shadow realm

English

Alternative forms

• Shadow Realm

Etymology

The first sense is from Shadow Realm, an invented place by 4Kids Entertainment for their English dub of the Japanese anime series Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (2000–2004) as an ostensible place of suffering where people could be sent as a euphemism for death. It does not exist in the original Japanese anime. Apparently based on Japanese 闇(やみ)の世界(せかい) (Yami no Sekai, “World of Darkness”), an actual location in the series which is also called the Shadow Realm in the English dub.

Noun

shadow realm (countable and uncountable, plural shadow realms)

1. (slang) Oblivion; death.
2. (combat sports) Knocked out, rendered unconscious.
   • 2019 December 20, Adam Martin, “Jorge Masvidal explains what happens when he sends his opponents to the shadow realm”, in BJ Penn‎^[1]:

     UFC welterweight star Jorge Masvidal knows a thing or two about sending his opponents to the shadow realm, and he explained what happens when they go there.

   • 2022 March 20, Alan Dawson, quoting Paddy Pimblett, “UFC women's flyweight Molly McCann scored the most brutal, brilliant, and beautiful knockout of the year so far”, in Business Insider‎^[2]:

     McCann's friend and fellow fighter Paddy 'The Baddy' Pimblett ... was in disbelief at the destructive nature of the elbow strike. "She got sent to the shadow realm," he said, according to ESPN+. "That was exceptional." UFC boss Dana White called McCann's finish the "greatest female knockout you'll ever fucking see."

   • 2023 May 22, Garry Lu, “Joe Rogan Reveals When He'll Quit the ZFC (As Per His Contract)”, in Boss Hunting‎^[3]:

     Joe Rogan, but according to his contract, there will come a day when the world's most prolific podcaster and noted DMT enthusiast won’t be around to interview an MMA fighter immediately after they've been sent to the shadow realm on a pay-per-view event.

   • 2024 January 17, Jordan Ellis, “Dana White announces two more fights for UFC 300, including Justin Gaethje’s first BMF title defence”, in talkSPORT‎^[4]:

     Lightweight contender Justin Gaethje will defend the symbolic belt he won by head-kicking Dustin Poirier into the shadow realm last year when he takes on Max Holloway.

3. (fantasy) Alternative letter-case form of Shadow Realm (“a place that is inhabited by darkness, evilness or benevolent entities and creatures, sometimes based around, or said to be, shadows or personifications thereof”).