Ayaka Hamasaki Outpoints Jinh Yu Frey, Retains Atomweight Crown at Rizin 16

Ayaka Hamasaki dominates in the third to defend her RIZIN Super Atomweight Championship vs. Jinh Yu Frey. #RIZIN16 pic.twitter.com/CG7IICzoSK

— Mike Skytte (@MikeLovesTacosX) June 2, 2019

Score another one for Rizin Fighting Federation in cross-promotional champion vs. champion superfights.

Ayaka Hamasaki retained her atomweight crown with a unanimous decision victory over reigning Invicta Fighting Championships titlist Jinh Yu Frey in the featured MMA bout of Rizin 16 at World Memorial Hall in Kobe, Japan, on Sunday. The bout was a rematch of a September 2016 matchup under the Invicta FC banner, which Hamasaki won due to doctor stoppage in the second round. Frey’s belt was not on the line at Rizin 16.

After two competitive frames, Hamasaki put her stamp on the fight with a dominant final stanza to get the nod from the judges. The 37-year-old Tokyo native ended the contest dropping elbows from side control against her opponent.

Hamasaki has now won four consecutive fights under the Rizin banner after falling to Livinha Souza via first-round knockout in a strawweight contest at Invicta FC 22. Frey, meanwhile, had a two-bout winning streak snapped.

Rizin last held cross-promotional bout on New Year’s Eve, when Kyoji Horiguchi claimed the bantamweight strap with a submission of Bellator champ Darrion Caldwell. Horiguchi and Caldwell will rematch at Bellator 222 on June 14 with Caldwell’s title on the line.

In the evening’s official main event, Tensin Nasukawa captured the ISKA featherweight championship with a victory over Martin Blanco in a kickboxing bout. A knee to the body brought an end to the contest in the second frame, improving Nasukawa’s kickboxing record to 32-0.

pic.twitter.com/jKbVbHCgn4

— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) June 2, 2019

There were some other highlight-reel finishes on the Rizin 16 bill. In a 130-pound bout, Takaki Soya put Namiki Kawahara to sleep with a counter right hand in the opening stanza before following up with soccer kicks to the body on his fallen opponent at the 4:02 mark of the period.

Shooto vet Takaki Soya is back and he just scored a KOTY contender vs. Namiki Kawahara. Jeeeesus. #RIZIN16 pic.twitter.com/kf0naYjwNm

— Mike Skytte (@MikeLovesTacosX) June 2, 2019

Elsewhere, Erson Yamamoto crushed Tim Eschtruth with a vicious standing elbow to earn a knockout victory in the first round of their bantamweight clash.

DAAAAMN. Erson Yamamoto crushes Tim Eschtruth with a nasty hellbow #RIZIN16 pic.twitter.com/OAEW73Sh0t

— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) June 2, 2019

In other action: 44-year-old Miyuu Yamamoto upset Kanna Asakura, taking a unanimous verdict in their atomweight clash; Jake Heun captured a split decision over Roque Martinez at heavyweight; Yusaku Nakamura outpointed "Topnoi Tiger Muay Thai" Thanongsaklek Chuwattana at 130 pounds; Tofiq Musayev won via unanimous decision against Daron Cruickshank at lightweight and Mamoru Uoi stopped Kana Hyatt via technical knockout at the 4:32 mark of round three at bantamweight.