OFFICIAL Strawweight MMA Rankings: February, 2020 - Update
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
As we reach the end of a fairly inactive month of international MMA, the scene mainly being dominated by:
a pair of Bellator: Contenders cards (my playful nickname for Scott Coker’s weak prospect-development-level Bellator cards akin to Strikeforce: Contenders)
an ACA card to determine the best LW/WW in Russia
overcast by a UFC card carrying at least one good fight piled on top of bland shit every week, with the exception of the Blachowicz-Anderson II UFN
and
the ONE card's most significant MMA matches being Yoshihiro Akiyama's sophomore appearance since leaving the UFC & Shannon Wiratchai and Honorio Banario's return to the featherweight division against one another (very entertaining matchup)
… now seems like the best time to highlight the Strawweight division.
While the biggest fight of the first quarter, Daichi Kitakata vs. Adam Antolin on Pancrase 313, will no longer be happening due to a hand injury to Kitakata, a new bout is set for Antolin as he faces Mitsuhisa Sunabe for the interim dehydrated-115-lb King of Pancrase in April.
By then, the world's new top strawweight, Jarred Brooks, may have decided his next move, potentially jeopardizing his long-term stability as the top SW in the world and finally paving the way for Joshua Pacio, who ended January completing the second defense of his ONE Championship hydrated-125-lb belt in far weaker fashion than it was regained- and defended in over 2019.
Also, given that arguably the best Flyweight in the world will be decided at the end of the month when Joseph Benavidez and Deiveson Figureido fight for the vacant UFC FLW crown, and the other arguable best FLW in the world Demetrious Johnson has his ONE title-shot officially scheduled for April in Jakarta against Adriano Moraes, fans of low-weight combat sports who wonder how the division immediately beneath FLW looks will have their thirst for knowledge quenched.
Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks’ ground ‘n pound against Deiveson
Jarred Brooks is the best Matt Hughes wrestling-impressionist competing today
The controversial standup that cost Jarred the narrow decision against Figureido
#1: JARRED “The Monkey God” BROOKS - 16-2 (1)
Jarred Brooks vs. Haruo Ochi I
Holding true to his nickname, Jarred Brooks showed off the monkey-like strength & wrestling prowess that he's built his career around when he out wrestled then-#1 SW Haruo Ochi to a UD in a 117-lb bout at Bellator's inaugural Japan card last December.
Jarred Brooks vs. Haruo Ochi II
After being up two rounds due to his relentless pressure, impressive takedowns and suplexes, and back control, Jarred tired in the 3rd and opted for a conservative approach to survive the fight, earning a 29-28 UD and an uncontroversial status as the world's best SW.
Jarred Brooks vs. Junji “Sarumaru” Ito
Jarred is 3-0 (1) in the division and there are only a handful of strawweights with the styles to have a chance against him.
Jarred Brooks vs. Jun Nakamura
Brooks showing a strong start against 7-0 Jun Nakamura
Jared's status as the best strawweight may be short lived, however, as he said the cut to 117 was the toughest weight management of his entire career and he's looking for big fights at FLW next, and to hopefully become a two-division RIZIN champ in the future.
Brooks’ impression of fellow American midwesterner Matt Hughes
An opponent that would cement his SW status for a while, however, would be former-top-5 Hayato Suzuki, who's returning from a 16-month layoff on March 1st and is looking to fight the best strawweights available in Pancrase, DEEP & RIZIN.
Hayato Suzuki’s lightning-fast takedowns
Hayato Suzuki vs. Joshua Pacio
It’s worth noting, there are strawweight fighters active in Brazil that are completely untapped & available for RIZIN to take, offering Jarred a lot of quality competition. Including dehydrated-120-lb Shooto Brazil champ Gilberto “Cangaceiro” Dias, interim champ Yan Teixeira, or contenders Doglas Cunha, Marcus “Marcote” Amaral (a former top-15 SW), Jhonata Silva (former Shooto Brazil 115-lb champ), and Wellington Souza (or, as I like to call him, due to his love of stomps & soccer kicks, the strawweight Mauricio “Shogun” Rua).
Gilberto “Cangaceiro” Dias vs. Lincoln De Sa II
Doglas Cunha vs. Marcus Amaral
Marcus Amaral getting a submission
It’s not a popular idea for RIZIN compared to the various things that are being thrown around in the community [Jimmy Smith & Sean Wheelock on the commentary team, a featherweight Grand Prix and more Russian fighters, various UFC fighters they could expensively poach], but as long as the ratio of Exciting Fighters/Exciting Matchups/Elite Skills/Worthwhile Accomplishments/Marketability remains stable:
A RIZIN Strawweight Grand Prix is one of the most
effective
feasible
Entertaining
and, most importantly
Cost-Effective
… strategies for RIZIN's 2020 success and beyond.
When the tournment is filled with available men like RIZIN vets like Mitsuhisa Sunabe, Jarred Brooks, and Haruo Ochi, combined with the available, cheap Brazilian SWs, high-level SW free agent Hayato Suzuki, and the various contenders floating around the reefs of Shooto, DEEP, ZST (pronounced “zest”), Pancrase, and other Japanese & Chinese promotions waiting for their big shot, it becomes even more feasible.
Especially considering RIZIN’s supposed-future-approach built on a greater investment of local talent & marketability (meaning more low-weight Japanese fighters)— hence releasing fighters like champs Jiri Prochazka & Tofiq Musaev, and the large abandonment of their English-speaking audience.
If that’s true, it means another Bantamweight Grand Prix is likely on the horizon, and Featherweight & Flyweight tournaments are likely to follow.
So why not do Strawweight while they’re at it, especially with all the available fighters like mini-Shogun? It would be better to do it now before ONE poaches them all…
#2: JOSHUA PACIO - 19-3
Joshua Pacio vs. Yosuke “Ninja” Saruta II
In what will easily go down as the least-impressive performance-in-victory of Joshua's career, Pacio walked away with a contentious split decision victory over former ONE champ & 9th-ranked SW Alex Silva.
Although he landed the harder shots and combos, Alex by far had much more top-control, advanced position in every round, secured creative takedowns and attempted several close submissions, and even held his own on the feet.
Joshua Pacio vs. Rene Catalan
Pacio's massive muscles— particularly his quadriceps— led to a size difference that benefited the Filipino against the first Brazilian foe of his career. Between that allowing his few strikes to pop more & overpower Silva's grappling in key moments, and ONE's damage-first scoring (and their judges' love of Team Lakay), Joshua walked away the victor, and with a new-record two defenses of his ONE hydrated-125-lb title.
Unfortunately, Pacio's unspectacular performance compared to Brooks’ powerful wrestling domination against Haruo Ochi prevents Joshua from rising to the #1 spot.
If Pacio completes the 3rd defense of his ONE title in a row, regardless of performance, I will finally honor him his nickname “The Passion".
Joshua Pacio vs. Pongsiri Mitsatit
#3: HARUO OCHI - 19-8-2 (1)
No longer the world's top SW, a status-symbol he lost in his 29-28 UD loss to Jarred Brooks, Ochi's next move is to either prepare for his 3rd RIZIN bout (he's technically undefeated in the promotion at 1-0 (1), with the Brooks loss taking place in Bellator) or make the 3rd defense of his DEEP title.
Ochi showing off his counter-boxing against Yuya Shibata in his 1st DEEP defense
Although Ochi came on strong & tactful against the tiring Brooks in the 3rd and showcased the unique hooks-and-flying-knees counterstriking style he's developed, it was far from enough to escape the judges' ruling.
While there are no clear-cut contenders in the DEEP SW division that I'm aware of, Ochi's last DEEP fight against Namiki Kawahara shows how dangerous the unheralded SW prospects are in Japan's premiere physical-conditioning-and-athleticism-based MMA promotion (DEEP fighters’ focus on conditioning, muscle building & weight-cutting, similar to the UFC & American circuit in general, is what sets it apart from most JMMA promotions).
Haruo Ochi vs. Namiki Kawahara
Prior to the fight against Brooks, Ochi went 7-1 (1) in the SW division, avenging his loss to Kanta Sato & defeating notable fighters like Rambo Suzuki, Yuya Shibata (both Shooto Rookie champs), and Mitsuhisa Sunabe, the last of which earned Ochi his #1 ranking. The Sunabe KO remains one of the most impressive KOs in SW history.
Haruo Ochi vs. Mitsuhisa Sunabe
An interesting thing that Jarred Brooks said on twitter was that Ochi may have been the greatest athlete he'd ever fought. A flattering compliment given Brooks went toe-to-toe with the UFC's 2nd-favorite FLW & title-contender Deiveson Figureido.
#4: YOSUKE “Ninja” SARUTA - 20-9-3
Saruta dropping Pacio in the opening round of their rematch
The Kenji Osawa pupil & strongest SW in the world hasn’t had much news since his dominant ground ‘n pound knockout victory over King of Pancrase Daichi Kitakata.
Starting out 2019 as the ONE SW champ with an undefeated record in the division after beating Pacio, he lost his title in brutal fashion in his next fight-- a rematch with Pacio. However, he rebounded from the 1st defeat of his SW career in spectacular fashion, ending 2019 with a one-sided wrestlefucking of fellow Japanese champ Daichi Kitakata. Securing a unique merit badge as the physically-strongest fighter in the division in the process.
Yosuke Saruta vs. Daichi Kitakata
A rubber match with Pacio could be on the line next for Saruta, but he's also interested in a fight with fellow former-Shooto & ONE champ Nobita Naito.
Nobita showing his chain-wrestling against then-#1 SW Shinya Murofushi
Saruta was in an interesting video a few months ago where he grappled against a 6'4, 400-lb black guy named Big Jim at Kenji Osawa's HEARTS gym.
While it’s not the most popular matchup, another potential fight is a rematch with SW Ranking re-entrant Junji Sarumaru, who gave Saruta the only other blemish on his SW record in the form of a 2017 draw.
#5: DAICHI KITAKATA - 20-9-1 (2)
Daichi Kitakata vs. Mitsuhisa Sunabe II
Kitakata's luck hasn't been great since his knockout win over Mitsuhisa Sunabe, as he got KO'd by then-Shooto champ Yosuke Saruta in the 2nd round last October & injured his hand one month away from his first fight of 2020.
Daichi Kitakata vs. Tatsuya So
When it heals, he has a great contender lined up in either Tachi Palace FLW champ & then-King of Pancrase Adam Antolin, or a rubber match with then-4-time King of Pancrase Mitsuhisa Sunabe.
Adam Antolin vs. Hiroaki Ijima
Pancrase promoters will be thrilled with the final matchup in either case, and Kitakata will have a supreme foe lined up for his comeback.
Daichi Kitakata vs. Daniel Lima
#6: MITSUHISA SUNABE - 29-9-4
Mitsuhisa Sunabe vs. Daichi Kitakata I
The Superhero of Pancrase (since Yuki Kondo has become an old man) returned to save the day again, when he swept in at the perfect moment to offer #1 Pancrase contender Adam Antolin a worthy-enough opponent to make Antolin's promised title-fight a continued reality.
Adam Antolin vs. Teppei Meiyama
Interestingly, Antolin is the first American that Sunabe’s fought since 2006 when he defeated the 3-0 “Submission Magician” Russ Miura in a Pancrase featherweight matchup (at the time, featherweight was the lightest division in Pancrase).
The main-event of Pancrase 314 in April, Sunabe has a supreme opportunity to return to the form everyone associated him with during his legendary 2011-2018 run, when he challenges Adam for the Interim Strawweight King of Pancrase, while Daichi's hand heals.
Sunabe attempting a guillotine on Daichi in the rematch
Although Mitsuhisa's knockout losses in RIZIN between 2017 & 2018, and his losing-rematch to Kitakata cast many doubts, it's worth noting that there are far worse fates a SW in MMA can suffer than losing against world-class kickboxers in kickboxing, and against athletic cannonballs like Haruo Ochi & Daichi Kitakata. And when referring to one of the most well-rounded & skilled athletes in JMMA like Sunabe, it takes more than losing against some of the most underrated pound-for-pound fighters on the planet in the SW top-5 to derail him.
Sunabe defending his 120-lb King of Pancrase belt in 2013 against Noboru Tahara
While the cut to 115 affects his durability, at 120-lbs.— his ideal weight class— Sunabe even into his 40s is one of the most physically devastating pound-for-pound threats on the planet, and a 120-lb fight against Jarred Brooks in RIZIN would be an engaging matchup for the musclebound American regardless of how Sunabe’s current Pancrase endeavor ends
#7: RENE CATALAN - 6-3 (1)
Catalan's attempt to dethrone Joshua Pacio didn't end well, as a series of admirable-but-not-near-completion chain of leglocks in the 1st round were succeeded in the 2nd by unsuccessfully defending a Pacio arm-triangle choke & tapping out.
The fact that Rene's other losses have been to ONE hydrated-125-lb champs Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke & Alex Silva— the latter of whom gave Pacio a much-tougher fight than Rene was able to offer— is sure to bring up complicated emotions.
Rene Catalan vs. Adrian Matheis
Thus, Rene ended 2019 on a modest 1-1 stretch, though the win was over then-top-3 SW and former ONE & Shooto champ Nobita Naito. The one-round walloping was a massive upset.
Rene Catalan vs. Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito
The Catalan Fighting Systems Team has managed to become a lethal low-weight fighting force in the athletic family's native Philippines. With Wushu World Champ Rene's successes against the elites of the SW division and brother Robin Catalan's respectable stretch of victories, including his highlight-reel head-kick KO of Pan-Am Wrestling Medalist Gustavo Balart, the gym has received excellent advertising.
#8: YOSHITAKA “Nobita” NAITO - 15-3
The former ONE champ walked out of 2019 on a two-fight winning streak against elite foes Alex Silva and Pongsiri Mitsatit, the latter fight a much more aggressive showing from Naito. Silva's performance against Yoshitaka's former opponent Joshua Pacio only heightens the quality of Nobita's 2018 & 2019 victories over the Brazilian.
Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito vs. Shinya Murofushi
Yoshitaka's next fight could be a rubber match with Joshua Pacio or a matchup of Shooto champions against Yosuke Saruta. Other intriguing matchups in ONE for Nobita include strawweight rankers Jeremy Miado, Lito Adiwang and Bokang Masunyane.
Intriguing fights outside the top-20 include Hexi Getu [who would be the 1st Chinese foe of Nobita's career, assuming Getu remains unaffected by the Corona Virus— the Singapore embargo of Chinese citizens due to the virus resulting in the cancellation of his Feb. 28th fight with Adrian Matheis], a rematch with Dejdamrong, or, my personal favorite, former tormentor Rene Catalan's younger brother, Robin.
Robin Catalan vs. Gustavo Balart
With the number of Shooto, Pancrase and American strawweights looking to fight in ONE, the options for Nobita only increase with each passing week. Including Dez Moore (4-0 at dehydrated-115), who recently announced he plans to return to strawweight.
#9: ALEX “Little Rock” SILVA - 9-5
Silva’s 2019 armbar from back control on Stefer Rahardian
Alex Silva walked away the loser in a classic example of ONE favoritism of Team Lakay fighters over EVOLVE MMA. However, his performance in defeat was as admirable as they come, as Little Rock kept the striking largely even with the Filipino MMA champ & spent the majority of the fight firmly controlling & advancing position on Pacio after firmly taking him down in 4 of the 5 rounds, taking Pacio’s back multiple times. Thus, Silva failed to regain the title he once earned with a unanimous decision over Nobita Naito in December, 2017.
Controversial decision aside, Little Rock (assuming he doesn’t lose a bunch of fights) secured his status as a top-10 figure for a long time to come based on the strength of his performance, further revealing the threats he offers opponents beyond the ability to catch armbars.
Alex “Little Rock” Silva vs. Rene Catalan
Silva’s armbar over Hayato Suzuki
A few fights I’d like to see Silva— the #1 Brazilian in the division— in are against some of the untapped SW talent in Brazil, like #2 Brazilian Gilberto Dias or #3 Yan Teixeira. Another (though unlikely) match that would be great to see Silva in: rubbery submission specialist “Show” Nishida, who excels at armbars from back control much like Little Rock.
“Show” Nishida vs. Shogo Higuchi
#10: KOHA “Hiroba” MINOWA - 10-2
Hiroba’s pro debut
The newly-crowned Shooto world champion, who won his belt at the end of January, watched the fight between former tormentor Tomoharu Unezawa & Koyuru Tanoue on Feb. 16th very closely, as Umezawa remains one of only two men to defeat Hiroba. The other being #4 Yosuke Saruta.
With the 18-year-old Tanoue KO'ing Tomoharu, a chance for Minowa to avenge his loss is no longer on the horizon.
Koha won his Shooto belt with a 3rd victory over Yohei Komaki, this time a 2nd-round submission.
Koha “Hiroba” Minowa vs. “Show” Nishida
Jo Arai vs. Tomoharu Umezawa I
“Show” Nishida vs. Maiki Saki Tsumura
Jo Arai & Tomoharu Umezawa II
Sho Nishida submitting 2015 Shooto rookie champ Takuma Kimura with his favorite move (the cameraman moved when Nishida set up the sub…)
Minowa holds a 100% finishing rate with 8 submissions. He turns 21 in July.
Koha “Hiroba” Minowa vs. Yohei Komaki I
CONTENDERS
JEREMY “The Jaguar” MIADO - 9-4
“The Jaguar" ended 2020 on the highest note imaginable for a SW prospect/contender, as he scored the most impressive KO of his career with a 1st-round flying knee of then-10th-ranked Miao LiTao.
The maneuver was sure to land him in the best possible graces a fighter not training out of EVOLVE, AMC Pankration or Team Lakay can receive from the collective hands of ONE execs Matt Hume, Chatri Sityodtong & Victor Cui.
Prior to this, Miado lost his rematch to Dejdamrong via 2nd-round submission, whereas the 1st fight ended with the now-2nd-most-devastating knockout victory of Miado's hot-and-cold career.
A fight between Miado & Lito Adiwang to determine the next title-contender would be the most exciting SW fight ONE could put on at the moment, though Adiwang’s friendship with champ Pacio could complicate things.
Jeremy Miado vs. Miao LiTao
Jeremy Miado vs. Peng XueWen
Jeremy Miado vs. Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke I
RYOSUKE HONDA - 5-1-1
Honda came out of 2019 as the most impressive SW to compete on the Shooto roster, earning wins over fellow rookie champs Shuto Aki & Ryohei Kurosawa. He also beat Takamasa Kiuchi in his 3rd pro fight.
The fact that “Ken Asuka" was a highly-rated former Shooto champion at the time, on a two-fight tear since returning to the sport, adds far more value to Honda's split decision triumph.
The next step for the 5-1 prodigy could be a title-fight with Hiroba Minowa.
Honda winning the 2018 Shooto FLW rookie championship
BOKANG MASUNYANE - 7-0
Bokang's SW debut couldn't have gone better, unless it included a finish. Handing Ryuto Sawada his 1st loss in ONE, Bokang displayed his horrifying athleticism in the wrestling clinch and dominated Ryuto from bell to bell based solely on Bokang's strength, cardio & wrestling.
Considering Ryuto's professional successes came from his own power and wrestling, this is a statement.
Whether he will actually do this is unrelated, but Bokang is probably the only fighter in the division who's capable of mirroring a Khabib Nurmagomedov-type wrestling domination over the SWs.
Bokang’s performance was very similar to Clay Guida’s against Kawajiri
Ryuto’s kickboxing advantage against Bokang
TATEO IINO - 14-6-1
The HEARTS pupil and training partner of Yosuke Saruta is now on a 4-fight win streak since returning to MMA in 2018, after his 2016 submission loss to Takamasa Kiuchi.
Three of those wins took place in 2019, most notably avenging the loss to “The Skinny Zombie” last June in 2019's most entertaining SW bout.
While the 4th victory of that stretch, occurring last December, wasn't the result the grinder most likely wanted, Iino attacked late-replacement opponent Atsushi Makigaya's strengths (I don't think Makigaya does Anything but BJJ, not even wrestling), overcame an exhilarating near-armbar, and earned a UD victory.
Though Makigaya didn't have the legacy of original opponent Masatoshi Abe, the fact that Iino easily KD'd him in less than 30 seconds and refused to get an easy win by attacking his opponent's weakness deserves credit.
Iino’s return bout in 2018 at FLW against Ryusuke Ogawa
Iino pressing forward on Kiuchi
The end of the rematch with Kiuchi
LITO ADIWANG - 11-2
Adiwang did what he wished he could have done against Senzo Ikeda last October, and scored a 1st-round submission of dangerous Thai kickboxer Pongsiri Mitsatit. Adiwang's power radiating from his well-developed muscles built through countless hours running up and down the mountains of Baguio, were on full display against the Thai farmboy.
A fight between Adiwang and fellow top-15 Filipino SW Jeremy Miado to determine the next title-contender would arguably be the most exciting matchup ONE could put Adiwang in. However, if I had to put money on it & know Matt Hume’s matchmaking like I think I do, somebody like EVOLVE fighter Ryuto Sawada will be more likely.
Unfortunately, Adiwang's close relationship with champ Joshua Pacio may jeopardize the all-Filipino title-fight that could result from Lito's victory. I believe Lito said he wouldn't fight Pacio because they're like brothers at Team Lakay, but I can't find the quote so I may be mistaken.
In Adiwang's last 3 fights, he's defeated URCC champ & then-top-15 Anthony Do, defending FLW King of Pancrase Senzo Ikeda, and former-top-10 Team Quest Thailand fighter Pongsiri Mitsatit. He also scored highlight-reel & scary KOs in his OWS bouts preceding this.
Adiwang winning the 2019 SW Upset Of The Year— as few were not excited about this matchup & none were happy with the result
THE NEXT 5:
RYUTO “Dragon Boy” SAWADA - 12-5-1
Ryuto's 3-fight submission streak over foreign opponents was brought to an abrupt end by Bokang, as was Ryuto's undefeated ONE record. However, Ryuto showed the skills and talents in the fight that have kept him a ranked SW for years, maintaining his status as one of the greater threats a fighter can face in the lower weights.
A few intriguing opponents next for the EVOLVE instructor would be Pongsiri Mitsatit, Stefer Rahardian and Peng XueWen.
Peng XueWen rocking Alex Silva
Ryuto Sawada vs. Takamasa Kiuchi
JUNJI “Sarumaru” ITO - 17-8-2
Sarumaru started off 2020 in the right way with a UD win over Team Lakay fighter and one-time Filipino SW contender Jerome Wanawan, the first Pinoy of Ito's career.
With this, Junji is 3-0-1 in his last 4, which includes a win over Ryosuke Honda and a draw with Max Holloway training partner Michael Nakagawa.
While he’s never won a Shooto title, going back to his rookie days, he holds a 1-round knockout win over former Shooto champion Ryohei “Ken Asuka” Kurosawa.
Junji “Sarumaru” Ito vs. Ryohei “Ken Asuka” Kurosawa
Junji “Sarumaru” Ito vs. Kenichi Sawada
Sarumaru’s longtime Shooto wrestling experience showing itself against Yosuke Saruta
TATSUYA SO - 18-17-4
Tatsuya So kept his status as a top-value SW in the narrow top-20 with his highlight-reel KO of former ZST (pronounced “zest") champ Ryo Hatta.
A far improved version of himself since his 2018 loss to Anthony Do, Hatta won the first two rounds against So, but tired (as most do against Tatsuya) towards the end of the 2nd and succumbed to a string of combos from the Okinawan Karateka.
The fact that Hatta rebounded from these losses with a submission win over tough Cobra Kai fighter Mijikai Nagai this month, makes So's KO of Hatta all the more respectable.
The next match for the 3rd-best SW in Pancrase could either be a title-eliminator against a slough of fighters-- possibly Toshiya Takashima-- or a title-shot against the Antolin-Sunabe winner/Kitakata-Sunabe-Antolin winner.
Another interesting opponent is Anthony Do, who hasn’t competed since losing against Lito Adiwang in 2019.
Anthony Do vs. Ryo Hatta
Tatsuya So vs. Ryo Hatta
Tatsuya So vs. Hiroaki Ijima
MIAO LITAO - 6-2
The premiere strawweight to come out of China, LiTao's final fight of 2019 didn't go as planned as he received the most brutal SW KO of the entire decade.
LiTao's divisional career prior to this was marked by his own highlight-reel KO of Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke and a dominant win over Pongsiri Mitsatit.
With LiTao's power and wrestling background, he can very quickly regain the future-title-contender status he lost against Jeremy Miado.
An interesting fight to put LiTao in would be against another powerful wrestler: 4'11 Pan-American Games medalist Gustavo Balart.
The winner would be offer Bokang a significant challenge.
Gustavo Balart’s explosive power & wrestling
Miao LiTao winning a 2018 FLW bout that’s not on his record yet
Miao LiTao vs Dejdamrong Sor Amnuysirichoke
RYOHEI “Ken Asuka" KUROSAWA - 12-2
The 2016 Shooto world champion didn't get to close out 2019 on a three-fight tear since his return from a 30-month layoff. However, he fought top contender Ryosuke Honda to a narrow, entertaining split decision, showing he still has a lot of gas left in the tank.
His next fight is an all-action affair against “The Skinny Zombie" Takamasa Kiuchi on the March 29th Shooto card. Kiuchi's last match was a 1st-round KO of 4-0 Pancrase Neo-Blood champ Ryosuke Noda in September.
The most impressive victories of Ken Asuka’s career are his combined 4 wins over fellow rankers Tateo Iino and Ryuto Sawada.
Ken Asuka vs. Tateo Iino II
Ken Asuka vs. Ryuto Sawada II
Upcoming foe Takamasa Kiuchi scrapping with Tateo Iino in their rematch
Kiuchi dropping Iino in the rematch
“The Skinny Zombie” Takamasa Kiuchi vs. Ryosuke Noda
Ryosuke Noda winning the 2018 Neo-Blood tournament
To see how the rankings have been updated, check out/RT the previous edition of the rankings and follow @sw_mma to spread the word.
There’s literally NOBODY else in the English-speaking MMA journalism world who covers the SW division 1/20th as much as I do, which sickens me, so the word needs to be spread.