Yuki Kondo Returns, Maximo Blanco Takes Lightweight Crown at Pancrase Changing #4

In the main event of Saturday's 2009 Neo-Blood Finals in Tokyo, Pancrase legend Yuki Kondo (above, via GBRing) returned to the ring after nearly a year's hiatus and scored the 50th win of his career with a quick TKO of Korean Hapkido champion Kim Ki Beom.

Josh Barnett was also on hand, as he'll be wrestling against Bob Sapp in the same arena tomorrow for Antonio Inoki's IGF promotion. He told the crowd he wants to be fighting next time he sets foot inside a Pancrase ring.

Maximo Blanco put a shocking end to Katsuya Inoue's reign as Lightweight King of Pancrase, as the Venezuelan clobbered Inoue with a left straight and proceeded to pound him out on the floor to capture the title. Blanco is a World Victory Road-signed prospect, so expect to see him back in the Sengoku ring before too long.

Meanwhile, Izuru Takeuchi successfully defended his middleweight title by drawing with Takenori Sato. After three rounds of action - which included a cartwheel guard pass attempt from Sato, in the mode of his Laughter7 mentor Kazushi Sakuraba - two judges scored the bout 29-29, while one sided with Takeuchi, 28-27. After Kondo's win, Takeuchi said he'd like to defend his belt against Kondo as soon as possible to prove who the true Middleweight King of Pancrase is.

UFC veteran Koji Oishi was also in action, taking a close majority decision win over Nova Uniao prospect Felipe Olivieri.

Pancrase Changing Tour #4
August 8, 2009
Differ Ariake
Tokyo, Japan

#12 - Main Event - Middleweight (3R x 5 min.)
Yuki Kondo (50-23-6) def. Kim Ki Beom (0-1) via TKO (Kick to the Body) at 1:52 of Round 1

#11 - Middleweight King of Pancrase Bout (3R x 5 min.)
Izuru Takeuchi (25-10-7) vs. Takenori Sato (9-5-5) - Majority Draw (29-29, 28-27, 29-29)

#10 - Lightweight King of Pancrase Bout (3R x 5 min.)
Maximo Blanco (3-2-1, 1 NC) def. Katsuya Inoue (18-7-4) via TKO (Punches) at 4:38 of Round 2

#9 - Lightweight (2R x 5 min.)
Koji Oishi (19-8-6) def. Felipe Olivieri (5-2) via Majority Decision (20-19, 20-20, 20-19)

#8 - Featherweight (2R x 5 min.)
Kenji Arai (15-13-3) def. Takumi Murata (4-10-6) via Unanimous Decision (20-19, 20-19, 20-19)

#7 - Welterweight (2R x 5 min.)
Masahiro Toryu (7-4-4) def. Kosei Kubota (24-31-11) via Decision (20-20, 20-19, 19-19)*

#6 - Featherweight (2R x 5 min.)
Tashiro "Akai" Nishiuchi (11-5-10) vs. Tomonari Kanomata (13-4-4) - Majority Draw (20-19, 20-20, 19-19)

#5 - Lightweight (2R x 5 min.)
Kenichi Serizawa (6-3-3) def. Eriya Matsuda (6-8) via TKO (Soccer Kicks) at 2:02 of Round 1

#4 - 2009 Pancrase Neo-Blood Lightweight Finals (2R x 5 min.)
Isao Kobayashi (4-0) def. Hiroshi Toyama (0-1) via TKO (Punches) at 2:02 of Round 1

#3 - 2009 Pancrase Neo-Blood Featherweight Finals (2R x 5 min.)
Shigeyuki Uchiyama (7-0) def. Yo Saito (1-1) via Unanimous Decision (20-18, 20-19, 20-19)

#2 - 2009 Pancrase Neo-Blood Bantamweight Finals (2R x 5 min.)
Ryota Sasaki (4-2-1) def. Nobuhiro Yoshitake (2-5-1) via Unanimous Decision (19-19**, 20-19, 20-19)

#1 - 2009 Pancrase Neo-Blood Flyweight Finals (2R x 5 min.)
Kiyotaka Shimizu (3-2-1) def. Yuichiro Yajima (7-7-1) via Unanimous Decision (20-19, 20-19, 20-20***)

* This looks as though it should have been ruled a draw, but GBRing lists Toryu as the victor.
** Judge's "must" vote went to Sasaki.
*** Judge's "must" vote went to Shimizu.

via Sportsnavi