A fateful rematch headlines tonight’s Deep Jewels 54 card at New Pier Hall in Tokyo, Japan. The event features a 49kg super atomweight bout between Saki Kitamura and Eru Takebayashi, who first faced off three years ago in a violent clash that sidelined Takebayashi and altered both fighters’ careers.
The 54kg co-main event between Nonoka Sakamoto and Honoka Shigeta was scrapped yesterday due to Shigeta’s failed weight cut. The new co-feature pits Mizuki Furuse, stepping in on short notice, against Misaki Suda in a 49kg contest. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for Deep Jewels 54.
49kg Bout – 3×5
Saki Kitamura vs Eru Takebayashi
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
Winner:
49kg Bout – 2×5
Mizuki Furuse vs Misaki “Iruka Umisaki” Suda
Round 1:
Round 2:
Winner:
Strawweight Bout – 2×5
Yuko Kiryu vs Yua Yokose
Round 1:
Round 2:
Winner:
44kg Microweight Bout – 2×5
Suzu Ooi vs Mahina China
Round 1:
Round 2:
Winner:
49kg Bout – 2×5
Sarah Ellen vs Hanami Watanabe
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Minoru Toyonaga. Watanabe got a takedown 15 seconds into the fight and she transitioned to Sarah’s back. Sarah defended against rear-naked chokes and she spun into a heel hook attempt. Sarah stood up and then dropped down into Watanabe’s guard, where she landed punches. Watanabe tried to set up an armbar from the bottom and Sarah punched her in the face. Late in the round, the fighters stood up and Sarah landed knees and a body kick.
Round 2:
Watanabe took Sarah down in the second round and worked her way to side control. Sarah stood up against the cage and Watanabe swept out her leg. Working from side control again, Watanabe punched and then took Sarah’s back in search of a rear-naked choke. Sarah turned over into Watanabe’s guard with 90 seconds remaining. She landed short punches from the top and then went for a kneebar and an inverted heel hook. Watanabe evaded both of them, but Sarah landed punches and dropped back for an Achilles lock just before the bell.
Winner:
Strawweight Bout – 2×5
Misaki Horiuchi vs Mika “Arami” Arai
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Minoru Toyonaga. Arai secured an early clinch and Horiuchi countered with knees to the body as Arai tried unsuccessfully to take her down. The fighters were separated and Horiuchi landed a hard jab before Arai dropped levels and took her down. Horiuchi stood back up and pressed forward with a combination. Arai was not able to take her down, but she clinched with Horiuchi and landed knees to her body late in the round.
Round 2:
Horiuchi dropped Arai with a right hook and followed up with more right hands as a wobbly Arai got to her feet. Arai recovered and she took Horiuchi’s back in a standing clinch. A stalemate followed and time was called to warn Horiuchi for illegal downward elbows. Action resumed and Horiuchi countered an Arai takedown attempt with a ninja choke. Arai escaped and Horiuchi landed a right hand while standing over her downed foe. Arai got to her feet and held Horiuchi against the fence, but Horiuchi blasted her with hammerfists when Arai dropped levels in search of a late takedown.
Judge Uematsu scored the fight even at 19-19 and awarded his Must Decision to Horiuchi. Judges Uchida and Yamazaki both had it 20-18 for the winner by Unanimous Decision, Horiuchi.
Winner: Misaki Horiuchi by Unanimous Decision (20-18, 20-18, 19-19 [Must Decision: Horiuchi]) after two 5:00 rounds. She improves to 2-1-0.
50kg Bout – 2×5
Miku Yokose vs Marin Yamabuki
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Tatsuro Nagase. Following an early exchange of punches, Yokose pinned Yamabuki against the cage. Yamabuki broke free and another clinch followed soon after. Neither woman could take the other down and Yokose countered a right cross with two lunging left hooks. Another battle for position followed against the cage and the fight stayed on the feet until the bell.
Round 2:
Yokose ducked under a right hand and swiftly took Yamabuki down seconds into round two. She moved to half-guard and punched Yamabuki’s ribs. Yokose passed to mount and punched as Yamabuki tried to buck and escape. Yamabuki managed to get back to half-guard, where she tried to set up a kimura on Yokose’s left arm. Yokose stayed on top until the final 15 seconds when Yamabuki stood up and punched the side of her head.
Judge Fukuda scored the fight even at 19-19 and awarded his Must Decision to Yokose. Judges Uematsu and Yamazaki both had it 20-18 for the winner by Unanimous Decision, Yokose.
Winner: Miku Yokose by Unanimous Decision (20-18, 20-18, 19-19 [Must Decision: Yokose]) after two 5:00 rounds. She improves to 2-2-0.
Strawweight Bout – 2×5
Sayaka “Juicy” Hishinuma vs Karin Horii
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Tatsuro Nagase. Horii clinched and took Hishinuma down into back control, where she locked on a tight face crank. Hishinuma defended as Horii continued to try to finish the fight with face cranks. Hishinuma escaped out the back and stood up. She unloaded with punches that hurt Horii and Horii wilted against the cage. Hishinuma continued to land left and right hooks until a wounded Horii fell forward to her knees and the fight was stopped.
Winner: Sayaka Hishinuma by TKO (Punches) at 3:14 of round one. She improves to 6-3-0.
54kg Amateur Bout – 2×3
Mina Muramatsu vs Noa Saito
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Ryosuke Uchida. Muramatsu quickly took Saito down, but she was unable to mount much offence and Saito eventually stood up. Muramatsu tripped her again and Saito tried to take Muramatsu’s back. Muramatsu returned to Saito’s guard and Saito attempted an armbar in the dying seconds.
Round 2:
Saito landed a left hook in the second round as the fighters circled one another. Muramatsu got her down against the base of the cage and worked her way to mount, where she landed hammerfists. Late in the round, Muramatsu took Saito’s back and trapped her in a rear-naked choke.
Judges Fukuda, Nagase and Yamazaki all scored the fight 20-18 for the winner by Unanimous Decision, Muramatsu.
Winner: Mina Muramatsu by Unanimous Decision (20-18, 20-18, 20-18) after two 3:00 rounds.
50kg Amateur Bout – 2×3
Manami “Akipi” Abe vs Seari Sumimura
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Ryosuke Uchida. Abe held Sumimura against the cage and tried to take her back. Sumimura broke free from the clinch and punches were exchanged. Abe clinched again and this time she got Sumimura down. Abe punched from the top, but Sumimura used a kimura sweep to reverse the position and she worked from Abe’s half-guard until shortly before the bell.
Round 2:
Once again, Abe backed Sumimura up against the cage. She took Sumimura down one minute into the round and held her there as Sumimura tried to set up a kimura. Abe punched from the top and Sumimura locked on a guillotine choke. Abe freed her neck and she finished the round by landing punches to the sides of Sumimura’s face.
Judge Yamazaki scored the fight 20-18 for Abe. Judges Fukuda and Nagase both had it even at 19-19 and awarded their Must Decisions to the winner by Unanimous Decision, Abe.
Winner: Manami Abe by Unanimous Decision (20-18, 19-19 [Must Decision: Abe], 19-19 [Must Decision: Abe]) after two 3:00 rounds.
50kg Amateur Bout – 2×3
Asuka Yokoe vs Cororo Taniyama
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Takaya Ishikawa. Quick punches were exchanged right away and Yokoe landed three kicks to Taniyama’s body. Taniyama threw her to the mat, but Yokoe stood and backed Taniyama up with a combination to the face. Taniyama was not able to take Yokoe down, but she dropped her with a left hook. Yokoe immediately stood up and the fighters continued to trade punches. Yokoe rocked Taniyama late in the round with a flurry of hooks and uppercuts. Excellent opening round.
Round 2:
Yokoe clinched and kneed Taniyama in the body. She scored with punches that backed Taniyama up to the cage and then dropped her for good with a knee to the liver that ended the fight.
Winner: Asuka Yokoe by KO (Knee To The Body) at 1:33 of round two.
50kg Amateur Bout – 2×3
Rio Yamauchi vs Mion Wachi
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Takaya Ishikawa. Yamauchi got an early takedown into side control and then took Wachi’s back. Wachi fought off rear-naked chokes and got back to her feet. In the final minute, Yamauchi took Wachi back down and she transitioned from mount to an armbar. Wachi defended with punches until the bell.
Round 2:
Yamauchi took Wachi’s back and tripped her to the mat. Wachi stood once, but Yamauchi passed to mount after the second takedown and then dropped back into an armbar. Wachi bridged out to escape and she wound up on top in side control as the fight came to a close.
Judges Toyonaga, Nagase and Yamazaki all scored the fight 20-18 for the winner by Unanimous Decision, Yamauchi.
Winner: Rio Yamauchi by Unanimous Decision (20-18, 20-18, 20-18) after two 3:00 rounds.