In the early 2000s, NJPW noticed the growing popularity of mixed martial arts (MMA) in Japan and wanted to integrate elements of shoot wrestling to make the company appear more realistic. They partnered with K-1 and inserted wrestlers into MMA fights to make it seem like a real sport. However, this was criticized by critics and fans. Inoki, who was leading this change, sold his share of the company to Yuke's in 2005 and started his own promotion, the Inoki Genome Federation (IGF), in 2007. After the departure of Inoki and his family, NJPW began to reintegrate its prior pure style of wrestling.
