2010 Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Quarterfinal
Ai Takahashi vs Christina Jurjevic
Round 1:
Jurjevic opened round one with front kicks and a right cross. Takahashi answered with jabs, but Jurjevic fired back with a one-two. Jurjevic clinched and looked to set up a throw, but Takahashi countered with a tight standing guillotine choke. Jurjevic was in all sorts of trouble, but somehow managed to free herself from the choke. She threw a one-two, but Takahashi scored with jabs and a right cross to close out a dominant first round.
Round 2:
The second round opened with a one-two from Takahashi and Jurjevic answered with a right cross. She clinched and tried for a throw, but Takahashi defended and the fighters battled for position. Both tried to set up throws, but neither was able to do so and Takahashi landed kicks to the legs and body. She followed with a right cross and another leg kick. Jurjevic attempted a judo throw, but Takahashi spun and countered with another standing guillotine choke. Jurjevic escaped before the bell.
Round 3:
Jurjevic clinched early in the third round, but Takahashi defended with short punches in close and Jurjevic backed up. She threw a front kick, but Takahashi blocked it. Takahashi landed a leg kick and put together a combination of kicks and punches. She attempted a throw, but Jurjevic stayed on her feet. Takahashi secured a Thai clinch and landed kicks to the legs, then a big knee. She landed jabs late in the round.
Winner: Ai Takahashi by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-28, 30-29) after three rounds. She advanced to the tournament semi-finals with the victory.
Ai Takahashi (right) defeats Christina Jurjevic (left) in tournament quarterfinal.
[Photo Credit: SportsNavi Japan]
2010 Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Quarterfinal
Mei “V Hajime” Yamaguchi vs Samanta van Dole
Round 1:
Van Dole was penalised one point at the beginning of the fight for failing to make the contracted 51.0kg weight limit for the tournament.
Yamaguchi connected with right crosses early in the first round and van Dole answered with left hooks. Yamaguchi clinched and threw van Dole to the mat, but the height and arc were not sufficient to earn a point. Van Dole continued to find a home for her left hook, but Yamaguchi responded with a right hand and clinched. Once more, she took van Dole down, but the throw was not enough to earn a point.
Round 2:
Van Dole landed a punching flurry in close in the second round and Yamaguchi answered with a right hand. She clinched and tried for a throw. Yamaguchi landed kicks to the knee area and tried for a spinning throw. Van Dole intentionally dropped down to her knees to defend and was given a Yellow Card by the referee for the infraction. Yamaguchi rushed back in and clinched, then threw van Dole to the mat, but the throw lacked the height and arc required for a point.
Round 3:
Yamaguchi opened the final round with body shots and a leg kick. She kept the pressure on with right hooks and van Dole fired back lefts and rights. Yamaguchi landed a body kick and locked on a standing guillotine choke. Van Dole’s mouthpiece nearly fell out of her mouth as she tried to fight off the choke. Yamaguchi tightened it and van Dole had no escape. The referee stopped the fight.
Winner: Mei Yamaguchi by Technical Submission (Standing Guillotine Choke) at 1:45 of round three. She advanced to the tournament semi-finals with the victory.
Mei Yamaguchi (right) defeats Samanta van Dole (left) in tournament quarterfinal.
[Photo Credit: SportsNavi Japan]
2010 Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Quarterfinal
Kate Martinez vs Zaza Sor Aree
Round 1:
Martinez opened the fight with a Superman Punch and Sor Aree clinched. She tried for a throw, but Martinez pushed her head down and defended with a front choke. The fighters separated and Martinez landed a hard one-two. She secured another front choke and Sor Aree illegally dropped to her knees to defend. She was given a Yellow Card by the referee. Sor Aree threw a leg kick and Martinez locked on a bulldog choke shortly before the bell.
Round 2:
Sor Aree pushed forward with body kicks and punches in the second round, but Martinez was unfazed and countered with crisp punches. The fighters clinched briefly and Martinez easily shrugged Sor Aree off. She landed a one-two and a combination. Sor Aree stuck to kicks, but Martinez continued to tag her with effective punching combinations until the bell.
Round 3:
Martinez threw a side kick to open the final round and followed up with another hard one-two. Sor Aree clinched and Martinez backed her up to the ropes. Martinez locked on a unique standing arm-triangle choke and bent Sor Aree backwards. Sor Aree appeared to briefly lose consciousness from the choke and the referee stopped the fight.
Winner: Kate Martinez by Technical Submission (Standing Arm-Triangle Choke) at 1:12 of round three. She advanced to the tournament semi-finals with the victory.
Kate Martinez (right) defeats Zaza Sor Aree (left) in tournament quarterfinal.
[Photo Credit: SportsNavi Japan]
2010 Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Quarterfinal
RENA vs Hisae Watanabe
Round 1:
After their fight was postponed due to injury earlier this year, RENA and Watanabe finally squared off in the first round of the tournament. RENA opened the fight with left and right kicks to the legs and body. Watanabe responded with a punching combination and the fighters clinched. Neither could secure a throw and the referee separated them. RENA scored with jabs, a left body kick and a solid right hook. Watanabe countered with a one-two, but RENA blocked it and landed a left hook. She tried for a judo throw before the bell.
Round 2:
RENA began the second round with a jumping front kick. A surprised Watanabe threw a kick of her own and RENA clinched. She tried for a throw, then backed away and landed a right hook. The fighters battled for position in a clinch as each looked to set up a throw. They separated and RENA landed a front kick. She secured a Thai clinch and dropped Watanabe with a knee to the body and punches on the way down. Watanabe got back to her feet and RENA landed another vicious knee to the body. Watanabe collapsed to the mat holding her stomach.
Under the tournament’s rules, a fight would be stopped if a fighter was knocked down two times in one round. Accordingly, the fight was stopped, giving RENA a huge win over the former kickboxer and first DEEP Women’s Lightweight (106-Pound) MMA Champion.
Winner: RENA by TKO (Two Knockdowns [Knee To The Body]) at 1:50 of round two. She advanced to the tournament semi-finals with the victory.
RENA (right) defeats Hisae Watanabe (left) in tournament quarterfinal.
[Photo Credit: SportsNavi Japan]
Capturing her second consecutive Girls S-Cup Championship, RENA battled through a trio of tough opponents to earn the 2010 title. Along the way, she proved critics wrong by dispatching of the much more experienced Hisae Watanabe and did so in dominant fashion. In another highlight on the card, top 145-pound contender Hiroko Yamanaka picked up yet another impressive victory when she submitted late replacement Sandy “Feisty” Furner in the first round of their mixed martial arts bout. Yamanaka’s longstanding dream of competing for Strikeforce could soon finally become a reality.