2017 Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Live Play-By-Play & ResultsThe 2017 Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup took place tonight at Tokyo Dome City Hall in Tokyo, Japan. The event was headlined by a non-title 50kg rematch between Shoot Boxing Women’s Flyweight Champion Rena Kubota and Jleana “Nikita” Valentino, who first clashed under MMA rules in late 2015.

In tonight’s 49kg co-feature, two-time Girls S-Cup tournament winner Mio Tsumura took on Hanna “Tyson” Gujwan. Multi-time BJJ world champion Gabi Garcia battled pro wrestler and MMA pioneer Megumi Yabushita at heavyweight. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the Girls S-Cup.

 

Non-Title 50kg Bout – 3×3

Rena Kubota vs Jleana “Nikita” Valentino

Round 1:
The southpaw Valentino landed first with left hands and body kicks before attempting a spinning backfist that was blocked. Kubota countered with a hip toss, but it was not quite high enough for a Shoot Point. Valentino landed a body kick and Kubota pressed forward with punches that led to a brief clinch. Kubota threw a head kick and trapped Valentino in a standing arm-triangle choke, but Valentino freed herself and the fighters were separated shortly before the bell.

Round 2:
Kubota attempted head kicks early in round two and she followed with lunging right hands. Valentino kept her at bay with front kicks and she fought off a clinch attempt. Valentino missed with a spinning backfist and Kubota punished her with a flurry of punches in return. She threw Valentino down, but once again was not able to get enough height for a Shoot Point. Valentino secured a throw of her own and also failed to score a point. Just before the bell, Kubota whipped Valentino to the mat with an impressive throw that earned her a crucial Shoot Point.

Round 3:
Kubota opened round three with a solid combination of punches, which led to an exchange of body kicks. Valentino landed an overhand left and missed with a wild spinning backfist. Kubota countered with a left hook to the liver and the fighters continued to trade quick strikes on the feet. Kubota looked to set up a belly-to-back suplex, but Valentino defended and the fight ended with both women throwing punches.

Winner: Rena Kubota by Unanimous Decision (30-28, 30-28, 30-29) after three 3:00 rounds. She improves her combined shoot boxing and kickboxing record to 35-5-1.

 

49kg Bout – 3×3

Mio Tsumura vs Hanna “Tyson” Gujwan

Round 1:
Gujwan landed a nice left hand early on and she followed with more punches as Tsumura fired back with kicks to the body. Tsumura began to score with overhand rights and she landed a hard kick to Gujwan’s lead leg. Tsumura threw Gujwan to the mat, but she did not get enough arc on the throw for a Shoot Point. Action resumed and Tsumura landed a flurry of punches. She threw Gujwan once more, but no points were awarded.

Round 2:
Tsumura landed quick left and right kicks in round two. Gujwan cracked her with a lead left hook and ate a right hand in return. Tsumura dropped her with a kick-punch combo and Gujwan was given a standing eight count. The fight continued and Tsumura rocked her with more punches. Gujwan remained on her feet and clinched with Tsumura against the ropes. Tsumura punched her way free and walked Gujwan down with hooks and jumping body kicks.

Round 3:
Gujwan just missed with a spinning backfist early in the final round. Tsumura landed overhand rights and a left hook to the liver. A right hand scored for Tsumura, which set off an exchange of power punches from both women. Gujwan circled away after eating a combination from Tsumura, who caught a kick and tripped her to the mat. Gujwan stood and the fight ended with a final exchange of punches.

Winner: Mio Tsumura by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three 3:00 rounds. She improves her shoot boxing record to 29-2-0.

 

Heavyweight Bout – 3×3

Gabi Garcia vs Megumi Yabushita

Round 1:
Yabushita tried to dart in and out with punches against her much larger opponent, but Garcia landed huge knees and kicks to the body. She knocked Yabushita down, but landed an illegal soccer kick to a downed Yabushita’s body and was penalised by one point. Action resumed and Yabushita dove for a takedown attempt. Garcia countered with another soccer kick that appeared to dislocate Yabushita’s shoulder. Yabushita was unable to continue and Garcia was given a Red Card. However, rather than disqualifying Garcia, referee Ryogaku Wada ruled the foul unintentional and declared the fight a No Contest.

Result: No Contest (Accidental Illegal Soccer Kick) in round one.

 

48kg Bout – 3×3

Akari “Union” Nakamura vs Shi-yoon Jeong

Round 1:
Jeong landed crisp right hands and body kicks in the opening seconds of the fight, which were met by rapid-fire combinations of punches from Nakamura. She backed Jeong into a corner and landed power punches that dropped a dazed Jeong face-first to the mat. Jeong narrowly got back to her feet before the referee completed his eight count, but she was clearly in no condition to continue and the fight was stopped.

Winner: Akari Nakamura by KO (Punches) at 0:58 of round one. She improves her combined shoot boxing and kickboxing record to 20-12-1.

 

60kg Bout – 3×3

Mina Sakurai vs Shizuka Sugiyama

Round 1:
Sakurai caught a kick and peppered Sugiyama with punches in the opening seconds. She followed with knees to the body and attempted a bulldog choke. The fighters were separated and Sakurai threw more short knees. Both women landed body kicks after trying unsuccessfully for throws. Sakurai landed the better punches in the striking exchanges, but she was unable to earn a Shoot Point with any of her throw attempts.

Round 2:
Sakurai began to mix up her strikes with leg kicks and one-twos in the second round. Neither woman was able to secure a throw, but both landed knees to the body against the ropes. Sakurai blocked a high kick and threw Sugiyama to the mat with a hip toss that was good enough to earn a Shoot Point. Sugiyama looked to counter with a side suplex after returning to her feet, but Sakurai defended.

Round 3:
The final round began with both fighters unsuccessfully attempting throws. Sakurai eventually stunned Sugiyama with a flurry and threw her to the mat for a Shoot Point. Back on the feet, Sakurai landed more punches until Sugiyama dragged her down to the canvas. Sakurai’s speed was too much for Sugiyama in the striking exchanges, and she wobbled Sugiyama with a big combination late in the round.

Winner: Mina Sakurai by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-28) after three 3:00 rounds.

 

55kg Bout – 3×3

Ayaka Miura vs Yoko Odamaki

Round 1:
Miura tried for throws right away, but she was unable to get any arc on them and the fighters repeatedly fell to the mat. She finally secured a hip toss with sufficient elevation to earn a Shoot Point. Punches were exchanged on the feet and Miura scored another Shoot Point with a big hip toss. She followed with more throws, but Odamaki countered with front kicks in the final minute of the round.

Round 2:
The second round began with another throw from Miura that earned her a Shoot Point. Odamaki fought off throws and landed combinations of punches on the feet. The round came to a close with both women landing punches after Odamaki defended against another throw attempt.

Round 3:
Odamaki was aggressive in round three and she targeted Miura’s upper body with kicks. Miura dragged her down with two low-arc throws that were not good enough to earn Shoot Points. As the round progressed, Miura slowed down and none of her many throws were high enough to earn points.

Winner: Ayaka Miura by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-27, 29-27) after three 3:00 rounds.

 

48kg Bout – 3×3

Misaki Morita vs Nana Okuwaki

Round 1:
Okuwaki established her jab right away and used it to fend off Morita’s kicks. Morita missed with wild hooks and threw Okuwaki to the canvas, but her throw was not quite good enough for a Shoot Point. On the feet, Morita threw rapid-fire punches and backed Okuwaki up against the ropes. Okuwaki ate a series of right hands, but she answered back with one of her own. Morita stunned her with a right hook in the final minute and looked for a modified standing guillotine choke. Okuwaki broke free, but Morita battered her with punches and body kicks before the bell.

Round 2:
Morita caught a kick and knocked Okuwaki down with a right hand in round two. Okuwaki stood and Morita teed off with dozens of punches until the referee called for a standing eight count. The fight continued and Morita landed more punches until Okuwaki fell and was given a second standing eight count. The referee allowed the bout to continue, but Okuwaki had no answer for Morita’s non-stop offence and the fight was finally waved off at the 2:06 mark.

Winner: Misaki Morita by TKO (Punches) at 2:06 of round two.

 

43kg Semi-Pro Bout – 3×2

Megami Tagawa vs Riri Nasukawa

Round 1:
Hard knees to the body were exchanged right away and both women landed punches and more knees in a series of clinch battles against the ropes. Nasukawa closed the distance late in the round and Tagawa countered with three knees.

Round 2:
The pace remained high in the second round and the fighters continued to trade combinations of punches and knees to the body. Nasukawa attempted a hip-toss throw and was thwarted. Tagawa tossed her to the mat, but she was not able to get enough arc on her throw to earn a Shoot Point.

Round 3:
Nasukawa cracked Tagawa with a one-two to begin round three and Tagawa responded with knees and a throw attempt that was not successful. Back on the feet, Tagawa stepped in with a front kick and a knee, followed by a head kick that landed. A stalemate followed in the clinch and Nasukawa landed a powerful right hand. She scored with a combination late in the round and defended against a throw attempt.

Winner: Megami Tagawa by Unanimous Decision (30-28, 30-29, 30-29) after three 2:00 rounds.

 

 

(Photo Credit: Shoot Boxing)