that he's part of the elite professional fighters. Shooto events Shooto organize most of their events in Japan, although it has organized some amateur tournaments in China. Shooto consists of a multi-layered system designed to develop fighters from grassroots level, aspirants to professional fighters must start through the organization's amateur events, winning their regional tournaments (spread out throughout all the forty-seven prefectures of Japan) and performing well on the annual All-Japan tournament. As the fighter progress they will graduate from lower classes (Class-D and Class-C) until they are graduated into the professional classes (Class-B and Class-A) and now can compete on Shooto's professional events. In Japan the sport is organized by the Shooto Association, however, the Association doesn't organize directly all events, be them professional or low-level amateur, letting gyms and independent promoters organize it. The International Shooto Commission on the other hand, works to create Shooto organizations outside Japan. The Commission allows local independent organizations to promote their events under the Shooto name. Domestically, it broadcasts its events over AbemaTV and Samurai TV. Internationally, it has broadcast over the UFC Fight Pass in the past, and a number of their events are part of the UFC Fight Library. Recently, they have put up their events on YouTube. In popular culture Manga series All-Rounder Meguru by Hiroki Endo centers around Meguru, a high schooler amateur MMA fighter which fights his way through various Shooto amateur events in order to become a professional. List of current Shooto champions Current Shooto world champions Current Shooto Pacific Rim champions See also List of Shooto Champions List of Shooto Events References External links Shooto Japan Shooto Brasil Shooto Germany Shooto Finland Shooto Italy Shooto United States Mixed martial arts organizations Combat sports Hybrid martial arts Sports originating in Japan 1985 establishments in Japan