A Shooto welter weight champion in 2002, Kato who has been living on Saipan for five years and holds an MMA record of 20-8 will be one of the under card match ups fighting Kenichiro Tohgashi in the 155-pound division.
The Shooto will be held at the Tokyo Krakuen in the JCB Hole Sporting Center on May 10.
“He was invited by the Shooto organization and will be pitted against BJJ Black belt and fellow Japanese combatant, Kenichiro Tohgashi from the Parestra Hiroshima BJJ Academy,” Trench Tech president Cuki Alvarez said.
Kato’s opponent, Tohgashi is a southpaw fighter and holds an MMA record of 14-7.
Since moving to Saipan in 2004, Kato has fought only a hand full of times with his last fight taking place in September of 2007 where he fought Strike Force light weight champion Gilbert “El Niño” Melendez and lost by decision.
“Kato has been training very hard this past month doing six- 5 minute rounds of hard sparring everyday at the Trench Tech gym from monday to Saturday in preperation for this upcoming fight,” Alvarez said adding that Japanese fighter is doing what he needs to do and has been working his stamina and conditioning to the extreme.
“He is ready for war and I know he will represent Saipan well,” Alvarez added.
Shooto’s semi main event will feature Pride Fight Championship and Hero’s Superstar Takanori Gomi of Rascal fight team while the main event will feature Shooto Light weight champion Rumina Sato.
