MMA: Journalist crowned first MIMMA women's champion

The third season of the Malaysian Invasion Mixed Martial Arts Fighting Championship (MIMMA3) entered its grand finale late yesterday with journalist Joanna Yap being crowned the first champion for the amateur tournament's female category.

The 36-year-old Sarawakian defeated Sabahan contender Felicia Yunus, via unanimous decision in a bout that lasted five rounds in the Women's Pride division.

Well-versed in the grappling art of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, both fighters quickly took the fight to the ground at the beginning of round 1.

Joanna utilised her brute strength to overpower Felicia throughout the match, though it wasn't an easy task.

Felicia then fought back using her boxing and taekwondo skills, raining some strikes towards Joanna but did not manage to weaken her opponent.

Both fighters exchanged blows and throws until the fight went all the way to the last round, but the referee through the judges' score card pronounced Joanna the winner.

Tajikistan’s Ahmadjon Karimov KOs his Thai opponent, A Karadech Seesombat during MIMMA’s Foreign Pride match. - MIMMA photo

Tajikistan’s Ahmadjon Karimov KOs his Thai opponent, A Karadech Seesombat during MIMMA’s Foreign Pride match. - MIMMA photo

In another new category fight - the Foreign Pride division, saw Tajikistan’s Ahmadjon Karimov nailing his Thai opponent, A Karadech Seesombat.

At the start of the bout, Muay Thai specialist Seesombat came out strong with his fighting style domination.

But in a quick turnaround, boxer and wrestler Ahmadjon landed a perfectly timed punch, knocking out Seesombat instantly.

Meanwhile three undercard fights took the stage as well - ‘East meets West’, ‘Battle of the Straits (Singapore vs Malaysia) and the comical-but-skillful between two Hitz.fm deejays, ‘Celebrity fight’.

The 'East meets West' saw MIMMA's first heavyweight champion, Adrian Tham from Sabah defeating Theeban Govindasamy from Selangor by unanimous decision.

In the other two fights, Malaysian boxer Hui Keng Fai defeated Nazri Sutari from Singapore via submission in Round 1, while Ryan from Hitz Night Out defeated Arnold from the Hitz Morning Crew via split decision.

The MIMMA3 Grand Finals was held at Stadium Putra and was also a part of the National Sports Day celebration, an initiative by the Youth and Sports Ministry, led by its minister Khairy Jamaluddin.