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PANCRASE 366 is shaping up as one of the most significant Japanese MMA events of September, with a championship fight, the return of a former champion and the retirement of one of the most experienced women in Japanese MMA.
The event takes place on September 23 at Tachikawa Stage Garden in Tokyo, with the opening bout scheduled for 3:00 PM local time. PANCRASE 366 will be available domestically through U NEXT, while international viewers can watch the event on UFC Fight Pass.
SARAMI Returns After Two Years
The biggest storyline surrounding PANCRASE 366 is the return of SARAMI. The former PANCRASE atomweight champion has not competed since September 2024, making this her first fight in approximately two years. She returns directly to a title opportunity against current strawweight champion Miki Honnō.
SARAMI currently holds a professional record of 20-14 losses. She captured the inaugural PANCRASE atomweight championship in March 2024 after stopping Sayako by TKO. She will now attempt to become only the second fighter in PANCRASE history to win championships in two divisions.
Honnō enters the fight with a 10-5 record and the confidence of a champion. She joined PANCRASE in March 2025 and defeated former champion Emi Fujino before beating KAREN in December to claim the strawweight title. The matchup brings together two fighters who have established themselves across Japanese and international MMA.
A Major Night for Shizuka Sugiyama
The co main event carries a different kind of significance. Shizuka Sugiyama will compete in the final fight of her career against Emi Fujino at a 54 kilogram catchweight.
Sugiyama has built an extensive career across Japanese MMA promotions including DEEP, DEEP JEWELS, RIZIN and PANCRASE. She has a professional record of 24 wins, eight losses and one draw, while Fujino enters with 31 wins, 16 losses, one draw and one no contest.
Sugiyama began her professional career in 2008 and has spent 18 years competing at the highest level of Japanese women’s MMA. She became QUEEN OF PANCRASIST twice after joining the promotion in 2024.
The fight was originally planned as an exhibition bout, but Sugiyama requested a genuine professional contest so she could finish her career as a champion. PANCRASE subsequently changed the bout to an official fight.
KAREN Faces Bellator Veteran Chiara Penco
Another important women’s matchup sees KAREN take on Italy’s Chiara Penco in the strawweight division. KAREN is 10-3 and previously challenged Honnō for the PANCRASE strawweight championship. The 23 year old has been away from competition for nine months and returns looking to move back toward another title opportunity.
Penco brings considerable international experience to Tokyo. The Italian fighter has an 11 and 5 record and previously competed in Bellator, where she went 4 and 2. Seven of her 11 victories have come by submission.With Honnō and SARAMI fighting for the championship on the same night, KAREN and Penco have an obvious opportunity to position themselves near the top of the division.
International MMA Continues to Grow in PANCRASE
PANCRASE 366 also features international competition outside the women’s division.
South Korean fighter John Daun was originally scheduled to face Atsubo Kambe, but Kambe withdrew because of an injury suffered during training. Takumi Takagi stepped in to face Daun at a 64 kilogram catchweight. Daun enters with a 9 – 6 record and previously competed in ONE Warrior Series. Takagi is 5-2 and comes off a knockout victory over Musashi Makise in July.
The card also includes several Japanese prospects, including 2026 Neo Blood Tournament lightweight winner Yoshiya Suzuki, who faces experienced fighter Kengo Fujimura.
PANCRASE 366 Full Fight Card
Miki Honnō vs SARAMI
PANCRASE Women’s Strawweight Championship
Shizuka Sugiyama vs Emi Fujino
54 kilogram catchweight
KAREN vs Chiara Penco
Women’s Strawweight
Yoshiya Suzuki vs Kengo Fujimura
Lightweight
Tokuzo Takagi vs John Daun
64 kilogram catchweight
Yasukazu Tanimura vs Reo Masuda
Bantamweight
Ryoki Saito vs Daiki Shimada
Flyweight
Daiki Mine vs Yuki Ito
Flyweight
Keiji Koyama vs Sokichi Maeda
Bantamweight
Taisei Hata vs Torao Hamaji
Lightweight
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