Pancase: Kondo Fights Matsui for KOP Belt

Pancrase had already announced three title matches for its August 27 card at Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium. Now, Pancrase has added a bout for the 199-pound King of Pancrase championship between long time star Yuki Kondo (Pictures) and challenger Daijiro Matsui (Pictures).

Pancrase president Masami Ozaki announced in early June that Kondo would return for Pancrase's premiere summer card on August 27 to defend his 90-kilogram crown. The early candidates to challenge Kondo were GRABAKA leader Sanae Kikuta (Pictures) and Daijiro Matsui (Pictures), who after a long hard luck run in PRIDE had found some success in Pancrase, drawing UFC veteran Elvis Sinosic (Pictures), and defeating Pancrase mainstay Daisuke Watanabe (Pictures).

Kondo's last in-ring action was a crushing knockout defeat at the hands of Phil Baroni (Pictures) at PRIDE Bushido 10 in April. Following the loss Kondo had taken a break from training to relax and rest his injuries. Kondo will now return to the Pancrase ring for the first time since he took a unanimous decision over Hiromitsu Kanehara (Pictures) last October.

While Kondo has lost five of his last seven bouts, he has been defeated in the Pancrase ring only once in the past six and a half years, when PRIDE Open-Weight Grand Prix semifinalist Josh Barnett (Pictures) submitted him at Pancrase's tenth anniversary card three years ago.

Kondo-Matsui makes the fourth title fight that night.

Daizo Ishige (Pictures) takes on Katsuya Inoue (Pictures) for the 165-pound King of Pancrase title.

Poai Suganuma (Pictures) and Kestutis Arbocius (Pictures) battle for the vacant 220-pound King of Pancrase championship.

And the first 141-pound King of Pancrase will be crowned in a heated rematch between Pancrase posterboy Yoshiro Maeda (Pictures) and unlikely anti-hero Daiki Hata (Pictures).

Sega Sammy Presents Pancrase 2006 Blow Tour
August 27, 2006
Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium
Yokohama, Japan

Masashi Ogura (Pancrase Team Tamakairiki) vs. Henry Miller (Pictures) (Fighting Dragon)
Kenji Arai (Pictures) (PANCRASEism) vs. Robert Emerson (Pictures) (No Limits)
Satoru Kitaoka (Pictures) (PANCRASEism) vs. Paul Daley (Pictures) (Roughhouse Gym)
Hikaru Sato (Pictures) (PANCRASEism) vs. Izuru Takeuchi (Pictures) (SK Absolute)

Heavyweight King of Pancrase Tournament Final, For The Heavyweight King of Pancrase Championship:
Poai Suganuma (Pictures) (TWIST) vs. Kestutis Arbocius (Pictures) (Latvia Shidokan)

For The Welterweight King of Pancrase Championship:

Daizo Ishige (Pictures) (SK Absolute) vs. Katsuya Inoue (Pictures) (Wajyutusu Keisyukai RJW)

Featherweight King of Pancrase Tournament Final, For The Featherweight King of Pancrase Championship"
Yoshiro Maeda (Pictures) (Pancrase Inagakigumi) vs. Daiki Hata (Pictures) (K.I.B.A.)

For The Light Heavyweight King of Pancrase Championship:
Daijiro Matsui (Pictures) (Freelance) vs. Yuki Kondo (Pictures) (PANCRASEism)