After struggles in 2025, Deep and Deep Jewels Microweight Champion Saori “Little Giant” Oshima seeks a fresh start this year when she competes on March 7th at Rizin Fighting Federation 52 in Tokyo, Japan. Oshima faces Keito “Kate Lotus” Oyama in a 49kg super atomweight bout on the card.
Officials announced the matchup during intermission at Rizin’s year-end event on Wednesday. Oshima fell to champ Seika Izawa in their Rizin title bout on November 3rd. Oyama hopes to propel herself into title contention by defeating Oshima and extending her current four-fight winning streak.
Oshima (15-7-0) has enjoyed highs and endured difficult lows during her past six fights dating back to the beginning of 2024. She improved to 4-0 under the Rizin banner by submitting Claire Lopez and then unified the Deep and Deep Jewels microweight titles with a decision victory against Aya Murakami. Oshima then made a very quick turnaround for her Invicta FC debut in June 2024 and sustained a decision loss. She took time away to recover from an injury and returned in May, where she was upset by Ye Ji Lee in an atomweight clash at Deep: “125 Impact.” Oshima’s lone win in 2025, a decision victory over Moeri Suda in their September rematch, was a big one, but she ended the year by coming up short in her Rizin title bid against Izawa.
Oyama (9-7-0) has been one of the most popular fighters in Japan dating back to her debut for Deep Jewels late in 2020. After first competing as a flyweight, Oyama gradually moved down until she reached her current home in the super atomweight division, and steady improvements during the past two years have led to a considerable amount of success. Oyama’s lone defeat in her past six fights came at “Super Rizin 3” in July 2024 when she was stopped by Rena Kubota, who went on to challenge for Rizin title gold earlier this week. Since then, Oyama has won four straight fights including two for Rizin. In November, she defeated Bo Mi Lee at Rizin’s “Landmark Vol. 12” event, and a victory over Oshima could potentially be enough to earn Oyama a Rizin title fight.
Rizin Fighting Federation 52 takes place on March 7th at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.