Deep Jewels showcased its eighth all-female fight card tonight at Shinjuku FACE in Tokyo, Japan. The injury-riddled card featured the semi-finals and championship final in the inaugural Deep Jewels Featherweight Grand Prix, which crowned a new Deep Jewels 48-kilogram (105.6-pound) champion.

In one grand prix semi-final bout, Satomi “Sarami” Takano took on fellow prospect Tomo Maesawa, while “V.V” Mei Yamaguchi battled Mina Kurobe in the other. The semi-final winners then faced off in tonight’s main event to determine a champion. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the card.

 

48kg Deep Jewels Featherweight Grand Prix Final – 2×5

“V.V” Mei Yamaguchi vs Satomi “Sarami” Takano

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Kenichi Serizawa. Yamaguchi opens with a right hook to the body. Takano responds with a front kick, right hook combo. Yamaguchi throws right hooks and Takano lands a left-hand counter to the eye. Yamaguchi tries to counter Takano’s strikes with several takedown attempts, but Takano sprawls. She attempts an O goshi, but both fighters fall out of the ring. They trade punches on the feet in the final seconds.

Round 2:
Takano begins round two with a left jab to right straight combo, but Yamaguchi counters with a takedown attempt. Takano defends well and tries for an osoto gari throw, but she fails and Yamaguchi takes her back. Takano rolls over and Yamaguchi winds up in her guard. She punches from the top until Takano stands up. Takano fails with another throw, this time an O goshi, and Yamaguchi takes her back for a second time.

Once again, Takano rolls over and Yamaguchi strikes from the top. She moves to side control and Takano tries in vain to lock on an armbar from the bottom. Yamaguchi counters with numerous hammerfists from the top and Takano covers up. She stops moving as Yamaguchi continues to drop hammerfists, and referee Serizawa has seen enough.

Winner: Mei Yamaguchi by TKO (Punches) at 4:57 of round two. She improves to 15-8-1 and becomes the new Deep Jewels Featherweight Champion.

 

52kg Deep Jewels Official MMA Rules – 2×5

Tushara “Tee Vee” Veerella vs Misaki Takimoto

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Yuji Shimada. Veerella throws leg kicks early on and Takimoto counters with jabs. Veerella enjoys a significant reach advantage and lands several more leg kicks. She knocks Takimoto down with a right hook and almost soccer kicks her, but misses. The fighters stand and Takimoto blocks a head kick. Veerella continues to score with leg kicks until the bell.

Round 2:
Takimoto tries to counter Veerella’s leg kicks by clinching and working for trip takedowns, but Veerella stuffs them. Takimoto knees to the body and Veerella breaks free from the clinch. Takimoto chases her with several left jabs, but Veerella stays out of range and lands leg kicks. Takimoto clinches and throws more knees to the body and head. She lands several knees until Veerella escapes from the clinch. Takimoto jabs again, but she is unable to land anything damaging before the end of the round.

Judges Kenichi Serizawa, Hidenobu Koike and Akira Yamazaki all score the fight for the winner by Unanimous Decision, Veerella.

Winner: Tushara Veerella by Unanimous Decision after two rounds. She improves to 1-0-0.

 

52kg Deep Jewels Grappling Rules – 2×4

Ayaka Hamasaki vs Mizuki Inoue

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Hidenobu Koike. Ayaka tries for an early Ōuchi gari throw, but Inoue sprawls and attempts a single-leg takedown soon after. Hamasaki stuffs it and takes Inoue’s back. She aims for a kimura, but Inoue defends. Hamasaki takes her down and avoids a triangle choke. She tries to pass to side control, but Inoue spins her hips and retains full guard. She continues to try for triangle chokes until Hamasaki stands. The fighters clinch and the bell rings.

Round 2:
Inoue attempts a single-leg takedown in round two, but Hamasaki takes her back and catches her arm in a kimura. Inoue breaks free and stands up, but Hamasaki quickly traps her in a standing guillotine choke. Inoue falls to her back in half-guard and manages to pull her head free from the choke. After standing back up, Hamasaki takes Inoue down and avoids another triangle choke attempt. Inoue tries for a late armbar before the final bell.

Judges Yuji Shimada, Akira Yamazaki and Kenichi Serizawa all score the match for the winner by Unanimous Decision, Hamasaki.

Winner: Ayaka Hamasaki by Unanimous Decision after two rounds.

 

48kg Deep Jewels Featherweight Grand Prix Semi-Final B – 2×5

“V.V” Mei Yamaguchi vs Mina Kurobe

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Kenichi Serizawa. Yamaguchi clinches and tries to dirty box in close, but Kurobe avoids damage and separates. She throws right straights, but Yamaguchi counters with a waist tackle. She lands some good ground and pound from half-guard. Kurobe gets back to her feet and Yamaguchi takes her down again. She keeps Kurobe pinned down and prevents her from standing up. Kurobe turtles as Yamaguchi lands hammerfists, but she finally stands back up before the bell rings.

Round 2:
Kurobe adopts a lower stance in round two and is wary of being taken down. She tries to trade strikes, but Yamaguchi uses a body-lock takedown to get her down. Kurobe immediately stands up and is taken right back down again. She rolls and reverses position, but Yamaguchi stands and Kurobe soon follows. The fighters trade punches and Kurobe lands straight rights. Yamaguchi attempts two more takedowns, but Kurobe sprawls both times.

Judges Akira Yamazaki, Hidenobu Koike and Yuji Shimada all score the fight for the winner by Unanimous Decision, Yamaguchi.

Winner: Mei Yamaguchi by Unanimous Decision after two rounds. She improves to 14-8-1 and advances to the Deep Jewels Featherweight Grand Prix final.

 

48kg Deep Jewels Featherweight Grand Prix Semi-Final A – 2×5

Satomi “Sarami” Takano vs Tomo Maesawa

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Kenichi Serizawa. Takano lands an early right hook in an exchange and Maesawa attempts an O goshi throw, but Takano sprawls and nearly takes Maesawa’s back when the throw fails. Maesawa attempts an O goshi again and this time Takano’s back-take works. Maesawa rolls, but Takano takes mount in a scramble. She tries for an armbar and Maesawa defends. The fighters stand and Maesawa uses a waist tackle to get Takano down into mount, but Takano gives up her back and escapes.

Round 2:
Takano opens round two with a jab-cross combo. The fighters clinch until referee Serizawa separates them. Takano lands a left hook and clinches again. She takes Maesawa’s back off of a failed throw. Maesawa rolls and Takano mounts her. She tries for an armbar, but Maesawa defends and the referee calls for a break. Maesawa attempts a waist tackle, but Takano counters with a late triangle choke before the bell.

Judges Akira Yamazaki, Yuji Shimada and Hidenobu Koike all score the fight for the winner by Unanimous Decision, Takano.

Winner: Satomi Takano by Unanimous Decision after two rounds. She improves to 6-5-0 and advances to the Deep Jewels Featherweight Grand Prix final.

 

Deep Jewels Grappling Rules – 2×4

Yukari Nabe vs Kurumi Ishizuka

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Hidenobu Koike. Both women battle for hand grips and Ishizuka attempts a single-leg takedown. She takes Nabe’s back, but Nabe rolls to her side and reverses position. Ishizuka scrambles and takes top position again, but Nabe ties her up from the bottom and completely nullifies Ishizuka’s offence.

Round 2:
Nabe uses a harai goshi throw to take Ishizuka down into half-guard. She moves to side control, then tries for an armbar but Ishizuka defends. The fighters stand and Nabe throws Ishizuka back down into another armbar. Ishizuka escapes and attempts an ankle lock, but the final bell rings.

Judges Yuji Shimada, Akira Yamazaki and Kenichi Serizawa all score the match for the winner by Unanimous Decision, Nabe.

Winner: Yukari Nabe by Unanimous Decision after two rounds.