22 August 2019 Sammy Winward vs Sayumi Michishige

Sammy Winward vs Sayumi Michishige
(BBU Independent vs Front Street Japan)
(2-11, 2 KO vs 2-0, 2 KO)
Results: BBU; Story: Vassago

BEFORE: Mikie Hara used to be Front Street Japan's main flyweight weapon for years but she's scheduled to browse the JMD market soon so stable owner Ayako Hamada picks Sayumi Michishige as the new elite challenger in the 110 lbs division. Sayumi scored a couple of wins over otherwise ineffective veterans in Katherine Jenkins and Keisha Buchanan and her tonight's opponent basically fits the same category. Sammy Winward remains one of the most popular Emmerdale actresses around the UK and she's equally as targeted by her BBU peers thanks to her lousy record. Can she upstage the ballyhooed Asian singer tonight? 

Sammy Winward wears a turquoise bikini set and black gloves. Long blonde hair tied in a sleek ponytail. Sayumi Michishige wears a red bikini set and silver gloves. Long black hair tied in a sleek ponytail. The fight is scheduled for ten rounds in the flyweight division.

Round 1:
Home town magic seems to work well for Sayumi who outworks the somewhat sluggish blonde and begins to rack up punches upstairs. Sammy tries to swing back but just can't find her range while she succumbs to the brunette's trigger-happy attack. Sayumi piles more strikes on target and reels the blonde onto her heels before dropping a big hook on the exposed liver area. Ugh! Sammy stumbles back to the ropes with a loud whimper and struggles to escape the hole as Sayumi rolls over her with more juice. One-sided beating ensues and Winward gets quickly sucked behind a desperate earmuff while being unable to respond. Sayumi barks amid her aggressive efforts but she only makes sure the blonde is completey trapped and can't send her down for the early count which makes some fans around the Dome upset come the bell.

Round 2:
Sammy tries to match another aggressive bounce from the Japanese foe but gets smacked on the lips a couple of times and begins to reel behind a high earmuff again. She steps to the side but even her mobility isn't good enough to escape Michishige's wrath who keeps pounding away up the middle until she has the Emmerdale babe aching in pain. Another double combo tears the blonde's guard aside and enables Sayumi to connect with more hits on the jaw while Winward bellows out on the ropes and gets properly manhandled to the point she can only groan out her struggles while Sayumi peppers her midsection during the final stretch. Ugh! Sammy stumbles to the side when the bell interrupts the action and looks to be hurtin' badly here after just six minutes of action.

Round 3:
Sayumi's aerial attack cracks the blonde's guard wide open seconds into the third and the English resilience finally bottoms out when Winward's lips are shattered into an ugly mess courtesy of some brutally effective hooks on target. Sammy can't even keep her gloves high enough as Sayumi turns up the wick and knocks the Emmerdale babe back & forth until she drops her into another trap along the ropes. Sammy chokes on her spasms and gets drilled on the tummy with Michishige getting visibly annoyed here but she finally hits the right spot and bangs one on the solar plexus that renders Winward vulnerable enough for a big right hand crushing her on the jaw... BLONDE GIRL DOWN!!! Sammy collapses in the corner and makes little effort to beat the count so the ref waves the contest off at seven!!! KO3 Sayumi Michishige!!!

AFTER: Wild ovation from the Tokyo Dome audience but truth be told Sayumi could have blitzed the blonde tourist inside the opening round so she has every right to feel like she's wasted too much time over this knockout. She might be ready for bigger things next but she lacks that big punch and those elite prospects will offer significant resistance as well, something that Winward was simply unable to display tonight. It remains to be seen if Sayumi's career ever develops above the undercard opener status going forward!

Final result: Sayumi Michishige def. Sammy Winward KO3.