Deep Jewels Bantamweight Champion Ji Yeon Kim competes in one of her most high-profile bouts to date on May 22nd at Top Fighting Championship 11: “Top FC vs Kunlun Fight” in Seoul, South Korea. Kim faces China’s top-ranked female fighter Jin “The Fighting Rose” Tang at 130 pounds.
Top FC officials announced the co-main event matchup this past week. Kim, who also holds the Gladiator women’s bantamweight title, captured Deep Jewels gold in August by defeating veteran Takayo Hashi. Tang, a top star for Kunlun Fight, has tasted defeat just two times in her past 13 bouts.
Kim (4-0-2) debuted in MMA in late 2013 and kicked off her pro career with back-to-back Draws against popular Deep Jewels contender Shizuka Sugiyama and Hashi. Her strong performances in the close bouts, coupled with a quick win for Road FC, earned Kim a Gladiator title fight this past year. She stopped Miki Miyauchi to win the championship at Gladiator 81, then returned to Road FC and secured a second-round submission win two months later. In August, Kim fought off Hashi’s takedown attempts and dropped her early in round three en route to a Unanimous Decision victory in their title rematch.
Tang (25-8-4) has been competing professionally for more than seven years and she has become one of China’s most popular female fighters thanks to her many appearances for Kunlun Fight, dating back to the promotion’s second event in early 2014. Tang has faced and defeated nearly every challenger placed in front of her by Kunlun Fight matchmakers. Her lone defeats during the past 30 months came against current UFC contender Maryna “The Iron Woman” Moroz and Belarusian rising star Liliya “She-Wolf” Kazak. Impressively, Tang’s 15 most recent victories have all ended by knockout or submission.
Top Fighting Championship 11: “Top FC vs Kunlun Fight” takes place on May 22nd at Seoul Olympic Park Hall in Seoul, South Korea. The event also features a 120-pound women’s bout between Chinese prospect Weili Zhang (4-1-0) and American Gabby Romero (0-1-0).
(Photo Credit: Deep Jewels)