Deep Jewels kicked off its flyweight grand prix tournament tonight at New Pier Hall in Tokyo, Japan. The Deep Jewels 36 card was headlined by a grand prix quarterfinal between UFC veteran and former Pancrase champ Rin Nakai and prospect Shoko Fujita, who looked to score a huge upset.

In the co-feature, Shizuka Sugiyama met Mikiko “Mikko Nirvana” Shimizu in a GP quarterfinal. The card also featured a non-title 49kg matchup between Deep Jewels Atomweight Champion Saori Oshima and Namiko “Hime” Kawabata. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for Deep Jewels 36.

 

Deep Jewels Flyweight GP Quarterfinal – 2×5

Rin Nakai vs Shoko Fujita

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Naoya Uematsu. Both fighters jab to gauge distance and Nakai lands a left hook to the body. Fujita is warned for extending her fingers during the exchanges. Nakai lands left and right hooks, and continues to target Fujita’s body. Fujita connects with a single left hand and Nakai answers with combinations. Fujita switches to throwing leg kicks and she is tagged by a right hook counter. Nakai clinches and trips Fujita, and she closes out the round by punching Fujita’s body on the ground.

Round 2:
Nakai continues to mix up her strikes with punches to the head and body in the second round. Fujita jabs and lands a body kick, but Nakai grabs her leg and takes her down. She uses shoulder pressure to set up a move from half-guard to side control, then passes to mount. Fujita bridges, but Nakai stays in mount. She presses her shoulder into Fujita’s face and punches the side of her head. Fujita briefly gets back to half-guard, but Nakai passes to mount again. She drops punches from the top until referee Uematsu finally steps in.

Winner: Rin Nakai by TKO (Punches) at 4:38 of round two. She improves to 23-2-1 and advances on in the Deep Jewels Flyweight Grand Prix.

 

Deep Jewels Flyweight GP Quarterfinal – 2×5

Shizuka Sugiyama vs Mikiko “Mikko Nirvana” Shimizu

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Masato Fukuda. Sugiyama lands a leg kick and scores an early takedown. Shimizu tries to get back to her feet against the cage, but Sugiyama keeps her down and lands numerous punches to Shimizu’s face. She continues to strike with hammerfists and Shimizu tries to tie up Sugiyama’s arm. More hammerfists land for Sugiyama until Shimizu attempts an armbar. Sugiyama defends, then punches from Shimizu’s full guard until the bell. Shimizu is warned for upkicks between rounds.

Round 2:
The second round begins with Sugiyama landing a right hook and she clinches soon after. Sugiyama attempts an ōuchi gari throw and Shimizu gives up her back while trying for a kimura. Sugiyama punches her way free from that situation. Shimizu turns into the clinch and shoots for a double-leg takedown. Sugiyama sprawls and takes top position on the ground, where she continuously strikes with punches until Shimizu traps her in an armbar. Shimizu maintains the hold for more than 30 seconds. Referee Fukuda asks Sugiyama if she wants to give up, but she says no and eventually escapes from the hold.

With five judges scoring this tournament fight, tallies vary considerably, but Sugiyama ultimately prevails via a narrow 3-2 Split Decision.

Winner: Shizuka Sugiyama by Split Decision (20-17, 19-18, 19-19 [Must Decision: Sugiyama], 19-19 [Must Decision: Shimizu], 18-18 [Must Decision: Shimizu]) after two 5:00 rounds. She improves to 21-6-1 and advances on in the Deep Jewels Flyweight Grand Prix.

 

Deep Jewels Flyweight GP Quarterfinal – 2×5

Aoi Kuriyama vs Hanako Sawa

*Note: Kuriyama received a Bye to the semi-finals after Sawa was forced to withdraw from this bout due to medical reasons earlier in the month.

 

Deep Jewels Flyweight GP Quarterfinal – 2×5

Tae “Te-a” Murayama vs Kano Kagaya

*Note: Murayama received a Bye to the semi-finals after Kagaya was forced to withdraw from this bout due to a positive COVID-19 test.

 

49kg Bout – 2×5

Namiko “Hime” Kawabata vs Saori Oshima

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Masato Fukuda. Kawabata lands a right hook counter when Oshima shoots in for a takedown attempt. Another right hook scores for Kawabata, who steps back to prevent Oshima from clinching. Oshima is finally able to close the distance and she takes Kawabata’s back in a standing clinch against the cage. Oshima trips Kawabata by sweeping out her leg and then takes her back. Kawabata fights off an armbar attempt and gets back to her feet. Oshima clinches and uses an ōuchi gari throw to get Kawabata back down. Kawabata attempts a triangle choke and Oshima defends by getting her other arm back in. Kawabata throws hammerfists from the bottom until the bell. She is warned for an earlier cage grab.

Round 2:
Kawabata blocks an early head kick attempt from Oshima, who is unable to find her range on the feet and misses with a right hook and a backfist attempt. Time is called when Kawabata is kneed in the groin during a clinch. After the restart, Oshiro continues to struggle to land anything substantial, but she does connect with a left hook. Kawabata responds with a straight right and a jab. Oshima chases after her but loses her balance in the process. She stands back up and Kawabata lands a hard jab that almost drops her. Oshima tries unsuccessfully for a takedown and then takes Kawabata’s back in a standing clinch. Kawabata tries to flip her off before the end of the fight.

Judge Shibata scores the fight 20-17, while judges Uematsu and Toyonaga both have it 20-18. All three see it for the winner by Unanimous Decision, Kawabata.

Winner: Namiko Kawabata by Unanimous Decision (20-17, 20-18, 20-18) after two 5:00 rounds. She improves to 3-1-0.

 

49kg Bout – 2×5

Miki Motono vs Mizuki “Nisse” Oshiro

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Naoya Uematsu. Motono opens the action with a leg kick and a one-two combo. She jabs and Oshiro responds with a leg kick. A front kick scores for Oshiro and Motono shoots in for a takedown. Oshiro sprawls and the fighters clinch on the feet. Motono lands a knee to the body and throws Oshiro down to the mat, but Oshiro immediately stands back up. Motono puts her back down with a harai goshi throw and takes Oshiro’s back. Motono punches the sides of Oshiro’s head and then transitions to a slick armbar that prompts referee Uematsu to stop the fight.

Winner: Miki Motono by Technical Submission (Armbar) at 4:18 of round one. She improves to 7-3-0.

 

49kg Bout – 2×5

Moeri Suda vs Hikaru Aono

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Minoru Toyonaga. Aono loses her balance during an early exchange and Suda takes her back in search of a rear-naked choke. Aono flips her off and Suda keeps her in butterfly guard, which Aono struggles to deal with. Suda tries for an armbar, but Aono defends and lands punches to the body. She again attempts to pass Suda’s guard, but Suda counters with an armbar. Aono defends, and Suda goes for another armbar and then a triangle choke. She punches Aono’s face while trapping her head between her legs, then switches back to one final armbar. This one is tight and referee Toyonaga intervenes to wave off the fight. Big win for Suda, who requests an atomweight title shot following the fight.

Winner: Moeri Suda by Technical Submission (Armbar) at 3:36 of round one. She improves to 5-2-0.

 

49kg Bout – 2×5

Yuko Kiryu vs Sadae “Manhoef” Numata

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Minoru Toyonaga. The fighters exchange jabs to gauge distance and Numata lands a straight right. She follows up with another one and Kiryu scores a brief takedown. Numata stands up and Kiryu takes her down again. Kiryu strikes with punches and hammerfists from Numata’s half-guard. She stands up, but Numata lands an upkick from her back and Kiryu loses her balance. That allows Numata to get to her feet and she sprawls out of a Kiryu double-leg takedown attempt. Numata takes Kiryu’s back and she works for a rear-naked choke until the bell.

Round 2:
Kiryu shoots in for a double-leg takedown and Numata sprawls. Kiryu takes her back in a standing position and Numata loses her balance. On the ground, Kiryu attempts a rear-naked choke, but Numata turns to her side and gets back to her feet. Kiryu takes her down and Numata counters with a triangle choke. Kiryu escapes and she strikes from top position until Numata battles back to a standing position. She counters a Kiryu takedown attempt with a solid knee to the body. Kiryu still tries to get her down, but Numata sprawls and winds up in a top-side crucifix position. She lands hammerfists to Kiryu’s face until the end of the fight. After the bell, Numata is warned for a fence grab from earlier in the round.

Judge Okada scores the fight 20-18 for Kiryu. Judge Hashimoto has it even at 19-19 and awards his Must Decision to Numata. Judge Fukuda sees it 20-18 for the winner by Split Decision, Kiryu.

Winner: Yuko Kiryu by Split Decision (20-18, 20-18, 19-19 [Must Decision: Numata]) after two 5:00 rounds. She improves to 11-8-0.

 

44.5kg Microweight Bout – 2×5

Mizuki Furuse vs Reina Kobayashi

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Naoya Uematsu. Furuse opens the fight with a left kick to the body and Kobayashi clinches in search of a takedown. Furuse defends and counters with a front neck lock. Kobayashi switches to a single-leg takedown attempt, but the fight returns to the feet and it is Furuse who scores a double-leg takedown. Kobayashi gives up her back and Furuse quickly locks on a rear-naked choke for the tapout win.

Winner: Mizuki Furuse by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:11 of round one. She improves to 8-9-0.

 

54kg Amateur Kickboxing Bout – 2×1.5

Saki Nakamura vs Rajina Bista

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Minoru Toyonaga. Bista lands an early left-right hook combo. Nakamura charges forward with a continuous flurry of punches, and she uses a left straight to set up a knee to the body. Bista backs up and Nakamura chases after her with more punches that land. She forces Bista back to the cage wall and lands punches until the end of the dominant round.

Round 2:
Bista tries to use her jab to stop Nakamura from moving forward, but Nakamura connects with straight lefts and rights. She resumes chasing after Bista and lands more combinations. A hard right knee to the body scores for Nakamura and referee Toyonaga steps in to wave off the fight just before the final bell.

Winner: Saki Nakamura by TKO (Knee To The Body) at 1:30 of round two.