Jenelyn Olsim beats Julie Mezabarba by split decision in ONE 158

Jenelyn Olsim. Photo from ONE Championship

MANILA, Philippines — Jenelyn Olsim survived Brazilian Julie Mezabarba, taking a split decision victory in ONE 158 on Friday at Singapore Indoor Stadium.

The 25-year-old Filipino fighter broke free from the Brazilian kickboxer’s grappling techniques and hit the timely strikes to complete her triumphant return in the ONE Championship stage.

Mezabarba, 23, took down Olsim each round with her guillotine choke. She grounded Olsim twice in the first round. 

But the Muay Thai specialist was able to recover and stay in the three-round match.

Olsim capped her busy stretch with a victory over Mezabarba, 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, yielding to Indian wrestling savant Ritu Phogat in the ONE Atomweight World Grand Prix semifinals of ONE: NEXTGEN.

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.

Olsim improved to a 6-3 record in handing Mezabarba’s fourth defeat.

The Brazilian dropped to 9-4-1 (win-loss-draw) card and absorbed her second straight loss, including a defeat to Nong Stamp via unanimous decision last October.