PANCRASE 257 sees Shimizu vs Yamamoto finally happen, ISAO defends, World Slam is back

Pancrase announces the Super Flyweight Title Challenge between Kiyotaka Shimizu and Atsushi Yamamaoto will take place on March 30, 2014. Also on Pancrase 257 ISAO will defend at Lightweight, World Slam Final match Taichi versus Cesar.
Pancrase 257 is shaping up to be a blockbuster for the promotion as its final major even held in the ring. There will be two King Of Pancrase belts on the line and ISAO plans to defend at Lightweight against a yet unnamed opponent, and Kiyotaka Shimizu finally faces Challenger Atsushi Yamamoto at Super Flyweight. Shimizu versus Yamamoto was supposed to take place in 2013 at the 20th Anniversary event, but the latter was sidelined for quite a while due to an orbital fracture he sustained in training and the match was put on ice rather than having Yamamoto’s spot replaced.

Takenori Sato will be front and center watching the bout between Thiago ‘Jambo’ Goncalves and Akihiro Murayama, because the winner will be his next challenger for the Welterweight title. The second and most recently announced Brazilian on the card, Leandro ‘Buscape’ Silva, will be welcomed by none other than most recent title challenger at lightweight, Yoshiaki ‘Bancho’ Takahashi. And for the trifecta of Brazilians, Marcio ‘Gracinha’ Cesar and Taichi Nakajima face off in the World Slam Bantamweight Finals.

Also on the card will be a spirited match between Pancrase fan favorites Guy Delumeau and Yuki ‘Brave Devil’ Baba. Other featherweight rankers Junpei Chikano and Tomonari Kanomata will also look to scramble up the ladder. Expect more announcements coming soon.

Pancrase 257
March 30, 2014
Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium
Tokyo, Japan
King of Pancrase Super Flyweight Challenge
Kiyotaka Shimizu (13-9-3) 清水 清隆 (TRIBE TOKYO M.M.A／第２代王者)
Atsushi Yamamoto (17-7-3) 山本 篤 （KRAZY BEE／１位)

King of Pancrase Lightweight Challenge
Isao Kobayashi (14-1-4) ライト級 第５代王者・ISAO (坂口道場一族)
TBA

Welterweight Next Challenger Match
Thiago ‘Jambo’ Goncalves (17-3) チアゴ・ジャンボ (TEAM NOGUEIRA／2位)
Akihiro Murayama (14-5-9) 村山 暁洋 （GUTSMAN／3位）

Lightweight
Yoshiaki ‘Bancho’ Takahashi (10-4-2) 高橋“Bancho”良明 （パラエストラ八王子／２位)
Leandro ‘Buscape’ Silva (13-1-1) レアンドロ“ブスカペ”シウバ (TEAM NOGUEIRA／初参戦)

AVA / BADBOY PRESENTS World Slam Bantamweight Finals
Taichi Nakajima (8-3-1) 中島 太一 (パラエストラ東京／4位 )
Marcio ‘Gracinha’ Cesar (18-8-3) マルシオ・セザール (NOVA UNIAO／5位)

Featherweight
Guy Delumeau (18-8-3) ガイ・デルモ （GUTSMAN／１位）
Yuki ‘Brave Devil’ Baba (10-4) 馬場 勇気 (ロデオスタイル／バンタム級９位)

Featherweight
Junpei Chikano (4-7-2) 近野 淳平 (ロデオスタイル／6位)
Tomonari Kanomata (20-8-6) 鹿又 智成 （パラエストラ八王子／10位）

Flyweight
Isao Hirose (11-9-5) 廣瀬 勲 (ストライプル／７位 )
Yusuke Kitago (12-8-1) 北郷 祐介 (和術慧舟會 横浜道場)


Mmainasia.com

Pancrase will hold their final ring event on March 30, 2014 before transitioning to a cage, and it is slowly shaping up. CEO Masakazu Sakai has announced that Leandro “Buscape” Silva has been booked for the event.
Leandro Silva is the latest Team Nogueira fighter to be commissioned to appear in Pancrase events. Following a successful first year under his tenure as CEO, in which Sakai implemented a strategy of “Pancrase versus Foreign Team” events, 2014 seems to continue in an international vein.
Pancrase 257 will take place on March 30 and has been previously announced as the last major Pancrase event to be held in a ring as the promotion sees a modernization to a “global standard” which will include a transition to a cage modeled after new partner WSOF’s decagonal example.
Silva, a black belt under Rocian Gracie, is currently 13-1-1 with a whopping eight submission finishes. His sole loss came in in his sole UFC appearance against Iuri Alcantra’s brother Ildemar Alcantra in a disappointing 3-round UD. A sharp striker with skills on the ground, he will be an interesting lightweight, or possibly welterweight, added to Pancrase’s Brazilian-heavy roster of appearances.

Isao back for this one.  Got to catch that fight.