Ricaco Yuasa has a very busy month ahead. The 20-year-old purple belt in jiu-jitsu will compete in a grappling match against Kazue Matake at Jewels: 14th Ring in Tokyo, Japan next weekend before travelling to Los Angeles, California for the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championships in June.
Currently regarded as one of the best female grapplers in Japan, the former high school phenom will represent Jewels in her match against Valkyrie’s Matake next Saturday at “14th Ring.” While still young at age 20, Yuasa has already captured multiple titles in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and grappling.
Nicknamed “Ricakkuma” after the popular Rilakkuma bear character in Japan, Yuasa rose to fame in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments while still in high school. She recently earned MVP honours in the 2011 DUMAU International and Tokyo Open Jiu-Jitsu Championships, and submitted Hiroko Kitamura in the final match of the Roll Festival tournament last month.
She hopes for continued success in the prestigious Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championships in June.
Ricaco Yuasa (in black) at DUMAU International 2011.
Yuasa also teaches classes at the official Jewels gym – the Jewels MMA Studio @ MUSE – each week and made her Jewels debut in a grappling match at 11th Ring in December. Earning a well-deserved Unanimous Decision over Mayumi Katouno, Yuasa impressed with her grappling skills and she will look to pick up another victory for Jewels next weekend.
Jewels: 13th Ring and 14th Ring will both take place on May 14th at Shin-Kiba 1st Ring in Tokyo. The events will together be part of an all-day festival to raise money for relief and reconstruction in Japan after the country was struck by a devastating earthquake and tsunami.
Jewels: 13th Ring Fight Card (subject to change):
– Bolormaa “Esui” Erdenebileg vs Chisa Yonezawa [61kg Jewels Special Rules MMA Bout]
– Asami Higa vs Megumi Morioka [50kg Jewels Official Rules MMA Bout]
– Yukiko Seki vs Yuka Okumura [48kg Jewels Official Rules MMA Bout]
– Sadae “Manhoef” Suzumura vs Anna Saito [54kg Jewels Official Rules MMA Bout]
– Kozue “Azuma” Nagashima vs Yukimi Kamikaze [57.15kg Kickboxing Bout]
– Miku Hayashi vs Rio Kamikaze [53.52kg Kickboxing Bout]
– Madoka Okada vs Momoka [47kg Kickboxing Bout]
Jewels: 14th Ring Fight Card (subject to change):
– Misaki Takimoto vs Naho “Sugi Rock” Sugiyama [48kg Jewels Special Rules MMA Bout]
– Mika “Future Princess” Nagano vs Emi Murata [54kg Jewels Official Rules MMA Bout]
– Miyoko Kusaka vs Sachiko “Sachi” Yamamoto [48kg Jewels Official Rules MMA Bout]
– Mizuki Inoue vs Natsuka [54kg Shoot Boxing Match]
– Ayaka Hamasaki vs Saori “Shooting Star” Ishioka [52kg Non-Title Grappling Match]
– Ricaco “Ricakkuma” Yuasa vs Kazue Matake [56.5kg Grappling Match]
– Emi Tomimatsu vs Mayumi Suzuki [54kg Grappling Match]
(Photo Credits: Kinya Hashimoto)