Just a couple of years ago it seemed like Deep Jewels was quickly aging out, as younger athletes were not very common. However, if next month’s event is any indication, Deep Jewels has a crop of young talent emerging. One of the more exciting prospects is Miki Motono. Training at AACC, Miki is at a gym with a long history of strong fighters, including Megumi Fujii, Hitomi Akano, and Ayaka Hamasaki.
Coming from a Judo background, she has often been compared to Hamasaki. While Hamasaki was runner-up at the All Japan Junior Judo Championships, Miki went to Tokai University, a Judo powerhouse that has produced numerous Olympic gold medalists. Rizin’s Kana Watanabe also went there. During her time there, Miki defeated 2010 World Champion Yuka Nishida at the Kodokan Cup.
After her Judo career ended, Miki went undefeated as an amatuer in MMA and made her professional debut in 2019. The 26 year old is now 4-1, including a win over Mika Nagano, and is set to fight for the Interim Strawweight Title. Deep Jewels has produced fighters who went on to fight for Invicta, Rizin, and the UFC, so it is safe to say that if Miki wins, she will be on track to follow in those fighters’ footsteps.
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