OSAKA, Dec. 22 -- DEEP closed out the year at Umeda Stella Hall in Osaka with an enormous 31-bout card which featured a tag team grappling tournament, kickboxing matches, a South Korea vs. Japan MMA series, and was headlined by a clash of ranked featherweights in Pancrase champion Yoshiro Maeda and South Korean Jong Man Kim.

The talented Maeda, who has gone 3-0 this year, is perhaps best known by fans for his two ill-fated bouts in PRIDE. Prone to losing to fighters perceived to be less talented than himself, Maeda's dubious distinction as a choke artist played a key role in the intrigue of the bout.

On the other hand, Jong Man Kim has quickly found himself amongst the sport's top featherweights. After nearly upsetting Masakazu Imanari in August, he took a shocking split decision over highly regarded Hatsu Hioki in Hioki's hometown of Nagoya in October to emerge as one of South Korea's best up-and-coming fighters. 

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