Pancrase 306 Full Report

Finishing off June was a 17 fight card from Pancrase. Pancrase 306 included the crowning of an interim Welterweight Champion, a clash of veterans and some fun prelim fights. Let’s start with the first bout of the evening.

Preliminary Card

Bout 1: Takashi Araya vs. Tatsuki Ozaki (2019 Neo Blood Tournament Semifinal Strawweight) (3×3)

Starting off the evening of fights was a Neo Blood Strawweight Semifinal matchup. In the first 30 seconds, Araya landed a takedown. Ozaki got up and put in a guillotine choke, which made Araya tap out.

Bout 2: Yota Tatsunari vs. Yohei Nada (2019 Neo Blood Tournament Semifinal Featherweight) (3×3)

The next Neo Blood fight was a featherweight semifinal. Nada landed a punch which dropped Nada. When he got up he was hit with knees up against the cage. Nada jumped and put in a guillotine which made Tatsunari tap out. The first and second fight felt like deja vu.

Bout 3: Real King Date vs. Masayoshi Watanabe (2019 Neo Blood Tournament Final Welterweight) (3×3)

In the finale of the Welterweight Neo Blood Tournament, Real King DATE fought Masayoshi Watanabe. In the first round both fighters were frequently throwing kicks. It became apparently in the first round that this would be a pure striking matchup despite DATE’s submission experience. Watanabe made DATE slip due to a kick to the chest. This became the first fight for DATE that went into the third round. Neither fighters ever really threw combinations, but instead just threw signular punches and kicks. The final round ended with DATE in top position. In a split decision, Masayoshi Watanabe won the fight.

Bout 4: Kento Mizutani vs. Naoki Arikawa (Flyweight) (3×3)

In the first bout between fighters not involved in a Neo Blood Tournament, Kento Mizutani faced Naoki Arikawa. Arikawa landed a good combination of punches at the start of the round. Mizutani circled the outside of the cage for all of the first round. Mizutani tried for a takedown in the opening moments of the second round although Arikawa got in top position. Arikawa kept the dominant position but didn’t get much done. Arikawa got the top position on the ground in round three as well. The fight went the distance with Naoki Arikawa getting the unanimous decision victory.

Bout 5: Toru Fujii vs. Yuki Tashiro (Bantamweight) (3×3)

The next bout was a bantamweight battle between Toru Fujii and Yuki Tashiro. Over a minute into the first round, Tashiro landed a left hook which knocked out Fujii. The referee ended the fight shortly after.

Bout 6: Ippei Takase vs. Ryo Iseki (Bantamweight) (3×3)

In another bantamweight matchup we saw Ippei Takase versus Ryo Iseki. Iseki shot for a takedown early in the bout. On the ground he took Takase’s back, but didn’t get anything done. They stood up in clinch against the cage. Takase threw down Iseki and took top position. They got back up with 30 seconds left in the first round. The second round started with decent striking from both fighters. Iseki tripped Takase to the ground and kept him there with a takedown moments after. In the final round they went into clinch up against the cage. Iseki landed elbows in the clinch. He took it off the cage and landed a takedown. The fight went the full three rounds, with Ryo Iseki getting the nod.

Bout 7: Juan Lizama vs. Mitsuhiro Taki (Bantamweight) (3×3)

Ending off the prelims of Pancrase 306 was Juan Lizama versus Mitsuhiro Taki in a bantamweight bout. Lizama had the better striking and movement in the first round. Taki landed a takedown in the final minute of the second round. The final round was somewhat close until Lizama dropped Taki with a punch with a minute left. Taki recovered and took the fight to the ground. Lizama got out of the ground position as the fight concluded. Throughout it looked like Lizama was pushing the pace of the fight. Juan Lizama was given the split decision win.

Main Card

Bout 8: Kyohei Wakimoto (3-3) vs. Toshikazu Suzuki (8-7-1) (Welterweight) (3×3)

Starting off the main card was a battle between two fights with shaky records. Toshikazu Suzuki had a significant height and reach advantage over Kyohei Wakimoto. Early on in the fight Wakimoto put Suzuki up against the fence. Suzuki flipped the script, putting Wakimoto against the cage. They broke the clinch and went to striking. Halfway through the round Suzuki got dropped by punches but recovered. Wakimoto put Suzuki up against the cage once again. The round ended in this position. Wakimoto got a takedown early in the second round. Suzuki gave up his back. Wakimoto stayed on his back until the round concluded. Suzuki was knocked down yet again in the third round, with Wakimoto taking top position on the ground afterwards. Wakimoto did some strikes while in the position. The fight went the distance with Kyohei Wakimoto undoubtedly getting the unanimous decision victory.

Bout 9: Ukyo Abe (9-5-1) vs. Genpei Hayashi (8-8-1) (Lightweight) (3×3)

The next bout was a lightweight battle between Ukyo Abe and Genpei Hayashi. Moments into the first round, Abe landed a takedown. Abe tried to a rear naked choke on Hayashi’s back. He then flipped around and started landing strikes. The elbows he landed were strong. Hayashi tried for an armbar after getting hit quite a bit. Abe escaped the armbar and gets landing strikes. The referee finally stepped in and ended the bout.

Bout 10: Ryosuke Kano (7-5) vs. Kohei Sugiyama (7-4) (Flyweight) (3×3)

Ryosuke Kano faced Kohei Sugiyama in the final three minute round fight of the evening. Kano tried for a takedown early on but Sugiyama stayed standing. Kano was often walking down Sugiyama. With a minute left in the round Kano landed a takedown. Sugiyama tried for his own takedown in the second round and took the back of Kano. He put in a tight rear naked choke which Kano survived until the bell. In the third round Kano got a takedown. There was a pause in the third round to check out an eye of Kano. Sugiyama threw two punches then went for another takedown. He landed strikes from above as the round ended. In a split decision, Kohei Sugiyama won the fight.

Bout 11: Toshiya Takashima (4-3-1) (#10) vs. Suguru Hayasaka (18-13-5) (#9) (Strawweight) (3×5)

Toshiya Takashima and Suguru Hayasaki faced off against each other next in a five minute round fight. Early on Takashima landed a good right hook which dropped Hayasaka. He couldn’t capitalize off it as Hayasaka got up and pinned Takashima against the cage. When they went to the ground it was Takashima in control. Hayasaka was able to transition onto Takashima’s back. In the second round Hayasaka got a takedown. He stayed on the ground but didn’t do much. On the open scoring Takashima was ahead. Takashima brought Hayasaka to the ground. He landed some strikes as the round closed out. Toshiya Takashima took the unanimous decision victory.

Bout 12: Adam Antolin (13-5) vs. Teppei Maeyama (4-6) (#11) (Strawweight) (3×5)

In the next fight, American fighter Adam Antolin fought Teppei Maeyama. Antolin seemed to be the more composed and controlling fighter in the first round. Antolin kept landing harder strikes in the second. On the ground, he landed strikes as the round ended. Antolin’s dominance only continued in the third. He started to throw knees. In top position, Antolin landed hammerfist strikes and elbows until the referee stepped in and ended it.

Bout 13: J.J. Ambrose (31-8-2) vs. Akihiro Murayama (20-9-9) (#5) (Welterweight) (3×5)

In a fight between two fighters with experienced records, J.J. Ambrose fought Akihiro Murayama. Right off the bat in the fight Murayama put Ambrose up against the cage. They eventually separated and went back to stand-up. Ambrose landed numerous punches that dropped Murayama. He survived but was dropped three times and became very shaky afterwards. Murayama had a better second round, landing significant punches. Early in the final round Ambrose was in control in grappling. After Ambrose was in control for quite some time, Murayama flipped around and took top position. With a few seconds left, Murayama tried for an armbar but couldn’t finish the fight with it. In a unanimous decision, J.J. Ambrose got the victory.

Bout 14: Manabu Inoue (19-9-4) vs. Ryuichi Miki (19-12-4) (Flyweight) (3×5)

In the next bout Manabu Inoue faced Ryuichi Miki. Miki landed a takedown in the first minute. They got back up in no time. Miki landed a couple more takedowns in the round. Inoue kept trying for takedowns in the second round. In the final few seconds of the second round, Ryuichi Miki landed a walk-off knee KO. Afterwards, he claimed this was his comeback fight.

Bout 15: Kim Young Ji (1-3) vs. Yoko Higashi (3-1) (Featherweight) (3×5)

The next bout was the only women’s fight of the evening. Pancrase fighter Yoko Higashi fought Kim Young Ji, from Road FC. This was Higashi’s return to the featherweight division after fighting a few times in the bantamweight class. From the jump Higashi was throwing hard punches. Both fighters seemed to throw combos of punches with no guard. In the second round Higashi tried for a takedown. Heading into the final round it was apparent that Young Ji was behind. The whole fight stayed on the feet, with Higashi out-striking Young Ji. The fight went the distance with Yoko Higashi getting the unanimous decision victory.

Bout 16: Eiji Ishikawa (30-24-3) vs. Ikuhisa Minowa (65-42-8) (Middleweight) (3×3)

In the co-main event we had a bout that was nothing short of a veteran matchup. We went back to three minute rounds for this one. Ishikawa landed a takedown in the first minute. The round ended in this position. Ishikawa brought it back to the ground again in the second, after landing a couple of punches. He landed strikes from above as the round came and went. Ishikawa shot for a single leg takedown and got it in the final round. The final round was much like the ones before, with Ishikawa in top position. The fight went all three rounds. Eiji Ishikawa won the fight via decision.

Bout 17: Kenta Takagi (17-16) (#4) vs. Hiroyuki Tetsuka (6-3) (#1) (Interim Welterweight Championship) (5×5)

The main event of the evening was Kenta Takagi facing Hiroyuki Tetsuka for the Interim King of Pancrase Welterweight Championship. Tetsuka landed a left hook which caught Takagi in the first minute. Tetsuka landed a takedown after two minutes. Tetsuka put in a strong rear naked choke with a minute and a half left which made Takagi tap out. He celebrated with a backflip afterwards.

At the end of July, Pancrase will hold their 307 show. There is a special “Pancrase Osaka” show mid-way through the month, but coverage can’t be guaranteed as it is not listed on UFC Fight Pass.