A second women’s super atomweight matchup has been added to the Rizin Fighting Federation 35 card on April 17th in Chofu, Tokyo, Japan. Former title challenger Kanna Asakura looks to halt a two-fight losing skid when she welcomes Shooto champion Satomi “Sarami” Takano to the promotion.
Rizin FF officials announced the 49kg bout today. Asakura is coming off of an upset loss to Deep Jewels Atomweight Champion Saori Oshima at Rizin FF 31 in October. Takano brings a three-fight winning streak into her Rizin FF debut and captured the 110-pound Shooto women’s title in November.
Asakura (18-6-0) won the Rizin FF Women’s Super Atomweight Grand Prix at the end of 2017 and she challenged Ayaka Hamasaki in a super atomweight title match one year later at Rizin FF 14, which Hamasaki won via second-round armbar. Asakura rebounded with wins in five of her next six fights to set up a title rematch in March 2021. She put forth a strong showing in the fight, but ultimately dropped a narrow Split Decision to the champion. Asakura returned at Rizin FF 31 in October, but suffered another Split Decision loss in her bout with Oshima, which has since become the most-watched women’s fight in Rizin FF history with nearly 4.4 million views on the promotion’s YouTube channel.
Takano (16-12-0) is also no stranger to adversity in title fights, as she twice challenged unsuccessfully for the Deep Jewels Atomweight Championship in May 2015 and March 2018. After the second title loss, against Mina Kurobe in a rematch at Deep Jewels 19, Takano fought twice more under the Deep banner before going 1-1 during a two-fight stint for ONE Championship. She won her Shooto debut in November 2020, then scored another stoppage victory for the promotion this past July. That set up a third bout between Takano and champ Kurobe, who had bested her twice before. Takano finally got her revenge, winning a Unanimous Decision to become Shooto Women’s Super Atomweight Champion.
Both Asakura and Takano are skilled grapplers who have also made significant improvements to their striking in recent years. An Asakura victory would get her back on track in Rizin’s competitive super atomweight division, while Takano could potentially earn herself a title eliminator bout – or even a future title shot – if she can defeat Asakura.
Rizin Fighting Federation 35 takes place on April 17th at Musashino Forest Sport Plaza in Chofu, Tokyo, Japan. The event also features a Rizin FF Women’s Super Atomweight Championship rematch between Ayaka Hamasaki and Seika Izawa.
(Photo Credit: Deep Jewels)