Yuki Motoya made quick work of Shoji Maruyama in the main event of DEEP 100 Impact, submitting the veteran with a rear naked choke late in the first round of their fight. The matchup headlined the 20th-anniversary event for DEEP Impact at the TDC Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
The quick performance from Motoya allowed him to showcase his efficiency with stand-up and grappling.
Motoya was able to get the fight to the ground in the second minute of action by scoring with a right hook that dropped Maruyama. After staying on Maruyama on the ground, Motoya eventually took his back and applied a rear naked choke that rendered him unconscious.
The fight saw Motoya return to the win column after suffering a submission loss to Naoki Inoue at RIZIN’s New Year’s Eve event. The former DEEP Bantamweight Champion had a three-fight win streak in 2020 that included two victories in the promotion.
Maruyama was attempting to return after suffering a loss to Kai Asakura at RIZIN 24 last year.
The bout between Motoya and Maruyama sat atop a card that included numerous household names in the regional Japanese promotion.
Ohara Scores Foot Stomp Stoppage Win Against Kitaoka
Juri Ohara had a brutal first-round victory in the co-main event, finishing Satoru Kitaoka late in the first round with strikes. Ohara utilized DEEP’s grounded kick rules in the finish, throwing soccer kicks and foot stomps before the bout was stopped.
After dropping Kitaoka with a left cross, Ohara delivered a foot stomp to the head that knocked him out, ending the fight.
The win continued Ohara’s recent momentum on the scene. He now has three consecutive victories to his name, including a September split decision against Yusuke Yachi in RIZIN.
Ohara has been a part of DEEP’s roster for over a decade now, having won 26 times at their shows.
Kitaoka’s recent troubles in competition continued with the loss. The 41-year-old veteran has now lost four of his last five fights, with last victory dating back to 2018.
Finger Injury To Gota Gives Abe Interim Belt
Daichi Abe earned the interim DEEP Welterweight Championship in unceremonious fashion, as his fight concluded after his opponent Let’s Gota suffered a hand injury.
The injury seeming came while Gota was defending himself from punches that Abe was throwing.
Abe, a former UFC and ONE Championship fighter, is now on a three-fight win streak in DEEP.
Fujita Shows Striking Skills In Interim Title Victory
Yamato Fujita picked apart the striking of Kazuki Shibuya, stopping him in the third round of their bout to become the new interim DEEP Flyweight Champion.
Fujita’s victory saw him damage the legs of Shibuya, knocking him down numerous times with kicks throughout the bout. The fight finished with Fujita knocking Shibuya down then landing a soccer kick to his head.
Fujita was given the title fight on Sunday after earning three consecutive wins from 2019 to 2020.
He stopped Shibuya’s strong 2020 momentum that saw him earn three wins.
Nakamura Overcomes Head Collisions, Scores Knee Knockout
A fight plagued with head collisions had an abrupt ending in the second round, as Daisuke Nakamura scored a knee knockout against Juntaru Ushiku.
The knee strike knockout connected only seconds after the fight had a break due to both fighters getting hurt by an accidental head strike.
The fight also saw a prolonged break during the first round as a head collision caused Nakamura to bleed from the nose.
Nakamura was one of the many staple names for DEEP Impact who made an appearance on the card. The win for Nakamura earned him his 12th promotional victory and started his 17th year as a pro.
Notable Wins Earlier In The Lineup
Kouya Kanda earned a decision win on the main card against experienced DEEP fighter DJ.Taiki. The mainly striking performance earned Kanda his seventh win for the promotion.
DEEP Jewels veteran Shizuka Sugiyama earned her 20th pro win on the main card, stopping Aoi Kuriyama with ground and pound. Sugiyama’s stoppage win was a milestone for the flyweight who has competed for over a decade.
The bout was Kuriyama’s fourth as a pro.
Hideki Sekine had a quick showing on the main card, catching Seigo with strikes less than 20 seconds into their fight. The heavyweight bout put Sekine back in the winners circle after a challenging 2020 where he lost two bouts via stoppage.
Full Results:
Bout 15: Yuki Motoya def. Shoji Maruyama via Submission, Rear Naked Choke (RD 1)
Bout 14: Juri Ohara def. Satoru Kitaoka via TKO, Strikes (RD 1)
Bout 13: Daichi Abe def. Let’s Gota via TKO, Injury (RD 1) (Interim DEEP Welterweight Championship)
Bout 12: Yamato Fujita def. Kazuki Shibuya via TKO, Strikes (Interim DEEP Flyweight Championship)
Bout 11: Daisuke Nakamura def. Juntaru Ushiku via TKO, Strikes (RD 1)
Bout 10: Kouya Kanda def. DJ.Taiki via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 9: Shizuka Sugiyama def. Aoi Kuriyama via TKO, Strikes (RD 1)
Bout 8: Hideki Sekine def. Seigo via TKO, Strikes (RD 1)
Bout 7: CORO def. Shuhei Higashi via Submission, Guillotine Choke (RD 1)
Bout 6: Shunsuke Miyabi def. Hiroya via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 5: Tomohiro Adaniya def. Takashi Matsuba via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 4: Sho Sekihara def. Rikiya via TKO, Strikes (RD 1)
Preliminary Card
Bout 3: Ayumu Yamamoto def. Ryuji Takashio via Submission, Armbar (RD 1)
Bout 2: Taisei Nishitani def. Yuto Inoue via Submission, Darce Choke (RD 2)
Bout 1: Rei Tsuruya def. Tatsuki Okano via TKO, Strikes (RD 2)
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