WATCH: Ayaka Miura tacks fourth straight win, flaunts her grappling pedigree in bone-crushing submission of Ritu Phogat in Qatar

Ayaka Miura continued her climb in ONE Championship’s atomweight MMA division with a dominant performance, steamrolling the returning Ritu Phogat at ONE 171 last Thursday, Feb. 20.

Inside the stunning Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar, “Zombie” once again displayed her elite ground game, forcing Phogat to wave the white flag with a kneebar in the opening frame.

Watch the highlights of the matchup below:

The Japanese heroine leaned on her impeccable grappling right from the get-go, shooting for a double-leg takedown. Although Phogat managed to scramble free, it didn’t take long before she found herself again in the clutches of her determined opponent.

Miura took Phogat for a ride with a single-leg takedown. From there, she attacked her foe’s leg, eventually fastening a kneebar that drew the tap at the 2:24 mark of round one.

This victory extended Miura’s winning streak to four, including three at atomweight, to upgrade her overall record to 15-5.

Moreover, ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong rewarded Miura with a $50,000 performance bonus.

---

Ayaka Miura could be in pole position for a title shot

With momentum firmly on her side, Ayaka Miura could be closing in on a shot at the world title.

If granted the opportunity, it wouldn’t be her first championship bid — she previously challenged longtime strawweight MMA queen Xiong Jing Nan in January 2022 but fell short.

Since moving down to atomweight, Miura has revitalized her career. However, she may have to wait for her world title shot, as reigning world champion Stamp Fairtex is expected to unify the belts against interim world titleholder Denice Zamboanga.

Stamp is still recovering from a torn meniscus sustained last year, and with no official clearance for her return, Zamboanga may find herself defending the interim strap against Miura instead.

With the weight class in flux, Miura stands as a serious threat, ready to seize her moment when the opportunity arises.