Ayaka Miura Says She Can Submit Tiffany Teo For The First Time
Ayaka Miura has looked unstoppable so far in ONE Championship, and if she can extend her winning streak at ONE: KING OF THE JUNGLE, a ONE Women’s Strawweight World Title shot will be hers.
The Japanese judoka has won all three of her bouts on the global stage by submission, and she will book a match-up against “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan with a win against Tiffany “No Chill” Teo at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday, 28 February.
Her upcoming contest against the Team Highlight Reel representative will arrive just a few weeks after her defeat of Maira Mazar at ONE: A NEW TOMORROW, but Miura had no hesitation about signing the contract to compete.
“I feel like everything has been going as usual with training. I fought in January, so I was already in good shape, and just kept things ticking along,” says the Tribe Tokyo MMA star.
“I felt excited when I heard [about it being a World Title eliminator]! I thought it would happen sometime this year. I spoke with my trainer and knew that ultimately it would likely be Xiong Jing Nan, so we’ve been training for that. I just have to train and get ready for it.”
However, the 29-year-old is not looking past “No Chill,” whose only career loss came at the hands of the current queen of the division. Plus, Teo is coming off a win against eight-time BJJ World Champion Michelle Nicolini, so Miura knows her opponent can perform at the highest level.
The Tokyo native was scheduled to face the Singapore boxing champion in her ONE debut last year, so she has already studied her previous bouts and knows what she has to be wary of.
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“I heard she’s a boxing champion and I’ve seen her ground skills, so I think she’s a good all-round mixed martial artist,” Miura says.
“Just like when she fought Nicolini, she’ll look to control the distance and I think she’ll keep throwing the one-two combination.”
It is no secret that Miura will attempt to win this match using her judo base mixed with her powerful submission game, just like she has done against her previous three opponents on the global stage.
However, she knows she will need to be fast and at her most technical to get Teo where she wants her.
“Her nickname is “No Chill,” so she’ll keep on the move. I think she has good stamina and a strong heart,” Miura says.
“I’ll be looking to tie up from any exchange. Her leg and arm reach are long, so it could be easy to get inside. If I get inside, I have to take her down.”
Even if Miura can get Teo onto the ground, she will not be easy to submit. She has never tapped out in her career – not even when Nicolini had her trapped in a tight armbar.
However, the third-degree judo black belt has a skill set unlike “No Chill” has experienced in the Circle before, and she is confident she is in the best condition to employ her ground game and win this classic striker-versus-grappler battle.
“It’s not been long since my last match, so I think that’s a plus. I was in great condition in January, so I’ve been able to build on that,” she says.
“My stamina is there and I’m going to be all over her with my grappling. I want to show a solid ippon (submission).”
Though she is not overlooking Teo, Miura has already thought about what awaits her if she can get her hand raised, and her dream venue for her first World Title bout.
“If possible, I’d like to [face Xiong] on the Japan show in October,” she adds.
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