is a Japanese mixed martial artist, currently fighting in the super atomweight division of Shooto, where she is the current Shooto Super Atomweight champion in her first reign. A professional competitor since 2020, Watanabe has also competed in Jewels and Pancrase.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

In her professional mixed martial arts debut, Watanabe was scheduled to face Akari Jinno at Deep Jewels 31 on December 19, 2020. She won the bout by a first-round technical knockout.

Ayaka Watanabe

Watanabe faced Emi Fujino at Pancrase 28th Neo-Blood Tournament Finals on October 9, 2022, having been brought in to replace Song Hye Yun. She lost the fight via unanimous decision.

Ayaka Watanabe

Shooto

In her Shooto debut, Watanabe faced Mina Kurobe on January 15, 2023, at Shooto 2023 Opening Round. She won the bout by knockout in the second round.

Ayaka Watanabe

Watanabe faced defending Shooto Super Atomweight champion Satomi Takano, at Shooto Colors 1 on May 21, 2023. She won the fight by a second-round technical knockout to win the title.

Watanabe faced Machi Fukuda at Rizin Landmark 6 on October 1, 2023, losing the fight by split decision.

Championships and accomplishments

Shooto

Shooto Super Atomweight Championship (One time, current)

Mixed martial arts record

|-

|Loss

|align=center|3–2

|Machi Fukuda

|Decision (split) |Rizin Landmark 6 | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Nagoya, Japan | |- | Win | align=center|3–1 |Satomi Takano |TKO (head kick and punches) |Shooto Colors 1 | |align=center|2 |align=center|2:36 |Tokyo, Japan | |- | Win | align=center| 2–1 | Mina Kurobe | KO (punch) | Shooto 2023 Vol.1 | | align=center|2 | align=center|2:29 | Tokyo, Japan | |- | Loss | align=center| 1–1 | Emi Fujino |Decision (unanimous) |Pancrase – 28th Neo-Blood Tournament Finals | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Tokyo, Japan | |- | Win | align=center| 1–0 | Akari Jinno | TKO (referee stoppage) | Deep Jewels 31 | | align=center| 1 | align=center| 4:56 | Tokyo, Japan |

References

External links

1997 births

Living people

People from Toyokawa, Aichi

Japanese female mixed martial artists

Sportspeople from Aichi Prefecture

Atomweight mixed martial artists

21st-century Japanese women