Roxanne Modafferi - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Roxanne Modafferi is an 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...

female mixed martial artist.

Biography

Modafferi's training began in taekwondo

Taekwondo

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...

as a teenager in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

, moving on to Mark Lawler's Kenpō Karate

American Kenpo

American Kenpo or Kenpo Karate is a system of martial arts created by Ed Parker, characterized by the use of quick moves in rapid-fire succession intended to overwhelm an opponent...

two years later. Full of confidence, she then began attending the Dalton 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...

Club in Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...

. Her description of that experience was: "I thought I was all cool doing Karate, like the movie stars, but then in Judo I learned what it was like to fly." She trained for three years to gain a brown belt in the style, and then graduated from high school. Before leaving home to study at the University of Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts

This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...

, a fellow brown belt brought Modafferi to a Royce Gracie

Royce Gracie

Royce Gracie is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist, a UFC Hall of Famer and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. A legend and pioneer in the sport of mixed martial arts, he is widely considered to be the most influential figure in the history of modern MMA.Gracie gained fame for his...

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu association in Adams, Massachusetts

Adams, Massachusetts

Adams is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 8,485 at the 2010 census.-History:...

, where she trained intensively for three months.

Modafferi majored in Japanese Language and Literature with a minor in Linguistics

Linguistics

Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....

at the University of Massachusetts. While at college, she found the Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

Amherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,819, making it the largest community in Hampshire County . The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts...

Athletic club, where New England Submission Fighting is based. In addition, she trained at another Royce Gracie association in Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...

for about a year (necessitating a weekly two hour round trip), also investigating Jeremy Libiszewski's School of Self-Defence in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. During summer vacations in Boston, she trained at Joao Amaral's New England BJJ club, now associated with Brazilian Top Team

Brazilian Top Team

The Brazilian Top Team is a mixed martial arts academy specializing in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and boxing.The academy was established in April 2000 by Murilo Bustamante, Ricardo Libório, Mário Sperry and Luis Roberto Duarte, former-members of the Carlson Gracie Academy, to develop and create new...

. Modafferi says, "Those guys are tough as concrete is hard, and beat my weaknesses out of me when they found them." To work on her striking, she also attended the Sityodtong Muay Thai Academy's North American branch in Somerville, Massachusetts

Somerville, Massachusetts

Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in...

, run by Kru Mark DellaGrotte.

Mixed martial arts career

Modafferi spent September 2003 to June 2004, her junior year, in Tokyo, Japan. This enabled her to compete in a number of NHB and BJJ competitions. She achieved a 3-0 mixed martial arts record in the 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...

promotion and defeated Jennifer Howe

Jennifer Howe

Jennifer Howe is an American mixed martial artist.-Biography:Howe is mainly known as a striker due to her boxing background, but also has grappling skills from her time training in brazilian jiu jitsu under Walt Bayless. She began training at Bayless Jiu Jitsu in 1995, and says of BJJ "In any...

(who, at that time, was considered to be the best female fighter in the United States, if not the world) in HOOKnSHOOT.

In Japan, she trained at the Cross Point club in Kichijouji, which taught both Muay Thai and BJJ. She hopes to one day write a book about her experiences during that time, having already contributed several articles on the topic. After graduating in May 2005, she secured a position with Berlitz, teaching English in Japan and arriving for the second time in July 2005.

Modafferi earned a win by split decision against Cassandra Rivers-Blasso at Fatal Femmes Fighting on February 2, 2007. She became K-GRACE Women's Open-Weight Tournament Champion on May 27, 2007 by defeating Hee Jin Lee, Megumi Yabushita

Megumi Yabushita

is a 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...

and Marloes Coenen

Marloes Coenen

Marloes Coenen is a Dutch mixed martial artist. She has competed professionally since 2000 and is a former Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Champion....

.

Roxanne defended her FFF title against Vanessa Porto at FFF 4 - Call of the Wild on April 3, 2008. She won the fight by TKO in the third round.

She signed a contract with the American Fight League and was scheduled to face Tara LaRosa

Tara LaRosa

Tara LaRosa is an American mixed martial artist who previously fought in BodogFight.She was the first and final BodogFight Women's Bantamweight Champion...

at the AFL's November event, but fought instead at the debut Valkyrie event in Japan after the AFL's plans stalled.

Modafferi moved up a weight class and made her long-awaited Strikeforce

Strikeforce

Strikeforce is a U.S.-based mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization based in San Jose, California. It is headed by CEO Scott Coker and owned by Zuffa, LLC...

debut in a rematch with Marloes Coenen

Marloes Coenen

Marloes Coenen is a Dutch mixed martial artist. She has competed professionally since 2000 and is a former Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Champion....

on November 7, 2009 at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers

Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers

Strikeforce / M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Rogers was a mixed martial arts event held on November 7, 2009. It was the first MMA event on network television since the now-defunct EliteXC promotion broadcast its final event, EliteXC: Heat, on CBS on October 4, 2008. The event had a four-fight main card...

, but lost the fight by armbar in the first round.

On January 30, 2010, Modafferi submitted Molly Helsel in the second round at King of the Cage: Toryumon in Okinawa, Japan.

Modafferi rematched Tara LaRosa

Tara LaRosa

Tara LaRosa is an American mixed martial artist who previously fought in BodogFight.She was the first and final BodogFight Women's Bantamweight Champion...

at Moosin: God of Martial Arts

Moosin: God of Martial Arts

Moosin: God of Martial Arts was a MMA event held on May 21, 2010 in Worcester, Massachusetts at the DCU Center. The event was promoted by Corey Fischer and Eric "Butterbean" Esch in association with the Korean promotion Moosin...

on May 21, 2010. Strikeforce

Strikeforce

Strikeforce is a U.S.-based mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization based in San Jose, California. It is headed by CEO Scott Coker and owned by Zuffa, LLC...

provided official permission for Modafferi to compete on the card. Modafferi won the fight by Split Decision.

Modafferi returned to Strikeforce to challenge Sarah Kaufman at Strikeforce Challengers: del Rosario vs. Mahe

Strikeforce Challengers: del Rosario vs. Mahe

Strikeforce Challengers: del Rosario vs. Mahe was a mixed martial arts event held by the Strikeforce. The ninth Challengers episode took place on July 23, 2010, at the Comcast Arena at Everett in Everett, Washington. The event drew an estimated 197,000 viewers, with a peak at 254,000 on...

on July 23, 2010. She lost the fight via knockout due to a slam in the third round.

Modafferi was released by Strikeforce on November 12, 2010 after losing both her fights with the promotion. She was scheduled to face 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...

at World Victory Road Presents: Soul of Fight on December 30, 2010, but the fight was cancelled after Modafferi suffered a stomach illness and was unable to compete.

Modafferi faced Rosi Sexton

Rosi Sexton

Rosemary Ann Sexton is a British female mixed martial artist. She is also a sports therapist, osteopath, and writer for Fighters Only magazine....

at Cage Warriors Fighting Championship 40

Cage Warriors

Cage Warriors Fighting Championship or CWFC is a mixed martial arts promotion, based in London, England. Cage Warriors was established in 2001 and staged its first MMA event in London in July, 2002. Warrior Promotions, the organisation behind CWFC, is a UK management agency for MMA fighters...

on February 26, 2011. The fight was Modafferi's debut at 125 pounds. She was defeated by Unanimous Decision.

Modafferi then faced 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...

in a bout rescheduled for 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 was defeated by Unanimous Decision.

Modafferi was scheduled to face Aisling Daly

Aisling Daly

Aisling Daly is an Irish female professional mixed martial artist who competes in the women's flyweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2007, Daly has mostly fought in England and Ireland....

at BlackEye Promotions 5 on October 1, 2011 in Fletcher, North Carolina

Fletcher, North Carolina

Fletcher is a town in Henderson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,185 at the 2000 census.Fletcher is home to Asheville Regional Airport, which serves Western North Carolina...

. However, Daly was forced to withdraw from the card and Modafferi faced Barb Honchak instead. She was defeated by submission due to a rear-naked choke in the third round.

Mixed martial arts

International Sport Karate Association
International Sport Karate Association
The International Sport Karate Association is one of the major international bodies regulating karate and kickboxing matches, and is based in the United States...
- ISKA
  Iska
  Iska is a village in Koonga Parish, Pärnu County in southwestern Estonia....
  
  Women's World Middleweight Championship (One time)
International Fighting Championships
International Fighting Championships
International Fighting Championships is an American mixed martial arts organization. Founded in 1996, the IFC was the vision of longtime martial artist and kickboxing promoter, Howard Petschler. Howard recognized that MMA would finally solve a lot of the problemsassociated with martial arts as a...
- IFC
  International Fighting Championships
  International Fighting Championships is an American mixed martial arts organization. Founded in 1996, the IFC was the vision of longtime martial artist and kickboxing promoter, Howard Petschler. Howard recognized that MMA would finally solve a lot of the problemsassociated with martial arts as a...
  
  Women's Middleweight Championship (One time)
Fatal Femmes Fighting
- FFF Women's Lightweight Championship (One time)
K-GRACE
- K-GRACE Women's Openweight Tournament Winner
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...
- 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...
  
  World ReMix 2004 Openweight Tournament Semifinalist

Submission grappling

North American Grappling Association
North American Grappling Association
North American Grappling Association is an organization started in 1995 that holds Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments in North America and Europe. NAGA is the largest submission grappling association in North America with over 46,600 participants world-wide. Including some of the top jiu-jitsu...
- 2002 NAGA
  North American Grappling Association
  North American Grappling Association is an organization started in 1995 that holds Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments in North America and Europe. NAGA is the largest submission grappling association in North America with over 46,600 participants world-wide. Including some of the top jiu-jitsu...
  
  Fighter of the Year
Abu Dhabi Combat Club
- 2005 ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championships -60kg Quarterfinalist

Mixed martial arts record

|-
| Loss
| align=center| 15–9
|

Fletcher, North Carolina

|
|-
| Loss
| align=center| 15–8
|

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...

| Decision (unanimous)
| Jewels 15th Ring

Jewels 15th Ring

|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Loss
| align=center| 15–7
|

Rosi Sexton

Rosemary Ann Sexton is a British female mixed martial artist. She is also a sports therapist, osteopath, and writer for Fighters Only magazine....

| Decision (unanimous)
| Cage Warriors Fighting Championship 40

Cage Warriors

North London

North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

Sarah Kaufman
| KO (slam)
| Strikeforce Challengers: del Rosario vs. Mahe

Strikeforce Challengers: del Rosario vs. Mahe

Everett, Washington

Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...

, U.S.

United States

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

| For Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Championship
|-
| Win
| align=center| 15–5
|

Tara LaRosa

Tara LaRosa is an American mixed martial artist who previously fought in BodogFight.She was the first and final BodogFight Women's Bantamweight Champion...

| Decision (split)
| Moosin: God of Martial Arts

Moosin: God of Martial Arts

Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....

, U.S.

United States

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

|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 14–5
|

Marloes Coenen

Marloes Coenen is a Dutch mixed martial artist. She has competed professionally since 2000 and is a former Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Champion....

| Submission (armbar)
| Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers

Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers

Hoffman Estates, Illinois

Hoffman Estates is a northwestern suburb of Chicago in Illinois. The village is located primarily in Cook County with a small section in Kane County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 49,495 and estimated to be 52,520 in 2003...

, U.S.

United States

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

|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 13–4
|

Chisa Yonezawa
| Decision (unanimous)
| Valkyrie 01
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 3:00
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 12–4
|

Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...

, U.S.

United States

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

| Defended FFF Lightweight Championship
|-
| Win
| align=center| 11–4
| Marloes Coenen

Marloes Coenen

Marloes Coenen is a Dutch mixed martial artist. She has competed professionally since 2000 and is a former Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Champion....

| Decision (split)
| K-GRACE 1
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 3:00
| Tokyo, Japan
| K-GRACE Women's Openweight Tournament Final
|-
| Win
| align=center| 10–4
|

Megumi Yabushita

| Decision (unanimous)
| K-GRACE 1
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 3:00
| Tokyo, Japan
| K-GRACE Women's Openweight Tournament Semifinal
|-
| Win
| align=center| 9–4
|

Los Angeles, California

, U.S.

United States

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

Shayna Baszler

Shayna Baszler is an American mixed martial artist. She currently trains under former UFC Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett. She has a record of 14 wins and 6 losses, with 13 wins coming by way of submission....

| Submission (kimura)
| MARS: 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....

|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 1:08
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 7–3
|

Megumi Yabushita

| Decision (unanimous)
| 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,...

Tara LaRosa

Tara LaRosa is an American mixed martial artist who previously fought in BodogFight.She was the first and final BodogFight Women's Bantamweight Champion...

Atlantic City, New Jersey

Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...

, U.S.

United States

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

|
|-
| Loss
| align=center| 6–2
|

Laura D'Auguste

Laura D'Auguste is an American female mixed martial artist. She initially started practising martial arts to protect herself and her daughter from her husband. She also works as a cardiac nurse.-Biography:...

| Decision (unanimous)
| Ring of Combat

Ring of Combat

Ring of Combat is a US-based Mixed Martial Arts organization based in Atlantic City, NJ.. Several Ring of Combat events have aired on HDNet Fights, including ROC XVIII and ROC XXI.- History :...

8
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 5:00
| Asbury Park, New Jersey

Asbury Park, New Jersey

Asbury Park is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, located on the Jersey Shore and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 16,116. The city is known for its rich musical history, including its association with...

, U.S.

United States

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

| For ROC Women's Welterweight Championship
|-
| Win
| align=center| 6–1
|

Jennifer Howe

| Submission (triangle choke)
| IFC

International Fighting Championships

International Fighting Championships is an American mixed martial arts organization. Founded in 1996, the IFC was the vision of longtime martial artist and kickboxing promoter, Howard Petschler. Howard recognized that MMA would finally solve a lot of the problemsassociated with martial arts as a...

Salt Lake City, Utah

Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...

, U.S.

United States

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

Megumi Yabushita

| Decision (unanimous)
| Smackgirl

Smackgirl

: World ReMix 2004
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 5:00
| Shizuoka, Japan
| Smackgirl World ReMix 2004 Openweight Tournament Semifinal
|-
| Win
| align=center| 5–0
|

Ana Carolina
| Decision (unanimous)
| Smackgirl

Smackgirl

: World ReMix 2004
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 5:00
| Shizuoka, Japan
| Smackgirl World ReMix 2004 Openweight Tournament Quarterfinal
|-
| Win
| align=center| 4–0
|

Jennifer Howe

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...

, U.S.

United States

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

|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 3–0
|

Natsuko Kikukawa
| Decision (unanimous)
| Smackgirl

Smackgirl

: F8
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 2–0
|

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 1–0
|

Hikaru Shinohara
| Submission (armbar)
| Smackgirl

Smackgirl

Biography

Mixed martial arts career

Mixed martial arts

Submission grappling

Mixed martial arts record

External links

See also