In her first battle again since leaving her long-time gymnasium at AACC, former Rizin champion Ayaka Hamasaki scored a much-needed victory tonight at Deep Jewels 51 in Tokyo, Japan. The newly-freelance Hamasaki defeated Ye Ji Lee with a robust efficiency within the 49kg tremendous atomweight essential occasion.
Although she was not in a position to safe a end, Hamasaki was nonetheless dominant all through tonight’s headlining bout and left little question within the judges’ minds. Within the co-main occasion, additionally at tremendous atomweight, former interim strawweight champion Si Woo “Korean Queen Bee” Park stopped Saki Kitamura.
Hamasaki (26-7-0) traded kicks with Lee (6-8-0) early within the battle till Lee slipped whereas throwing one, which allowed Hamasaki to take management on the bottom. She simply prevented an armbar try from Lee and landed punches and elbows from the highest. Late within the spherical, Hamasaki stood over Lee and kicked at her legs. Within the second spherical, Lee completed a mixture with a throw try, however Hamasaki reversed it and as soon as once more held prime place. She tried a kimura after which punched from Lee’s half-guard. When Lee tried for an armbar and a triangle choke late within the spherical, Hamasaki evaded hazard and closed out the spherical with punches.
The ultimate spherical started with a fast judo throw from Hamasaki, who whipped Lee all the way down to the mat from a clinch. Lee stood and she or he was thrown down once more. The Korean fighter nonetheless appeared for a end by attempting to lure Hamasaki in one other armbar, but it surely was not profitable and the battle returned to the ft. Lee landed a tough proper hook earlier than she was taken down, and Hamasaki secured a decent kimura that possible would have led to a faucet. Nonetheless, time expired and the bout went to the scorecards.
All three judges scored the battle 30-27 in favour of Hamasaki for a vital Unanimous Resolution victory that considerably corrects course following her beautiful upset loss to Moeri Suda in March. Lee, in the meantime, had her momentum halted following her victory over Saori Oshima in Might.
“I’m relieved now,” Hamasaki mentioned backstage following her win. “I modified my circumstance [by leaving AACC] and I don’t care about being content material. I need to win and I skilled at many gyms. My nook’s recommendation was efficient. I’m not at a standstill now and I do know that I need to get again to Rizin.”
Within the co-feature, Park (13-6-0) rebounded from her Cut up Resolution loss in a September strawweight title battle by dominating and ending striker Saki Kitamura (4-5-0) at tremendous atomweight.
Park took Kitamura down within the opening spherical and hopped on her again searching for a rear-naked choke. Kitamura rose to her ft and defended in opposition to a second choke try. Park managed the clinch battle in opposition to the cage by touchdown knees to Kitamura’s thighs, however Kitamura did join with a punching mixture very late within the spherical after escaping from the clinch.
After slipping to the bottom seconds into spherical two, Park was warned for an unlawful upkick and motion resumed with Kitamura on prime. Park scrambled up and she or he blasted Kitamura with punches and hammerfists to the edges of her face as a kneeling Kitamura latched on to Park’s leg. Park switched to elbows, then again to hammerfists, and Kitamura absorbed numerous punishment. Lastly, after another collection of hammerfists to the facet of Kitamura’s head, referee Naoya Uematsu waved off the battle on the 3:22 mark of spherical two.
Some of the spectacular performances on tonight’s card got here from 22-year-old Eru Takebayashi (4-4-0, 1 NC), who made a triumphant return to the cage for the primary time since she sustained a badly damaged jaw in a battle that she had been handily successful in opposition to Saki Kitamura at Deep Jewels 42 in September 2023. Takebayashi, now underneath the tutelage of Deep Jewels and Rizin champion Seika Izawa, cruised to a clear-cut Unanimous Resolution win over Sarah Ellen (2-2-0) at tremendous atomweight.
Within the first spherical, each ladies landed kicks, and Takebayashi’s leg kicks brought on a substantial quantity of swelling on Sarah’s left thigh. Takebayashi took Sarah down and punched from the highest whereas avoiding two heel hook makes an attempt. Extra leg kicks landed for Takebayashi in spherical two, and she or he took Sarah down once more. Takebayashi moved to Sarah’s again and held her in a physique triangle till Sarah managed to spin to her facet. She tried for a late-fight guillotine choke, however Takebayashi calmly labored her manner free and she or he punched till the ultimate bell. Scores had been 20-18 throughout the board in favour of Takebayashi.
“I’m glad,” Takebayashi mentioned backstage. “I didn’t need to let Seika [Izawa] down, so this was a must-win for me. I’ve added in additional grappling with takedowns. I by no means did this a lot onerous coaching earlier than and I’m rather more calm now.”
After their September bout led to a controversial disqualification loss, Junna Tsukii (2-2-0) left little question in any respect tonight in her strawweight rematch in opposition to Princess Saaya (2-4-0). Tsukii, who misplaced the Deep Jewels 50 bout on account of an unlawful upkick, steamrolled Saaya tonight. In the course of the opening seconds, Saaya landed a fast mixture and Tsukii circled away to reset her footing. She then landed a giant proper hook to Saaya’s temple, which brought on Saaya to sway and fall ahead as Tsukii attacked with extra punches. Tsukii landed lefts and rights to a downed and barely-conscious Saaya till referee Minoru Toyonaga halted the battle simply 35 seconds into the primary spherical.
Additionally at strawweight, Miki Oka (1-0-0) kicked off her professional MMA profession with a commanding Unanimous Resolution win in opposition to Karin Horii (1-3-0). Oka, who’s one other pupil of Seika Izawa, took Horii down into facet management and punched from the highest all through the primary spherical. She did the identical factor in spherical two, however Horii was in a position to battle again to her ft. Oka damage her with a left hook and secured two extra takedowns later within the spherical. All three judges scored the battle 20-18 for Oka.
Opening up the skilled portion of the cardboard, highly-touted teen prospect Suzu Ooi (2-0-0) cruised to a fast victory in her 44kg microweight bout in opposition to the still-winless Koyuki (0-4-0). Ooi secured a double-leg takedown and landed hammerfists from facet management till Koyuki gave up her again. Ooi transitioned from there to mount, the place she used punches to arrange a transfer to a shawl maintain armlock. Koyuki briefly defended earlier than tapping out on the 1:44 mark.
Former Rizin FF ring woman Akipi (2-3-0 beginner) shortly choked out Kokoro Taniyama (1-1-0 beginner) of their beginner strawweight bout. After an change on the ft, Akipi hopped on Taniyama’s again and used a rear-naked choke to tug her all the way down to the bottom. Taniyama was shortly rendered unconscious and the battle was stopped on the 1:31 mark. Each of Akipi’s wins have come through first-round chokes.
Hanami Watanabe (2-0-0 beginner) posted a clear-cut Unanimous Resolution win over Mina Muramatsu (0-1-0 beginner) in one other beginner strawweight contest. Watanabe took Muramatsu down and used punches to arrange a rear-naked choke try that led to a modified triangle choke later within the spherical. The fighters traded takedowns in spherical two, however Watanabe wound up on prime and she or he did some harm with proper fingers. A late-fight guillotine choke was not profitable for Watanabe, however all three judges scored the bout 20-18 in her favour.
In an beginner tremendous atomweight bout, Riko Igarashi (1-0-0 beginner) simply received her debut in opposition to Asuka Yokoe (2-1-0 beginner). Save for a Yokoe head kick early in spherical two, Igarashi managed virtually the whole battle on the bottom with takedowns, onerous proper fingers fromn the highest and rear-naked choke makes an attempt. Yokoe escaped from the submissions, however she was taking part in defence on the bottom all through. Igarashi earned a Unanimous Resolution win with scores of 20-18 thrice.
Additionally at tremendous atomweight, Mion Wachi (1-2-0 beginner) outworked Serina Wada (0-3-0 beginner) to take a Unanimous Resolution win. Wachi kneed Wada’s legs throughout a clinch and took her down, then jumped guard with a guillotine choke earlier than the tip of the primary spherical. Wada had some success with clinch knees in spherical two, however Wachi obtained her again down and moved to mount earlier than threatening with a late rear-naked choke. Choose Toyonaga scored the battle even at 19-19 and awarded his Should Resolution to Wachi, whereas judges Uematsu and Fukuda each had it 20-18 in Wachi’s favour.
The cardboard started with an beginner flyweight bout between Chanrina (1-1-0 beginner) and Takara Kii (0-1-0 beginner). Kii punched her manner right into a clinch and took Chanrina down, however Chanrina stood and a few looping punches had been exchanged. Chanrina held Kii in two tight ninja chokes. Within the second spherical, Kii staggered Chanrina with two proper hooks. She adopted up with extra punches, however appeared to tire herself out within the course of. Even so, Kii did get two temporary takedowns earlier than the tip of the spherical and appeared to have received a minimum of one spherical. Solely choose Toyonaga agreed, as he scored the battle 19-19, however his Should Resolution went to Chanrina. Judges Ishikawa and Hashimoto each scored it 20-18 for Chanrina, who took the considerably shocking Unanimous Resolution win.
“Riko [Igarashi] and Miki [Oka] are each sturdy, and Hanami [Watanabe] has good jiu-jitsu,” Deep boss Shigeru Saeki commented after the occasion. “They’ll have brilliant futures, however there aren’t sufficient matchups obtainable now and so I’ll usher in foreigners.”
Full play-by-play for the Deep Jewels 51 card will be discovered right here.
