The 2014 Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup took place tonight at Yamano Hall in the Yoyogi district of Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. This year’s event featured both a 48-kilogram all-Japan tournament and an eight-woman 50-kilogram world grand prix. Two champions were crowned in a single evening tonight.
Highlighting the world tournament field was three-time Girls S-Cup champion Rena Kubota, who looked to outlast a strong group of international fighters. Two-time JKS48 champion Mio Tsumura led the lineup in the all-Japan tournament bracket. MMARising.com has play-by-play for tonight’s event.
2014 50kg Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Final – 3×2
Rena Kubota vs Thicha Rongrien Kila Korat
Round 1:
Referee Omura oversees this bout. Thicha knocks Kubota down with a front kick in the opening seconds. Kubota stands and counters a right hook with a seoi nage throw for a Shoot Point. She lands right hooks and follows with a flurry of punches that drops Thicha before the end of the round.
Round 2:
Thicha tries to clinch in the second round, but Kubota breaks free and lands body kicks. She connects with a vicious left hook for a crushing knockout victory to claim her fourth Girls S-Cup title.
Winner: Rena Kubota by KO (Punch) at 1:15 of round two. She improves her combined shoot boxing and kickboxing record to 28-5-1 and becomes the 2014 50kg Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup World Champion.
55kg Non-Tournament Bout – 3×3
Ai Takahashi vs Nong Em Tor. Vitaya
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Naoyuki Taira. Nong Em throws body kicks early on and Takahashi counters with right hooks. She continues to throw punches in an effort to turn the fight into a boxing match. Late in the round, she catches Nong Em in the clinch and lands knees.
Round 2:
Takahashi flurries with punches throughout the opening 20 seconds of round two. Nong Em replies with body kicks, but Takahashi lands a crushing knee that puts an abrupt end to the fight.
Winner: Ai Takahashi by KO (Knee) at 0:38 of round two. She improves her combined shoot boxing and kickboxing record to 21-5-0.
2014 48kg Shoot Boxing Japan Girls S-Cup Final – 3×2
Yukari Yamaguchi vs Mio Tsumura
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Ryogaku Wada. The fight begins with an exchange of leg kicks and Yamaguchi lands a Superman punch and a left cross. She jabs effectively and keeps Tsumura off-balance as Tsumura presses forward with combinations.
Round 2:
More leg kicks land for both young fighters in the second round and Yamaguchi continues to frustrate Tsumura with jabs as Tsumura moves in. Tsumura throws a one-two and attempts a spinning backfist. She lands jabs of her own and the round ends with an exchange of knees in the clinch.
Round 3:
Tsumura trips Yamaguchi with a leg kick, but Yamaguchi regains her footing and counters Tsumura’s punches with knees in close. Tsumura attempts a seoi nage throw and fails. She rushes forward with hooks and Yamaguchi keeps her at bay with jabs.
Judge Omura scores the fight 30-29 for Yamaguchi. Judge Kitajiri sees it 29-28 for Tsumura. Judge Tsuyama has it even at 29-29 and we go to an extension round.
Round 4 (Extension Round #1):
Tsumura opens round four with left and right hooks. The southpaw Yamaguchi replies with a series of left hands. Tsumura attempts a harai goshi throw unsuccessfully and she remains aggressive. Tsumura throws a series of left hooks and Yamaguchi counters with jabs and a front kick.
Judge Omura scores the extension round 10-9 for Tsumura, but he is overruled by judges Kitajiri and Tsuyama who both have it even at 10-10. We go to a second and deciding extension round.
Round 5 (Extension Round #2):
Tsumura begins the fifth and final round with body kicks and Yamaguchi lands jab-cross combos. She darts in and out with left hooks and swiftly avoids Tsumura’s counterpunches. Tsumura attempts a throw and fails. Yamaguchi continues to jump in and out and she successfully lands more left hooks before the end of the excellent championship fight.
Judge Kitajiri strangely scores the final round 10-9 for Tsumura, but judges Omura and Tsuyama both have it 10-9 for the winner by Split Decision, Yamaguchi.
Winner: Yukari Yamaguchi by Split Decision (10-9, 10-9, 9-10) after two extension rounds and five rounds overall. She improves her combined kickboxing and shoot boxing record to 3-0-0 and becomes the 2014 48kg Shoot Boxing Japan Girls S-Cup Champion.
2014 50kg Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Semi-Final #2 – 3×2
Thicha Rongrien Kila Korat vs Jiwaen Lee
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Ryogaku Wada. Thicha landed body kicks and straight punches early in the first round and Lee looked to turn the fight into a brawl. Thicha targeted the body with left hooks, but Lee pressed forward with aggressive strikes. Thicha landed with greater accuracy in the final seconds.
Round 2:
Lee opened round two with lead hooks and Thicha countered with left hands. Lee remained aggressive with her punches, but Thicha countered well and she outstruck Lee in the exchanges by landing left hooks during the latter half of the round.
Round 3:
Thicha clinched and landed knees in the final round. Lee broke away momentarily and Thicha scored with a body kick. Lee once again moved forward with hooks and Thicha stopped her in her tracks with front and body kicks.
Judge Onodera scores the fight even at 29-29, but he is overruled by judges Tsuyama and Taira who return scores of 30-28 and 29-28, respectively, for the winner by Majority Decision, Thicha.
Winner: Thicha Rongrien Kila Korat by Majority Decision (30-28, 29-28, 29-29) after three rounds. She improves her combined shoot boxing and kickboxing record to 53-14-0 and advances to the 50kg Girls S-Cup final.
2014 50kg Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Semi-Final #1 – 3×2
Rena Kubota vs Christina Jurjevic
Round 1:
Referee Kitajiri oversees this fight. Both fighters throw leg kicks early on and Jurjevic mixes in knees. Kubota lands a front kick and a right hook. Jurjevic lands more knees late in the opening round.
Round 2:
Kubota counters Jurjevic’s leg kicks with right hooks in round two. Both women land body kicks and Kubota continues to score with right hooks in the exchanges. The fighters trade punches and Kubota lands the cleaner strikes.
Round 3:
The final round begins with a lengthy exchange of punches and Kubota slips. She regains her footing and more punches land for both fighters. The pace remains high throughout the round as punch after punch is thrown. With seconds to go, Kubota drops Jurjevic and the bell sounds soon after.
Judge Omura scores the fight 30-28, while judges Tsuyama and Taira both have it 30-27 for the winner by Unanimous Decision, Kubota.
Winner: Rena Kubota by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-28) after three rounds. She improves her combined shoot boxing and kickboxing record to 27-5-1 and advances to the 50kg Girls S-Cup final.
2014 48kg Shoot Boxing Japan Girls S-Cup Semi-Final #2 – 3×2
Mio Tsumura vs Momi
Round 1:
Referee Kitajiri oversees this bout. Tsumura tries to set up one-two combos with leg kicks early in the fight. Momi looks to counter with leg kicks of her own and both women score with right hooks. Tsumura ducks under punches from Momi and clinches. She puts Momi on the mat, but no points are given.
Round 2:
Momi presses forward and throws right hooks in round two. She continues to walk Tsumura down with punches and Tsumura is forced to retreat. The fighters clinch and Tsumura lands a harai goshi throw to earn a crucial Shoot Point.
Round 3:
Tsumura quickly tries for another throw in the final round, but she is not successful. The fighters exchange hooks and Tsumura’s harai goshi attempt fails. Momi lands punches and Tsumura responds with knees. She attempts one final throw, but can’t get it.
Judge Wada scores the fight 30-28, while judges Kitajiri and Motegi both have it 29-28 for the winner by Unanimous Decision, Tsumura.
Winner: Mio Tsumura by Unanimous Decision (30-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves her shoot boxing record to 13-1-0 and advances to the 48kg Girls S-Cup Japan final.
2014 48kg Shoot Boxing Japan Girls S-Cup Semi-Final #1 – 3×2
Yukari Yamaguchi vs “V.V” Mei Yamaguchi
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Naoyuki Taira. Mei moves forward and looks to throw, but Yukari steps back and jabs. She lands knees in close and more jabs soon after. Mei tries for a throw, but she cannot get one before the bell.
Round 2:
Yukari lands more jabs in the second round and Mei once again works for a throw. Yukari counters with a series of knees and the fighters fall to the ground. Back on the feet, Yukari uses more knees to keep Mei at bay in the clinch.
Round 3:
Yukari scores with stiff jabs in round three and Mei dirty boxes in close. She continues to throw punches in the clinch, but Yukari defends well and she lands several knees to the body before the end of the fight.
Judge Tsuyama scores the close bout even at 29-29, but he is overruled by judges Wada and Kitajiri who both have it 30-29 for the winner by Majority Decision, Yukari Yamaguchi.
Winner: Yukari Yamaguchi by Majority Decision (30-29, 30-29, 29-29) after three rounds. She improves her combined kickboxing and shoot boxing record to 2-0-0 and advances to the 48kg Girls S-Cup Japan final.
2014 50kg Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Quarterfinal #4 – 3×2
Jiwaen Lee vs Lorena “Lady Pitbull” Klijn
Round 1:
Referee Kitajiri oversees this bout. Klijn lands a right hook and tries repeatedly to secure a throw until she finally lands a harai goshi for a Shoot Point. She immediately attempts another throw, but Lee defends. Klijn lands more right hooks late in the round.
Round 2:
Lee lands hooks in round two and Klijn gets another harai goshi throw, but it is not good enough to earn a Shoot Point. Lee attempts a koshi guruma throw and gets it for a Shoot Point. Klijn works to throw Lee to the mat for the remainder of the round, but she is not successful.
Round 3:
The final round is a battle of throw attempts from the clinch and neither woman is successful despite their best efforts. A stalemate ensues until Klijn lands a right hook and the fighters trade punches until the bell.
Judge Wada scores the close fight 29-27 for Klijn. Judge Taira sees it 29-28 for Lee. Judge Tsuyama has it even at 28-28 and we go to an extension round.
Round 4 (Extension Round):
Lee lands a nice left-right combo and a body kick. Klijn responds with a right hand and attempts a throw, but she is not successful. Lee lands another right hook and the fight ends with both women throwing punches.
Judge Tsuyama scores the extension round 10-9 for Klijn, but judges Wada and Taira both have it 10-9 for the winner by Split Decision, Lee.
Winner: Jiwaen Lee by Split Decision (10-9, 10-9, 9-10) after one extension round and four rounds overall. She improves her combined shoot boxing and kickboxing record to 17-1-0 and advances to the 50kg Girls S-Cup semi-finals.
2014 50kg Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Quarterfinal #3 – 3×2
Thicha Rongrien Kila Korat vs Eduarda “Duda” Lima
Round 1:
Referee Kitajiri oversees this bout. Thicha lands leg kicks in round one and Lima answers with hooks. Later in the round, Thicha lands a nice front kick that knocks Lima down to the mat.
Round 2:
Lima opens round two with more left and right hooks. Thicha responds with a body kick and she counters a flurry from Lima by clinching. Lima lands hooks and Thicha finishes the round with leg kicks.
Round 3:
Lima tries to overpower Thicha in the clinch in round three, but Thicha has the superior technique. She lands clinch knees and follows with leg kicks after the fighters separate. The round ends with Thicha countering Lima’s punches with front kicks.
Judges Wada, Taira and Tsuyama all score the fight 30-29 for the winner by Unanimous Decision, Thicha.
Winner: Thicha Rongrien Kila Korat by Unanimous Decision (30-29, 30-29, 30-29) after three rounds. She improves her combined shoot boxing and kickboxing record to 52-14-0 and advances to the 50kg Girls S-Cup semi-finals.
2014 50kg Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Quarterfinal #2 – 3×2
Christina Jurjevic vs Kai-Ting “Kill Bee” Zhuang
Round 1:
Referee Kiyota oversees this bout. Jurjevic uses her large reach advantage to land left and right hooks early on. Zhuang circles and throws right hooks. She changes tactics and works her way inside, then lands a left-right combo. Jurjevic attempts a standing guillotine choke, but she cannot get it.
Round 2:
Zhuang looks to land right hooks and uppercuts in round two, but Jurjevic counters by clinching. She repeatedly scores with knees and Zhuang is forced to defend. Jurjevic once again tries for a guillotine choke, but she is thwarted for a second time.
Round 3:
Just as in the previous rounds, Jurjevic tries unsuccessfully for a standing guillotine choke in round three. She lands knees and attempts a fourth guillotine. Zhuang drops down to the ground to escape and she is warned by the referee for the infraction. Jurjevic locks on a guillotine and finally gets a Catch Point. Zhuang fights free before the bell.
Judges Motegi, Tsuyama and Taira all score the fight 30-27 for the winner by Unanimous Decision, Jurjevic.
Winner: Christina Jurjevic by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. She improves her combined shoot boxing and kickboxing record to 27-5-0 and advances to the 50kg Girls S-Cup semi-finals.
2014 50kg Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Quarterfinal #1 – 3×2
Rena Kubota vs Simone van Dommelen
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Ryogaku Wada. Kubota lands a right hook and a front kick, then scores early with a harai goshi throw to earn a Shoot Point. Van Dommelen attempts a throw of her own and fails. She presses forward, but Kubota catches her in a clinch and lands knees.
Round 2:
Kubota lands more front kicks in round two and van Dommelen once again fails in her attempt to throw Kubota to the mat. Van Dommelen lands leg kicks and Kubota replies with right hooks. Van Dommelen lands a combination and attempts an osoto gari throw, but she is not successful.
Round 3:
Van Dommelen catches an early front kick from Kubota and clinches, but Kubota scores a Shoot Point with another harai goshi throw. She lands right hooks as van Dommelen slows down. Late in the round, Kubota lands a left hook and a front kick.
Judge Kitajiri scores the fight 30-27. Judge Motegi has it 30-28 and judge Tsuyama sees it 29-27. All three score the bout in favour of the winner by Unanimous Decision, Kubota.
Winner: Rena Kubota by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-28, 29-27) after three rounds. She improves her combined shoot boxing and kickboxing record to 26-5-1 and advances to the 50kg Girls S-Cup semi-finals.
48kg Non-Tournament Bout – 3×2
Akari “Union” Nakamura vs Yuuki Kira
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Naoyuki Taira. Kira lands front kicks early on and Nakamura clinches until the referee calls for a break. Kira sets up punching combinations with more front kicks. Nakamura replies with one-twos, but Kira lands more kicks before the bell.
Round 2:
Kira lands a body kick in round two and clinches. She gets a seoi nage throw, but it is not good enough to earn a Shoot Point. Nakamura scores with left-right combinations and the fighters clinch. Little happens and the referee separates them before the end of the round.
Round 3:
Kira lands a knee to the jaw from the clinch in round three. She follows with left jabs and right hooks. Nakamura misses with a counter right hand and Kira lands more punches. Nakamura tries to knock Kira off-balance and fails. Both women attempt throws late in the fight.
Judge Tsuyama scores the close bout even at 28-28, but he is overruled by judges Wada and Tomoda who return scores of 29-28 and 30-27, respectively, for the winner by Majority Decision, Nakamura.
Winner: Akari Nakamura by Majority Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-28) after three rounds. She improves her combined shoot boxing and kickboxing record to 8-6-1.
48kg Non-Tournament Bout – 3×2
Michi Nakamura vs Tomomi Souda
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Yukihiro Tomoda. Nakamura initiates an early clinch and holds onto Souda’s neck. Both women land knees in the clinch and Nakamura locks on a standing guillotine choke to earn a Catch Point.
Round 2:
Souda lands one-two combinations in round two and Nakamura responds by clinching. She lands knees and a front kick, but Souda catches the kick and counters with a right hook. Nakamura blocks it and the round ends with an uneventful clinch.
Round 3:
Souda throws more one-two combos early in the final round and Nakamura clinches against the ropes. She holds onto Souda’s head and is warned by the referee. Nakamura lands a body kick and secures a harai goshi throw, but it is not good enough to earn a Shoot Point.
Judge Motegi scores the fight 30-28, while judges Taira and Kiyama both have it 30-27 for the winner by Unanimous Decision, Nakamura.
Winner: Michi Nakamura by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-28) after three rounds. She improves her combined kickboxing and shoot boxing record to 2-4-0.
50kg Non-Tournament Bout – 3×2
Arisa Hoshiki vs Maki Goto
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Ryogaku Wada. Goto rushes forward with left-right combos, but Hoshiki drops her with a counter right hook. Goto is undeterred and she continues to throw combinations. Hoshiki scores with a counter left hand that appears to lead to a knockdown, but referee Wada rules it a slip. Hoshiki lands knees in the clinch before the bell.
Round 2:
Hoshiki toys with Goto in the second round by throwing spinning back kicks to the body. She lands a grazing right hook and referee Wada steps in to stop the one-sided fight.
Winner: Arisa Hoshiki by TKO (Punch) at 0:53 of round two. She improves her shoot boxing record to 1-0-0.
55kg Non-Tournament Bout – 3×2
Mai Iwata vs Naoko “Bovy” Okada
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Koji Toneri. Okada looks to brawl early on and Iwata clinches. The fighters battle for neck control and exchange knees. Okada lands left and right hooks and she presses the action by moving forward late in the round.
Round 2:
Iwata clinches and she lands a hard right hook that knocks Okada down in round two. Okada stands and Iwata lands a series of knees in the clinch. Okada lands a combination and Iawat uses a harai goshi throw to earn a Shoot Point.
Round 3:
Iwata opens round three with right hooks and she follows with knees in the clinch. Okada tries to brawl, but Iwata knocks her down with a right hook. Okada gets back to her feet and Iwata lands a front kick. Okada tries to press forward with strikes before the bell, but has little success.
Judge Taira scores the fight 28-25, while judges Kitajiri and Tsuyama both have it 29-26 for the winner by Unanimous Decision, Iwata.
Winner: Mai Iwata by Unanimous Decision (29-26, 29-26, 28-25) after three rounds. She improves her shoot boxing record to 1-0-0.
[…] Full play-by-play for all bouts on tonight’s Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup card can be found here. […]