Shooto kicked off the new year with its latest all-female fight card tonight at New Pier Hall in Tokyo, Japan. The Shooto: “Colors 6” card was headlined by an atomweight matchup between veteran Megumi Sugimoto and teen prospect Noa Tokumoto, who scored a 32-second KO win in September.
In the co-main event, current Shooto Women’s Strawweight Champion Emi “Kamikaze Angel” Fujino took on replacement opponent Mika “Arami” Arai in a non-title 53kg bout. Elsewhere, Chiyo Takamoto met Erika Gibo in 50kg action. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the “Colors 6” card.
Atomweight Bout – 3×5
Noa Tokumoto vs Megumi Sugimoto
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Masato Fukuda. Tokumoto landed a leg kick, but Sugimoto countered with a takedown. Tokumoto trapped her in a triangle choke and elbowed Sugimoto’s head. Tokumoto moved back and forth between armbar and triangle choke attempts while continuing to land elbows from the bottom. Sugimoto eventually stood up and kicked at Tokumoto’s legs. When Tokumoto got to her feet, Sugimoto took her down late in the round.
Round 2:
Tokumoto opened the second round with another leg kick and Sugimoto responded with a kick to the body. She took Tokumoto down into Tokumoto’s closed guard. Tokumoto held her close in order to prevent Sugimoto from posturing up or landing anything. Eventually, Tokumoto kicked Sugimoto off and both fighters stood. Tokumoto sprawled to defend against a Sugimoto takedown attempt before the bell.
Round 3:
Tokumoto landed a right hook and Sugimoto took her down. Just as she did in the previous round, Tokumoto held on to Sugimoto’s arm and then kicked her off. Action returned to the feet and Sugimoto secured a single-leg takedown. Tokumoto worked for an armbar from the bottom and the fight returned to a standing position again. Sugimoto then took Tokumoto down two more times and she landed elbows and hammerfists from side control. Time expired and the close bout went to the scorecards.
Winner: Noa Tokumoto by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three 5:00 rounds. She improves to 3-0-0.
53kg Bout – 3×5
Emi “Kamikaze Angel” Fujino vs Mika “Arami” Arai
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Naoya Uematsu. Fujino initiated a boxing exchange and then took a step backward. Arai was warned for outstretching her fingers and action resumed. Both women landed punches and Fujino clinched twice. She landed knees until Arai pushed her away. Arai landed a right hook and a knee to Fujino’s jaw. Fujino came up short with her punches before the end of the round.
Round 2:
Fujino punched her way into a clinch and landed knees. Arai circled away, but Fujino chased after her with more punches and Arai missed with a spinning backfist attempt. The fighters clashed heads and time was called to check on Fujino’s bleeding nose. Arai was warned for the accidental headbutt. Arai attempted a harai goshi throw after the restart, but she fell and Fujino punched Arai’s body as Arai attacked her leg.
Round 3:
Arai attempted a standing guillotine choke early in the final round. Fujino escaped and she landed two right hooks after creating some space. Arai missed with a Superman Punch and Fujino landed another right hand. Arai tripped Fujino and punched her body, but Fujino returned to her feet and she stuffed a takedown attempt. Both women landed looping hooks during the final seconds of the fight.
Winner: Emi Fujino by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three 5:00 rounds. She improves to 31-16-1, 1 NC.
Infinity League 2025 Women’s Super Atomweight Tournament Bout – 2×5
Chiyo Takamoto vs Erika Gibo
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Naoya Uematsu. Takamoto clinched and took Gibo’s back, then pulled her down to the mat. Gibo stood with Takamoto still on her back. Gibo escaped from the back clinch and landed a left hook. Takamoto used a double-leg takedown to get her back down and took Gibo’s back once again. Late in the round, Takamoto worked for an armbar, but time expired.
Round 2:
Takamoto closed the distance and clinched again in the second round. She took Gibo’s back and suplexed her to the ground. Gibo’s head hit the canvas and knocked her out, and Takamoto landed follow-up punches before the fight was waved off.
Winner: Chiyo Takamoto by KO (Slam) at 0:32 of round two. She improves to 2-3-3.
49kg Grappling Match – 1×8
Tomo Maesawa vs Aya Murakami
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Yuta Nabekubo. Murakami jumped and pulled guard early in the match. Maesawa stood up and avoided Murakami’s leg submission attempts. Back on the ground, Maesawa tried for a leglock of her own and Murakami took top position. She hunted for a guillotine choke, but she could not control Maesawa’s legs and Maesawa worked her way free. An arm-triangle choke attempt was not successful for Maesawa, but Murakami gave up her back and Maesawa secured a rear-naked choke for the tapout victory.
Winner: Tomo Maesawa by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:32 of round one.
50kg Super Atomweight Bout – 2×5
Hikaru Aono vs Shiho Fukai
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Masato Fukuda. Aono opened the fight with a double-leg takedown and passed to half-guard. She landed punches and moved to side control, then to a top-side crucifix. Aono scored with numerous punches until Fukai finally got back to half-guard. Aono mounted her and Fukai tried to scramble free. Aono moved to side control again and locked on a kimura on Fukai’s left arm, forcing her to tap out.
Winner: Hikaru Aono by Submission (Kimura) at 3:42 of round one. She improves to 13-8-0.
Flyweight Bout – 2×5
Ju Kyung Heo vs Tae “Te-a” Murayama
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Tatsuro Nagase. Both fighters came up short with punches and Murayama shot in for a takedown. Heo sprawled and then pushed Murayama up against the cage. She kneed Murayama’s leg until referee Nagase separated the fighters. Heo stuffed another Murayama takedown attempt and Murayama finished the round by kneeing Heo’s body.
Round 2:
An early stalemate during a clinch battle led to the fighters being separated. Heo was not able to take Murayama down, but she landed punches to her body during a clinch. Soon after, Heo connected with a right hook and more clinch battles followed. Neither woman could secure a takedown. Heo landed a one-two combination and another right hook before the end of the fight.
Winner: Ju Kyung Heo by Unanimous Decision (20-18, 20-18, 20-18) after two 5:00 rounds. She improves to 1-2-0.
Atomweight Bout – 2×5
Momoka Midorikawa vs Mikiko “NFC” Hiyama
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Masato Kataoka. Midorikawa used a leg kick to set up a double-leg takedown. She punched from mount and Hiyama fought her way back to full guard. Midorikawa took mount again and landed a series of hammerfists. Hiyama gave up her back and defended against a rear-naked choke. Midorikawa let go of the choke and landed numerous unanswered punches until the bout was stopped.
Winner: Momoka Midorikawa by TKO (Punches) at 3:41 of round one. She improves to 1-0-0.
Strawweight Grappling Match – 1×8
Manaka Okuda vs Aira Inoue
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Yuta Nabekubo. After an early hand battle, the fighters clinched and Inoue worked for a leg submission as the bout hit the ground. Okuda took top position and moved to side control, but Inoue was active from the bottom and she got back to full guard. Okuda passed to half-guard and set up an arm-triangle choke. Inoue escaped and stood up, only to be pulled back down as Okuda attempted her own leglock. She continued to attack Inoue’s leg and a late attempt from Inoue to take side control was not successful.
Winner: Manaka Okuda by Unanimous Decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) after one 8:00 round.
55kg Junior MMA Bout – 1×4
Mikoto Abe vs Tamao Takamoto
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Yuta Nabekubo. Takamoto scored a single-leg takedown and Abe sat up against the cage. She stood and Takamoto took her down again. Abe used a kimura to sweep into top position. She stayed there and avoided a leglock attempt from Takamoto late in the fight.
Winner: Mikoto Abe by Unanimous Decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) after one 4:00 round.
53kg Junior MMA Bout – 1×4
Julianne Sakura Endo vs Iroha Sato
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Yuta Nabekubo. Sato opened the fight with high kicks and Endo took her down. She tried to move to side control, but Sato retained full guard. Sato then used butterfly guard to elevate Endo and returned to her feet. Endo lost her balance when attempting a throw and Sato wound up on top. Endo quickly scrambled up to her feet and the fighters clinched before the bell.
Winner: Julianne Sakura Endo by Split Decision (10-9, 10-9, 9-10) after one 4:00 round.