November 23, 2017 – ROAD Fighting Championship announces two more women’s matches for Xiaomi ROAD FC 045 XX in Seoul, South Korea on December 23, 2017. They are two matches at Openweight: Yoshiko will face Kim Young-Ji and Destanie Yarbrough matches Begimzhan Kasymova.
Yoshiko vs Kim Young-Ji
As previously announced, outstanding women’s professional wrestler from Japan, Yoshiko (2-0, SEAdLINNNG), will be making her third appearance in an MMA bout in the ROAD FC cage.
Kim Young-Ji (0-2, Team J) will be her next opponent. Kim competed in judo throughout high school, and then grew her MMA skills in the ROAD FC amateur Central League while competing in kickboxing. She made her professional debut in Japan’s DEEP against the current phenom King Reina, and followed up with a Shooto match against Sarah McCann. Although Kim has yet to win in her pro career, she’s not daunted by her next opponent.
Yoshiko versus Kim Young-Ji will show a very powerful young wrestler versus an hungry new judoka with striking skills in what should be a fast and brutal fight.
Destanie Yarbrough vs Begimzhan Kasymova
Destanie Yarbrough (1-1, Buhawee Muay Thai USA/ Halo Jiu-Jitsu) is an American Football player with a martial arts background in boxing and Muay Thai. She won her first pro MMA fight in just 33 seconds, then faced Gabi Garcia in Rizin. With massive striking she damaged, but the decorated Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt was able to secure a submission win.
Begimzhan Kasymova (1-0, NO MAD) of Kyrgyzstan is a Master of Sports in sambo, a 3-time national armwrestling champion, and a 2-time national boxing champion. She began boxing as a teenager for fitness, and it soon became a way of life. Begimzhan’s interest in MMA grew, so she began studying and had her first professional match just 3 months ago, winning by TKO in just over a minute.
Destanie Yarbrough versus Begimzhan Kasymova features two tremendously powerful and aggressive strikers who are going to showcase the excitement that the future of the women’s openweight division holds.
Xiaomi ROAD FC 45 XX
Previously announced as the main event, world top ranked Ham Seo-Hee will make her first ROAD FC Atomweight title defense against world top challenger Jinh Yu Frey. Ham made history by winning the first ROAD FC Women’s Atomweight title by finishing DEEP champion Mina Kurobe in a thrilling battle. Jinh Yu Frey is the former Invicta FC Atomweight title challenger and now top-ranked in the world’s first all-female MMA promotion.
ROAD FC Atomweight Champion Ham Seo-Hee versus Jinh Yu Frey is the world’s most important match in the division today!
Plus, Lee Ye-Ji will make her final bout as a “High School Fighter” agains Japanese Araki Miki in what will be another exciting showdown to strengthen the women’s atomweight division in Asia.
And two former contestants in the $1 Million Lightweight Tournament are set to meet: Nandin-Erdene versus Rafael Fiziev is a pairing of two brilliant strikers who know how to entertain – and finish fights in devastating fashion.
New Wave MMA ROAD FC is the stage where legends shine, rookies thrill, and epic battles are waged that determine the future of MMA. From the pageantry of the grand entrance to the final crunch of the KO, ROAD FC showcases the very best of Mixed Martial Arts sports and entertainment. As we say in Korea, “Fighting!”
Xiaomi ROAD Fighting Championship 045
Saturday, December 23, 2017
Grand Hilton Convention Center
Seoul, South Korea
Women’s Atomweight Championship
Ham Seo-Hee vs Jinh Yu Frey
Women’s Openweight Match
Yoshiko vs Kim Young-Ji
Women’s Atomweight Match
Lee Ye-Ji vs Araki Miki
Women’s Openweight Match
Destanie Yarbrough vs Begimzhan Kasymova
Young Guns 38
Lightweight Match
Nandin-Erdene vs Rafael Fiziev