Isao Kobayashi will take on Akira Okada in a featherweight fight at Pancrase 316. The event is set for Shinkiba Studio Coast on July 5th.
The promotion took to Twitter to announced the matchup:
ISAO@アキラ！https://t.co/egYTmoPV0J #パンクラス #試合 #新木場 #スタジオコースト #キング #クリニック #PANCRASE #MMA #pancrase316 #7月5日 #studiocoast pic.twitter.com/BGbzvWLF1v
— PANCRASE｜パンクラス (@_PANCRASE_) April 20, 2020
Kobayashi (25-5-4) is the reigning featherweight King of Pancrase. However the Bellator veteran will not be putting his title on the line in this fight.
He is also a former lightweight King of Pancrase. Kobayashi won the interim featherweight belt by stopping Koyomi Matsushima at Pancrase 295 and became the undisputed champion with a split decision win over Kyle Aguon at Pancrase 309.
Okada (13-8-3) had originally been slated to face Shyudi Yamauchi at Pancrase 313. The 33 year old is on the worst run of results in his career and has lost his last three, being stopped by Yuki Okano in his most recent fight at Road to ONE: ‘Century’.
There will be another significant featherweight fight on the Pancrase 315 card. As previously announced Issei Tamura (has been matched with Shinmare Komori. Both men had originally been booked to fight at the cancelled Pancrase 313 event, albeit not against each other.
Another fight moved from Pancrase 313 pits Jun Doi against Sho Sekihara in the bantamweight division. Meanwhile in the flyweight division multiple time boxing world title challenger Emiko Raika faces former Strikeforce, Deep Jewels and Pancrase title challenger Takayo Hashi.
That fight was originally on the Pancrase 314 card. Other bouts moved from that event include a flyweight fight between Kohei Sugiyama and Naoki Arikawa and a lightweight bout pitting Yusuke Kasuya against Hiroto Uesako.
Last month it was announced that both Pancrase 313 and 314 had been cancelled due to the coronavirus, or Covid-19. Pancrase 315 is set for Shinkiba Studio Coast on May 31st and will be headlined by a lightweight bout between Genpei Hayashi and Tatsuya Saika.
Pancrase 316, Tokyo, July 5th
Issei Tamura vs. Shinmare Komori (Featherweight)
Isao Kobayashi vs. Akira Okada (Featherweight)
Jun Doi vs. Sho Sekihara (Bantamweight)
Emiko Raika vs. Takayo Hashi (Flyweight)
Kohei Sugiyama vs. Naoki Arikawa (Flyweight)
Yusuke Kasuya vs. Hiroto Uesako (Lightweight)
Masahide Hiraoka vs. Shinsuke Kosaka (Bantamweight)
Kazuki Kasai vs. Shinichi Taira (Lightweight)
