The referee's action under damaged Item's and outfits.
  1. In case a competitor's outfit requires readjustment, the referee may take a recuperative interval.
  2. Weather it was intentionally or not, if the items such as THE ITEMS are considerably damaged/ torn,that the referee determines that the match cannot be continued, the competitor with damaged items will be disqualified.
    * We recommend the fighters to prepare spares and extras to avoid being disqualify by The Item's damage,
PART 3 JUDGMENT

Article 4. Judges
  1. Matches shall be conducted by either Three(3) judges system of one(1) main referee and two(2) subreferees, or Four(4) judges system of one(1) main referee, two(2) subreferees, and one(1) judge. The main referee shall supervise a match inside the ring.
  2. Subreferees and a judge shall observe the rules to ensure that they are properly followed as assistances to the main referee either outside the ring or at the officials' desk. They shall determine and record a score for each round.
  3. Judges who does not participate the match shall make some comments if the match-participated judges demands.
  4. The head of Judges shall make decision, direction, and advisement with respect to the rule of usage, application, interpretation, and match-consequence.
  5. Judges shall have practical experience of two (2) years and over or equivalent qualifications which shall be approved by PANCRASE. They shall have thorough comprehension of Pancrase Official Rules and their applications to the match. They shall have a neutral and fair position, free from any influence. Also, they shall acquire a license as Pancrase official judges and shall always carry the license with them.
  6. In case the judge commits errors in the application of the rules or make a serious mistake in judgment, he shall either be removed or withheld from holding a license and position, or receive equivalent punishment.
  7. Judges shall participate in the meetings of PANCRASE at least once each month. Through these meetings, they shall improve the judging skills. They shall engage in the study and research of rule interpretation as well as various problems not specified in the rules and treatment for such cases. Also, as the result of such study, in case any part of the rules is revised, judges shall inform the competitors of the new rules immediately, with the permission of PANCRASE.
  8. Judges who believe some unclear incidents have occurred in relation to their judgment can answer questions and express their views on the incident to reporters of newspapers, magazines, and broadcasting stations with permission from PANCRASE.
Article 5. Referees
  1. The referees shall have the right to supervise and command the match inside the ring. With regard to rules that are not specified in these articles, all judgment shall be left to the discretion of the referees in matches while in progress.
  2. The referees shall receive a medical examination by the ring doctor. Before entering the ring, they shall wear clothing permitted by PANCRASE and shall not wear such articles as eyeglasses (contact lens are acceptable), rings, a buckle, or any other metals which may be considered dangerous to competitors.
  3. The referees shall make every effort to ensure that the rules are strictly observed. They shall give necessary directions and warnings, ensuring a smooth, serious, and well-conditioned match.
  4. In case the main referee is involved in an accident during the match, the match shall be interrupted and resumed only after a replaced referee enters the ring.
  5. In case subreferee and/or judge is involved in an accident during the match, the main referee shall interrupt and restart the match after other referees replaced without delaying the progress of the match.
  6. In case the match is conducted less than three(3) referees because of any unexpected accidents, the case shall be resolved separately.
Article 6. With regard to the progress of the match, the referee shall promptly take the following actions.
  1. The main referee shall confirm that all equipment and illumination are correctly arranged. That all the officials are in their correct positions and that there is no violation in their clothing or equipments.
  2. At the beginning of the match, the main referee shall invite both competitors of the match to the center of the ring to check their bodies and outfits. Also he shall warn them about violations of critical rules in a clear and concise manner. After that he shall signal for the beginning of the match.
  3. In case one or both competitors fell outside the ring, the main referee shall take the following actions.
  4. pull up competitors into the ring immediately and restart a match.
  5. stop the official fight time and wait until a fallen competitor recovers from his suffered damage.
  6. declares No Contest.
Article 7. The referees shall use the following five(5) words of command and/or direction.
  1. 'Fight' : for starting, continuing the match
  2. 'Stop' : for terminating, interrupting the match in case of Referee Stop or Doctor Stop
  3. 'Action': for urging competitors to fight aggressively
  4. 'Break': The main referee shall interrupt resume the match from the Start Position in case of the following four(4) cases.
    1. for dissolving a deadlocked fight at any place in the ring after the main referee calls 'Action' two(2) times. In that case the main referee shall have both competitors return to the Start Position.
    2. in case competitor's loosen outfit may cause any injuries or obstruct progress of the match. Any outfits that threatens the competitor's safety will cause the action to be stopped for proper repair before the match can be resumed.
    3. in case the main referee anticipated that competitors may commit fouls of any kind regardless deliberately or accidentally, he calls 'Break' and the match shall be resumed from the Start Position.
    4. in case the main referee judges one or both competitors fell or may fall outside the ring.
  5. 'Stop. Don't move.':The main referee shall interrupt a match in case of i) and ii) and restart the match from the same position.
    1. In case it is necessary to prevent competitors from falling outside the ring, or in case ring ropes or corner posts hold up the progress of the match, the main referee shall call 'Stop. Don't move.' tapping both competitors and direct them to cease the fight temporally. The referees shall move both competitors to the place where they will not fall outside the ring maintaining the same position before they are told to cease. In that case competitors shall follow the referee's instruction and shall not switch to an advantageous position. In case the main referee judges one or both competitor is striking, attempting a joint lock, or choking, he does not call 'Stop. Don't move.' and directs subreferees to hold both competitors not to fall outside the ring from the same position. In case a competitor finishes the match by strikes, a joint lock, or a choke at the position, the match shall be over. In case the opponent escaped from these attacks, the main referee calls 'Stop. Don't move.' and the match shall be restarted in the ring. In case one or both competitors fell outside the ring, the main referee calls 'Break' and resume the match from the Start Position.
    2. In case competitor's loosen outfit may cause any injuries or obstruct progress of the match, the main referee shall call 'Stop. Don't move.'
    3. Official fight time shall be stopped while the main referee calls 'Stop. Don't move.' and both competitors are removed.
  6. In case a win clearly occurs, the referee shall raise one arm of the winner to indicate the result of the match. In case of a Draw, he shall raise the arms of both competitors.
Article 8. The referees shall have the following authority.
  1. In case a competitor cannot continue the match or is in a condition in which continuation of the match will be dangerous, the referees shall decide the outcome of the match at their own discretion.
  2. In case a competitor is injured during a match, the referees shall consult the ring doctor to decide if the match should be resumed.
  3. In case a competitor has escaped out of the ring deliberately, the referees shall disqualify the competitor.
  4. The referees shall disqualify the competitor who has committed excessive violation of the rules.
  5. In case of accidental light fouls or injuries, the referees shall resume the match at their own discretion.
Article 9. Regarding fouls, the referees shall take the following actions.
  1. The main referee shall caution the competitor for involuntary fouls by either ways of Verbal Advice or Caution or Warning or Defeat by a foul. Using proper signs or actions, the referees shall show which competitor committed a foul and they shall make their judgment clearly.
  2. The main referee shows a foul using two(2) kinds of cards.
    1. Yellow Card means 'Caution'; Red Card means 'Warning'.
    2. In case the main referee shows a Yellow Card to a competitor in each round, one(1) point shall be subtracted from each round.
    3. In case the main referee shows a Red Card to a competitor in each round, two(2) points shall be subtracted from each round.
    4. In case of a flagrant foul, defeat by a foul will be declared at once without the main referee showing any cards.
    5. In case the main referee judges that a fouled competitor was dominant or even during the match, he shall call 'Stop' to caution the fouled competitor and resume the match from the Start Position. In case the main referee judges that the fouled competitor was not dominant, he shall call 'Stop. Don't move.' to caution the fouled competitor and resume the match either maintaining the same position or deciding any position at his own discretion. In case of a flagrant foul, disqualification will be declared toward the fouled competitor.
    6. All fouls during the match depend on the judgment of the referees.
PART 4 RING DOCTOR

Article 10. The ring doctor shall possess a positive personality in addition to a deep knowledge of sports medicine. He shall oversee the medical conditions of the competitors and officials of the match. Also, they shall acquire a license as Pancrase official ring doctor and shall always carry the license with them. The diagnosis of a doctor other than the ring doctor shall not be regarded as official.
  1. The ring doctor shall sit at the officials' desk, and in case requested by the referee, he shall report the results of his diagnosis of the injured competitor. If necessary, he shall take immediate action.
  2. The ring doctor shall be allowed to suspend the match as a result of his discretion.
  3. The ring doctor is allowed to advise the suspension of a competitor to engage in a match if he believes there is a reason that the competitor cannot compete by immediately reporting it to PANCRASE headquarters.
PART 5 TIME KEEPER

Article 11. The time keeper shall sit at the officials' desk with an accurate stop watch to keep the time.
  1. The time keeper shall indicate the beginning and ending of the match and each round with a gong.
  2. In case of unavoidable interruption of the match due to accident or other reason, the time keeper shall ring the gong to interrupt the match without the referee's instruction. And the lost time shall be added to the match.
  3. A gong size shall be 25cm(9.8') and over in diameter. It shall be horizontally placed on the officials' desk beside the ring.
PART 6 RING ANNOUNCER

Article 12. The ring announcer shall preside at the match and only make official announcements from PANCRASE.

Article 13. Before the beginning of the match, the ring announcer shall announce names of the competitors, height, weight, gym name, corner posts of either red or blue, rankings, titles, Pancrase match records, and names of the referee. After the match, he shall announce the outcome and the fight time of the match.

Article 14. The ring announcer shall not make any announcement except those approved by PANCRASE.
PART 7 WRITTEN COMPLAINTS

Article 15. Competitors, managers, or cornermen may appeal to PANCRASE with regard to objections to judgments of a match or other problems. All appeals shall be in the form of written statements, and oral pleading is invalid. Written complaints shall be sent addressed to PANCRASE within two(2) weeks as from the event date. As to appeals, PANCRASE shall notify the competitor or manager of the result of the judgment. Appeals against the judgment of a match shall not be made to the referees, judges, or other officials but shall be made to PANCRASE.
PART 8 MATCH

Article 16. PANCRASE categorizes the two(2) different time limits of official matches as follows; Title matches shall always be three(3) rounds of five(5) minutes each. Other matches shall be either two(2) rounds of five(5) minutes each or three(3) rounds of five(5) minutes each. Round break shall be one(1) minute each. This will not apply to special matches which are arranged by PANCRASE for specific reasons.

Article 17. The match shall be performed in the ring only.

Article 18. The referee has absolute authority and competitors and cornermen shall not be allowed to protest to the referee under any circumstance.

Article 19. Attack and Defense Positions

Start Position
  1. Start Position
    At the beginning of the match or after the main referee calls 'Break', with a distance of at least 150cm(4'11') between the competitors, in standing fighting pose, the main referee shall have the competitors start or resume the match by gesture and remark.
  2. Stand Position
    Throwing techniques, clinching techniques, striking techniques, and any other attacks outlined in this rules may be performed.
  3. Ground Position
    Any attack is possible in case the competitor does not violate the foul rule.
    1. when three(3) and over limbs, either knees or hands, touch the mat.
    2. when any of the back, abdomen, and hips touch the mat.
    3. when a Stand Position competitor is holding a Ground Position competitor as stated above i) and ii), or touching his torso with the Ground Position competitor, the Stand Position competitor is regarded as being in Ground Position.
Article 20. Cornerman
  1. Up to two(2) cornermen per corner are permitted and they shall stay kneeling within 1.5m(4'11') of both ring apron from each corner during a match not to obstacle the spectators.
  2. Cornerman is allowed to give a competitor verbal advices during the match. But every cornerman is prohibited to come into direct physical contact with a competitor nor to give any directive actions to a competitor such as pounding the mat or grabbing the ring ropes.
  3. Cornerman can give a competitor only water during each round break, but pouring too much water in the ring is not encouraged as it holds up the progress of the match.
  4. Cornerman shall not manipulate competitor's outfits nor apply Vaseline, grease, hair oil, resin, or other objectionable drugs and medical materials to the competitor during each round break. It shall result in cornerman's withdrawal from the match or it may result in competitor's defeat by a foul.
  5. The referees shall caution each team of cornermen of the first violation of the rules and the cornerman shall be thrown out of a match. And also it shall result in competitor's foul.
  6. Cornerman shall not place anything inside the ring ropes and on the mat during the match.
PART 9 FOULS

Article 21. Acts constituting fouls. The following acts constitute fouls during the match or exhibition.
  1. Elbow Strike.
  2. Striking to the back of the head or the spine.
  3. Butting with the head.
  4. Groin attack of any kind (low blow).
  5. Kneeing the neck or the head when both competitors are in a Ground Position.
  6. Attacking three (3) or less fingers.
  7. Holding the opponent's outfits.
  8. Deliberately going out of the ring or throwing an opponent out of the ring.
  9. Deliberately holding and utilizing the ring ropes or the corner posts during the match.
  10. Attacking and opponent on or during the main referee calls 'Break' or 'Stop' or 'Stop. Don't move.'
  11. Deliberately eye-gouging, thrusting or clutching the windpipe by fingers, biting, pulling the opponent's hair, use of offensive or abusive language toward the opponent and other malicious actions which are against the spirit of a fair play
  12. Timidly, including limitation, avoiding contract with the opponent, intentionally or consistently("Negative Fight").
  13. Switching position without having any instruction from the referees after the main referee calls 'Don't move.'
  14. Putting a finger into any orifice, such as eyeballs, mouth, noise, ears, anus, etc.
  15. Using bandages, tapes and outfits that is not physically examed and approved by the referee prior to the match.
  16. Use of Vaseline, grease, hair oil/cream, resin, any other objectionable drugs, medical materials and liniments (stated in Article 2 (9)).
  17. Objections, denounces, and/or violence to the referee.
  18. False report, misleading or faking gesture to the referee.
  19. Intentionally or consistently damaging The Items and suspending the match.
Article 22. Fouls before or after the match
  1. When a foul occur before the match, the referee may penalize by deducting points from the fouled competitor's score prior to the match, or disqualification.
  2. In case the referee finds out that the competitor went foul, after the match, the result shall be corrected by penalizing the fouled competitor.
Article 23. Taking measures to circumstances that is under specifications
  1. Wearing of any bandages, taping, and outfits, or using any and all Vaseline, grease, hair oil, resin, other objectionable drugs and medical materials as stated in Article 2.(9) which failed in the referee check prior to the match shall result in a point subtraction showing either Yellow or Red Card to the fouled competitor before the match starts.
  2. If the referee determines that there is a possibility that any liniments or similar are rubbed to the body, the referee will wash it away or wipe it off immediately. The referee will, at his/her responsibility, take these actions weather the liniments are applied or not.
Article 24. Flagrant fouls of any kind during the match shall result in suspension and fines. King of Pancrase Committee shall determine the offender's suspension term and the fine amount at its discretion.
PART 10 VICTORY OR DEFEAT

Article 25. Knockout

In case the referee judges a competitor is unable to return the match or the competitor loses consciousness due to the opponent's attack, a Knockout shall be declared.

Article 26. Give Up
  1. In case a competitor subjected to the opponent's submission techniques or striking gives up using their voice as a signal, Give Up shall be declared.
  2. In case a competitor subjected to the opponent's submission techniques or striking gives up by tapping the mat or the opponent two(2) times and over as a signal, Give Up shall be declared.
  3. In case a competitor takes unclear movements similarly to Give Up, the main referee shall declare 'Give Up'.
Article 27. TKO(Technical Knockout)
  1. In case the main referee judges it is impossible for a competitor to continue the match, a TKO shall be declared.
  2. In case the ring doctor judges it is impossible for a competitor to continue the match depending on his damage, a TKO shall be declared.
  3. In case of throwing a towel into the ring by a Cornerman.
Article 28. Disqualification by Fouls
A loss due to a foul shall depend on the decision of the main referee.

Article 29. Decision
(1)In case a match of Three(3) judges system has gone to a full time limit, one(1) main referee and two(2) subreferees shall decide a victory or a defeat judging which competitor was dominant by making a subtraction in ten(10) marks which each competitor has. In case a match of Four(4) judges system has gone to a full time limit, one(1) main referee and two(2) subreferees and one(1) judge shall decide a victory or a defeat similarly. According to a total marks, the competitor who has obtained two(2) and over votes shall be the winner by Decision. In case it is impossible to continue a match due to accident of any kind, match outcome shall be as follows.
  1. Two(2) rounds match
    In case the first round ended or the final round started, the referees shall make total judges decision up to the time when the main referee stopped the match.
  2. Three(3) rounds match
    In case the second round ended or the final round started, the referees shall make total judges decision up to the time when the main referee stopped the match.
    In case of injury with accident or foul, if a match continues and becomes impossible to continue the match with a turn for the serious injury, at this time the above "Section a" or "Section b" shall be applicable.
(2)Judging Criteria
All judgment shall be made by all of judges and following attacks shall be effective for judges decision.
  1. damage
    1. Downs, or striking which gave effective damage equivalent to Downs
    2. effective submission techniques or choking or similar attacks
    3. effective throwing
    4. effective attacks which give clear damage to the opponent
  2. dominance
    1. effective striking
    2. effective takedowns
    3. effective attacks which is clearly dominant over the opponent
  3. aggressiveness
    1. striking in Stand Position
    2. take down in Stand Position
    3. submission techniques or choking in Stand Position
    4. striking in Ground Position
    5. maintaining dominant position in Ground Position
    6. submission techniques or choking in Ground Position.
    7. any other aggressive attacks
Article 30. Draw
  1. In case a match has gone to a full time limit and also in case neither competitor has obtained two(2) and over votes, a Draw shall be declared.
  2. In case the referees judge both sides are simultaneously knocked out, a Draw shall be declared.
Article 31. No Contest
In case PANCRASE and the referees decide after due consultation that a match ends up in failure, No Contest shall be declared.
PART 11 KING OF PANCRASE COMMITTEE

Article 32. King of Pancrase Committee
  1. King of Pancrase Committee (hereunder called THE COMMITTEE) has the final decisive power concerning how to rank competitors who compete in PANCRASE events, such as operating title match.
  2. THE COMMITTEE convenes within ten(10) days after every PANCRASE event.
  3. The Commissioner approves THE COMMITTEE's decision and authorizes the King of Pancrase title.
Article 33. Weight Divisions
  1. The following Eight (8) weight divisions are established by The COMMITTEE with Rankings and the King of Pancrase title.
    1. Heavyweight_205 lbs (93.0kg) Less than 265 lbs (120.2kg)
    2. Light Heavyweight_185 lbs (83.9kg) Less than 205 lbs (93.0kg)
    3. Middleweight_170 lbs (77.1kg) Less than 185 lbs (83.9kg)
    4. Welterweight_155 lbs (70.3kg) Less than 170 lbs (77.1kg)
    5. Lightweight_145 lbs (65.8kg) Less than 155 lbs (70.3kg)
    6. Featherweight_135 lbs (61.2kg) Less than 145 lbs (65.8kg)
    7. Bantamweight_127.9 lbs (58.0kg) Less than 135 lbs (61.2kg)
    8. Flyweight_Less than 127.9 lb (5.08kg)
  3. As an exception to the above Eight (8) weight divisions, THE COMMITTEE shall set an Open- weight division.
  4. Competitors shall notify THE COMMITTEE of one of the above weight divisions prior to a match.
  5. THE COMMITTEE will, by its own rights, set an Open-Weight division that does not limit the competitors' weight with a Open-Weight King of Pancrasist title.
Article 34. Weigh-ins Procedure
  1. Competitors and the referees shall attend at weigh-ins ceremony on the date, time, and place which PANCRASE designates. In case a competitor overweighs at the designated weigh- ins, the competitor shall re-weigh within one(1) hour from the time of the designated weigh- ins. In case the competitor still overweighs at the re-weigh-ins, the final weigh-ins on the event day shall be held within two(2) hours from the time of the designated weigh-ins, and the final weigh-ins on the day before the event shall be held at three(3) hours prior to the start time of the first pro-match on the event day.
  2. In case a competitor overweighs at the designated weigh-ins, re-weigh-ins, and still the final weigh-ins, the competitor shall be penalized and loses a match by default. In case a competitor is deliberately absent from the designated weigh-ins, or flagrant disregard such as unreasonably too much overweighs, it shall result in disqualification, suspension, loss of purse, and expulsion.
  3. In case the opponent accepts a match with an overweight competitor, the match shall be held as an open-weight match. In that case, twenty-five(25)% and over out of the overweight competitor's purse shall be subtracted.
  4. An overweight competitor shall not obtain the King of Pancrase title even if the competitor wins in a title match.
    1. In case the King of Pancrasists overweighs in a title match, the title shall be vacated.
    2. In case the King of Pancrasists overweighs and defeats a legitimate weight challenger except a defeat by default, the challenger shall obtain the title.
    3. In case the King of Pancrasists overweighs and wins a legitimate weight challenger, the title shall be vacated.
    4. In case a challenger overweighs, the title shall be vacated even if the challenger wins or defeats.
Article 35. Ranking System
Every competitor who belongs to PANCRASE is classified by the following ranking system.
  1. The King of Pancrasists (Champion)
    He is the top quality of all competitors in PANCRASE.
  2. Rankers
    They have the right to challenge the King of Pancrasists.
  3. No Rankers
    Other competitors except the above(1) and (2)
Article 36. The King of Pancrasists
  1. They display their full ability at PANCRASE events. Their skill and personality shall be an example of the spirit of PANCRASE and earn wide recognition.
  2. If The King of Pancrasists participate another fighting event and has less ability performance as The King of Pancrasists, The King of Pancrasists shall need to participate a defending match or return this title.
Article 37. Ranker
THE COMMITTEE establishes rankings from the 1st to the 10th place. The first place ranker shall be given top priority to have a title match within one(1) year.

Article 38. Update of Official Rankings
THE COMMITTEE convenes after every PANCRASE events and may update rankings after due considering competitor's results such as attendances, fight records, achievements in Pancrase match and fighting records in another fighting event. THE COMMITTEE shall announce the latest official ranking ten(10) days after every PANCRASE events.

Article 39. Title Match
  1. THE COMMITTEE nominates a ranker as the challenger.
  2. Title matches shall be held under Pancrase Official Rules.
  3. In case of a Draw, the King of Pancrasists retains the title.
  4. The time limit of a title match shall always be three(3) rounds of five(5) minutes each.
Article 40. In case it is impossible to have title matches due to the following reasons.
  1. The responsibility rests with the King of Pancrasists to have a title match. The King of Pancrasists forfeits the title in case he is unable to compete in a title match due to any reason(such as personal preference, injury, illness, etc.) and shall vacate the title to THE COMMITTEE immediately. Subsequently, the King of Pancrasists shall become a no ranker. A ranker nominated by THE COMMITTEE shall have a match to crown the new King of Pancrasists.
  2. The responsibility does not rest with the King of Pancrasists. In case a title match cannot be held not due to the following reasons; inevitable injury during the match, calamity of transportation means in case commuting for a PANCRASE event, and in case the King of Pancrasists is unable to compete in a title match due to the above-mentioned reasons over an extended period, rankers nominated by THE COMMITTEE shall have a match to crown the provisional King of Pancrasists. The provisional King of Pancrasists has the right to have a title match after the King of Pancrasists has returned. Both competitors have the united title match on the date THE COMMITTEE has appointed. In case the King of Pancrasists cannot return, THE COMMITTEE recognizes the provisional King of Pancrasists to be the King of Pancrasists.
  3. In case problems not covered by the Pancrase Official Rules arise, THE COMMITTEE shall discuss to resolve the problems immediately.
'CATCH WRESTLING' RULES
  1. Match time limit shall be either one(1) or two(2) rounds of five(5) minutes and there shall be no extra rounds.
  2. There shall be no weight classes.
  3. Competitors do not wear open finger gloves and shin pads.
  4. Competitors may wear mouthpieces, knee pads, and shoes which PANCRASE approves.
  5. Strikes of any kind are prohibited.
  6. Other provisions shall apply to the Pancrase Official Rules.
'PANCRASE GATE' RULES
  1. Match time limit shall be two(2) rounds of five(5) minutes only.
  2. There shall be no judge decision. In case the match has gone to a full time limit, a Draw shall be declared.
  3. Competitors shall wear shin pads and knee pads which PANCRASE approves.
  4. In case a competitor touches his body on the mat except feet, he is in Ground Position.
  5. In case one or both competitors are in Ground Position, strikes of any kind to the face and the head are prohibited except all contacting with gloves such as only punching, open hand striking, hummer punching and so on.
  6. Heel hooks are prohibited.
  7. Only one(1) Cornerman per corner is allowed.
  8. Other provisions shall apply to the Pancrase Official Rules.
'NEO BLOOD TOURNAMENT' RULES
  1. Match time limit shall be one (1) round of five(5) minutes with extension match which shall be one more round of 3 minutes .
  2. In case the match has gone to a full time limit, an extension of one more round shall be held. There shall be judge decision after the extension round. .
  3. If the winner cannot participate for the next match with any reason, the opponent shall win without fighting.
  4. In case a competitor touches his body on the mat except feet, he is in Ground Position.
  5. In case one or both competitors are in Ground Position, strikes of any kind to the face and the head are prohibited except all contacting with gloves such as punching, open hand striking, hummer punching and so on.
  6. Only one(1) Cornerman per corner is allowed.
  7. Other provisions shall apply to the Pancrase Official Rules.
PANCRASE