WPMF Women’s Mini Flyweight Champion Erika Kamimura and reigning J-Girls Mini Flyweight Champion Momi will meet for the newly-vacant RISE Queen title at RISE 95 on September 13th in Tokyo, Japan. The champion versus champion matchup was announced by the promotion this week.

Kamimura was first set to challenge champion Rena Kubota in a rematch for the RISE title, but Kubota vacated the belt as a result of her inability to defend the championship due to other commitments. Both Kamimura and Momi are coming off of stoppage victories at an M-Fight event in June.

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Fresh off of her victory at Invicta FC 6 this past weekend, Mizuki Inoue has signed on for this year’s Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup 53.5kg tournament on August 3rd in Yoyogi, Japan. The 2012 champion joins Ai Takahashi, Rio Kamikaze and Miyo Yoshida as the fourth tournament participant.

Inoue won the inaugural 53.5kg Girls S-Cup this past August by defeating Takahashi in a six-round war for the title. She has not lost a shoot boxing match since her pro debut in May 2010. Takahashi has won three straight fights since she suffered her second loss to Inoue in last year’s final.

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Five fights have been officially announced for the inaugural Deep Jewels event on August 31st in Tokyo, Japan. The all-female Deep Jewels 1 card features a 48kg featherweight title eliminator bout between Celine Haga, a winner of four straight fights, and fellow prospect Sadae “Manhoef” Numata.

In addition to today’s fight announcements, Deep Jewels also revealed its new management team and a revised set of rules. Unlike its predecessor, Jewels, which often restricted ground strikes, the Deep Jewels faction will permit ground and pound in all fights. Elbow strikes will remain outlawed.

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Seven participants have been named for the inaugural “Deep Jewels” event, which will take place on August 31st at Shinjuku FACE in Tokyo, Japan. Among those competing on the all-female card is former top Jewels star Mika “Future Princess” Nagano, who has won five of her past six bouts.

The event will feature a number of fighters who have transitioned from the Jewels roster. Prospects Sadae “Manhoef” Numata and Satomi Takano will both be in action, along with veterans Masako Yoshida and Yasuko “Pink Spider” Mogi. Matchups will be officially announced in the coming weeks.

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Japanese legend Megumi “Mega Megu” Fujii is set to retire from active competition following an illustrious MMA career spanning nine years. Fujii announced plans for her retirement during tonight’s Vale Tudo Japan 2nd event in Tokyo. She will compete one final time at VTJ 3rd in October.

In addition to her success inside the ring, Fujii has trained some of MMA’s top female fighters in Japan including past and present champions Hitomi “Girlfight Monster” Akano, Yasuko “Ikuko” Tamada and Ayaka Hamasaki. She inspired countless others to begin training and competing in MMA.

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South Korean striker Seo Hee Ham successfully retained her CMA/KPW women’s championship on Sunday night at Gladiator: “Dream, Power and Hope” in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. Ham submitted pro wrestling convert Ryo Mizunami with an armbar early in round one of their title bout.

In other MMA action on the card, standout wrestler Jade Marie Anderson posted another victory over MMA pioneer Megumi Yabushita in a rematch from Jewels: “22nd Ring” in December. Anderson dominated Yabushita on the mat and finished the fight with an armbar midway through round one.

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The second annual Shoot Boxing JKS48 high school girls’ tournament kicks off on Saturday night at Shoot Boxing 2013: Act.2 in Tokyo, Japan. 2012 JKS48 champion Mio Tsumura takes on one-time Jewels competitor Fuka Yoshino in one of two quarterfinal matchups announced on Thursday.

In a second quarterfinal bout, 2012 semi-finalist Yusa Tachi returns to action to face Yuuki Kira, who also took part in the inaugural 48kg tournament this past year. The winners of Saturday’s bouts will advance on to the next round in August, where the tournament champion must win twice in one night.

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Three-time Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Champion Rena Kubota makes her return to action on April 20th at Shoot Boxing 2013: Act.2 in Tokyo, Japan. Kubota is set to face Taiwanese boxing and Muay Thai champ Du Peiling in a 50-kilogram matchup. The bout was officially announced on Tuesday.

Kubota has not fought since she won the Girls S-Cup tournament for a third time this past August. In November, she had foot surgery to remove pins that had been inserted after she sustained a prior injury. Peiling, a decorated striker in her home country, makes her shoot boxing debut in the fight.

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