Yuka Tsuji returning on July 9 JEWELS show

Mika Nagano

JEWELS ran a double shot today at Shin-kiba 1st Ring. I'm not a huge fan of double shots because fans get tired and cranky especially when you're running way too many kickboxing matches on what is supposed to be an MMA show. If fans want to see kickboxing, they can go to tomorrow's J-Girls show. The filler on these shows was clearly an issue with fans and the media because JEWELS owner Yuichi Ozono was asked about it after the show. He said they would continue to showcase a variety of fighting styles. Obviously he doesn't perceive it as filler but he's wrong as fans do perceive kickboxing etc. as filler. The big news from this show that overshadows everything else is that former SMACKGIRL and VALKYRIE champ Yuka Tsuji announced she would return on the July 9 JEWELS show. Tsuji had reconstructive shoulder surgery and minor knee surgery. In fact, last week was the first anniversary of her shoulder surgery. The obvious first opponent would be VV Mei but Ayaka Hamasaki, Saori Ishioka and Mika Nagano are all available according to JEWELS matchmaker Shigeru Saeki. So the main theme of this show was supposed to be JEWELS vs VALKYRIE. I think they could have done more with it but they just watered it down too much. VALKYRIE won 3-2 when VALKYRIE's Sugi Rock won the main event over Misaki Takimoto with a rear naked choke at 4:06 of round one. Ozono and Saeki both said they were very impressed with Sugi Rock. In the semi main, Ayaka Hamasaki won a grappling match by split decision over Saori Ishioka. Hamasaki controlled the first round but Ishioka came back in the second round and almost pulled off an upset. Mika Nagano won over Emi Murata with a cross arm breaker at 1:40 of round one. But what got her more attention than anyone else on the show is a new outfit and new theme music. Obviously she learned about getting attention by working with Fuuka at STARDOM. VALKYRIE's SACHI won over MIYOKO. The first round was even but SACHI took control in round two and won by unanimous decision. On the evening show, there was also a SHOOT BOXING match and a couple of grappling matches. In the afternoon show, the last three matches were all kickboxing matches. Fans perceive that as filler on what is supposed to be an MMA show. The Mongolian former pro wrestler Esui won a match for JEWELS over Chisa Yonezawa. Yonezawa took Esui down but left herself open to pounding and Yonezawa's left eye got very swollen and the doctor stopped the match at the end of round one. VALKYRIE's Megumi Morioka won a unanimous decision over Asami Higa. Yukiko Seki won a split decision over Yuka Okumura. Okumura lost a point for missing weight so that may have cost her the match. And Sadae Manhoef won over anna with a cross arm breaker at 2:10 of round two. Afterwards, VALKYRIE matchmaker Yasuko Mogi looked like the cat that swallowed the canary and needled Ozono and especially Saeki. Mogi joked that this was the first step of her takeover plan.