Watch: ONE Championship's Ayaka Miura and her effective Judo game in MMA

Ayaka Miura utilizes judo in MMA like no other. (Images courtesy of ONE Championship)
Ayaka Miura utilizes judo in MMA like no other. (Images courtesy of ONE Championship)

You don't want to be trapped under ONE Championship strawweight Ayaka 'Zombie' Miura's scarf-hold. From this position, the Japanese fighter ingeniusly uses one of Judo's "newaza" techniques to lock in an excruciating armlock.

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As it stands, Miura holds the record for most submissions in ONE's strawweight history, all by using her now-famous "Ayaka Lock." This is the closest you can get to someone having a "finisher" in MMA, ala professional wrestling.

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A "scarf-hold," called "kesa-gatame" in Japanese, is a hold used to pin someone from side control. It's one of the strongest, most crushing pins utilized in grappling. Third-degree judo blackbelt Miura takes her opponents down from the headlock position and then straight to her kesa-gatame. From there, 'Zombie' isolates their arm for her trademark submission.

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It's basically an Americana keylock using the legs. Miura's devastating submission hold has been her calling card inside the ONE Championship circle, and not a lot has been able to stop it.

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The Japanese fighter managed to take one clear path and come through with it without a hitch, despite her opponents knowing exactly where she's going. For some reason, they can't stop it from happening. The Judo specialist is one of the very few fighters today who could be considered as a "specialist." She is a rare breed indeed.

Watch her career highlights here:

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Ayaka Miura faces Dayane Souza at ONE Championship 156

After her failure to capture the strawweight belt against Xiong Jing Nan earlier this year, it's back on the drawing board for Ayaka Miura.

At ONE 156: Eersel vs. Sadikovic on April 22, Miura will be tasked to welcome Dayane 'Day Monster' Souza to the circle. The Brazilian is on a five-fight winning streak and is looking to make a memorable debut in ONE Championship.

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Not a lot is known about Souza other than the fact that she has a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu but prefers to strike in MMA. She has four wins by way of KO/TKO.

Souza has a penchant for swinging hard with powerful strikes which then makes her susceptible to falling in the clinch. Look for Miura to time one of Souza's wild swings to enter the clinch and bring her to the ground.

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Edited by Harvey Leonard
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