Rena Kubota vs Si Woo Park Added To Rizin FF 33 On New Year's EveFresh off of her impressive stoppage victory this past month, Rena Kubota will make a quick return to action on New Year’s Eve at Rizin Fighting Federation 33 in Saitama, Japan. Kubota is scheduled to face off against Deep Jewels contender Si Woo Park in a featured 50kg bout on the card.

Rizin FF officials announced the matchup on Monday afternoon. Kubota has won four straight fights under the Rizin FF banner, including a second-round TKO of Miyuu Yamamoto at Rizin FF 32. Park, who holds a win over Deep and Deep Jewels double-champ Saori Oshima, makes her Rizin FF debut.

Kubota (12-3-0) had a tough fight on her hands on November 20th when she clashed with Yamamoto in a rematch from their first meeting in 2016, but her perseverance after a difficult opening round led to a perfectly-timed counter knee in round two that badly dazed Yamamoto and set up the finish of the fight. Prior to dispatching of Yamamoto, Kubota avenged a past loss when she stopped Lindsey VanZandt at Rizin FF 20, followed by a Unanimous Decision victory over 33-fight veteran Emi Tomimatsu at Rizin FF 24. While many of Kubota’s MMA opponents have been primarily known for their grappling skills, she will face a fellow striker in Park later this month.

Park (5-4-0) rebounded from decision defeats in her first two MMA bouts with three straight victories that included a decision win over the aforementioned Tomimatsu and a first-round stoppage victory over Deep Jewels title contender Hikaru Aono. Park followed that up with her biggest win to date, a three-round Unanimous Decision triumph over Oshima, in the pair’s first fight at Deep Jewels 31 one year ago. Park then ran her winning streak to five by defeating highly-touted prospect Mizuki “Nisse” Oshiro at Deep Jewels 32 before suffering losses to Oshima in a rematch and to Deep Jewels Strawwweight Champion Seika Izawa in a close fight at Deep: 104 Impact.”

Rizin Fighting Federation 33 takes place on December 31st at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The Kubota-Park matchup joins a previously announced 49kg non-title women’s bout between Ayaka Hamasaki and Seika Izawa on the card.

 

 

(Photo Credit: Rizin Fighting Federation)