After greater than 18 months away, Deep Jewels Flyweight Champion Rin Nakai made a profitable return to motion tonight at Deep Jewels 53 in Tokyo, Japan. Nakai posted a clear-cut Unanimous Determination victory over title challenger Yuka “Dosukoi” Okutomi within the night time’s one-sided principal occasion.
The 49kg tremendous atomweight co-main occasion between Ye Ji Lee and Eru Takebayashi was rather more aggressive and ended with Lee edging out a razor-thin Break up Determination win. At strawweight, Nonoka Sakamoto picked up her largest victory to this point by ending So Yul Kim’s eight-fight profitable streak.
Motion was sparse through the first spherical of the principle occasion as Nakai (29-2-1) darted out and in and landed occasional proper palms. Okutomi (4-2-0, 1 NC) finally landed a tough jab that bought Nakai’s consideration, and Nakai scored two knockdowns with leg kicks that allowed her to observe up with punches on the bottom. Nakai outstruck Okutomi once more within the second spherical till Okutomi shot in for a takedown. That allowed Nakai to take her again and he tried a rear-naked choke and a face crank.
The ultimate spherical started with Nakai touchdown leg kicks. When Okutomi finally dropped ranges and tried to take Nakai down, the defending champion took her again. Nakai focused Okutomi’s left arm with a kimura after which attacked with an armbar simply earlier than the tip of the combat. All 5 judges scored the championship combat 30-27 in Nakai’s favour for a well-deserved, although pretty uneventful, Unanimous Determination win.
Lee (7-8-0) had all she might deal with in her grappling battle in opposition to rising star Takebayashi (5-5-0, 1 NC), a protégé of Seika Izawa, who appeared to have performed sufficient to win the shut resolution. Two judges disagreed, nonetheless, and Lee in the end walked away together with her hand raised.
Lee scored an early takedown after catching a kick and she or he postured up with punches from Takebayashi’s guard. Takebayashi responded with a triangle choke and a guillotine choke from the underside, however Lee countered these with extra punches to Takebayashi’s physique and face. As time ticked down, Lee used a keylock try and arrange a short go to mount, and the primary spherical was a robust one for the South Korean.
Takebayashi had some success with knees throughout clinches in opposition to the cage within the second spherical. Lee broke free and landed a strong mixture that prompted Takebayashi to shoot for a takedown. Lee shook Takebayashi off of her again and punched from the highest in half-guard and facet management till Takebayashi reversed into high place and completed the spherical with some exhausting punches of her personal.
Takebayashi punished Lee with knees to the physique within the remaining spherical and that continued till Lee was lastly capable of safe a much-needed takedown. Takebayashi fought her approach again to full guard after which swept, which allowed her to elbow Lee within the face for the ultimate 30 seconds. It was not fairly sufficient, nonetheless, as just one decide scored the combat 29-28 for Takebayashi. The opposite two each awarded the primary two rounds to Lee and noticed the bout 29-28 in her favour for a Break up Determination win.
The opposite Japan versus South Korea bout, a strawweight showdown between Sakamoto (3-0-0, 1 NC) and Kim (9-2-0), additionally resulted in a Break up Determination after three aggressive rounds.
Sakamoto maintained standing again management and she or he tripped Kim twice within the opening spherical. Sakamoto landed brief punches to Kim’s face and tried a rear-naked choke and an armbar. Kim took over high place and stayed there till the tip of the spherical, however Sakamoto was clearly forward after 5 minutes. Sakamoto tripped Kim within the second spherical, however this time Kim returned to her ft and she or he related with some respectable punching combos and knees to Sakamoto’s leg. Kim landed a robust proper cross and suplexed Sakamoto, however Sakamoto answered with a kimura try from the underside.
Sakamoto tried for one more kimura within the remaining spherical, which Kim prevented. When Kim started to punch from Sakamoto’s guard, the Japanese fighter countered with a guillotine choke. Kim freed her neck and continued to punch till Sakamoto exploded out from the underside. Sakamoto stayed on high and tried for a kimura from facet management. One decide scored the combat 29-28 for Kim, whereas the remaining two each had it 29-28 in favour of Sakamoto.
Additionally at strawweight, veteran contender Yuko Kiryu (15-14-0) employed a wise technique and used her superior cardio to put on down and end Junna Tsukii (2-3-0). After buying and selling knees early on, Kiryu shot in for a takedown. Tsukii stayed on her ft and she or he punished her rather more skilled foe with sturdy punches. Kiryu survived the onslaught and Tsukii started to decelerate. Kiryu took her down and handed to mount, however the bell sounded to rescue Tsukii from a belly-down armbar.
Within the second stanza, Tsukii retreated and landed a left cross and a facet kick as Kiryu pursued her. Kiryu bought a takedown into knee-on-belly place and an exhausted Tsukii was unable to maneuver. Kiryu blasted her with large hammerfist strikes till the combat was rightfully stopped on the 1:37 mark of the second spherical.
A 49kg bout between striker Saki Kitamura (5-5-0) and Abbie So (1-1-0) ended shortly when Kitamura overwhelmed her opponent with strikes. The combat opened with Kitamura throwing head kicks, which all landed to various levels, and two straight lefts. A liver kick brought on So to double over in ache and the temporary combat was stopped on the 32-second mark.
Juki Sue (6-2-0, 1 NC) rebounded from her unsuccessful Deep Jewels bantamweight title bid in February by dominating Tae “Te-a” Murayama (3-9-0) of their 65kg matchup. Sue tripped Maruyama and scored with a collection of punches whereas pinning her in opposition to the cage. Maruyama bought to her ft, however Sue used a headlock throw to get her again down. Sue held Maruyama in a shawl maintain armlock and relentlessly punched her within the face till the combat was waved off on the 3:44 mark.
One of many high prospects on the Deep Jewels roster, Suzu Ooi (3-0-0), saved her unblemished professional file intact with a Unanimous Determination victory over Rena Kobayashi (5-5-0) in a 44kg microweight bout. Ooi used jabs to arrange left hooks and crosses throughout a feeling-out first spherical. She related with a pleasant lead proper hook shortly earlier than the bell. Extra jabs landed for Ooi within the second spherical and she or he bloodied Kobayashi’s nostril. Ooi flurried with punches and pushed Kobayashi again with a entrance kick to the physique. All three judges scored the combat 20-18 for the fan favorite Ooi.
Princess Saaya (3-5-0) overcame a really late opponent change and a very good efficiency from Mao Watanabe (0-1-0) with a purpose to take a Unanimous Determination win in a 53kg catchweight contest. Saaya took Watanabe down within the first spherical, however Watanabe countered with armbars after which trapped Saaya in a leg scissor choke and a toe maintain on the identical time. Saaya escaped and fended off one other armbar. Watanabe threatened with a buggy choke from the underside within the second spherical, however Saaya escaped and tried an Anaconda Choke. On the ft, Saaya landed leg kicks that arrange one other takedown. Regardless of Watanabe’s sturdy first spherical, not one of the three judges scored it in her favour. All three had the combat 20-18 for Saaya.
In 58kg motion, Haruka “Boss” Suzuki (3-5-0) notched a much-needed win in opposition to Maho Tagawa (0-1-0). Suzuki used punches and leg kicks to arrange a standing again clinch within the first spherical. She dragged Tagawa down twice and Tagawa responded with left palms. Suzuki backed Tagawa up with punches within the second stanza and took her down after catching a kick. Later within the spherical, Tagawa countered a flurry from Suzuki with a tough one-two. Suzuki tried unsuccessfully for a takedown and located herself trapped in a Brabo choke. She escaped into facet management earlier than the bell and all three judges scored the bout 20-18 in favour of Suzuki for a Unanimous Determination win.
Opening up the skilled motion, Sayaka “Juicy” Hishinuma (5-3-0) demolished Urara (0-1-0) of their temporary and lopsided 60kg bout. Urara scored a really temporary takedown after taking Hishinuma’s again, however Hishinuma rocked her with a left hook after getting again to her ft. Urara stumbled and Hishinuma continued to land punches. A remaining left hook despatched Urara crashing face-first to the canvas and awarded Hishinuma with a knockout win in simply 77 seconds.
In newbie motion, prospect Marin Yamabuki (4-0-0 newbie) stayed unbeaten with a Unanimous Determination victory over Cocoro Taniyama (1-3-0 newbie) of their aggressive 50kg bout. Yamabuki’s floor strikes within the first spherical and submission makes an attempt within the second earned her a pair of 20-18 scorecards. A 3rd decide had the combat even at 19-19 and awarded his Should Determination to Yamabuki.
Mina Muramatsu (2-1-0 newbie) halted the profitable streak of former Rizin FF ring woman Manami “Akipi” Abe (3-4-0 newbie) through Unanimous Determination at strawweight. Muramatsu took Abe down into again management through the opening spherical and scored one other takedown within the second stanza. She used punches to fend off an Abe heel hook try and all three judges scored the bout 20-18 in Muramatsu’s favour.
Additionally at strawweight, Rio Yamauchi (1-0-0 newbie) kicked off her Deep Jewels profession with a slender Unanimous Determination win in opposition to Anouk Rossen (2-3-0 newbie). Rossen stuffed a takedown and landed a collection of knees and punches to Yamauchi’s face within the opening body. Yamauchi bought a takedown in spherical two and landed punches till Rossen gave up her again. Yamauchi couldn’t safe a rear-naked choke, however her management was sufficient. All three judges scored the combat even at 19-19, however all awarded their Should Choices to Yamauchi.
Tonight’s card opened with a 49kg bout that noticed Australia’s Future Grounds (2-0-0 newbie) submit a transparent Unanimous Determination win in opposition to Asuka Yokoe (2-2-0 newbie). Grounds scored a takedown and punched from the highest through the opening spherical. She related with punches within the second spherical till Yokoe took her down. Grounds labored her approach again as much as her ft earlier than the ultimate bell. Scores have been 20-18 thrice for Grounds, who carried out nicely in her promotional debut.
Full play-by-play for the Deep Jewels 53 card will be discovered right here.
