The Pancrase 304 card has been bolstered with the addition of a lightweight matchup between a UFC veteran and an up and coming prospect. Yusuke Kasuya will be looking to get his career back on track after four years without a win when he faces the undefeated Masayuki Kikuiri.
In 2015 Kasuya (9-5-2) earned a UFC contract on the back of a submission win over Frank Camacho at PXC 47. He hasn’t tasted victory since, going 0-2 in the Octagon and then suffering back to back defeats under the Pancrase banner.
Kasuya did not fight at all in 2018 and has been handed a tricky assignment on his comeback. Kikuiri (4-0) has been in with some seasoned opponents but this represents the toughest test the 23 year old has faced so far.
The other fight added to the card this week is also in the lightweight division and pits Akira Okada (13-6-3) against Kenichiro Togashi (18-14-5). As previously announced the Pancrase 304 card will feature two title fights with the lightweight and flyweight belts on the line.
The event is set for Studio Coast in Tokyo on April 14th. Before that is Pancrase 303 which takes place next month and will be headlined by a bantamweight title fight.
Pancrase 304, Tokyo, April 14th
Takasuke Kume (c) vs. Anton Kuivanen (For Lightweight Title)
Takayo Hashi vs. Sidy Rocha (For Vacant Flyweight Title)
Yusuke Kasuya vs. Masayuki Kikuiri (Lightweight)
Akira Okada vs. Kenichiro Togashi (Lightweight)
Masahide Hiraoka vs. Ryosuke Takasugi (Bantamweight)
Yosuke Shimoda vs. Daiki Nishimura (Flyweight)
Ryuji Abe vs. Tatsuki Ozaki (Strawweight)
Tomoki Otsuka vs. Katsura Arimura (Strawweight)
