Jewels title contender Emi “Kamikaze Angel” Fujino will make her Pancrase debut on May 19th at Pancrase 247 in Tokyo, Japan. Fujino is set to face off against New Mexico’s Monica Lovato in a featured matchup at 115 pounds. Pancrase officials announced plans for the strawweight fight earlier today.
The bout between Fujino and Lovato joins a previously announced matchup pitting Bantamweight Queen of Pancrase Rin Nakai against Lovato’s Fit NHB teammate, Brenda “Boom Boom” Gonzales, on the card. Both Fujino and Lovato will look to rebound from close decision losses in title fights.
Fujino (11-6-0) posted back-to-back victories over Celine Haga and Mika “Future Princess” Nagano in her first two fights under the Jewels banner to earn a shot at Jewels Lightweight Queen Champion Ayaka Hamasaki in December. She battled back and forth on the feet and on the ground with the unbeaten champion, but ultimately came out on the wrong end of a close Unanimous Decision. The loss put a halt to Fujino’s Jewels title plans, but the experienced veteran now has an opportunity to pick up a solid win in her Pancrase debut. In 17 professional bouts, Fujino has never been finished.
Lovato (5-3-0) began her MMA career with wins in five of her first six fights, with her lone defeat coming against flyweight standout Barb “Little Warrior” Honchak, and she captured the KOTC Junior Flyweight Championship along the way. The talented boxer debuted for Pancrase in September 2010, but dropped a Unanimous Decision to “Windy” Tomomi Sunaba in a 115-pound matchup. She returned to action in May and lost a razor-thin five-round Split Decision to Sarah “Too Sweet” Alpar in a KOTC title bout.
The KOTC championship is now held by Lovato’s teammate, Gonzales, who kept her unbeaten record intact by defeating Alpar in early October. Both Lovato and Alpar will be looking to upset their Japanese opponents when they compete on the same card in May. Lovato moves back down in weight for her bout with Fujino, while Gonzales moves up to 135 pounds to challenge Nakai.
Pancrase 247 takes place on May 19th at Differ Ariake in Tokyo, Japan.
(Photo Credit: Jewels blog)