Two years after reaching the last four of the Judo Pro League in its inaugural season, Orléans Judo Loiret will be making its return to the Paris Dojo on January 18. The Loiret outfit beat Montpellier Judo Olympic 5-2 in a match that was more competitive than the final result would suggest.

On Wednesday evening, the Dojo Jean-Claude Rousseau was fully booked for the quarter-final of the US Orléans Judo Loiret. After a near-perfect performance in the elimination phase, the Orléans team had to defend their status against Montpellier Judo Olympic, who were competing in their first Judo Pro League final.

The first two bouts, which were very close, were won on kinzas by both teams. We had to wait for the intervention of Martha Fawaz, recent medalist at the Tokyo Grand Slam, to see the first striking attacks of the evening. In the next bout, Zakary Ainseba scored a waza-ari in the opening minutes, before holding on to his advantage to give his team a third point.

Montpellier and Orléans then neutralized each other in the next two bouts. But England's Kelly Petersen Pollard scored the first ippon of the evening, confirming Orléans' advantage, before the experienced Anne M'Bairo sealed her team's victory. Although the French +100 kg champion Angel Gustan won his bout for Montpellier, it was only a minor success.

US Orléans Judo Loiret thus set their sights on the Final Four, while Montpellier's fine run came to an end in the quarter-finals.

Relive US Orléans Judo Loiret vs Montpellier Judo Olympic