Chihiro Sawada’s Career-Defining Performance
Chihiro Sawada showcased an outstanding performance this past weekend, marking a significant milestone in her career.
The 28-year-old grappling specialist from Japan handed Natalie Salcedo, a previously undefeated American fighter, her first professional defeat at ONE Fight Night 39 on Prime Video. Sawada dominated the match with effective striking and superior grappling, earning a unanimous decision victory in their atomweight MMA clash.
Setting the pace from the outset at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok on January 23, Sawada began the fight with precise left punches that consistently pushed Salcedo into a corner.
Despite being a BJJ black belt with experience in Muay Thai, Salcedo struggled to cope with Sawada’s excellent striking in the second round. The left punches emphasized Sawada’s strengths, leaving little doubt about who would win by the final bell.
This victory improved Sawada’s record to 11-1, solidifying her status among the division’s elite and bringing her a step closer to a title shot against Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga for the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Title.
Strategic Decisions and Future Aspirations
Reflecting on her successful fight, Sawada noted the adjustments that contributed to her win, stating, “I believe I showed a performance that reflects my level of striking, which used to be my weakness.” Her choice to emphasize striking over wrestling was a strategic risk that paid off significantly.
Instead of engaging in Salcedo’s ground game, which could have been a tactical error, Sawada controlled the matchup, compelling Salcedo to fight on her terms. She affirmed, “I wanted to control the whole game myself and make her come to me in my striking game.”
Now positioned for the biggest opportunity of her career, Sawada is eyeing a match against Ayaka “Zombie” Miura for an interim title, especially with the timeline of Zamboanga’s return being uncertain. She expressed her desire for the bout, emphasizing its potential to captivate Japanese fans, saying, “If it’s at the Tokyo event, it would attract a lot of attention from Japanese fans.”
