MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — On a balmy Minnesota winter night in the historic warehouse district, 12 female mixed martial artists took center stage in a hexagon-shaped cage.
Fighting out of the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy with Sean Sherk (Pictures) and Nick Thompson (Pictures), Welchlin is new to the game, fighting only one time prior to her meeting with Fujii.
Megumi showed her experience in dominating the hometown girl. Securing a double-leg takedown early, the Smackgirl champion moved to the side, where she landed some elbows and looked to advance position. Securing the mount, it was only a matter of time before Megumi ended the bout. After Landing some shots on Welchlin, the Minnesotan gave up her arm and "Mega Megu" took it to capture her tenth win with an armbar at 2:40 of round one.
The co-main event saw Minnesotan Kelly Kobald (Pictures) meet Miletich product Adrienna Jenkins (Pictures). Representing Team Bison, Kobald had a flawless record of 13-0-1. Though undefeated with more than 10 fights, it was safe to say that "AJ" was Kobald's toughest test to date.
Coming from the famed Miletich camp in Iowa, Jenkins is a solid fighter with a 10-1 record. With her fiancée Jens Pulver (Pictures) in her corner, "AJ" came out hard but was met in kind.
Throwing hard punches Kobald rocked Jenkins right away. Driving the Iowan into the cage, the local fighter had her opponent in trouble. Not going down with out a tussle, Jenkins secured a double-leg and made the Team Bison fighter work from her back. Not losing her initiative, Kobald framed up a triangle that made her opponent look for a way out.
Posturing up, Jenkins slammed Kobald to the mat, where danger transitioned from a triangle to armbar. Jenkins defended the submission only to find herself back where she started, in a triangle choke.
This time the triangle was deeper but still not deep enough to cause a tap. Pulling down on Jenkin's head, Kobald was doing everything in her power to make her opponent succumb. It wasn't until Kelly started landing hard punches and elbows to the face of "AJ" that the fight was stopped. Cut and bleeding, the Miletich fighter verbally submitted at 3:26 of round one.
Following the bout Kobold called out Erin Toughill (Pictures), who was in attendance. The two then hyped a bout that is rumored to take place at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul, Minn.
"The Breakout" had a solid undercard featuring quality efforts from Ginele Marquez, Shayna Baszler (Pictures) and Marissa Inhofer.
With Gina Carano (Pictures) and Kit Cope (Pictures) in her corner, Marquez was methodical in winning her bout over Liz Posener with a rear-naked choke at 3:16 of the first round.
Securing multiple takedowns, Marquez showed her experience and in-ring savvy by passing the guard. From side-control, Ginele landed hard elbows before mercifully taking a rear-naked choke to secure her fourth win.
Coming off of an impressive win over Roxanne Modafferi (Pictures) in bodogFIGHT, Baszler looked to improve her record to 4-2 against Samantha Anderson. She did just that, using her Muay Thai skills early to take an advantage.
Fighting out of South Dakota, Baszler started the fight by throwing hard low kicks. Having eaten two early, Anderson anticipated a third but this time it came high. Stunned but still coherent, Anderson clinched and put Baszler on her back. Instantly Baszler attacked the right arm of her opponent.
In one of the most intriguing submissions I have ever seen, Shayna framed up what looked like a triangle choke. Using her right leg to hook her opponent's right arm, Baszler transitioned to a modified Kimura, the same move she used to finish Modafferi a few weeks ago.
Capturing the tap at 1:00 of the first round, Baszler was sympathetic in victory as her opponent's arm was severely injured. While her opponent lay on the ground in agony Shayna motioned to her corner that the shoulder was torn.
Marissa Inhofer and Kristy Bushnel battled the fight of the night. Bushnel found success early capitalizing off of a failed trip attempt Bushnel put Inhofer on her back before driving her into the cage.
Inhofer, the sister of The Ultimate Fighter 3 veteran Noah Inhofer, remained composed and circled away from the cage. Nick Thompson (Pictures), who acted as referee, restarted the bout on the feet where Inhofer took over.
Getting a Muay Thai clinch, "The Misfit" took it to Bushnel with hard knees. Getting control of her opponent's head, Inhofer looked for a throw but ended up on her back for the effort. From there Inhofer secured an armbar that she could not finish. Although the arm was extended Bushnel would just not tap. Inhofer used the submission to advance position, taking mount. Round one ended with Inhofer in mount landing hard shots.
Round two was all Inhofer, as she clinched and landed with knees once again. She then forced her opponent into the cage and grabbed Bushnel's neck to frame a guillotine choke. She jumped guard, but rolled through straight to mount. From there Inhofer landed hard shots to capture a TKO victory at 1:54 of round two.