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Chris Lytle and Guy Mezger are working on an upcoming documentary titled Pancrase Hybrid History.
Chris Lytle and Guy Mezger are two legendary mixed martial artists who cut their teeth in Pancrase, as well as the UFC.
Lytle and Mezger are contributing to a new documentary called Pancrase Hybrid History. Both men caught up with Bloody Elbow ahead of the film’s premiere to discuss just how important Pancrase is to the story of MMA and how Pancrase hopes to make the trek over to America.
“I don’t think a lot of people fully understand that UFC wasn’t the very beginning of fighting. A lot of people think they are the creator of it. It was the first time in got mainstream acceptance over here [in the U.S.]. Pancrase came before the UFC and I think they were almost like the parents. A lot of great fighters came from the Pancrase organization. I wanted to get that word out,” Lytle said. “It was something we felt needed to be done.”
“This is where fighting really started, in my opinion,” he argued. “Those guys were hybrid wrestling. They were training in all disciplines. A lot of people don’t understand that. A lot of people who came to the UFC and experienced success — Bas Rutten, Guy Mezger — they were Pancrase fighters. I think what we need to get out there is the UFC wasn’t the starting point for this sport. It happened before that.”
Lytle competed more than a dozen times in Pancrase, but Mezger was a true stalwart of the organization. Mezger competed an impressive 25 times for Pancrase and described it as the forefather of modern MMA.
“Pancrase was that bridge between no holds barred and what is modern MMA. The original format of UFC there were no rules. It wasn’t MMA, it was no holds barred. Pancrase was basically pro wrestling that was real. Pancrase was the bridge that allowed MMA to become MMA. I remember talking to [UFC co-creator] Bob Meyrowitz about the need for putting rules in. He was telling me I was an idiot. Here is the problem: We love our violence in America, we absolutely do — look at all the movies, look at the sports, very violent — but we like to consider ourselves civilized so we add rules,” Mezger said. “Pancrase really showed the viability of adding the rules. Pancrase had more of a cult following in the United States, but it was very popular in Europe and very popular in Japan… It showed that you could have rules and have a sport.”
“Even Pancrase has evolved now. Pancrase itself is basically MMA now… They should know the history,” he continued. “These guys deserve to be recognized as the pioneers they really were. It’s a cool sport. The original form of Pancrase was much more of a gentleman’s sport. What I really liked about it was that you were a sportsman… There was a lot less of the clown stuff that you see today.”
Pancrase Hybrid History also features contributions from Bas Rutten, Josh Barnett and fight promoter Doug Cartelli. The film is expected to premiere at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. All four fighters will appear at a dinner event in Los Angeles on July 17.