RISE

RISE runs the Japanese domestic circuit in the lighter weight classes under a code descended from the original 1966 Japanese rules. It has been one of the two main routes — alongside Krush and the revived K-1 — by which Japanese fighters reach international level.

Its most significant contribution to the sport is Tenshin Nasukawa, whose domestic run made him one of the biggest draws in Japanese combat sports before he moved to professional boxing. The promotion has also consistently matched Japanese fighters against Thai opponents, keeping the cross-style tradition alive in the post-K-1 era.

For anyone following the lighter divisions, RISE and Krush cards are where the next generation of internationally competitive Japanese strikers appears first.