SINGAPORE—Filipino Mixed Martial Arts fighters Richard Corminal and Gina Iniong both hoped to win their bouts—Corminal by knockout as early as possible and Iniong with a repeat decision victory—against celebrated rivals at ONE: Immortal Pursuit in Singapore last Friday.
Things didn’t go as planned. Corminal lost by arm triangle choke to highly regarded Arnaud Lepont right in the first round. Iniong lost by unanimous decision to top atomweight contender Mei Yamaguchi.
hard fought match. Yamaguchi won by unanimous decision.
ONE Championship
LePont stopped fighting professionally to manage one of Vietnam’s biggest martial arts gyms in the nation’s capital of Ho Chi Minh City. After two years away from competition, Lepont made a triumphant return to the ONE Championship cage.
Lepont stalked Corminal early in the first round and quickly took the action to the mat. The Frenchman mounted Corminal and methodically tightened his hooks to force the submission finish.
Yamaguchi—who should have been fighting for the ONE Championship women’s atomweight title if not for the injury suffered by champion Angela Lee—vented her ire on Iniong.
The first round was close as Iniong kept Yamaguchi at bay with her powerful right hand. The tide turned against Iniong in the second round. Yamaguchi took Iniong down and pummeled her with punches and elbows.
The third round was all Yamaguchi. Iniong, who only two weeks before had tallied a victory in the ONE cage over Indonesian Priscilla Hertati Lumbangaol, faded from fatigue allowing Yamaguchi to dominate and win the fight.