Image: John Brannigan/Sherdog.com illustration
Women’s Atomweight
1. Ayaka Hamasaki (22-3) [1]
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. Hamasaki will return to face Emi Fujino in a non-title affair at Rizin 30.2. Kanna Asakura (18-5) [2]
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.3. Miyuu Yamamoto (6-5) [3]
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.4. Alesha Zappitella (9-2, 1 NC) [4]
Zappitella defended her atomweight crown with a highly-controversial split verdict over Jessica Correa Delboni at Invicta FC 44 on May 21. Though many observers saw the outcome differently, a win is still a win, and the Scorpion Fighting System product has now been victorious in six of her seven appearances within the all-female promotion. She’s expected to face Delboni in a rematch at a later date.5. Jessica Correa Delboni (11-3) [5]
Delboni rolled through Invicta FC’s atomweight tournament, earning one-round wins over Tabatha Ann Watkins and Marisa Messer-Belenchia before taking a three-round verdict against Lindsey VanZandt in the finals. That earns Delboni a rematch against reigning atomweight champion Alesha Zappitella, who defeated the Brazilian via controversial split decision in their first meeting at Invicta FC 44 on May 21.6. Ashley Cummins (7-6) [6]
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.7. Tomo Maesawa (14-11) [7]
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. 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.8. Mina Kurobe (16-5) [8]
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 2020.9. Saori Oshima (6-2) [9]
The 26-year-old Oshima has been busy since the beginning of 2020, winning six of her first eight professional outings while competing under the Shooto and Deep banners. Most recently, the Japanese fighter bested Si Woo Park and Hikaru Aono at Deep “Jewels 33” on June 20 to win the organization’s atomweight grand prix championship.10. Jillian DeCoursey (4-3) [10]
In her most recent bout, DeCoursey dropped a split-decision in a one-round fight against Linda Mihalec in the opening round of the promotion’s atomweight tournament at Invicta FC Series 4 on June 11. That bout won’t go down as an official loss for DeCoursey, who previously took a three-round verdict over Mihalec at Invicta FC 39 in February 2020. The 37-year-old Queens, N.Y., native is 3-2 during her Invicta tenure, with a notable loss to current 105-pound champion Alesha Zappitella in July 2018.Other Contenders: Si Woo Park, Ana Palacios, Hikaru Aono, Bo Hyun Park, Linda Mihalec.
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.