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After a nine-year, 29-fight career, MMA pioneer Megumi Fujii’s retirement bout against American Jessica Aguilar ended on a bit of sour note, as Fujii was unable to answer the call for round three due to damage suffered from an accidental eye poke. The rematch with Aguilar served as the main event for Vale Tudo Japan 3rd, which featured a number of “Japan vs. USA” themed bouts on Oct. 5 at the Ota City General Gymnasium in Tokyo.

The main event started out close, with both women searching for their rhythm between boxing exchanges. About two minutes into the round, Fujii received her second eye poke of the frame, as Aguilar’s nailed scratched the corner of Fujii’s eyelid. Fujii seemed unable to continue at first, but after about a 10-minute rest period, she chose to go on. The damage in her eye began to show, as Aguilar made use of the opportunity and began to find her target easier and easier.

After receiving a multitude of punches, Fujii’s eye began to swell even more and her defensive skills faltered. At the end of round two, the doctor was called in to check the damaged eye and decided he could not let the fight continue. While the bout would have been declared a no-contest originally, it was called a technical knockout victory for Aguilar because Fujii chose to finish out the two rounds before stopping the fight. Afterward, the American Top Team product expressed her gratitude to the legendary Japanese fighter, as the two embraced each other in tears.

Widely regarded as the best female fighter to compete in the sport of MMA, Fujii ends her career with a record of 26-3.

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Tough Enough

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