The origin of the name PANCRASE dates back to the ancient Greeks who had a sport competition called PANCRATION. Today, competitors (noble warriors) from around the globe descend upon Japan to battle in one of the most exciting events in modern-day athletic competition.

In the PANCRASE logo, red indicates blood, and black indicates the complete collection of all martial arts, as the mixing of colors ends up creating black. The PANCRASE cross indicates all the best techniques from all the martial arts.

PANCRASE is the name of the organization founded by Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki in May, 1993 which produces the new professional martial arts sport. The ultimate goal and spirit of PANCRASE is the completion of 'total-fight' a collection of the best of all the styles of martial arts in the world. Martial arts techniques used in the PANCRASE matches include wrestling, judo, boxing, sambo, karate, kempo, jiu-jitsu, and Thai boxing.

One of the unique aspects of a PANCRASE fight is the need of the combatants to adapt their existing techniques to this unique competition. For example, even if the fighter is an expert with karate techniques, these techniques alone will not be effective enough to win in a PANCRASE fight. The fighter needs to think about what he will do if he throws a kick but his leg is grabbed by his opponent.

Karate does not have submission techniques. Judo does not have kick techniques. Traditional wrestling does not have kick techniques. In order to win, PANCRASE fighters need to train mixing various techniques from every martial arts disciplines. The alternatives is almost certain defeat.