Greatest Common Multiple showcased another solid night of fights this evening at “Valkyrie 5.” The event was headlined by a back-and-forth battle between promotional standouts Kyoko Takabayashi and Emi Fujino that saw Takabayashi narrowly escape with a win.

In the co-main event, 12-year MMA veteran Megumi Yabushita got back on the winning track with an impressive submission victory over Mutsumi Kasai, while future title challenger Yasuko Tamada easily defeated Yukiko Seki, who stepped in on short notice after Naoko Omuro suffered an injury.

 

Kyoko Takabayashi vs Emi Fujino

Round 1:
Takabayashi opened the fight with a nice left hook and a body kick, but fell to the mat. Fujino pounced and secured a front headlock, but Takabayashi worked back to her feet. Fujino put together quick combinations and scored with a knee, but Takabayashi answered with a counter right hook. She clinched, but Fujino circled free and the fighters traded punches as the round came to a close.

Round 2:
Fujino came out aggressively in the second round and put the pressure on with punches and a leg kick. Takabayashi shot in for a takedown and got the fight to the mat. She landed punches from the top and looked to pass, but Fujino defended well and got back to her feet. Takabayashi landed a knee to the body shortly before the bell.

Round 3:
Fujino began the final round with jabs and Takabayashi answered with leg kicks. Fujino connected with a right cross and Takabayashi immediately fired back a right hand. The fighters traded punches and Fujino appeared to take control of the exchanges, but Takabayashi scored a takedown. Fujino managed to get back to her feet, but Takabayashi kept her pressed up against the cage and landed knees in the final seconds.

Though Fujino appeared to have done enough to win the final round, two judges disagreed and awarded the round and the fight to Takabayashi, whose takedowns appeared to seal the deal for her victory.

Winner: Kyoko Takabayashi by Majority Decision after three 3:00 rounds. She improves to 11-4-0.

 

Megumi Yabushita vs Mutsumi Kasai

Round 1:
Yabushita landed a combination early in round one and Kasai countered with leg kicks from a distance. Yabushita clinched and used a judo throw to take Kasai down. She struck from the top, but Kasai managed to get back to her feet. Soon after, Yabushita took her down with another judo throw and isolated Kasai’s arms in a crucifix. She landed short punches and hammerfists until the end of the one-sided round.

Round 2:
The fighters exchanged jabs in round two and Yabushita eventually clinched and took the fight to the mat. She moved to side-control and landed punches with her free hand. Yabushita took partial back control and sunk in both hooks as she isolated Kasai’s arm. Kasai defended, but Yabushita moved from a Twister into a scarf hold armlock and Kasai was forced to submit very late in the round.

Winner: Megumi Yabushita by Submission (Scarf Hold Armlock) at 2:58 of round two. She improves to 19-16-0.

 

 

Yasuko Tamada vs Yukiko Seki

Note: Seki entered this fight on short notice after Naoko Omuro suffered an injury and was forced to withdraw. This was originally scheduled to be a Valkyrie Flyweight (100-Pound) Championship bout between Tamada and Omuro.

Round 1:
The fighters traded punches early on and clinched against the cage. Tamada scored a single-leg trip takedown and landed in Seki’s guard. She used short punches to pass to half-guard, but Seki trapped Tamada’s leg and prevented her from moving to side-control. Tamada settled for more strikes from the top and maintained position until the bell.

Round 2:
The fighters clinched early in the second round and both looked for takedowns while countering the other. Tamada pushed Seki back to the cage and landed a knee, then tried for a guillotine choke. Seki fought off the choke, but ate another knee in the process. Both briefly took the fight to the mat, but neither held an advantage and the round ended in a clinch.

Round 3:
Tamada rushed in with punches in the final round and scored an emphatic takedown. She punched from the top and used her forearm to set up an opportunity to pass. Tamada moved to side-control, but Seki scrambled and tried to get up. Tamada took her back and looked for a rear-naked choke, but she could not secure the hold and the round came to an end.

Winner: Yasuko Tamada by Unanimous Decision after three 3:00 rounds. She improves to 11-4-3.

 

Akiko Naito vs Yasuko Mogi

Round 1:
Mogi threw quick punches early in round one, but Naito blasted her with kicks and two knees. Mogi backed up and Naito kept the pressure on with leg kicks. Mogi tried for a takedown, but Naito reversed and wound up on top. She looked to pass, but had to fight off a tight armbar from Mogi. Naito stood and kicked at Mogi’s legs late in the round.

Round 2:
Mogi dove at Naito’s foot in round two and tried to drag her to the mat, but Naito blasted her with punches in close. Mogi clinched, but Naito landed knees to the legs and pushed her up against the cage. Mogi tried for a takedown, but wound up on the bottom. Naito landed punches and tried to take Mogi’s back for a rear-naked choke, but the round came to an end.

Round 3:
Once again, Mogi dove for Naito’s leg and tried for a takedown in the final round. Naito went down to one knee and punished Mogi with hammerfists, then pushed her off. The fighters clinched against the cage and Naito landed knees until the referee separated them. Naito landed a left hook and quickly took Mogi down. She stayed on top and threw short punches until the final bell.

Naito picked up her second victory over Mogi, whom she defeated exactly 37 months earlier in Smackgirl in another hard-fought decision.

Winner: Akiko Naito by Unanimous Decision after three 3:00 rounds. She improves to 6-9-0.

 

Kayo Nagayasu vs “Happy” Fukuko Hamada

Round 1:
The opening round was spent mostly in the clinch as Nagayasu pressed Hamada up against the cage and relentlessly tried for takedowns. Hamada defended very well and stayed on her feet for quite some time, but was eventually taken down briefly. She used the cage to scramble back to her feet and the fairly uneventful round came to an end soon after.

Round 2:
The second round was more of the same early on and Nagayasu clinched against the cage once again. This time, she took Hamada down, but Hamada threw punches from the bottom and remained active in defence. Nagayasu stayed patient and moved to half-guard, then straight to mount and teed off with punches in the final 20 seconds. Hamada made it to the bell.

Round 3:
Nagayasu looked to clinch in the final round, but ate a right hook on the way in. She backed Hamada up to the cage and Hamada landed short punches to the body. Nagayasu scored a takedown, but Hamada attempted an armbar from the bottom. She rolled over and transitioned for a kneebar, but Nagayasu escaped out the back. The round came to an end soon after.

Winner: Kayo Nagayasu by Majority Decision after three 3:00 rounds. She improves to 7-6-2.

 

Naoko Torashima vs Harumi

Round 1:
Torashima, fighting for the first time in over six and a half years, clinched right away, but Harumi shrugged her off. The fighters traded kicks and Torashima used a judo throw to take Harumi down. She landed in side-control and worked for a keylock on Harumi’s right arm. Harumi defended and held on, then escaped the hold late in the round.

Round 2:
Both fighters landed punches in a trio of exchanges in the second and final round. Torashima countered a combination by taking Harumi down. Harumi rolled to her stomach and Torashima held her in place. She landed knees to the body and prevented Harumi from getting up. Torashima kept the pressure on with more knees to the ribs and hammerfists to the sides of Harumi’s face.

Winner: Naoko Torashima by Unanimous Decision after two 3:00 rounds. She improves to 6-2-0.

 

Capped off by a very competitive main event bout between Kyoko Takabayashi and Emi Fujino, Valkyrie 5 was a solid event. Megumi Yabushita’s impressive performance and even more impressive scarf hold armlock submission wowed the crowd, while Yasuko Tamada picked up a tune-up victory before her Valkyrie title fight with Naoko Omuro in June.

 

(Photo Credits: gbring.com)