Megumi Fujii - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Megumi Fujii is a female Japanese

Japanese people

The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...

mixed martial artist. She is currently the #3-ranked pound-for-pound female MMA fighter in the world by MMARising.com and the #1-ranked female flyweight according to the Unified Women's MMA Rankings.

Biography

Fujii specializes mainly in submission fighting and is renowned for her quick takedowns and submissions. Her most popular move is the Inazuma Toe Hold submission, dubbed the Megulock. She also holds black belts in both Judo

Judo

is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...

and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting...

.

Fujii was trained in MMA by Shooto

Shooto

Shooto is a mixed martial arts organization that is governed by the Shooto Association and the International Shooto Commission. Shooto was originally formed in 1985, as an organization and as a particular fighting system derived from shoot wrestling. Practitioners are referred to as shooters,...

veteran Hiroyuki Abe

Hiroyuki Abe

, also known as Abe Ani, is a Japanese former mixed martial artist, currently retired from fighting and teaching full time at his gym, Abe Ani Combat Club...

and professional wrestler, PRIDE Fighting Championships alumni, former UFC Heavyweight Champion and King of Pancrase

Pancrase

Pancrase is a mixed martial arts promotion company founded in Japan in 1993 by professional wrestlers Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki. Pancrase is taken from Pankration, a sport in the ancient Olympic games. Suzuki and Funaki are particularly skilled in the art of catch wrestling and based the...

Josh Barnett

Joshua Lawrence Barnett is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler who currently fights in the heavyweight division of Strikeforce. Barnett has been an accomplished fighter in mixed martial arts, winning the UFC Heavyweight Championship and the King of Pancrase Openweight...

. She has trained several other female MMA fighters herself, including current top fighter Hitomi Akano

Hitomi Akano

, is a Japanese female mixed martial artist. She uses a song she penned herself called "Between the Sky" as her entrance music.Akano is a former Smackgirl Middleweight Champion at 128 pounds...

.

Fujii is also a highly decorated fighter outside of mixed martial arts, with accomplishments including Japanese National Sambo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Champion, five Second Place finishes in the World Sambo Championships, Ground Impact Professional BJJ Tournament Champion and 2004 and 2006 BJJ Pan-Am Champion.

In 2005 and 2007, she earned Third Place finishes in the ADCC

ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship

The ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship is a competition involving professional athletes who have been successful at the highest levels of jiu-jitsu, wrestling, judo, sambo, shooto and mixed martial arts...

Under-60 kg. World Submission Championships.

Fujii was also a multi-time contestant on the seasonal Japanese obstacle course television show Sasuke (Ninja Warrior), but never made it past the first stage.

Mixed martial arts career

Fujii debuted in mixed martial arts on August 5, 2004 and defeated Yumi Matsumoto by submission in just 40 seconds. She then went on to defeat former UFC commentator Erica Montoya

Erica Montoya

Erica Montoya is a female mixed-martial artist. She is notable as the first and until the release of Supremacy MMA in September 2011 only female mixed-martial artist to appear in a video game...

at HOOKnSHOOT: "Evolution" in what would be Montoya's final fight.

Further wins over Ana Michelle Tavares, Misaki Takimoto, Keiko "Tama Chan" Tamai and Masako Yoshida established Fujii as one of the top female fighters in the world and she became a staple of Shooto

Shooto

and Smackgirl

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...

events.

She faced Cody Welchin at NFF - The Breakout on March 10, 2007. She won the fight by armbar submission in the first round.

On August 24, 2007, Fujii defeated highly-touted American

People of the United States

The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...

Lisa Ward

Lisa Ward is an American professional female mixed martial artist. She has fought in HOOKnSHOOT, Smackgirl, DEEP and Bellator Fighting Championships....

by first-round submission at a BodogFight

BodogFight

bodogFight was a mixed martial arts promotion founded by online gambling magnate Calvin Ayre. It was a part of Ayre's bodog.com Entertainment Group....

event in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Fujii defeated Cindy Hales and Korean star Seo Hee Ham to advance to the finals of the 2008 Smackgirl

Smackgirl

World ReMix Grand Prix, but the promotion folded amidst financial troubles before the final round.

In November 2008, the newly-rebranded Smackgirl, now known as Jewels, featured Fujii at its debut "First Ring" event. Fujii defeated Tomoko Morii by submission in the first round.

After submitting Won Bun Chu in less than one minute at Shooto

Shooto

: "Tradition Final" in May 2009, Fujii returned to Jewels and defeated rising Japanese contender Saori Ishioka late in the second round.

She defeated veteran striker "Windy" Tomomi Sunaba by first-round armbar at Shooto

Shooto

: "Revolutionary Exchanges 3" on November 23, 2009.

On May 6, 2010, it was announced that Fujii would compete at Bellator 22 on June 10. Bellator later changed the numbering of their events and the June 10 card was renamed Bellator 21. Fujii faced Sarah Schneider and defeated Schneider by TKO in the third round. It marked Fujii's first victory by TKO in her 20-fight career.

Fujii will also be a part of the Bellator 115-pound women's tournament in Season Three

Bellator Fighting Championships: Season Three

Bellator Fighting Championships: Season Three was the third installment of the Bellator Fighting Championships, which started on August 12, 2010. Mixed martial arts tournaments were held in multiple weight classes, including the bantamweight division, heavyweight division and women's division at...

, which begins on August 12, 2010. She was set to face Angela Magana in the first round of the tournament at Bellator 24, but Magana withdrew from the tournament on August 8, 2010 after suffering a foot injury.

Fujii instead faced two-time All-America

All-America

An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...

n wrestler

Collegiate wrestling

Collegiate wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the collegiate and university level in the United States. Collegiate wrestling emerged from the folk wrestling styles practised in the early history of the United States...

Carla Esparza. She defeated Esparza by armbar submission in the second round.

Fujii once again faced Lisa Ward

Lisa Ward

Lisa Ward is an American professional female mixed martial artist. She has fought in HOOKnSHOOT, Smackgirl, DEEP and Bellator Fighting Championships....

in the second round of the Bellator tournament at Bellator 31 and won the rematch by armbar submission in the first round.

With the victory, Fujii became only the second mixed martial artist, male or female, to begin a career with 22 consecutive victories. She faced Zoila Gurgel in the finals of the tournament at Bellator 34 on October 28, 2010. She lost the fight via a contentious split decision.

Fujii faced Emi Fujino

Emi Fujino

is a Japanese female mixed martial artist, kickboxer and professional wrestler, occasionally nicknamed .-Background:Fujino was born on in Aichi Prefecture, Japan...

at World Victory Road Presents: Soul of Fight on December 30, 2010 and defeated Fujino by unanimous decision.

Fujii rematched Mika Nagano

Mika Nagano

is a Japanese female mixed martial artist. She currently fights as a lightweight in the Jewels promotion. Her nickname is Future Princess.Nagano won the 2009 Jewels Rough Stone Grand Prix at 54 kg.-Early life:Nagano was born on in Gifu, Gifu, Japan...

at Jewels 15th Ring

Jewels 15th Ring

Jewels 15th Ring was a mixed martial arts event held by promotion Jewels on at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan.As in the previous Jewels event, 15th Ring featured a Jewels vs. Valkyrie theme, pitting fighters from both promotions in four bouts that ended with two victories for each...

on July 9, 2011. She defeated Nagano by unanimous decision.

Mixed martial arts record

|-
| Win
| align=center| 24-1
|

Mika Nagano

| Decision (unanimous)
| Jewels 15th Ring

Jewels 15th Ring

|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 23-1
|

Emi Fujino

is a Japanese female mixed martial artist, kickboxer and professional wrestler, occasionally nicknamed .-Background:Fujino was born on in Aichi Prefecture, Japan...

Hollywood, Florida

-Demographics:As of 2000, there were 59,673 households out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of...

, USA

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

| For Bellator 115 lbs Women's Championship
|-
| Win
| align=center| 22-0
|

Lisa Ellis-Ward

Lisa Ward

Lisa Ward is an American professional female mixed martial artist. She has fought in HOOKnSHOOT, Smackgirl, DEEP and Bellator Fighting Championships....

Lake Charles, Louisiana

Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...

, USA

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 21-0
|

Hollywood, Florida

, USA

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 20-0
|

Hollywood, Florida

, USA

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 19-0
|

Tomomi Sunaba

, better known in Japan by her ring name , is a Japanese female mixed martial artist and kickboxer. Sunaba has fought in several kickboxing and MMA promotions....

| Submission (armbar)
| Shooto

Shooto

: Revolutionary Exchanges 3
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 3:24
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 18-0
|

Saori Ishioka

is a Japanese female mixed martial artist, kickboxer and karateka. She has participated in MMA promotions Smackgirl and Jewels. Her nickname is Shooting Star.-Background:...

| Submission (armbar)
| Jewels 4th Ring

Jewels 4th Ring

Jewels 4th Ring was a mixed martial arts event hosted by promotion Jewels. The event took place on at Shin-Kiba 1st Ring in Koto, Tokyo, Japan.-Background:...

|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 4:17
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 17-0
|

Won Bun Chu
| Submission (keylock)
| Shooto - Tradition Final
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 0:52
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 16-0
|

Tomoko Morii
| Submission (armbar)
| Jewels 1st Ring

Jewels 1st Ring

Jewels 1st Ring, originally was the inaugural mixed martial arts event of the then newly created women's MMA promotion Jewels. The event took place on at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan.-Background:...

|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 1:05
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 15-0
|

Seo Hee Ham

Ham Seo-Hee , often anglicised to Seo-Hee Ham, is a South Korean female mixed martial artist and kickboxer.In Japan, she is occasionally nicknamed Arale-chan, in reference to her similar looks outside of the ring to the character from the manga and anime series Dr...

| Submission (armbar)
| Smackgirl

Smackgirl

- World ReMix 2008 Second Round
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 3:39
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 14-0
|

Cindy Hales
| Submission (armbar)
| Smackgirl - World ReMix 2008 Opening Round
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 0:27
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 13-0
|

Mika Nagano

| Submission (triangle choke)
| Smackgirl - Starting Over
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 1:20
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 12-0
|

Kyoko Takabayashi
| Decision (unanimous)
| Shooto - Back To Our Roots 6
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 11-0
|

Lisa Ellis-Ward

Lisa Ward

Lisa Ward is an American professional female mixed martial artist. She has fought in HOOKnSHOOT, Smackgirl, DEEP and Bellator Fighting Championships....

| Submission (armbar)
| BodogFight

BodogFight

bodogFight was a mixed martial arts promotion founded by online gambling magnate Calvin Ayre. It was a part of Ayre's bodog.com Entertainment Group....

Vancouver

Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 10-0
|

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...

, USA

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 9-0
|

Masako Yoshida
| Submission (heel hook)
| Shooto - Battle Mix Tokyo 1
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 0:51
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 8-0
|

Serin Murray

Serin Murray is an Australian mixed martial artist.-Career:Murray's MMA debut was in 2006 in Tokyo's Korakuen Hall against Megumi Fujii, who is one of the best women MMA fighters in the world. Murray was the first Australian woman in the Smackgirl event, but Fujii forced her submission in the...

| Submission (toe hold)
| Smackgirl - Legend of Extreme Women
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 0:20
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 7-0
|

Keiko Tamai
| Submission (armbar)
| Smackgirl - Top Girl Battle
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 0:53
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 6-0
|

Misaki Takimoto
| Technical Submission (armbar)
| Shooto - The Victory of the Truth
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 4:36
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 5-0
|

Dah Le Chon
| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| G-Shooto 03
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 0:19
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 4-0
|

Ana Michelle Tavares
| Decision (unanimous)
| G-Shooto 02
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 3-0
|

Nadia van der Wel
| Submission (armbar)
| Shooto - Year End Show 2004
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 1:43
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 2-0
|

Erica Montoya

Erica Montoya is a female mixed-martial artist. She is notable as the first and until the release of Supremacy MMA in September 2011 only female mixed-martial artist to appear in a video game...

Evansville, Indiana

Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...

, USA

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 1-0
|

External links

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