MMA history is rich with incredible action and talented individuals who have left their marks. The Defining Moment will provide in-depth looks at some of the sport’s greatest and most important junctures featuring the women who have paved paths to where they are today.
One round, one punch, lights out, and face down.
There was no reason to believe the rematch would go any differently than the first striker vs. grappler affair did. A redemptive concussive blow said otherwise, snapping a historic 23-fight unbeaten streak.
DEEP 25 Impact on Aug. 4, 2006, in Tokyo, Japan left a lasting impression, highlighting one of the biggest knockouts ever seen in a true pioneer clash between atomweight stars Satoko Shinashi and Hisae Watanabe. Five years after the promotion’s incarnation, the bout still stands as a pivotal moment for women in MMA history.
“Without a doubt, the second Shinashi vs. Watanabe 2,” DEEP Founder Shigeru Saeki responded when asked what DEEP’s biggest moment is. “It was a fight where both fighters hated each other and the build-up to the fight was amazing, and the fight itself was amazing, and the result was WOW. When was the last time a…
