Jenelyn Olsim showed well-rounded game as she utilized her grappling skills to topple Julie Mezabarba by a split decision during in ONE 158 held on June 3, 2022 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
The next gen Team Lakay fighter matched her Brazilian striker’s powerful punches and kicks while imposing multiple takedowns to earn the nod of two of the judges in her inside the ONE Circle.
The 25-year Olsim took down Mezabarba at least once in each round of the three-round bout, with the Brazilian unable to counter except for futile guillotine choke attempts that did not matter much.
This proved to be the difference for Olsim.
The lady fighters squared off in the middle of the ring and feel each other out for their potent striking skills to start the fight until Olsim showed her real intentions by going for a double-leg takedown barely 1:20 minutes gone into the match.
The attempt got Mezabarba back-pedaling towards the wall. A follow through on the attack by Olsim made the takedown successful. Mezabarba countered with a side headlock attempt but to no avail.
The ensuing struggle of Olsim to escape the choke attempt resulted her to get back on her feet and prey on the still fallen Brazilian.
After multiple kick connections to the leg by Olsim, the referee forced the action back on their feet 1:25 left.
After an exchange of hits, Olsim again got back to grappling and successfully put down Mezabarba back to the ground for the second time. The action ended with the two fighters going for submission attempts.
Olsim did have a crack at submitting Mezabarba through a leglock late into Round 1, but Mezabarba was only saved by the bell.
After a few strike exchanges to open the second round, Olsim quickly went for another double leg takedown and succeed in her first attempt.
Mezabarba, however, escaped to take the action back to their feet and led to a furious exchange of strikes until the round ended.
The final round opened with another fury of exchanges until Olsim went for another double-leg takedown that forced the action towards the fence.
A barking Head Coach Mark Sangiao was clearly heard shouting instructions for Olsim to carry her opponent and drop her to the canvass, which she did for the fourth successful execution.
That probably did the trick for Olsim as a late Mezabarba rally on strikes was not enough to sway the minds of two of the judges.
Olsim’s completed her two-folded mission following her bronze medal finish in vovinam in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam.
The Team Lakay stalwart last saw action last October 2021, falling to Ritu Phogat in the ONE Atomweight World Grand Prix semifinals. The short notice to take over a slot in the tournament was not enough to overcome the Indian wrestling specialist.
She was supposed to take on Malaysian star Jihin Radzuan at ONE: Bad Blood in February 2022 but had to pull out due to injury.
The victory limited the Bokod, Benguet native’s losing skid to just one and improved her record to 6-3.
Mezabarba dropped to 9-4-1. She absorbed her second straight loss, the first being a defeat to Nong Stamp via unanimous decision last October.
By Armando M. Bolislis
