VV Mei and WINDY Tomomi open workouts

VV Mei

With PANCRASE's very first women's main event coming up this Sunday at Differ Ariake, PANCRASE had VALKYRIE Featherweight Champion VV Mei and PANCRASE stalwart WINDY Tomomi hold open workouts for the media. VV Mei held her workout at the Caesar Gym, home of SHOOT BOXING. It's a very busy place. They not only have their own fighters training there but the STARDOM joshi puroresu company have been training there too. VV Mei has been freelancing since leaving MAX Jiu Jitsu recently. BTW, SHOOT BOXING queen RENA trains at Oikawa Gym in her home town of Osaka. VV Mei sparred with a male Shoot Boxer practicing kicks, punches and throws. Mei says she comes to Caesar about once a week and trains with several fighters including Shoot Boxing standout Ai Takahashi. She says one of the things she is working on is not telegraphing her punches. She's used to pausing before she throws a punch. She is aware that WINDY is a tremendous kickboxer so she has been working a lot on standup skills. Obviously a lot of this is improving her timing. She was asked if she has a secret weapon. She laughed and said if she told it wouldn't be a secret anymore. The "secret plan" is a common theme and a running joke in the Japanese fight business. At Sunday's show, she will sell her V Flashing Light Stick with all proceeds going to earthquake relief. VV Mei asks fans to wave the sticks to show their support.

WINDY Tomomi

WINDY Tomomi held her open workout at Gold's Gym Harajuku. At one time WINDY used to train frequently with Hisae Watanabe. But since Hisae lef PANCRASE, WINDY is the only female so she trains with men. WINDY says there is pressure to perform because this is the first women's main event on a PANCRASE show. She doesn't want it to be the last. She says VV Mei is a good opponent but has never fought as a freelancer before. WINDY doesn't know how that will affect Mei. WINDYsays she's working hard and vows to win. WINDY was born and raised in Mito district, Aomori prefecture. This was an area hard hit by the earthquake. She owns three houses there. Her grandparents went missing and she didn't hear anything for five days. Thankfully, they were safe in a shelter. Her uncle's house was flooded with a capsized boat in front and another house collapsed. She says she is happy everyone is OK and plans to rebuild. But first she needs to win this fight.