Celine Haga vs Anna Saito

Round 1

Referee for this bout is Kenichi Serizawa. Haga puts a flurry of punches in Saito’s face, prompting the smaller Japanese fighter to return fire in kind. Once Saito has had it with being punched in the face, she shoots in for a takedown. Haga stuffs the takedown and takes Saito’s back, wrapping an arm around her face for the rear-naked choke. Saito defends by tucking her chin.

In an act of outright officiating negligence, referee Serizawa stands the fighters up. Haga catches a kick to the body and trips Saito to the mat, taking top position in half-guard. Haga then passes to mount and drops punches to Saito’s ribs. Haga transitions from knee on belly to side control in the final thirty seconds, riding out the round on top until the bell. A solid Haga round.

Round 2

Haga puts hard, snapping punches on Saito’s face as Saito pushes blindly forward to close the distance. Haga adds knees to the body, which eventually collapse the diminutive Japanese fighter. Haga then retakes the mount, whereupon she slowly creeps her way upward to set up an armbar. Once she’s comfortable that she’s got the proper position and grips locked in, she extends the arm to get the technical submission at the 2:18 mark.

Winner: Celine Haga by Technical Submission (armbar) at 2:18 of round two.