Pancrase have been stepping it up recently and with their announcement today they are going even further.
An 8-man Lightweight GP will start at the May 3rd event, here's the participants & some post fight comments...
1.Sakaguchi Dojo’s golden up-and-comer ISAO.
ISAO On Tamura: It looks like he has mainly fought in Shooto but I’ve never seen him fight so I don’t know what kind of fighter he is. I’ll train so I can take him out in whichever position and win, that’s all.
2.MMA veteran and loyal ZST fighter Naoyuki Kotani.
General comment: This is my second time in Pancrase, last time I lost to Koji Oishi. Because Oishi is in a title fight I’m aiming at revenge. My aim is to win the GP, fight him one more time, and become champion.
Kotani On Iwamiya: If I’m not mistaken Iwamiya has fought at Welterweight in Pancrase before so I have to be aware of the strength of someone from a higher weight class.
3.Massive Lightweight and 24 year old finisher from Paraestra Hachioji Kazuki Tokudome.
Tokudome & Who he would like to fight in the final: ISAO is 22 years old so he’s closest to me in age so it would be fun if we both advance and have a final between two young fighters.
4.2008 Shooto Welterweight Rookie-Of-The-Year Tournament runner-up Hibiki Tamura.
General comment: In my mind I had the image that Lightweight in Pancrase was equal to Satoru Kitaoka. Kitaoka being gone, besides Osaka acquaintances Hanazawa and Oishi, I honestly have no idea who anyone is.
-ISAO intercepted this and said that he’ll win in a way that Shooto fighters won’t be able to say anything.
5.2nd generation Lightweight & Welterweight King Of Pancrase Katsuya Inoue.
(Katsuya Inoue was absent from the press confrence)
6.Fighter with a lot of potential Hiroki "AB" Aoki.
General comment:I love Pancrase and have been fighting here since my amateur days, I’m honored to be able to fight in this GP. 5 days ago I drew a written oracle at a temple and got excellent luck, it was written that I would definitely win in gambling/a game of chance.
Who he would like to fight in the final: I hope for ISAO. I have lost to him twice so it would be awesome if I clearly beat him in a third fight.
Telling his strongest point to the other 7: My height.
7.24 year old awesome grappler Kota Okazawa.
Okazawa Telling his strongest point to the 7 others: I’m coming with submissions so I don’t want to lose when it comes to grappling
8.The master of close fights Tomoyoshi Iwamiya.
Telling his strongest point to the 7 others: I have the stamina to fight strong for 3 5 minute rounds. I want to go in there and keep attacking the whole fight and not let anyone do anything.
On the Lightweight King Of Pancrase title: I had a title fight at Welterweight and broke down, I couldn’t repay (Nobuhiko) Takada (he’s from Takada Dojo) so I definitely want to win the GP and take the belt next year to repay Takada.
This is awesome. All fighters are good, don’t be too fooled by Iwamiya’s record. He’s drawn with two of the other GP participants since moving down to Lightweight and at Welterweight he defeated Strasser Kiichi and Toryu and lost close fights to KTaro and Wada. The schedule for the 2011 Pancrase Lightweight GP will take place 3 separate events, all fights will Pancrase Rules, 3×5 minutes & being a GP a winner must be chosen in each fight. The winner of the GP will get prize money (amount not set yet), a couple of other presents, and a shot at the Lightweight King Of Pancrase title in 2012. This is how the schedule looks...
1st Round – May 3rd in Differ Ariake in Tokyo, Japan
ISAO vs. Hibiki Tamura
Naoyuki Kotani vs. Tomoyoshi Iwamiya
Katsuya Inoue vs. Kota Okazawa
AB vs. Kazuki Tokudome
Semifinals – August 7th in Differ Ariake in Tokyo, Japan
ISAO/Tamura vs. Kotani/Iwamiya
Inoue/Okazawa vs. AB/Tokudome
Final – December 3rd in Differ Ariake in Tokyo, Japan
ISAO/Tamura/Kotani/Iwamiya vs. Inoue/Okazawa/AB/Tokudome
May 3rd's Pancrase 2011 Impressive Tour opening round of the LWGP is nothing short of being stacked. With the Light & Bantamweight King's of Pancrase Title's on the line, both Eiji Ishikawa and Mei "V.V" Yamaguchi who made their successfull returns earlier this month/year look to pick up another win & of course the opening round of Pancrase's LWGP!
The card's official line up as follows...
Lightweight King Of Pancrase Title Fight
12. Daisuke Hanazawa vs. Koji Oishi
Bantamweight King Of Pancrase Title Fight
11. Manabu Inoue vs. Seiya Kawahara
Pancrase Welterweight Fight
10. Eiji Ishikawa vs. Ichiro Kanai
2011 Pancrase Lightweight GP 1st Round Fights
9. AB vs. Kazuki Tokudome
8. Katsuya Inoue vs. Kota Okazawa
7. Naoyuki Kotani vs. Tomoyoshi Iwamiya
6. ISAO vs. Hibiki Tamura
Pancrase Welterweight Fight
5. URAKEN vs. Strasser Kiichi
Pancrase Bantamweight Fight
4. Tashiro Akai vs. Shintaro Ishiwatari
Pancrase Welterweight Fight
3. Masahiro Toryu vs. Hiroki Nagaoka
Featherweight Fight
2. Tomonari Kanomata vs. Masakazu Takafuji
Pancrase Women’s Light Flyweight Fight
1. V.V Mei vs. Betiko
-NOB
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