Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

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Women’s Atomweight

1. Seo Hee Ham (23-8) [1]

The third time proved to be a charm for Ham at Rizin 20, as she edged rival Ayaka Hamasaki via split decision to claim the Japanese promotion’s super atomweight crown. Ham has now won six consecutive bouts while competing in both Rizin and Road FC, where she also holds a title. Ham vacated the Rizin title to sign with One Championship, where she will compete in the Singapore-based organization’s atomweight (115-pound) grand prix.

2. Ayaka Hamasaki (22-3) [2]

It was much more closely contested than the first meeting, but Hamasaki still got the job done in her rematch with Kanna Asakura, retaining the atomweight crown with a split-decision triumph in the Rizin 27 main event. Even as she approaches 40 years old, Hamasaki remains one of the sport’s best, with eight victories in her last nine appearances under the Rizin banner.

3. Kanna Asakura (18-5) [4]

After falling to Ayaka Hamasaki via submission in December 2018, Asakura was much more competitive in the rematch, as she dropped a split decision to the reigning atomweight champion in the Rizin 27 headliner on March 21. Asakura had a four-bout winning streak snapped in defeat, and though losing a chance at championship gold is undoubtedly disappointing, at 23 years old the Paraestra Matsudo product clearly has time on her side..

4. Jinh Yu Frey (10-5) [3]

After falling to Kay Hansen and Konklak Suphisara in her first two Octagon appearances, Frey picked up a much-needed victory by outpointing Gloria de Paula at UFC Fight Night 187 on March 13. The former Invicta FC atomweight queen has struggled since transitioning to 115 pounds, but she was able to rely on takedowns and top control to take two of three rounds from her Brazilian opponent.

5. Miyuu Yamamoto (6-5) [5]

Yamamoto had a chance to claim atomweight gold at Rizin 26, but instead she wound of on the wrong end of a submission highlight reel, as she succumbed to a leg scissor choke from Ayaka Hamasaki on Dec. 31 at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama Japan. The 46-year-old Krazy Bee member has been finished in two of her last three Rizin appearances, though those losses have come to the atomweight division’s best — Hamasaki and Seo Hee Ham.

6. Alesha Zappitella (8-2, 1 NC) [6]

Zappitella weathered some early adversity to claim the vacant atomweight throne at Invicta Fighting Championships 42, as she imposed her will through her grappling to submit Ashley Cummins with a fourth-round shoulder choke in Kansas City on Sept. 17. The Scorpion Fighting System product has now won five of her six appearances within the all-female promotion.

7. Rena Kubota (11-3) [7]

Kubota won her third consecutive bout at Rizin 24, taking a unanimous verdict over Emi Tomimatsu in a strawweight affair at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, on Sept. 27. The Shoot Boxing champion is 10-2 when competing under the Japanese promotion’s banner, with both of her defeats coming at the hands of Kanna Asakura.

8. Ashley Cummins (7-6) [8]

For two rounds, Cummins appeared to be well on her way to securing atomweight gold at Invicta Fighting Championships 42, but she was unable to maintain that momentum, ultimately falling to Alesha Zappitella via shoulder choke in the fourth round of their headlining bout. It was the first submission loss of Cummins’ MMA career and the second time she has come up short in an Invicta FC championship fight.

9. Tomo Maesawa (14-11) [9]

Maesawa successfully defended the Deep Jewels championship she won in December 2018, as she submitted Hikaru Aono with a guillotine choke 57 seconds into the third round of their encounter at Deep-Jewels 30 on Oct. 31. With that victory, Maesawa rebounded from a submission loss to Ayaka Hamasaki at Rizin 22 in August. Maesawa is 5-3 since 2018 with losses to some of the best atomweight has to offer: Hamasaki, Seo Hee Ham and Kanna Asakura.

10. Mina Kurobe (16-5) [10]

Kurobe has rebounded from back-to-back losses to Ayaka Hamasaki and Tomo Maesawa in 2018 to post a four-bout winning streak — with three of those victories coming inside the distance. A former Deep-Jewels title holder and Shooto’s reigning atomweight queen, the 43-year-old Tokyo native is coming off a unanimous decision triumph against Megumi Sugimoto in August.

Other Contenders: Jessica Correa Delboni, Alyona Rassohyna, Kelly D’Angelo, Jillian DeCoursey, Si Woo Park.

Sherdog’s divisional and pound-for-pound rankings are compiled by a panel of Sherdog.com staff members and contributors: Tristen Critchfield, Mike Fridley, Brian Knapp, Ben Duffy, Jay Pettry, Edward Carbajal, Marcelo Alonso, Tudor Leonte, Keith Shillan, John Brannigan, Tyler Treese and Lev Pisarsky.