Women's MMA - Tough Month for Tuff Women

Welcome to the Fightergirls column on Women Talk Sports brought to you by your source for women’s mma gear and clothing Fightergirls.com. Here is the news for this week.

Hiroko defeats Sandy Furner - Photo courtesy GBring.com

In breaking news, #3 ranked 145 pounder Hiroko Yamanaka took one step closer to getting a match with Strikeforce champion Cyborg Santos. At the S-Cup event in Japan, Hiroko faced debuting mma fighter and top muay thai fighter Sandy Furner, who was substituting for Olympic freestyle wrestling bronze medalist Randi Miller, who had suffered a hand injury during training. Furner would do some effective striking until Hiroko took down the muay thai fighter, securing the choke at 1:45 in the first round.

Strikeforce had stated to MMARising that they would be watching the match carefully, but there was no guarantees that Hiroko would be getting the shot at Santos. Hiroko has been campaigning the past year for a shot at the 145 pound Strikeforce champ.

RENA defeats Takahashi - Photo Courtesy GBring.com

In the S-Cup shooto boxing tournament final, RENA beat Ai Takahashi in what was a war between the two. The match went to a fifth tiebreaker round, with RENA getting the win via 10-9 decsion, and her second S-Cup crown.

Ward defeats Daly photo courtesy Jade Kimmel

In the final match of the opening round of the Bellator 115 pound tournament, #4 ranked 115 pounder Lisa Ward defeated #5 ranked 125 pounder Aisling Daly via Unanimous Decision in Kansas City this past Thursday. Ward would dominate the fight with her wrestling, taking down Daly at will with judo head and arm throws. Ward would try to take out Daly by ground andf pound, and submission attempts, but Daly stuck it out all three rounds. Ward handed Daly her first loss in her career.

(A full photo gallery of the fight can be seen on Fightergirls.com courtesy of our photographer Jade Kimmel)

This sets up a long awaited rematch between Ward and #1 ranked Megumi Fujii in the semi-fianls. A date and location for this match and the Zoila Frausto vs. Jessica Aguilar semi-final has yet to be announced.

Alexis Davis (bottom) loses to Elaina Maxwell (top)

Photo courtesy Dave Johnson, Welland Tribune 

Elaina Maxwell defeated #9 ranked Alexis Davis in a hard fought decision victory, in what turned out to be a non-title match at the Raging Wolf card in Niagara Falls this past weekend. Maxwell was unable to make weight, so the belt wasn’t on the line. Davis will face Tonya Evinger Nov. 6.

In the only other pro match this weekend - Christina Domke def. Jessica Hilger via tko at 2:15 of round 2 at WNCC 6 in Wisconsin 

Marloes Coenen Photo Courtesy Tom Hill

In what is turning out to be a crazy situation, Marloes Coenen and Glory MMA have announced that Coenen will be on the Glory 12 card in Europe only a week after she faces Strikeforce champ Sarah Kaufman on Oct. 9 in San Jose. Glory MMA's Martijn de Jong confirmed to MMA Rising that Coenen would be fighting Oct. 15 in Amsterdam, Holland.

"Tuiff Girls" Nicole Coleman

"Tuff Girls" just finished taping in Thailand this past week, with competitors from all around the world coming to test their skills and learn from the man who has train the likes of Gina Carano, Jennfier Tate, Kerry Vera, and Michelle Waterson; all who were apart of Toddy's original "Fight Girls" show in 2007 on the Oxygen network. This show will be airing in Australia this fall.

To read more about the show and see the trailer for the show, please read my previous post here.

Kim Couture (left) vs. Marianna Kheyfets (Right)

After her stunning defeat of Kim Couture this past month, Marianna Kheyfets will face debuting Melissa Bopp on the undercard of the Ring of Combat event in Atlantic City Oct. 9. Couture will be the co-main event of the card, facing debuting Munah Holland.

In the only pro fight this week Monica Lovato faces Windy Tomomi at Pancrase MMA in Japan. 

Tara LaRosa courtesy TheMat.com

Good luck to #1 ranked 125 pounder Tara LaRosa as she will be repsresnting team USA at SportAccord Combat Games in Beijing.  She is the only women from the states to compete in the games, and will be grappling for the gold starting Wednesday.

ADCC champ Penny Thomas

Congratulations to FighterGirls fight team member Penny Thomas who got a 2-0 victory over Tracey Goodell at Grappler's Quest at the #UFC Expo

That is all for now. Please check out Fightergirls for all your women’s mma news and interviews. Plus follow us on twitter @fightergirls with the most up to the minute breaking news stories in women’s mma.

Also check out the Fightergirls Store for all your mma gear and clothing, now featuring a line of women's and men's shorts. We also carry RevGear, Everlast, and Cleto Reyes boxing and mma gear.

Until next week.

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• Martial Arts, MMA, Wrestling