20-year-old Moeri Suda scored the largest victory of her blended martial arts profession in a serious upset tonight at Deep Jewels 48 in Tokyo, Japan. Suda submitted former Jewels, Rizin FF and Invicta FC champ Ayaka Hamasaki with a rear-naked choke within the 49kg tremendous atomweight major occasion.
Neither Suda nor Hamasaki have been initially slated to compete on tonight’s card, however each stepped in when the preliminary headlining bout was cancelled final month. Suda, who has now earned submission wins in 4 of her previous 5 fights, made the a lot of the alternative together with her huge victory tonight.
Suda (13-6-0) was placed on the defensive within the opening seconds of the principle occasion after Hamasaki (25-7-0) caught a kick and tripped her to the mat. Suda battled again to her ft and secured a takedown of her personal, and from that time ahead she was in full management. Suda moved to Hamasaki’s again and wasted no time in securing a rear-naked choke. The long-time pound-for-pound standout tried to struggle it off, however Hamasaki had nowhere to go and she or he was compelled to faucet out on the 2:28 mark of the opening spherical.
Following her upset win over Hamasaki, who was ranked within the prime two within the atomweight division for a few years, Suda spoke briefly within the cage and she or he credited her onerous coaching and preparation for propelling her to the victory.
“I used to be shocked, and the end got here even sooner than I had anticipated,” Suda added when talking backstage following the occasion. “I even shocked myself with that, however I had anticipated good outcomes if we have been wrestling in opposition to the cage. [Two-division Deep Jewels champion] Seika [Izawa] is the most effective within the division, so I’ll chase her. I haven’t finished sufficient but to face her, so I’ll prepare more durable, however the floor [game] is my territory and I’ll put together counters for her armlocks.”
Moeri Suda backstage following beautiful Deep Jewels 48 win.
Within the co-main occasion, reigning Deep Jewels Featherweight Champion Yoko Higashi (9-5-0) returned to the promotion after stints in PFL and Invicta FC and dominated her bantamweight contest in opposition to prospect Mana Akagi (4-5-0), who was merely overwhelmed by Higashi’s superior grappling and floor strikes. Higashi sprawled out of a takedown try from Akagi within the opening body and punched the edges of her head. Afterward, she took Akagi down and landed extra robust punches whereas avoiding an armbar, and the spherical ended with Higashi trapping Akagi in a face crank.
Higashi opened the second spherical with a knockdown off of a lead left hook, which allowed her to attain with extra floor punches as Akagi ran out of solutions. Higashi was not capable of get a end with a rear-naked choke, however she mounted Akagi with 90 seconds remaining and teed off with punches for a TKO stoppage on the 3:48 mark of spherical two.
“I didn’t hear the cheering after I fought overseas, however I can really feel it now that I’ve come again house,” Higashi stated following her win. “I wish to win an Invicta FC title sooner or later, so I’ve obtained to get finishes right here in Japan, however I’m able to struggle wherever.”
Former atomweight title challenger Hikaru Aono (12-7-0) cruised to a lopsided Unanimous Determination win in a featured 49kg tremendous atomweight bout tonight in opposition to Saki Kitamura (3-4-0), who was placed on the defensive early and sometimes by her veteran opponent.
Aono saved Kitamura pinned down for a lot of the opening spherical and tried a rear-naked choke and an armbar earlier than briefly searching for a tornado setup within the last minute. Kitamura did have some success early within the second spherical when she stuffed a takedown and landed punches, however Aono was relentless and she or he obtained Kitamura down. Aono pinned down Kitamura’s arm and landed dozens of punches to her face. Whereas she couldn’t end the struggle, the injury inflicted was sufficient to earn Aono the victory with scores of 20-18 thrice.
In certainly one of two 44kg microweight bouts on the cardboard, Momoko Yamazaki (5-7-0) edged out a Cut up Determination win over Kimika “Jaka” Kawaguchi (2-2-0) after two back-and-forth rounds. Yamazaki landed some respectable floor and pound within the first spherical after getting a takedown, then fought off a chronic armbar try from Kawaguchi. When Kawaguchi tried for a second armbar, Yamazaki once more punched her method free and she or he completed the spherical robust with strikes from the highest. Kawaguchi scored a takedown within the second stanza and each ladies landed punches on the bottom till Yamazaki scrambled as much as her ft. Kawaguchi obtained her again down into facet management, then took Yamazaki’s again, however she couldn’t discover a end. All three judges scored the struggle even at 19-19, with one Should Determination going to Kawaguchi and the opposite two entering into favour of Yamazaki for the slender win.
The second microweight matchup was not a detailed struggle, and Rena Kobayashi (5-4-0) stopped Kyoka “Chibisai” Minagawa (2-6-0, 1 NC) late within the second spherical after mauling her on the mat for a lot of the struggle. Kobayashi took Minagawa down into mount within the opening spherical and landed punches till Minagawa was compelled to surrender her again, which allowed Kobayashi to sink in a rear-naked choke. Minagawa persevered and tried to face up, however Kobayashi saved her down. Within the second spherical, Kobayashi swept out Minagawa’s leg and punched from prime place earlier than as soon as once more taking Minagawa’s again. Minagawa tried to roll to her sides as Kobayashi punished her with punches, however she was unable to take action and Kobayashi landed hammerfist after hammerfist till the bout was waved off on the 4:18 mark of spherical two.
Earlier on the cardboard, Misaki Suda (2-0-0) stayed unbeaten with a detailed Cut up Determination win over Princess Saaya (1-2-0) in a 49kg tremendous atomweight bout. Suda scored a knockdown with a proper cross within the opening spherical, however Saaya responded with a slick armbar try from the underside. Suda ultimately escaped and she or he spent the rest of the spherical working for rear-naked chokes. Suda managed the early and late components of the second spherical after scoring two spectacular throws, however Saaya hung out in facet management and mount after reversing place on the bottom. Two judges scored the struggle even at 19-19, with one Should Determination going to Suda and the opposite to Saaya, and the third had it 20-18 in favour of Suda for a hard-fought victory.
French newcomer Elena (1-0-0) survived a late scare within the opening spherical and in the end scored a TKO win over Yuko “Pochan Z” Matsuura (0-8-0) with simply ten seconds remaining of their 63kg bout. Elena landed jab-cross combos, leg and physique kicks through the first spherical, and she or he backed Matsuura up with a spinning again kick and a flurry. Elena misplaced her steadiness at one level, nevertheless, and Matsuura mounted her and got here near ending the struggle with hammerfists from the highest. In spherical two, Elena focused Matsuura’s proper eye with punches and the attention swelled up. Whereas the physician allowed the struggle to proceed, the swelling obtained worse as Elena landed extra punches to Matsuura’s cheek and referee Minoru Toyonaga stopped the struggle on the 4:50 mark of the second spherical.
Rebounding from a loss in her November professional debut, Yua Yokose (1-1-0) steamrolled Karin Horii (0-2-0) within the strawweight contest tonight. Yokose used early punches to arrange a takedown into mount, and she or he then landed strikes from Horii’s again, however Horii managed to shake her off. Yokose obtained one other takedown later within the spherical and she or he punched Horii’s face after trapping her in a top-side crucifix. Horii made it to the bell, however her failed takedown early within the second spherical allowed Yokose to entice her in an Anaconda Choke. Horii couldn’t escape and reluctantly tapped out on the 1:10 mark of spherical two.
One struggle earlier, Yokose’s sister Miku (1-1-0) additionally bounced again after dropping on the identical Deep Jewels 47 card in November with a superb efficiency tonight in opposition to Asuka Yokoe (0-1-0) in a 49kg tremendous atomweight bout. The elder Yokose sister rocked Yokoe with a left hook seconds into the struggle and dropped her to a knee with follow-up punches. Yokoe recovered, however Yokose took her down shortly thereafter and moved to again management. She locked on a rear-naked choke and Yokoe tapped out on the 2:25 mark.
In a two-round strawweight kickboxing match that was all motion from begin to end, Saki Nakamura took a clear-cut Unanimous Determination win over Yuka Shimamura. Nakamura by no means let up as soon as, and she or he marched ahead with punching mixture after mixture that bloodied Shimamura’s nostril and saved her backing up. Shimamura landed some respectable counter hooks in response, however nothing deterred Nakamura from urgent ahead with punches and later physique kicks as properly. Scores have been 20-18 throughout the board for Nakamura in an entertaining brawl.
Opening up the cardboard, former Rizin FF ring lady Akipi (1-1-0 beginner) secured her first win in an beginner strawweight MMA bout in opposition to short-notice substitute opponent Serina Wada (0-1-0 beginner). Akipi tripped Wada from a clinch through the opening minute and rapidly took her again. She locked on a rear-naked choke that compelled Wada to faucet out on the 1:01 mark, and an especially emotional Akipi credited the educating of coach Hiroto Sakuma for guiding her to the win.
“I didn’t count on that efficiency from Moeri [Suda],” Deep boss Shigeru Saeki stated after the occasion. “I couldn’t have predicted that. There aren’t many [contenders] in Rizin, so if she fought Seika [Izawa] then it could be for the belt. I’m serious about a attainable struggle between [Namiko] ‘Hime’ [Kawabata] and Hamasaki, however I want to speak to Hamasaki when she is calm.”
Full play-by-play for the Deep Jewels 48 card may be discovered right here.
