TOKYO — Just a few days away from SHOOTO's show at Korakuen Hall on May 12, the International SHOOTO commission announced on its official Web site that reigning 143-pound champion Alexandre Franca Nogueira has been stripped of his title.


Pequeno's inability to defend the belt within 18 months, the mandatory time stipulated by the commission for all division champions to defend their belts, was the reason for the move.


Nogueira, who was scheduled to defend his crown against No. 2-world ranked Antonio Carvalho, was forced to withdraw one more time due to a knee injury, the same injury that has plagued the champion since his last defence back in March 11, 2005 against fellow Brazilian Joao Roque.


Originally scheduled to defend his belt against No. 1-ranked Gilbert Melendez, Nogueira pulled out of the most-awaited match at 143 pounds several times due to problems with his knee. The SHOOTO commission rescheduled the fight from December 2005 to February 2006 and once again to May 12.


But with Melendez signing to participate in the K-1 HERO's Grand Prix, the commission choose Carvalho to face "Pequeno" for the title. However the opportunity faded away once again due to Nogueira's injury and inability to recover in time to defend the title.


On an interesting note, "Pequeno" himself recommended that the International SHOOTO commission strip him of his title and give the opportunity to someone else for the belt.


This decision ends the longest championship reign in MMA history; Nogueira held the title for six years, eight months and two days.


With a vacant title and the show just few days away, the International Commission took the decision to place Carvalho against 2004 SHOOTO lightweight rookie champion "Lion" Takeshi Inoue in a title match for the 143-pound crown. These two previously met in August 2005, when Carvalho took a majority decision victory over then undefeated Inoue.


The rest of the card, sponsored by longtime SHOOTO friends “DEVILOCK,” is rounded out with a non-title match between flamboyant 123-pound champion Mamoru against his arch-nemesis Setsu Iguchi, an exhibition match between SHOOTO legends Rumina Sato and Hayato Sakurai, and the return, after a seven-year break, of former SHOOTO light heavyweight champion Kenji Kawaguchi, who takes on Lithuanian fighter Deividas Petrauskas.