Japanese Judoka Machi Fukuda Batters Seo Young Park with Ground-and-Pound TKO at RIZIN 50
03/30/2025 02:59 PM
Machi Fukuda (福田万智) showcased her skill set at RIZIN 50, defeating South Korea's Seo Young Park (박서영) via second-round TKO with ground-and-pound. The bout took place on March 30, 2025, at the Anabuki Arena in Kagawa, Japan, marking Fukuda's triumphant return to RIZIN after over a year.
Machi Fukuda 福田万智 Wins at RIZIN 50
The fight began with both fighters trading strikes in an evenly contested first round. Machi Fukuda, known for her judo background, opted to test her striking abilities against Park, demonstrating her willingness to try new areas of MMA. Despite the competitive exchanges, Machi Fukuda admitted post-fight that she felt her striking lacked fluidity and expressed a desire to refine her distance management further.
In the second round, Fukuda returned to her roots, utilizing her judo expertise to secure a decisive takedown. Once on the ground, Machi unleashed a barrage of knees, punches, and elbows that overwhelmed Park. The referee stepped in at 4:04 of the round to stop the fight, awarding Machi the TKO victory.
This win marks an important milestone for Machi, who has faced ups and downs in her career. The 21-year-old fighter debuted professionally in November 2022 under DEEP JEWELS and has since built a record of six wins and two losses. Her previous RIZIN appearance in October 2023 saw her claim a hard-fought split decision victory over Shooto Women's Super Atomweight Champion Ayaka Watanabe.
For Seo Young Park, this bout marked her debut on the RIZIN stage following an impressive run in Shooto's Infinity League tournament in 2024. Despite showing promise with improved grappling and striking, Park struggled against Fukuda's ground dominance.
Post-fight, Fukuda expressed gratitude for the victory but acknowledged areas for improvement. She also voiced aspirations for a RIZIN championship belt and hopes for more frequent appearances in the promotion. Her sights are set on facing stronger opponents to continue proving herself as one of Japan's rising MMA stars.
RIZIN 50 is free to watch at RIZIN TV.
