Jewels 26 main event saw 2 highly experienced competitors face off as Emi Tomimatsu challenged title holder Tomo Maesawa. Out to avenge a 2016 submission loss to Maesawa, Tomimatsu broke through early in the opening round with jabs and straights. As the round progressed the champion chained together a smooth inner leg sweep to back take combination. From there Maesawa picked her shots with nasty ground and pound before threatening with a rear naked choke.
As the fighters came out for Round 2 Maesawa initiated the clinch, looking for a double leg. Tomimatsu scored a reversal to take the back where she immediately found herself defending the Kimura. Maesawa expertly uses grip for a throw, a brief scramble ensued with Emi finding her rolls and escapes shut down. Some good strikes thrown from top by Maesawa who held dominant position as round closed.
Changing the tone and keeping opponent guessing in the 3rd Tomo blitzed Tomimatsu with some hard 1-2 combinations in the stand up. After getting hurt on the feet Tomimatsu shot under pressure and was promptly put on her back again. The challenger gave everything she had but Maesawa was always a step ahead. The champion postured for some ground and pound and elbows and as the final inning came to an end Maesawa retained her belt with 30-27 x3 and 29-28 x2 scores.
Late replacement for a tearful and apologetic King Reina who missed weight, Rin Nakai stepped up to face the larger Titapa “Diamond Rose The Rocket” Junsookplung. The size and reach disadvantage was problematic for Nakai on the feet as “Diamond Rose the Rocket” caught her with long kicks and a vicious right hand around the guard. Once Nakai timed a takedown from a kick she found her comfort zone and took over. Locking up a kimura before transitioning to straight armbar it was a matter ot time before the finish came. As Junsookplung refused to tap the victory was ruled a TKO at 3:20 of round 1
Judo powerhouse Kana Watanabe wasted little time exchanging on the feet, executing a textbook uchi mata on Kang Hee Fun. Kana systematically worked from keylock to back to seal the deal with a rear naked choke at 1:48 of the 1st.
After absorbing some heavy jabs and low kicks from Suwanan “Amp the Rocket” Boonson, the “Cage Vixen” Yoon Ha Hong decided to take the fight to the ground with a well timed takedown. Once again showing her grappling prowess Amp the Rocket locked up a triangle before switching to armbar and going belly down for the finish at 1;37 of the opening stanza.
Yukari Nabe scored a hip toss against the cage against Kaewjai “The Rocket” Prachumwong. Progressing from side to mount she rained down ground and pound for the better part of 2 minutes before the ref decided he had seen enough. Nabe picked up the win at 3;15 of round 1. “The rocket” showed she is a very durable fighter with potential while Yukari Nabe further cements herself among the divisions elite.
Park Y Eun tore through the smaller Emi Sato, taking her down right of the bat she attacked continuously, first with an head and arm choke then going for the rear naked choke. Sato defended very well but was over powered and eventually, flattened out in rear mounted position, succumbed to ground and pound. Eun has fought some of the divisions very best and made a statement with her 36 second finish.
In a battle of strikers Mizuki Furuse faced off with China`s Pan “Kai” Hui. Furuse had the technique and versatility, chambering her kicks well they were hard to read, she switched between low and high, front and roundhouse. With blood streaming from her face Hui pushed forward relentlessly and excelled with her hands. Hook and uppercut combinations got through guard of Furuse and “Kai” finished both rounds strong. With 19-19 scores across the board it came down to the “must” decision, while both landed hard and heavy, 2 of the 3 judges sided with the more refined striking of Furuse.
Otoha Nagao and Nanaka “The Strongest Underground Idol” Kawamura fought tooth and nail in a spirited bout where both had their moments. Kawamura appeared to have the advantage in the exchanges until a punch from Otoha planted her on the canvas. The Underground idol survived the 1st and came on strong for the 2nd, using sharp and accurate straights before taking the fight to the ground for some punishing ground and pound. With the scores unanimously drawn at 19-19 judges felt Otoha`s effective lead hook, kicks, forward pressure and knockdown enough to give her the nod in a very competitive bout.
Yasuko “Ikuko” Tamada drew on her experience and superior grappling to shut out a game Kotori Tamiya. Taking the fight to the ground in the 1st Tamada passed from side to back, working for the rear naked choke as time expired. An over corked hip throw from Tamiya in the 2nd and “Ikuko” reversed to take top for remainder of round. A dominant positional game from Tamada earned her a decisive victory, 20-17, 20-18, 20-18
