Rizin FF Women’s Super Atomweight Champion Seika Izawa needed just 64 seconds to retain her title tonight at Rizin Fighting Federation: “Super Rizin 2” in Saitama, Japan. Izawa finished challenger Claire Lopez with a tight ninja choke in one of her most impressive performances thus far.

Izawa, whose previous appearance for Rizin ended in a contentious Split Decision victory over Si Woo Park on New Year’s Eve, was back to her dominant self tonight. The undefeated 25-year-old has now secured finishes in four of her six Rizin FF wins, with tonight’s being her quickest to date.

After an early exchange of leg kicks, Izawa (11-0-0) took Lopez (8-5-0) down and she avoided a Lopez kimura attempt in the process. Izawa trapped Lopez in a guillotine choke on the ground and she switched her grip to a ninja choke as the fighters stood up. Lopez had nowhere to go and hastily tapped out just before she was rendered unconscious and fell backward. The official time of the stoppage came at 1:04 of the opening round.

Izawa, who earned another first-round submission victory two months ago at Deep Jewels 41, remains atop the women’s super atomweight rankings after tonight’s lopsided title defence. She already has her sights set on making a quick return to the cage, as she discussed following her win tonight.

“I’m glad I got an early finish,” Izawa said backstage. “I expected her to punch hard, but she had nice kicks and my knee hurts. We opened my gym, which has made my training time longer and that has benefited me. I want to fight again ASAP. I would like to face Miyuu [Yamamoto] on New Year’s Eve, but I will also fight Saori [Oshima] if people would like that. I don’t know if this was the quickest Rizin title defence, but I’m happy about it.”

“It was too short,” a disappointed Lopez stated following her defeat. “I wanted a striking fight and I had planned to use calf kicks, but she tried for a takedown and I went to the ground, and that was my mistake. She took advantage of that. If Rizin would like me to come back, then I will be back, but I will take lessons from this and use them in my training.”

Seika Izawa backstage following her quick Super Rizin 2 victory.