Mixed Fortunes for Sengoku Prospects at "Pancrase Changing 2"

by Chris Nelson on Apr 6, 2009 1:06 AM EDT in MMA News

World Victory Road's top developmental talents, Maximo "Makishi" Blanco (above, left) and Shigeki Osawa, each fought at Pancrase's "Changing Tour 2" show in Tokyo on Saturday with the goal in mind of winning a short-order opening spot on the upcoming May 2nd Sengoku card. But from reports of the show, it's not apparent which fighter, if either, earned the right.

Blanco (2-1-1, 1 NC), the former freestyle wrestler from Venezuela, was taken the distance for the first time in his brief MMA career, where the judges unanimously declared a draw in his affair with the durable Koji Oishi (17-8-6). The debuting Osawa (1-0), meanwhile, was not pleased with his cardio, but nonetheless used his Yamanashi Gakuin wrestling pedigree to slam and control his way to a unanimous decision over the still-winless Hideo Matsui (0-7-2).

Despite the results, I think Blanco is more likely to appear at Sengoku VIII, providing he wasn't injured in the fight. (Both guys' eyes are looking mighty jacked up in that picture). Osawa is too good of a prospect and has been groomed for too long to throw him in the big show after one fight, and a fight that he should have been able finish at that.

Full results and more photos after the jump.

Main-Event - Welterweight King of Pancrase title fight:
9. Takuya Wada Def. Tomoyoshi Iwamiya by Decision 2-0

8. Light: Koji Oishi vs. Maximo "Makishi" Blanco Draw
7. Middle: Takenori Sato Def. Ichiro Kanai by Decision 2-0
6. Welter: Masahiro Toryu vs. Seiki Ryo No contest
low blow on Toryo who was unable to continue

5. Fly: Takuya Eizumi Def. Yuichiro "Yukito" Shirai by TKO Round 1:58
4. Fly: Isao Hirose Def. Takeyasu Hirono by Decision 3-0
3. Light: Hiroki "AB" Aoki Def. Yuichi Ikari by TKO Round 1 1:53
2. Feather: Tashiro Akai Def. Hirotoshi Saito by TKO Round 2 0:58
1. Feather: Shigeki Osawa Def. Hideo Matsui by Decision 3-0