MANILA – Jenelyn Olsim followed up on her Southeast Asian Games success by returning to the ONE Championship cage with a bang and edging Brazilian opponent Julie Mezabarba at the ONE Championship 158, held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday night.
Fresh from winning a bronze medal for vovinam in Hanoi, Olsim showed that her striking remains on point by being the more aggressive fighter in the stand-up game and tagging Mezabarba with pinpoint punches.
Olsim even showed her aggressiveness in going for the takedown and actually had a crack at submitting Mezabarba through a leglock late into Round 1, but Mezabarba was only saved by the bell.
The Brazilian fighter had chances to overturn the Team Lakay standout's takedown attempts into guillotine hold shots but the latter quickly got out of the holds.
Mezabarba's near submissions got the nod from one judge but the other two judges saw Olsim winning with her superb striking, giving the latter the split decision victory.
After the battle pitting alternate semifinalists in the ONE Women's Atomweight Grand Prix, Olsim moved up to 6-3, while Mezabarba fell to 9-4-1. (PNA)
