Image: John Brannigan/Sherdog.com illustration
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. After losing a pair of bouts to Hamasaki under the Jewels banner from 2010 to 2011, the South Korean threatened her opponent with a triangle, landed punishing elbows and bloodied her nose with sharp left hands in their trilogy meeting. Ham has now won six consecutive bouts while competing in both Rizin and Road FC, where she also holds a title.2. Ayaka Hamasaki (20-3) [2]
After falling to Seo Hee Ham in an atomweight title bout on New Year’s Eve, Hamasaki returned to form with a second-round submission of Tomo Maesawa in a strawweight contest at Rizin 22 on Aug. 9. The former Rizin and Invicta titlist has won six of seven bouts in the Japanese promotion and could be in line for another meeting with Ham down the road.3. Jinh Yu Frey (9-5) [3]
Frey’s second strawweight foray ended in disappointment at UFC on ESPN 16, as she dropped a unanimous verdict to Konklak Suphisara on Oct. 3. It’s been a rough year so far for the 35-year-old Frey, who was stripped of her Invicta FC strawweight title after failing to make weight prior to a victory over Ashley Cummins in February and lost her Octagon debut to Kay Hansen via armbar on June 27.4. Miyuu Yamamoto (6-4) [4]
Yamamoto returned to the win column at Rizin 20, as she earned a clear-cut unanimous decision triumph over Suwanan Boonsorn at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, on New Year’s Eve. The 45-year-old Krazy Bee representative bounced back from a second-round TKO loss to Seo Hee Ham at Rizin 19 and has won five of her last six appearances within the Japanese promotion.5. Kanna Asakura (17-4) [5]
Asakura was dominant at Rizin 22, scoring a technical knockout victory against Mizuki Furuse at the 1:35 mark of the opening round of their bout in Yokohama, Japan, on Aug. 9. The Paraestra Matsudo representative has put together a three-bout winning streak after dropping a surprise decision to Miyuu Yamamoto at Rizin 16 in June 2019.6. 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 unaimous 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. Viviane Pereira (14-3) [8]
After a three-fight losing streak against the likes of Tatiana Suarez, Xiaonan Yan and Mizuki Inoue prompted Pereira to exit the strawweight division, the 25-year-old Brazilian tested the waters at atomweight at Invicta FC 35. “Sucuri” was successful in the cage, taking a three-round verdict over Alesha Zappitella, but the scales were a different story, as she checked in at 106.7 pounds prior to the matchup. If she is to remain a fixture in the rankings, Pereira must prove she can make weight consistently.9. Ashley Cummins (7-6) [9]
For two rounds, Ashley 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.10. Tomo Maesawa (13-11) [10]
Maesawa had a rough outing against Ayaka Hamasaki at Rizin 22, as she was dropped in the first round before succumbing to a kimura at the 1:26 mark of Round 2. The 32-year-old Deep Jewels champion has struggled against top-flight competition at atomweight recently, falling to the likes of Hamasaki, Seo Hee Ham and Kanna Asakura. Maesawa will next face Hikaru Aono at Deep Jewels 30 on Oct. 31 in an atomweight title tilt.Other Contenders: Mina Kurobe, Jessica Correa Delboni, Alyona Rassohyna, Kelly D’Angelo, Alyse Anderson.
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.