Shinsuke Shoji retires, leaves Pancrase title bout

Less than a week before he is scheduled to fight for the King of Pancrase lightweight crown, Shinsuke Shoji has retired from mixed martial arts competition. 

Shoji, out of the KILLER BEE team with Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto, cited personal reasons in a letter to Pancrase. The 28-year-old was scheduled to face Koji Oishi in the main event of the August 27 Pancrase event at the Korakuen Hall in Toyko, Japan.

Shoji, a Greco-Roman wrestling champion in college and the 2005 Pancrase Neo Blood welterweight tournament winner, closes his career with a mixed martial arts record of 6-3-2.