is a Japanese mixed martial artist, currently competing in the atomweight division of

Rizin Fighting Federation Rizin Fighting Federation (Rizin FF or Rizin) is a Japanese mixed martial arts organization created in 2015 by the former Pride Fighting Championships and Dream Stage Entertainment president Nobuyuki Sakakibara. Rizin was founded to be the spir ...

. She is the current Jewels Strawweight and Rizin Super Atomweight champion. As of January 3, 2022, Izawa is ranked as the best atomweight in the world by both

Fight Matrix Fight Matrix , MMA Rankings, Records, Statistics is an independent, comprehensive, mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter ranking system portal. It is one of the sport's most recognized ranking websites. According to FightMatrix: "The rankings on thi ...

and

Sherdog Sherdog is an American website devoted to the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). It also has many forums and discussion pages on the many topics of MMA like records, promotions, etc. The site is a member of the CraveOnline network and provides MM ...

Personal life and background

Izawa began practicing judo at the age of four, and took up wrestling in the 4th grade of elementary school. Representing the Sakushin Gakuin High School, Izawa placed third in the 2012 Japanese National Junior High School Wrestling Tournament and fifth in the National High School Judo Championship. Izawa won the second place in the All Japan Women's Sumo Championship ultra-lightweight weight class. On June 30, 2022, Izawa announced her engagement to fellow mixed martial artist Kosuke "CORO" Terashima.

Mixed martial arts career

Izawa began training mixed martial arts in June 2020 due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

preventing her from competing in judo.

Jewels (2020–present)

Early success

Izawa made her professional debut against Mika Arai at Deep Jewels 30 on October 31, 2020. She won the fight by unanimous decision. Izawa was scheduled to face the interim Jewels Strawweight champion

Miki Motono Miki Motono (本野美樹, born May 18, 1994) is a Japanese mixed martial artist, currently competing in the atomweight division of Deep Jewels. A professional competitor since 2019, she is the former Deep Jewels interim strawweight champion. M ...

in a non-title bout at Deep Jewels 32 on December 19, 2020. She won the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.

Strawweight Champion

Izawa and

fought a rematch for the interim Jewels Strawweight Championship at Deep Jewels 33 on June 19, 2021. She won the fight by a first-round submission, forcing Motono to tap with an armbar at the 3:32 minute mark. It was the first stoppage victory of her professional career. Izawa was promoted to undisputed champion on March 15, 2022, after

Mizuki Inoue , nicknamed , is a Japanese female kickboxer and mixed martial artist. Inoue has fought in the kickboxing promotion J-Girls and MMA promotion Jewels. She won the 2010 Jewels -56 kg Rough Stone Grand Prix tournament at 16 years of age, becomin ...

vacated the belt. Izawa made her atomweight debut against

Si Woo Park Si Woo Park (born 26 June 1991) is a South Korean mixed martial artist, currently competing in the atomweight division of Jewels. As of January 3, 2022, Fight Matrix ranks her as the eight best atomweight in the world, while Sherdog ranks her as ...

at DEEP 104 Impact on October 23, 2021. She won the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 28-27, 29-26 and 29-26. Park was deducted two points in the second round for an illegal soccer kick. Following this victory,

recognized Izawa as the fifth best atomweight in the world.

Rizin FF (2021–present)

Super Atomweight Champion

Izawa faced the reigning Rizin Super Atomweight champion

Ayaka Hamasaki is a Japanese female mixed martial artist, judoka and submission grappler. She is the former Rizin Super Atomweight Champion. She has fought in MMA promotions ''Shooto'', Jewels and Rizin in Japan, and Invicta FC in the United States. Hamasaki ...

in a non-title match at Rizin 33 - Saitama on December 31, 2021. She won the fight by technical knockout, stopping Hamasaki with a mixture of grounded elbows and punches. It was the first knockout victory of her professional career. After beating Hamasaki, Izawa was ranked as the best atomweight in the world by both

and

. Izawa challenged the reigning Rizin Super Atomweight champion

Rizin 35 Rizin Fighting Federation (Rizin FF or Rizin) is a Japanese mixed martial arts organization created in 2015 by the former Pride Fighting Championships and Dream Stage Entertainment president Nobuyuki Sakakibara. Rizin was founded to be the sp ...

on April 16, 2022. She was once again able to utilize her superior grappling to win the fight by unanimous decision.

Super Atomweight Grand Prix

At a press conference held by Rizin on July 7, 2022, it was announced that Izawa would participate in an eight-women grand prix, with a ¥7,000,000 prize for the eventual tournament winner. Izawa faced the undefeated Laura Fontoura in the tournament quarterfinals, which were held at Rizin 37 - Saitama on July 31, 2022. She won the fight by a first-round submission, forcing Fontoura to tap with a guillotine choke at the 3:47 minute mark of the opening round. Izawa was expected to face

Rena Kubota , better known by her ring name Rena or Reina, is a professional Japanese shoot wrestler, kickboxer and mixed martial artist, currently competing in the strawweight division of Rizin. A professional competitor since 2007, Kubota previously com ...

in the tournament semifinals, at Rizin 38 on September 25, 2022. Kubota was forced to withdraw from the bout however, as the

orbital bone In anatomy, the orbit is the cavity or socket of the skull in which the eye and its appendages are situated. "Orbit" can refer to the bony socket, or it can also be used to imply the contents. In the adult human, the volume of the orbit is , of ...

fracture which she sustained in her previous fight hadn't yet healed. Kubota was replaced by Anastasiya Svetkivska. Izawa won the fight by a second-round submission, as she forced her opponent to tap to an armbar with just four seconds left in the round. Izawa rematched

in the final of the Rizin Super Atomweight Grand Prix on December 31, 2022 at

Rizin 40 ''Bellator MMA vs. Rizin FF'' and ''Rizin 40'' was a mixed martial arts event being co-promoted by Bellator MMA and the Rizin Fighting Federation that took place on December 31, 2022, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Background Th ...

She won the Grand Prix and the bout in a close bout via split decision.

Championships and accomplishments

Grappling

* 2012 Junior Queen's Cup Tournament Runner-up (-52 kg) * 2012 Japanese National Junior High School Wrestling Tournament Winner (-57 kg) * 2014 National High School Judo Championship Third Place (-52 kg) * 2019 All Japan Women's Sumo Championship Ultra-Lightweight 2nd Place (< 50 kg)

Mixed martial arts

Jewels A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, or semiprecious stone) is a piece of mineral crystal which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments. However, certain rocks (such as lapis lazuli, opal, a ...

** Jewels Strawweight Championship (One time; current) ** Super Atomweight Grand Prix (2022) *

Rizin FF Rizin Fighting Federation (Rizin FF or Rizin) is a Japanese mixed martial arts organization created in 2015 by the former Pride Fighting Championships and Dream Stage Entertainment president Nobuyuki Sakakibara. Rizin was founded to be the spir ...

** Rizin FF Women's Super Atomweight Championship (One time; current) ** 2022 Rizin Women's Super Atomweight Grand Prix Champion * eFight ** April 2022 Fighter of the Month *

** 2022 Female Fighter of the Year

Mixed martial arts record

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Jiu-jitsu record

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Mika Nagano is a Japanese female mixed martial artist and professional wrestler. She fought as a lightweight in the Deep and Jewels promotions before her retirement in 2014. Nagano has also wrestled in Ice Ribbon and World Wonder Ring Stardom. Her nickname ...

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Tokyo, Japan Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Izawa, Seika 1997 births Japanese female mixed martial artists Living people Atomweight mixed martial artists Strawweight mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing judo Mixed martial artists utilizing wrestling Mixed martial artists utilizing Sumo Japanese female judoka Japanese female sport wrestlers Amateur wrestlers Female sumo wrestlers