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Smackgirl
Smackgirl was a Japanese mixed martial arts promotion focused solely on female fighters. The promotion also held grappling and amateur events along with its main line of professional MMA cards. After financial difficulties throughout 2008 the promotion was sold to Marverous Japan Co.,Ltd. and rebranded JEWELS. Unlike conventional MMA in Japan, Smackgirl did not allow striking to the head while in a grounded position. There was also a 30-second limit for ground fighting but it was abolished by 2008. There were four weight classes: flyweight (under 48 kg), lightweight (under 52 kg), middleweight (under 58 kg), and openweight (no limit). Before being Smackgirl, the ReMix banner was used and held its first event in . After another event with the ReMix brand, the promotion morphed into Smackgirl in . Rules Weight classes *Flyweight (-') *Lightweight (-') * Middleweight (-') *Open weight Former champions Open division Middleweight Lightweight Flyweight Event ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Megumi Yabushita
is a retired Japanese female mixed martial artist, kickboxer, professional wrestler and judoka. She has participated in several Japanese professional wrestling and mixed martial arts promotions. She is a Japanese national judo champion and a former Smackgirl open weight champion and tournament winner. Background Yabushita was born on in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan. Her father introduced her into judo, training her before entering elementary school. Yabushita excelled at judo starting in high school and became a regular participant in national championships. Judo career Yabushita graduated from Asahikawa University High School, where she won the judo club competitions in the less than 48 kg division in 1988 and 1989. Scouted by Japan's corporate judo team Miki House, she won the all-Japan individual championships in 1993, in 1994 she placed third in the Fukuoka international women's judo championships in the 52 kg class and in 1995 she placed fifth in the World Masters M ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yuka Tsuji
is a Japanese female mixed martial artist whose nickname is Vale Tudo Queen. Tsuji was a prolific female mixed martial artist in the 2000s. Tsuji is a former Smackgirl tournament winner, Smackgirl Lightweight Champion and Valkyrie Featherweight Champion. MMA ranking system portal Fight Matrix ranked Tsuji as the #1 pound-for-pound Female Mixed Martial artist in the world in the years 2002, 2004 and 2005. Between 2002 to her retirement from MMA in 2012, she had frequently placed in the Top 5 of women's MMA fighters in flyweight and strawweight classes. Early life Tsuji was born on in Hirakata, Osaka, Japan. She graduated from the prestigious Chukyo Women's University; a university notable for its wrestling family. During her time there, Tsuji placed third in Women's Freestyle Wrestling (51 kg) in the 1997 Asian Championship. Mixed martial arts career Tsuji spent the majority of her career competing in the now-defunct Smackgirl promotion. She debuted with defunct promoti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yoko Takahashi (fighter)
is a Japanese female mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter and kickboxer and former boxer and professional wrestler. Takahashi is a former Smackgirl open weight champion. She is considered Japan's first female mixed martial artist. Background Takahashi was born on in Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan. Professional wrestling career Takahashi debuted as a professional wrestler with All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling (AJW) promotion in 1994 and kept participating until the end of 1996, when she decided not to continue with professional wrestling due to a hernia in her back. She became a part-time referee for promotion Yoshimoto Pro-Wrestling Jd', where she met her long-time partner Megumi Yabushita. They both left Jd' in 2002. Mixed martial arts career Takahashi debuted in MMA on at AJW event held at Korakuen Hall, in a fight that consisted of a single round with unlimited time, defeating German pro-wrestler Thundercrackk from Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi at 10 minutes and 14 seconds, after T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
List Of Female Mixed Martial Artists
This is a list of notable ''female'' mixed martial arts fighters in alphabetical order. A * Mariya Agapova - (UFC, Invicta) * Jessica Aguilar - (UFC, Bellator, WSOF) * Hitomi Akano - ( M-1, Strikeforce, Pancrase, JEWELS, Smackgirl, Invicta) * Alexandra Albu - (UFC) * Irene Aldana - (UFC, Invicta) * JJ Aldrich - (UFC, Invicta) * Reiko Amano * Alyse Anderson - ( OneFC) * Megan Anderson - ( Invicta, UFC) * Jessica Andrade - (UFC) * Nina Ansaroff - (UFC, Invicta) * Viviane Araújo - (UFC) * Glena Avila * Julia Avila - (UFC, Invicta) * Diana Avsaragova - (Bellator) B * Jorina Baars - ( OneFC) * Maycee Barber - (UFC, Legacy) * Shayna Baszler - (EliteXC, ShoXC, Strikeforce, Invicta, UFC) * Diana Belbiţă - (UFC) * Amanda Bell - ( Invicta, Bellator) * DeAnna Bennett - ( Invicta, UFC) * Julia Berezikova - ( M-1, SFL) * Lucie Bertaud - (Bellator, Titan FC) * Jemyma Betrian * Erin Blanchfield - (UFC, Invicta) * Arlene Blencowe - (Bellator) * Mar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hitomi Akano
is a retired Japanese female mixed martial artist. She announced her formal retirement from MMA on August 1, 2013. Akano used a song she penned herself called "Between the Sky" as her entrance music. She is a former Smackgirl Middleweight Champion at 128 pounds. Mixed martial arts career Akano made her mixed martial arts debut on November 26, 2004 against veteran Megumi Yabushita. Akano went into the fight with a broken foot, unwilling to pull out of the fight beforehand. She was defeated by Unanimous Decision. On August 17, 2005, Akano submitted Takayo Hashi at 1:19 of the first round at Smackgirl – Dynamic !! Akano faced Tara LaRosa at MFC – USA vs. Russia 3 on June 3, 2006. She lost the fight by Unanimous Decision. She faced Molly Helsel at Smackgirl – Women Hold Their Ground on September 15, 2006. She won the fight by armbar submission in the second round and became the second Smackgirl Middleweight (128-Pound) Champion. On April 14, 2007, Akano faced Amanda Buckne ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Satoko Shinashi
is a female Japanese mixed martial artist. She is a former DEEP Flyweight champion and former Smackgirl Flyweight champion. She is tied second for the most bouts among women and is considered as one of the pioneers of women's mixed martial arts. Background Influenced by her father, Shinashi started training judo at the age of 15, stopping the discipline after graduating from Nippon Sport Science University at 22. She then started competing in sambo, in which she excelled in international competition. Mixed martial arts career After a short amateur career, Shinashi turned pro in 2001. Smackgirl Racking an undefeated record of 4–0–1 in her first five bouts, she entered Smackgirl 2002 Lightweight tournament in late 2002. She finished all three bouts and won the tournament title with the second-round submission of Hisae Watanabe. DEEP After amassing three more wins in Smackgirl, Shinashi made her promotional debut in DEEP: 13th Impact in early January 2004 and would go on un ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hiroko Yamanaka
, more commonly known simply as Hiroko (styled in capitals) and nicknamed or Cat's Eye, is a retired Japanese female mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter. She fought for Invicta FC, Strikeforce and Jewels, and was the final Smackgirl Open Weight Champion. Yamanaka announced her retirement on . Early life Yamanaka was born on in Kisarazu, Chiba, Japan. Through a personal friend's suggestion, Yamanaka initially took on mixed martial arts for health and fitness purposes only. After time, she found the sport of MMA agreed with her physicality and became more involved, fighting her first official match in May 2006. Mixed martial arts career Her first MMA fight was a draw against Mariko Fujimoto in a match with Smackgirl amateur rules on at ''S-Keep: Eggs Fight 4''. Her next fight was in the ''Super Gals Mix Cup Open Weight Tournament 1st Round'' against Rie Murakami, whom Yamanaka defeated by unanimous decision on at ''Smackgirl: Legend of Extreme Women''. This was her professional ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Women's Mixed Martial Arts
While mixed martial arts is primarily a male dominated sport, it does have female athletes. For instance, Female competition in Japan includes promotions such as DEEP Jewels. Now defunct promotions that featured female fighters were Valkyrie, and Smackgirl. Professional mixed martial arts organizations in the United States that invite women to compete are industry leader Ultimate Fighting Championship, the all female Invicta Fighting Championships, Resurrection Fighting Alliance, Bellator Fighting Championships, and Legacy Fighting Championship. Now defunct promotions that featured female fighters were Strikeforce and EliteXC. There has been a growing awareness of women in mixed martial arts due to popular female fighters and personalities such as Amanda Nunes, Megumi Fujii, Gina Carano, Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos, Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, Holly Holm and Joanna Jędrzejczyk and among others. Carano became known as "the face of women's MMA" after appearing in a number of EliteXC ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jewels (mixed Martial Arts)
Jewels (styled JEWELS in capitals) is a mixed martial arts organization owned by Marverous Japan Co., Ltd. focused on Women's mixed martial arts, female fighters. It is the direct successor of Smackgirl. It has a working relationship with fellow mixed martial arts promotion Deep (mixed martial arts), Deep presided by Shigeru Saeki (also the Jewels supervisor). History After the women MMA promotion Smackgirl faced severe financial difficulties caused by the unexpected departure of major sponsors and television network deals, an executive from Japanese event production company Archery Inc., Yuichi Ozono, formed the company Marverous Japan and acquired the assets and rights formerly belonging to Smackgirl parent company Kilgore. Since the reputation of Smackgirl was tarnished by all the problems it faced, it was decided to start anew. On June 9, 2012, it was announced that Jewels has formed a strategic partnership with American promotion Invicta Fighting Championships to cross-promo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mixed Martial Arts
Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. The first documented use of the term ''mixed martial arts'' was in a review of UFC 1 by television critic Howard Rosenberg in 1993. The question of who actually coined the term is subject to debate. During the early 20th century, various interstylistic contests took place throughout Japan and in the countries of the Four Asian Tigers. In Brazil, there was the sport of Vale Tudo, in which The Gracie family was known to promote Vale Tudo matches as a way to promote their own Brazilian jiu-jitsu style. A precursor to modern MMA was the 1976 Ali vs. Inoki exhibition bout (which ended in a draw after 15 rounds), fought between boxer Muhammad Ali and wrestler Antonio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Koichiro Kimura
was a Japanese mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, also known under the ring name . Kimura was known for his work in promotions like Dramatic Dream Team, W*ING, Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling, among others. He was also involved in MMA, facing Rickson Gracie at the second event of Vale Tudo Japan and being the founder of the female MMA brands AX and G-Shooto. He also competed in Fighting Network RINGS during its early years and participated in both mixed-style shoot contests and shoot style matches for the company. Kimura died of pneumonia on October 28, 2014. Championships and accomplishments *Dramatic Dream Team :*KO-D Openweight Championship ( 3 times) :*KO-D Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Mikami :* DDT Tag League/KO-D Tag League – with Tomohiko Hashimoto (2000) and Mikami (2001) Mixed martial arts record , - , Loss , align=center, 1–2 , Rickson Gracie , Submission (rear naked choke) , Vale Tudo Japan 1995 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Deep Jewels Events
These are the Deep Jewels events held by the Japanese mixed martial arts (MMA) organization Deep. The ''Jewels'' MMA events were previously held by Jewels before Deep absorbed its operations on . ''Deep Jewels 1'' ''Deep Jewels 1'', originally was the inaugural MMA event of the Deep Jewels brand after Jewels promotion ceased operations to move the brand to Deep promotion. The event took place on at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan. Source(s) ''Deep Jewels 2'' ''Deep Jewels 2'', originally was the second MMA event of the Deep Jewels brand held by the Japanese promotion Deep. The event took place on at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan. The event featured Seo Hee Ham defending the Deep Jewels featherweight championship, which she won in the Jewels promotion by defeating Naho Sugiyama in the last Jewels event, against Sadae Numata, who won the right to challenge for the championship at ''Deep Jewels 1''. The event also held the first round of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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