Seven participants have been named for the inaugural “Deep Jewels” event, which will take place on August 31st at Shinjuku FACE in Tokyo, Japan. Among those competing on the all-female card is former top Jewels star Mika “Future Princess” Nagano, who has won five of her past six bouts.
The event will feature a number of fighters who have transitioned from the Jewels roster. Prospects Sadae “Manhoef” Numata and Satomi Takano will both be in action, along with veterans Masako Yoshida and Yasuko “Pink Spider” Mogi. Matchups will be officially announced in the coming weeks.
At age 16, Mizuki Inoue made her professional MMA debut in October 2010 for the Jewels promotion in Japan. Two months later, the karateka became one of the youngest tournament champions in mixed martial arts history by winning the 56-kilogram division of the Jewels Rough Stone Grand Prix.
On April 5th, Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith came within a single point of defeating former Strikeforce champ Sarah Kaufman at Invicta FC 5. A win likely would have propelled the Cesar Gracie Fight Team standout on to the UFC, but Smith has instead made the most out of a new opportunity.
A neck injury has forced Julia “The Jewel” Budd out of her featherweight fight against Ediane “India” Gomes at Invicta Fighting Championships 6. Muay Thai champ Charmaine “Not So Sweet” Tweet has stepped in to face Gomes on the card, which takes place on July 13th in Kansas City, Missouri.
Former Shoot Boxing Japan Women’s Flyweight Champion Ai Takahashi earned her third straight win tonight at Shoot Boxing 2013: Act.3 in Tokyo, Japan. Takahashi defeated Korean opponent Yuri Kim with a first-round standing guillotine choke after dominating the action in the brief fight.
Joanne “JoJo” Calderwood has once again received a new opponent for her strawweight bout at Invicta Fighting Championships 6 on July 13th in Kansas City, Missouri. Calderwood faces Jackson’s MMA prospect Norma Rueda Center, who has replaced an injured Sarah “White Tiger” Schneider.
Japanese legend Megumi “Mega Megu” Fujii is set to retire from active competition following an illustrious MMA career spanning nine years. Fujii announced plans for her retirement during tonight’s Vale Tudo Japan 2nd event in Tokyo. She will compete one final time at VTJ 3rd in October.
Carina “Barbie” Damm has been fined and suspended for six months by the Ohio Athletic Commission for submitting an invalid urine sample prior to her recent fight in the state. Damm dropped a Unanimous Decision to Jessica “Evil” Eye at NAAFS: “Fight Night In The Flats 9” on June 1st in Cleveland.