Deep Jewels showcased its 23rd all-female fight card on Saturday night at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. Deep Jewels 23 was headlined by a 49kg catchweight bout between Deep Jewels Atomweight Champion Tomo Maesawa and former Rizin FF title challenger Kanna Asakura.
In the 68kg co-feature, “King” Reina Miura took on Mao Ueda. Unbeaten flyweight Kana Watanabe squared off against Soo Min Kang, and former Jewels champion Emi Tomimatsu faced Hikaru Aono in atomweight action. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the Deep Jewels 23 card.
49kg Bout – 3×5
Kanna Asakura vs Tomo Maesawa
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Masato Fukuda. Maesawa struck first with a right hook and Asakura responded with a leg kick. Another right hook scored for Maesawa and Asakura took her down. Maesawa moved to the base of the cage and used it to stand up. Asakura threw her back down with a harai goshi and landed punches from the top. Maesawa again used the cage to stand back up and she scored with knees in a clinch. Asakura briefly took her down, but Maesawa stood back up and she landed a nice body kick. Asakura fired back with one of her own before the bell.
Round 2:
Maesawa opened round two with another body kick and Asakura used a double-leg to take her down. Maesawa worked her way back up against the cage and the fighters clinched. Maesawa swept out Asakura’s leg, but Asakura scrambled and returned to her feet. In the clinch, Asakura landed knees to both sides of Maesawa’s body late in the round.
Round 3:
Asakura scored a takedown in the final round and rained down ground and pound. Maesawa sat up and both fighters looked for leglocks. Asakura landed hammerfists until Maesawa finally stood up. Asakura secured a slick takedown into back control. Maesawa flipped her off, but Asakura took her down into mount. She peppered Maesawa with hammerfists from mount position and side control until the end of the fight.
Judge Yokoya scored the fight 30-26, while judges Takamoto and Uematsu both saw it 30-27. All three had it for the winner by Unanimous Decision, Asakura.
Winner: Kanna Asakura by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) after three 5:00 rounds. She improves to 14-3-0.
68kg Bout – 3×5
“King” Reina Miura vs Mao Ueda
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Naoya Uematsu. Both women threw heavy punches right away, but Miura’s were faster and they repeatedly snapped Ueda’s head back. Ueda retreated to the cage and Miura landed a barrage of left and right hooks that sent an unconscious Ueda crashing to the mat.
Winner: Reina Miura by KO (Punches) at 0:25 of round one. She improves to 11-2-0.
Flyweight Bout – 3×5
Kana Watanabe vs Soo Min Kang
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Naoya Uematsu. Watanabe began the fight with a leg kick and a harai goshi. Kang immediately stood back up and Watanabe used her jab to stay out of reach of Kang’s looping punches as the round progressed. She took Kang down with another harai goshi and moved to a top-side cruficix position. Watanabe landed numerous unanswered punches until the referee stepped in to stop the fight.
Winner: Kana Watanabe by TKO (Punches) at 4:33 of round one. She improves to 6-0-1.
Atomweight Bout – 3×5
Emi Tomimatsu vs Hikaru Aono
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Minoru Toyonaga. Aono secured an early single-leg takedown and moved to Tomimatsu’s back. Tomimatsu immediately stood up and Aono promptly took her back down. Tomimatsu countered with a triangle choke from her back. Aono fought her way free and the fighters stood up. Aono scored a brief double-leg takedown and Tomimatsu rose to her feet again. Aono scored one more takedown before the bell.
Round 2:
Aono opened round two with a single-leg takedown and she tried to pass Tomimatsu’s half-guard. Tomimatsu scrambled free and worked her way back up to her feet. Aono chased after her and clinched, but Tomimatsu trapped her in a standing kimura and Aono fell to the mat. Tomimatsu punched from the top until Aono gave up her back. Tomimatsu secured a rear-naked choke and Aono was forced to submit.
Winner: Emi Tomimatsu by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:46 of round two. She improves to 14-14-0.
Atomweight Bout – 2×5
Suwanan “Pocket Rocket” Boonsorn vs Emi Sato
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Masato Fukuda. Both fighters threw kicks to the body and Boonsorn used a harai goshi to take Sato down. She landed punches and Sato gave up her back. Boonsorn trapped her in a rear-naked choke and Sato quickly tapped out.
Winner: Suwanan Boonsorn by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 0:34 of round one. She improves to 3-1-0.
55kg Bout – 2×5
Yukari Nabe vs Sachiko Fujimori
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Hirokazu Takamoto. Fujimori landed hooks and looked to brawl in the opening minute, but Nabe threw her down to the mat. Fujimori used the cage to battle back up to her feet and Nabe scored with punches to the body. She attempted a harai goshi throw, but Fujimori reversed on the way down and took top position. She landed hammerfists until Nabe stood back up. Fujimori connected with straight right hands, but Nabe threw her to the mat and finished the round with hammerfists.
Round 2:
Fujimori landed right hooks in round two until Nabe shot in for a double-leg takedown. She got Fujimori down and looked to set up an arm-triangle choke from half-guard. Fujimori rolled to her side, but that allowed Nabe to take her back and she locked on a rear-naked choke for the tapout win.
Winner: Yukari Nabe by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:42 of round two. She improves to 6-3-1.
55kg Bout – 2×5
Asami “Akaringo” Nakai vs Yuko “Amiba” Oya
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Hirokazu Takamoto. Oya shot in for a double-leg takedown, but Nakai sprawled and stuffed it. She landed punches and took Oya’s back soon after. Nakai worked for a rear-naked choke as Oya attempted to roll and escape. Nakai held on to her arm and prevented her from escaping to her feet. Oya managed to take top position later in the round, but Nakai quickly countered with a triangle choke.
Round 2:
Oya opened the second round with another takedown attempt and Nakai once again sprawled in defence. On the feet, Nakai scored with straight right hands and Oya shot in for another double-leg attempt. She switched to a waist tackle, but still could not get Nakai down and Nakai secured a standing guillotine choke. Oya escaped the choke, but Nakai took her down and Oya attempted an armbar late in the fight.
Judges Fukuda, Tazawa and Yokoya all scored the fight 20-18 for the winner by Unanimous Decision, Nakai.
Winner: Asami Nakai by Unanimous Decision (20-18, 20-18, 20-18) after two 5:00 rounds. She improves to 2-1-0.
Minimumweight Bout – 2×5
Yasuko “Ikuko” Tamada vs Madoka “Madeline” Ishibashi
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Minoru Toyonaga. Ishibashi threw a series of right hooks until she was able to secure a waist tackle takedown. Tamada scrambled free and took Ishibashi’s back. Ishibashi tried to roll and escape, but Tamada kept her pinned down and transitioned to back control. Tamada hunted for a rear-naked choke, but Ishibashi spun free and slipped out. Tamada jumped on her back and attempted another rear-naked choke before the bell.
Round 2:
Ishibashi began round two with straight right hands and Tamada countered with a double-leg takedown. Ishibashi reversed on the ground and took top position, which prompted Tamada to trap her in a triangle choke. Ishibashi fought her way free and struck from the top. Tamada attacked with an armbar from the bottom and Ishibashi escaped again. The fighters stood and Ishibashi scored a takedown, but Tamada countered with another armbar.
Judge Takamoto scored the fight 20-17, while judges Otomo and Toyonaga both saw it 20-18. All three had it in favour of the winner by Unanimous Decision, Tamada.
Winner: Yasuko Tamada by Unanimous Decision (20-17, 20-18, 20-18) after two 5:00 rounds. She improves to 16-10-3.
49kg Bout – 2×5
Ai Shimizu vs Sae Kokuho
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Naoya Uematsu. Shimizu dropped Kokuho in the opening minute with a right jab, left cross combination. She followed with unanswered punches and hammerfists on the ground until the referee intervened to stop the brief fight.
Winner: Ai Shimizu by TKO (Punches) at 1:08 of round one. She improves to 2-0-0.
Minimumweight Bout – 2×5
Kotori Tamiya vs Mizuki “Nisse” Oshiro
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Yasuhiro Tazawa. Tamiya looked to take the fight to the mat with an early throw, but Oshiro rolled through and wound up on top. She landed punches from side control and forced Tamiya to scramble. Tamiya stood, but Oshiro took her back down with a waist tackle. She landed punches to the body from Tamiya’s full guard and Tamiya tied her up in order to limit damage.
Round 2:
Tamiya opened round two with a combination to the body and a harai goshi throw. Oshiro once again reversed the throw and wound up on top. Tamiya immediately stood and Oshiro took her down. Tamiya scrambled and took Oshiro’s back, then landed hammerfists. Oshiro shrugged her off, but Tamiya transitioned to a triangle choke late in the round and she threw punches to Oshiro’s face until the bell.
Judge Toyonaga saw the fight even at 19-19. Judges Takamoto and Uematsu both had it 20-18 for the winner by Majority Decision, Tamiya.
Winner: Kotori Tamiya by Majority Decision (20-18, 20-18, 19-19) after two 5:00 rounds. She improves to 1-0-0.
Amateur Flyweight Bout – 2×3
Mikiko Shimizu vs Shoko Fujita
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Yasuhiro Tazawa. Shimizu landed hooks and clinched early on. Fujita countered with knees, but Shimizu took her down and moved to mount. She landed punches from the top until Fujita rolled to her side. Shimizu attempted a triangle choke, but Fujita moved to her left and escaped.
Round 2:
The second round began with Shimizu landing more hooks on the feet and she took Fujita down with a harai goshi throw. Shimizu moved from side control to mount and prevented Fujita from kicking off of the cage to escape. Shimizu struck from the top until Fujita finally scrambled free and stood up. Shimizu took her back down and Fujita battled back to her feet once more before the bell.
Judges Takamoto, Toyonaga and Uematsu all scored the fight 20-18 for the winner by Unanimous Decision, Shimizu.
Winner: Mikiko Shimizu by Unanimous Decision (20-18, 20-18, 20-18) after two 3:00 rounds.