Yasuko Tamada wins the VALKYRIE Flyweight Championship

Yasuko Tamada pounds Naoko Omuro

VALKYRIE had their latest show today at Differ Ariake. The problems with VALKYRIE are still the same. Because they want to use a cage, they have to run piggy back to a CAGE FORCE show. And they have to run in a building that is way too big. And they also only had five matches on this show. The main event was the final of the VALKYRIE Flyweight Championship tournament between Naoko Omuro and Yasuko Tamada. Of course Tamada trains at AACC so Megumi Fujii was in her corner. This match was supposed to happen in February but was postponed due to Omuro's injury. Tamada immediately goes for a takedown and passes guard. Omuro partially shakes her off but Tamada pounds her. She holds her down for the rest of round one. More of the same in round two as Tamada takes her down. Omuro is able to escape but had no offense to speak of. So Omuro is down two rounds but Tamada is relentless in round three. She wasn't able to finish Omuro but was the clear winner by unanimous decision. Tamada said she was deeply moved by the title win and did exactly what she wanted to do. Congratulations to Yasuko Tamada.

Rin Nakai lands a straight right

The other big match on this show was between the undefeated Rin Nakai and women's MMA pioneer Megumi Yabushita. At this point in her career, Yabushita is a gatekeeper and would be a good test for Nakai in her second bout at 61kg. At the start of round one, Nakai nails Yabushita with several strikes and it becomes obvious that she is way too powerful for Yabushita. So they go to the ground and Nakai pounds her there too. Yabushita tries to get up and Nakai is reprimanded for grabbing the wire net. A failed judo throw results in a Nakai armlock attempt. More of the same in round two as Nakai isn't quite able to hook a sleeper hold but she is clearly in control. Yabushita can't do anything with Nakai in round three and Rin Nakai wins by unanimous decision and does her trademark backflip to celebrate. She is now 7-0. Other matches on the show had Ayame Miura over Mutsumi Kasai by unanimous decision, Sugi Rock over Megumi Morioka by TKO 2:20 of round two and Butterfly Knife Yuka over sakura by unanimous decision.