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Shootfighting is a combat sport and martial art, with competitions governed by the International Shootfighting Association (ISFA). Shootfighting incorporates techniques from a multitude of traditional martial arts, the most principle of these being Muay Thai and Catch Wrestling.
Shootfighting was previously used synonymously with mixed martial arts competitions in Japan, as opposed to shoot-style professional wrestling competitions. This usage of the term is retired from common usage because it became a registered trademark of Bart Vale, who uses it to describe his hybrid fighting system derived from shoot wrestling. However, it is still sometimes used colloquially.

Bart Vale, World Champion Shootfighter

Examples which were once considered shootfighting styles, tournaments or organizations are Pancrase, Shoot boxing and Shooto, where many fighters still considered themselves to be shootfighters. Ken Shamrock was a well-recognized shootfighter, who later went on to UFC superstar.Bart Vale is possibly the most recognizable shoot fighter, along with reaching super star status,  he is one of the most respcted martial artists in the nation.

The martial arts/sport of Shootfighting® is a recent creation. It had its genesis less than 25 years ago when a famous German wrestler taught the art of real wrestling or "shooting", to a group of top Japanese martial artist. The wrestling they learned bore only a superficial resemblance to today's professional wrestling. Two of these Japanese martial artist, Masami Soranaka, practitioner of karate, judo and sumo, and Yoshiaki Fujiwara, a muay thai kickboxing champion and judo expert, combined their knowledge of these diverse styles and created what has come to be known as UWF wrestling or the strong style. Official matches have been held for almost 10 years and the sport's popularity has grown till it is now the third most popular spectator sport in Japan behind baseball and sumo. There are currently three main organizations sanctioning matches and teaching the style. Of these the oldest and largest is the Fujiwara Gumi (family) run by founder and former champion Yoshiaki Fujiwara. The current world champion of the Fujiwara Gumi is Miami's Bart Vale, The first foreigner (American) to reach the highest levels of the sport. Vale who coined the term Shootfighting® to describe the style, combined the wrestling and Muay thai techniques he learned in Japan with his experience in American karate and kickboxing to advance the sport further. He is presently attempting to promote regular matches in Florida and California.

Shootfighting Rules

1. 1 fifteen minute round, non-stop fall.
2. All fighters must be trained and licensed by the ISFA.
3. All referees must be trained and licensed by the ISFA.
4. All fighters must wear an ISFA approved grappling gloves.
5. Two escapes, 3 points rule.
6. No face or head contact with hands, feet or knees.
7. No elbow strikes.  Knees to the body & leg are allowed.
8. No eye gouging, hair pulling, no groin strikes, no techniques against
the windpipe.  No kicks to the front of the knee.
9. Knees to the body, punches to the body and kicks to the legs and torso
are legal.
10. Fighters may use takedowns, any type of joint-lock, and chokes to the
side of the neck (No chokes to the windpipe).
11. Once one opponent's knee touches the ground the opponents must
grapple or stand up and fight.  No striking with a downed opponent.
12. *Mouthpiece, cup, kneepads & footpads are required.*
13. No standing count.
14. If fighters are deadlocked referee will give a ten second count then
stand both fighters, at his discretion.
15. Fighter may win by points or submission.  The referee may also end
the fight if he determines the fighter is unfit to continue.  At the end of
15 minutes if both fighters have equal points the fight is considered a
draw.