Last month, you may have raised your eyebrows at a 12-year-old girl by the name of MoMo being booked for her MMA debut against 24-year-old Momoko Yamazaki at Japanese MMA event, DEEP JEWELS 16 in Tokyo. As it turns out, not only did she win, she did so in quick fashion--winning by rear-naked-choke at 2:59 of the first round.

Held at Shinjuku FACE in Tokyo, DEEP JEWELS 16 saw a women's MMA bout built with buzz and controversy because of the 12 year age difference between fighters. However, MoMo's camp cites the difference in preparation for the fight as being the most important contrast, telling WMMA Rankings that MoMo has trained out of Hakushinkai Karate (known for producing high level fighters and even victorious teens) three hours a day since Kindergarten with over 100 amateur fights under her belt. Yamazaki, on the other hand, apparently does not train so much as she works at a hostess bar, despite having somewhat of a Cinderella story of overcoming bullying by turning to fighting.

Rules of the fight were adjusted with knowledge of the age difference in mind--both fighters wore headgear and not permitted to strike the head while on the ground. Still, MoMo was able to take Yamazaki's back and finish her off with a rear-naked-choke, as you can see below.


By - grape Japan editorial staff.