Rizin FF and Deep Jewels champ Seika Izawa added a third championship to her collection with a close and hard-fought Split Decision victory tonight at Rizin Fighting Federation 40 in Saitama, Japan. Izawa narrowly edged out rival Si Woo “Korean Queen Bee” Park in a closely-contested rematch.
Izawa, who previously won both the Rizin FF Women’s Super Atomweight Championship and the Deep Jewels Strawweight Championship, captured Rizin’s women’s super atomweight grand prix title with tonight’s win. Post-fight, she expressed an interest in facing Invicta FC ace Jillian DeCoursey.
Izawa (9-0-0) kicked at the inside of Park’s (9-5-0) lead leg in the opening seconds and then shot in for a takedown, but Park pushed her away and landed a nice left hand. She followed with a right hook and Izawa jumped on her back. Izawa trapped Park in a standing body triangle and punched the side of her head. Park maintained her balance in the corner and prevented Izawa from pulling her down to the mat. Izawa eventually let go of the body triangle, but she hopped on Park’s back once more and secured the body triangle again. Izawa punched and elbowed the sides of Park’s head until the bell.
Park landed a lunging right hook early in round two and she sprawled out of an Izawa takedown. Park held Izawa in a front choke and kneed her in the face until Izawa freed her neck. She could not get Park down and Park landed a knee, then held Izawa in a standing Brabo choke in the corner. Izawa tripped Park and landed a knee as Park rose to her feet against the corner post. The fighters were separated and Park landed a leg kick. Izawa shot in for another takedown attempt and the fighters clinched in the corner. They were separated once more and both landed punches in the final seconds.
Izawa tried to pull guard in the final round, but she was unsuccessful and Park stood over her. Izawa returned to her feet and shot in for a takedown, which Park sidestepped. Park took Izawa’s back on the ground and punched the side of her head. She continued to strike until Izawa got to her feet. Izawa jumped into a flying guillotine choke attempt and Park defended. She seemed to be in trouble at one point, but pulled her head out and then hurt Izawa with a stomp and hammerfists. Izawa recovered and attempted a leg submission, which Park spun out of. Park attempted a flying stomp before the bell.
Judge Matsumiya scored the close fight for Park. However, judges Kataoka and Toyoshima both sided with Izawa for a contentious Split Decision win. The 25-year-old remains unbeaten in her MMA career.
Seika Izawa backstage with her championships after Rizin FF 40 win.
“I’m relieved that I won the grand prix,” Izawa said backstage following her victory. “I didn’t have much damage this time. [Park] didn’t change much. She had good takedown defence before, but she has improved in that area now. I want to improve more. I cried after the fight because Park is determined and I felt that. My leg was tired after the first round’s back-take, but my hard training at K-Clann helped my stamina. I want to make my wedding with Coro [Kosuke Terashima] using my win money.
“I will fight Jillian DeCoursey if Rizin wants,” Izawa added. “I want people to acknowledge that I’m number one in the division.”
“I could not show what I trained today,” a disappointed Park said backstage. “I think that, under Rizin rules, I won, but a loss is a loss. Seika’s striking is getting better, and she took positioning well, but I did more damage and especially so in the third round.”