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Two unbeaten contenders collide at New Pier Hall as Pancrase 364 returns with a stacked July card
Pancrase heads back to New Pier Hall in Tokyo on July 26 for Pancrase 364, an event built around one of the most anticipated matchups the promotion’s strawweight division has produced in recent memory. The card also features a loaded featherweight co-main event and a run of prospect versus veteran matchups that could reshape the bantamweight and lightweight rankings.
Fans outside Japan can watch the event live on UFC Fight Pass, while domestic viewers can stream it through U-NEXT.
A Title Shot on the Line
The main event pits Shunma Sasaki against Kanji Funada in a number one contender bout at strawweight, with the winner earning a shot at champion Ryohei Kurosawa. Sasaki enters the fight with a 4-1 record and a four-fight win streak, highlighted by a hard-fought decision over a veteran opponent that earned him a Best Bout selection. Funada, ranked second in the division at 5-1, is looking to bounce back after coming up short in a split decision title fight earlier this year, where he pushed the current champion the full five rounds.
Both fighters made their names through Pancrase’s Neo Blood Tournament pipeline, and Sasaki’s target is clear. He has said he wants to claim the belt currently held by a fighter from his own gym, giving the bout an extra layer of motivation beyond the title picture itself.
Featherweight Rematch of Styles
The co-main event brings together Kalybek Arzykul Uulu and Kisa Miyake in a featherweight clash that doubles as a measuring stick for the division. Arzykul Uulu, a 13-2 fighter from Kyrgyzstan, arrived in Pancrase on a run of finishes before suffering a surprising title loss by way of a right straight last December. Miyake, the former featherweight champion and an eleven time KING OF PANCRASISTS honoree, brings a 13-5 record into the bout after rebounding from a decision loss on a RIZIN card with a dominant win in May.
Both men are known for finishing fights early, and their combined record includes several stoppages inside the first round, setting up a bout that is expected to be short and decisive rather than a five round chess match.
Bantamweight and Lightweight Action Add Depth
Beyond the top two fights, Pancrase 364 offers several matchups with real stakes for the middle of the card.
Mitsuhiro Taki, ranked first in the bantamweight division at 9-5, faces Yuji Sato, a 5-2 fighter who has finished all five of his career wins by submission, each one using a different technique. Taki has dealt with a pair of setbacks recently, including a no contest caused by an accidental clash of heads, and a win here would put him back in position to push for a title opportunity. A win for Sato would mark a significant step up in competition and put him in the conversation among the division’s top contenders.
Also on the bantamweight side, Kohei Maeda takes on Toya Ohara after stepping in as a late replacement. Maeda, a ten fight veteran with a 10-9-1 record and a 2018 IMMAF Oceania Championship title to his name, is coming off back to back losses and will look to lean on experience against the 21 year old Ohara, who already has nine professional fights and a highlight reel submission finish in under 40 seconds from a 2024 bout.
At lightweight, Kengo Fujimura and Rikito Sato meet in a matchup between two fighters making their Pancrase debuts. Fujimura, who turned professional at 17 and has built a 10-7-2 record largely through arm bar finishes, brings a five submission win resume into the promotion. Sato, competing out of a Hokkaido based organization, stands 187 centimeters tall and has finished all three of his career wins, giving the bout a clear finish first approach on paper.
What Comes Next for Pancrase
Pancrase 364 also opens the door to Pancrase Blood.11, a companion card running the same day and venue, continuing the promotion’s pattern of doubling up events to maximize a single trip to Tokyo for fighters and staff. Looking further ahead, the promotion already has August 9 in Shinagawa and back to back September dates in Tachikawa on the books, keeping a steady pace of monthly action through the back half of the year.
With three decades of history since its 1993 debut and more than 330 events held to date, Pancrase continues to serve as one of Japan’s most consistent proving grounds for MMA talent, and Saturday’s card looks positioned to add another meaningful chapter to that record.
Full Pancrase 364 Fight Card
Main Card
- Strawweight Title Eliminator: Shunma Sasaki (4-1) vs Kanji Funada (5-1)
- Featherweight: Kalybek Arzykul Uulu (13-2) vs Kisa Miyake (13-5)
- Bantamweight: Mitsuhiro Taki (9-5) vs Yuji Sato (5-2)
- Bantamweight: Kohei Maeda (10-9-1) vs Toya Ohara (5-4)
- Lightweight: Kengo Fujimura (10-7-2) vs Rikito Sato (3-3)
Preliminary Card
- Featherweight: Yodai Ono (2-3) vs Kohei Yamada (1-3)
- Flyweight: Kenta Yoneizumi (0-4) vs Yuya Hosokawa (1-2)
- Strawweight: Hideto Yamaguchi (1-0) vs Enma (0-1)
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