HOOKnSHOOT

{{Infobox company

|name= HOOKnSHOOT

|logo=

|type= Private

|foundation= 1995

|defunct= March 3, 2017

|founders= Jeff Osborne{{cite news|title=Breaking Barriers|publisher= Sherdog|url=http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/1/Breaking-Barriers-59799|access-date=2015-03-21}}

|location_city= Evansville, Indiana

|location_country= United States

|key_people=

|industry=Mixed martial arts promotion

|parent=

|slogan=

|homepage=

}}

HOOKnSHOOT was a mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion based in Evansville, Indiana, United States.{{cite news|title= From parking lots to the record books: Celebrating 20 years of HOOKnSHOOT |publisher= MMA Fighting|url= http://www.mmafighting.com/2015/3/21/8260983/from-parking-lots-to-the-record-books-20-years-of-hook-n-shoot|access-date=2015-03-21}} It was one of the earliest MMA promotions in the United States, and one of the first organisations in the United States to allow Women's MMA.{{cite news|title= HOOKnSHOOT full catalogue to be added to UFC Fight Pass |publisher= SI|url= http://fansided.com/2014/09/28/hooknshoot-full-catalogue-added-ufc-fight-pass/|access-date=2015-03-21}}{{cite news|title=History Lessons: HOOKnSHOOT and the Early Miesha Tate and Kaitlin Young|publisher=MMA Corner|url=http://themmacorner.com/2013/12/21/history-lessons-hooknshoot-and-the-early-miesha-tate-and-kaitlin-young/|access-date=2015-03-21|archive-date=2022-06-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627051343/http://themmacorner.com/2013/12/21/history-lessons-hooknshoot-and-the-early-miesha-tate-and-kaitlin-young/|url-status=dead}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FSkvBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA134&dq=female+muay+thai#q=hook%20n%20shoot|title=She's a Knockout!|isbn=9781442236448|access-date=23 March 2016|last1=Jennings|first1=L. A.|date=23 October 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/2017/02/one-of-the-longest-running-mma-promotions-is-almost-finished-but-will-its-history-die-with-it/|title=One of the longest-running MMA promotions is almost finished, but will its history die with it?|date=21 February 2017|access-date=22 February 2017}}

History

HOOKnSHOOT was founded in 1995 by professional wrestling promoter Jeff Osborne. After watching the tapes of the early Ultimate Fighting Championships, he became interest in the nascent sport and sought to create his own event, forming HOOKnSHOOT at a gym in the small town of Boonville, Indiana. The name was chosen derived from Japanese shoot wrestling and the wrestling term "Shoot", to give emphasis to the "realness" of the event. Early events used different rules: shootfighting (similar to Pancrase) and "NHB" ("No Holds Barred", similar to the UFC), HOOKnSHOOT also became promoter of Shooto events in North America for a time, even adopting its rules.

HOOKnSHOOT saw the introduction and beginning of many future MMA stars, such as UFC Middleweight Champion Dave Menne, UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir and Antônio Rogério Nogueira, Ian Freeman, Ivan Salaverry, Hermes Franca, Chris Lytle, Travis Lutter, Gesias Cavalcante and Jeremy Horn.

In 2002, HOOKnSHOOT put on an all women's card labeled ‘Revolution’. It was headlined by Debi Purcell and Christine Van Fleet. In 2005, they held an all-women, one-night-only tournament featuring Julie Kedzie, Jan Finney, and Lisa Ellis.{{cite web |title=The Male Gaze in Women's MMA - Part 1: Genesis, Gina, and getting past Dana |url=https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2017/10/30/16535774/male-gaze-womens-mma-part-1-gina-carrano-ronda-rousey-miesha-tate-dana-wmma-ufc-mma-interview-news |access-date=31 October 2017}} According to Osborne, he was inspired to promote women's matches after seeing her daughter and wife watch with interest tapes of Megumi Yabushita and other female fighters at the ReMix tournament in Japan. HOOKnSHOOT is considered the pioneer in Women's MMA, and Jeff Osborne has been referred as "The Godfather of North American WMMA".

In 2017, Jeff Osborne announced the close of HOOKnSHOOT, citing the lack of interest for local shows and financial incentives, as well his own age.{{cite web|url=http://www.mmafighting.com/2017/2/24/14701146/hooknshoot-may-be-coming-to-an-end-but-its-influence-is-everywhere|title=HOOKnSHOOT may be coming to an end, but its influence is everywhere|first=Shaun|last=Al-Shatti|date=24 February 2017|access-date=25 February 2017}} HOOKnSHOOT did its last event March 4, 2017, titled HOOKnSHOOT - The Farewell Show.{{Cite web |title=HOOKnSHOOT - HnS {{!}} MMA Promoter |url=https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/promotions/246-hooknshoot-hns |access-date=2022-07-13 |website=Tapology |language=en}} Thus ending the run of the second longest-running MMA promotion in North America.

Notable alumni

[https://www.tapology.com/]

References

Category:1995 establishments in Indiana

Category:Defunct mixed martial arts promotions

Category:Organizations established in 1995

Category:2017 disestablishments in Indiana

Category:Organizations disestablished in 2017

Category:Defunct companies based in Indiana

Category:Companies based in Evansville, Indiana