Motono retains Pancrase strawweight title with 50-punch TKO as Sugiyama ends 18-year career

Miki Motono retained her Queen of Pancrase strawweight title at Pancrase 366 in Tokyo on September 23, stopping Satomi Takano via TKO at 4:09 of the second round after landing more than 50 unanswered punches. Takano, the reigning atomweight champion, had entered the fight seeking to become a two-division titleholder, but her bid was ended emphatically.

Motono (11-5), fighting out of a southpaw stance, controlled the opening round with sharp straight left hands that consistently found their mark. Takano (20-15) managed a brief takedown after catching a kick, but Motono held her own once the fight returned to the feet.

The finish came in the second round. Takano secured another takedown, but Motono quickly reversed into the scarf-hold position and began unloading punches to a largely defenceless Takano. Takano twice refused to submit to scarf-hold armlocks, but the referee eventually intervened after she absorbed more than 50 additional strikes to the face.

After the fight, Motono revealed that a teammate’s doubt had served as extra motivation. The teammate had not believed Motono could finish Takano, which drove the champion to secure the stoppage rather than settle for a decision. Motono, who previously held the interim Deep Jewels title in 2020, has now won three consecutive fights since making her Pancrase debut this past year.

In the co-main event, flyweight Queen of Pancrase champion Shizuka Sugiyama (25-8-1) brought the curtain down on an 18-year professional career with a unanimous decision win over Emi Fujino (31-17-1, 1 NC) at 119 pounds. All three judges scored the bout 30-27 for Sugiyama. The occasion also marked a milestone for Fujino, who was competing in her 50th professional fight.

The two longtime friends exchanged jabs through the opening round, with Sugiyama landing lead right hooks from a southpaw stance. Fujino knocked Sugiyama down with a right hook early in the second round, but Sugiyama recovered and eventually took the fight to the mat, where she worked from top position with punches and elbows. A brief pause was called after Fujino landed an illegal upkick, but the fight resumed on the ground with Sugiyama in control.

Sugiyama dominated the final round from top position before Fujino briefly reestablished her striking in the closing minute. Sugiyama answered with left hooks to the jaw to seal the decision and end her career on a winning note.