Ian Dean interview

This week, I interviewed Ian Dean, who is the matchmaker for Cage Warriors Fighting Championship in the United Kingdom. At first, Cage Warriors did not catch the eyes of some MMA fans. Cage Rage received more attention. However, after many elite British fighters came through Cage Warriors over the years, people began to understand that it was a top organization in the area.

For me, I watched GCM's Cage Force in Japan and saw Dan Hardy's improvement in his fights there, but I never imagined then that he would someday receive a UFC title shot. That was quite a surprise to me and changed my perception about MMA in the U.K.

I asked Ian about the upcoming Cage Warriors female 125-pound tournament. Olympic athlete Ronda Rousey recently received a lot of attention at 135 pounds in Strikeforce, and Bellator had its 115-pound tournament with Megumi Fujii in 2010. While there is currently less attention paid to 125 pounds, the journey to find new stars will begin with this tournament.

As more 125-pound matchups take place, we will see improvements among the fighters and the division will become more significant. We must not overlook this Cage Warriors women's tournament and should watch as they build up new stars.

- For women, Strikeforce has a 135-pound division and Bellator has 115 pounds. There is no 125-pound division in those organizations yet, but Cage Warriors has its upcoming tournament at 125. I feel that CWFC has succeeded at finding and showcasing top European fighters before major organizations realize their talents. Do you think the 125-pound division is overlooked by major U.S. promotions?

Without a doubt, I honestly feel 125 lbs has the potential to be a big weight class for women's MMA. Not only does it have a lot of crossover appeal with some 115 lbs fighters moving up, but I also feel that a lot of 135lbs fighters could move down, too, but currently don't want to because no major North American promotion has pushed that weight class. You only have to look at the unified women's rankings to see the talent that is there and I feel there are many intriguing match-ups to be made.


- I am interested in the beginning of your tournament this week in Dubai. It seems like fewer women take part in sports in the Middle East than in other areas of the world. Have you been asked about women’s MMA often since you arrived?

To be honest, I don't know the exact figures and the Middle East is a very contrasting region. However, they do have a healthy interest in western sports in general, with our hotel and other areas showing soccer games, basketball and even the UFC.

This also will not be the first female bout in the region, and although it may not be accepting in other Middle Eastern areas for cultural reasons, our first female bout in Jordan back in September was warmly received and I know a lot of people here in Dubai are looking forward to the Gaff/Maia bout here, too.


- Is there any particular fight or fighter that you would suggest that people pay special attention to in this tournament? I felt that Sheila Gaff's clinch knee strikes against Aisling Daly were impressive last year.

I feel all four fighters bring something special to the tourney. Jennifer Maia has her association with the world famous Chute Boxe team, has a good record on her domestic circuit and is yet still largely unknown outside of Brazil, which brings with it a certain amount of mystique to the tournament. Whereas her opponent, Sheila Gaff, looked fantastic last time out on Cage Warriors stopping Aisling Daly with strikes and, at only 22 years of age, she has amazing potential as well as devastating KO power.

Whilst in the other bracket, both Rosi Sexton and Aisling Daly are very popular amongst U.K. and Irish fans and are both known stateside, too. I think everyone in the women's MMA scene has wanted this match-up to happen and I personally can't wait for it to happen.


- After this tournament is over, would you like to match the winner up against a top American opponent? Any particular fighter you might invite?

I'm also looking to bring over quality fighters to Cage Warriors. For whoever wins this tourney, I will look to get them another top-ranked fighter for them to defend their title against. I don't want to name names, but we'll do our best to bring over someone worthy of a title shot. Although it has been difficult at times to get U.S.-based female fighters onto our show, I hope that after this tourney we will get more interest.


- I looked at MMARising's female unified rankings and there are four European fighters in the rankings. Did that help to motivate you to start this tournament?

We are lucky to have several European fighters at 125 lbs and I guess that has made things a lot easier. And, with both Aisling Daly and Rosi Sexton being available, it's just common sense to use them when we can.


- Would you be interested in holding another women's tournament at a different weight? Strikeforce seems to be dropping the 145-pound division and 105 pounds is starting to develop in Japan. Perhaps CWFC could showcase some fighters that other organizations have overlooked?

If the talent is there, I would like to use it. However, you need fighters available to really push a division and, domestically, 105 and 115 don't have too many high level U.K./European fighters yet, but I'm always open to suggestions.


- Unfortunately, Cage Warriors is not yet recognized by most Asian fans except for super hardcores, but many elite fighters from Europe have fought for CWFC. Could you please describe the appeal of CWFC to those who read this interview?

We just try to do things the 'right' way. We like to push MMA as a legitimate sport. We are fair and try to treat people well. We are not only trying to push MMA in the U.K. and Ireland but across Europe and the MENA (Middle East and North Africa region) as well. We have great TV and distribution deals and are live on MMAJunkie.com, and I honestly feel that we are not only a show that MMA purists can enjoy but also a show for non-hardcore fans who enjoy seeing quality MMA action.

Cage Warriors Official Web

Ian Dean Official Twitter 

Big thanks to Robert Sargent  (MMA Rising) for English editing. 

Jessica Penne interview

I interview Jessica Penne who is Bellator veteran.I interview about how she think about female MMA's new division 106 pounds and her division at Bellator, 115 pounds.She talk about how she interest potential fight against Jewels 106 pounds tourny fighter.

- Please talk a bit about what first made you interested in MMA. Was there any particular moment that motivated you to start training? Before you began training in MMA, did you have any other martial arts or sports background?

Before I began training in MMA, I was involved in a few different sports. I played soccer, softball and competed in swimming. I was interested in wrestling and tried to join the high school team, but they didn't allow me to join. I was very curious about grappling and kickboxing for some time, but I was not sure how to go about training and competing in it. I started training in grappling and kickboxing in 2005 and had my first MMA fight in November 2006.


- With your recent win against Rena Kubota in Shoot Boxing, many people realized your talents. Do you think that your fighting style fit well with the Shoot Boxing rules? You seemed to have a lot of success with throws.

I took that fight on about a week’s notice, and before that I didn’t know what Shoot Boxing was, but I thought it sounded like a great challenge. I’m more comfortable grappling than with my throws and striking, so this was a good opportunity to test all of the work I’ve put in. I really enjoyed fighting under the Shoot Boxing rules and I think that it was a natural transition from my MMA fighting style. I hope to have the opportunity to fight there again.

- Please talk about your experience of fighting at a Japanese event and spending time in Japan. Did you have time to train at any gyms or go sightseeing before you returned home?

Fighting in Japan was by far the best fighting experience that I have had. I had always wanted to go there, and to have the opportunity to fight there was a dream come true for me. Everyone was very welcoming and treated us very well. It was nice to see fighting so well-received there. It was a very short trip, so I didn’t get to sightsee as much as I had hoped, but I did have a little time to do some tourist type stuff. I can’t wait to go back.

- The female 48kg./106lbs. division in MMA isn’t very deep yet and you used to compete at a higher weight. Jewels recently began a 106lbs. tournament and a champion will be crowned in December. Would you be interested in fighting in Japan against any of the tournament fighters? Any fighters in particular?

I competed at a higher weight because there really weren’t many opportunities at a lighter weight in the States. Japan has a lot of good fighters at 106lbs. I had heard about that tournament and wanted to be a part of it. I hope in the future I will have that opportunity to go back to Japan and fight MMA and/or Shoot Boxing soon.

- When you faced Zoila Frausto in 2010, she was much bigger and you seemed to struggle with her power when trying to take her down. Would you like to continue fighting for Bellator at a higher weight (115lbs.) or do you hope that they will make a new division for you at 105lbs.? Please talk about your view of the 105lbs. division in the United States and its future.

I was small for that tournament. I usually walk at 115, and was actually below weight the week before that fight. I had hoped that by not having to cut any weight, I might have an advantage over people who had a big weight cut. After the Bellator tournament, it had been mentioned to me that they would want to do a lighter weight tournament, but I haven’t heard anything since then about it.

It would be great if they did, or if there were more opportunities at 105lbs in the States. I like fighting at 105lbs and my first preference would be fighting at that weight, but I have not ruled out competing at 115lbs, either, and there are opponents at that weight that interest me.


- Please discuss your training at Reign MMA. Who are your main trainers for striking, grappling and wrestling, and what is your opinion of them? Also, please talk about how Mark Munoz contributes to your fighting style. Has he helped you a lot with your wrestling and takedowns?

I currently train at Kings and Reign for MMA. Those gyms cross-train with each other. For striking, I have been learning from Rafael Cordeiro and Andre Dida. I have learned a lot from them and really enjoy their striking style. For wrestling, I have been training with Mark Munoz and Jacob Harman. And for jiu-jitsu, I have been training with Lucas Leite at Checkmat.

I work with Gavin MacMillan at Sport Science Lab for strength and conditioning and have never felt more athletic. I feel really lucky to be around such great teams and trainers. They have so much knowledge and are so supportive of everyone there.


- Do you currently have any fights coming up? If so, please talk about them. If not, what are your plans for next year?

I don’t have any fights booked yet, but I am looking and hope to fight in Brazil early next year. I competed at the No-Gi Worlds this past weekend to stay busy until then.


- Please give a message to the fans, both the English-speaking and in Japan, about your fighting career and your future.

I would like to say thank you to everyone for their support. My family, friends, coaches and teammates are amazing. I am very lucky to be involved in this sport, and it has brought me a lot of happiness. Training and fighting have brought a lot of wonderful people into my life and I hope to make them proud.

Jessica Penne Official Twitter

Big thanks to Robert Sargent  (MMA Rising) for interview arrangement and English editing.

Ronda Rousey interview

I interview Ronda Rousey who is MMA prospect and Olympic Bronze medalist at Beijing.I interview about how elite Judoka adapt MMA, what Judo skill is useful for MMA and how she want build herself as a fighter.

- You started in MMA with influence from your mother and you have referred to MMA as “old judo” where there’s more focus on ground skills. Today’s judo rules limit ground techniques and the morote gari (double-leg takedown). What is your opinion on the rule changes in judo and what advice would you give to other judokas who are interested in competing in MMA?

I absolutely hate the new rule changes in judo. I think it entirely favors the Japanese style of fighting and makes it a less realistic fighting sport. If the rules in judo continue to be influenced by politics, I see a steady decline happening for what really is a beautiful sport and martial art.


- You often prefer osotogari and harai goshi throws in MMA, which allow you to land in side control. Are there any other judo techniques that you would recommend for use in MMA?

Foot sweeps, which I wasn’t a huge fan of in Olympic Judo, are extremely effective and underutilized in MMA. I’ve actually used them a few times in fights, but it’s very subtle and hard to notice.


- All of your fights so far have ended very quickly by submission. I am curious how you will perform in a tougher fight. What can we expect to see from you if you have a longer fight? Positional dominance, striking skills or will you just try to finish the fight in any way that you can?

I just try to finish fights in any way I can. Improvising is a talent I am lucky to have, and whatever I see, I try. It’s hard to predict what will come to mind in a fight, and I think that’s what makes me a difficult opponent to prepare for.

- Cris Cyborg is the Strikeforce champion in your weight class and you have said that you believe that Cuban judokas are better athletes than she is. I think this is true. If other Olympic medalists in judo come over to MMA, what do they need to do to make the transition easier?

If judoka want to be successful in MMA, they have to focus on their ground game and transition from standing to ground. If you want to succeed in MMA with a grappling style, like judo, you have to be completely well-rounded and be able to finish fights on the ground.


- How have you fused and balanced your judo skills with the other skills that you need in MMA? Have you added bits of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to your judo or do you find that you are using BJJ most often now?

I see no big difference between BJJ and judo. When people compliment me on my BJJ, I tell them I am a BJJ white belt, because it’s true. I believe BJJ and judo are the same sport with different emphasis. BJJ is 20% standing and 80% on the ground, whereas judo is 80% standing and 20% on the ground. It’s all the same to me.

- Which fighter’s style had the biggest influence on you when you moved from judo to MMA? Perhaps Karo Parisyan or Rick Hawn?

Actually, Fedor is the fighter I try to emulate the most. I study his videos and try to be just as explosive and just as smooth transitioning from standing to ground.


- How much of an effect does the discipline of judo have on you in life and in fighting?

Judo taught me that I am capable of anything. No matter how favored my opponent is to win, or how injured or sick I could be, I can mentally push past anything and be victorious. My mom used to always tell me, “No one has the right to beat you.” I never would have learned that if it wasn’t for judo.


- You will face Julia Budd for Strikeforce on November 18. She is a good striker. Please provide your thoughts on the fight and list what you think is key to victory.

I think the key to victory will be to force her to play my game, which is in the clinch and on the ground. I am used to fighting people who try to keep me at a distance and only strike with me, whereas she has never faced anyone like me before. One advantage to having so little cage time is that my opponents don’t really know that much about me. I am sure I will be much more prepared than she will.


- How much longer do you think you will compete until you are ready to fight for a championship?

I would like to have 6 or so pro fights before I make a run for the 145lbs title. The thing is, a fight against Cris would be the most important of my career, and though I know I am capable of winning that fight today, I want to be at my absolute peak, as I would for an Olympic Games, when that fight happens.

People forget I have only been doing MMA for one year and have only a little over 3 minutes of experience in the cage. I am improving every day and still feel like I can keep getting better. When my management and coaches say it’s time, we’ll take the fight.


- Please leave a message for the fans, both the English-speaking and in Japan, about your fighting career and future.

Well…here’s a quote from Will Rogers: “Women are not the weak, frail little flowers that they are advertised. There has never been anything invented yet, including war, that a man would enter into, that a woman wouldn’t, too."

And here’s a quote from me: DEMAND WOMEN’S MMA!

Ronda Rousey Official Web

Ronda Rousey Official twitter 

Big thanks to Robert Sargent  (MMA Rising) for interview arrangement and English editing.

Marloes Coenen interview

I interview former Strikeforce women's bantam weight champion Marloes Coenen .Who will be fighting for BlackEye promotion.I interview about a history and future of female MMA, how she thinks about a being a pro with getting money and how to make recognition for female MMA.


Marloes Coenen


- I was reminded of the ReMix World Cup from 2000 when you won your Strikeforce title last year. It was the first big tournament in women’s MMA history, and after ten years of ups and downs in your career, you won the Strikeforce belt. Women’s MMA began as a niche interest, but it has come a long way. What are your thoughts on that? Is it nostalgic to think back to the ReMix tournament?

Yes! It definitely is. About a week prior to the tournament, I visited Japan for the first time in my life and had my first professional fight (after only two amateur Shooto fights). It was unexpected. I was busy with a different life and just started University in Rotterdam. Looking back at it, it feels to me that the universe was telling me something. Showing me a different life path.

I never thought of myself as a fighter. That was not how I was brought up. My mom is a strong person and the mother of my father is an truly brave and unique woman…but fighting? That  was sooooo not an option for a girl like me! And now 10 years later I'm a professional cage fighter…


- You were released from Strikeforce this year and could not get a new contract. My understanding is that you could not agree on financial terms. Strikeforce paid some female fighters better than Zuffa pays some of its male champions. As someone who is seen as a leader in women’s MMA, what is your opinion of the current situation for women who are trying to make a living as professional fighters? What can be done to make things better?

We need good role models to attract a big audience. I firmly believe we can empower, intrigue and entertain so many women. And if they tune in to watch us fight, the big sponsors will follow. Maybe we need a female-only organisation and broadcast that on TV. L'Oreal would more likely sponsor that than a UFC-only show with heavy metal music and a rough and tough male vibe.


- Female fighters in MMA do not receive the same amount of recognition that male fighters do. What needs to change in order to increase the popularity of women’s MMA? Better athletes or more advertising? Is it better to have recognition for the sport (of MMA) or as an individual?

Gina Carano proved that a single woman can do a lot for the sport. Like I said above, good role models are needed. A variety of girls. What I see now is that a lot of girls are trying to be the pin-up girl. Some take it, in my opinion, too far, though it does work with the male audience. Then on the other end, others don't understand at all that they are not just an athlete. It's hard to find the right mixture.

A second thing that can enhance our recognition is when famous male fighters publicly endorse females in MMA. Because their fans will listen to them, and in that way the audience can be educated. If a Nick Diaz commentates on a female fight for instance, and tells why it's a good fight, a lot of people will be influenced positively. I know, from talking with a lot of famous male fighters, that they are positive about women in the sport. They respect us big time because they know what it takes. Only be a bit more vocal about it, please. ;)


- Until recently, women often did not compete with the same rules as male fighters do and it was difficult to fight the best opponents without changing weight classes. Now the talent pool is growing and the rules are usually the same. You have fought under many different rules in your career. What is your opinion on the current rule set in MMA? What improvements could be made?

Keep it the same. We need to get the same amount of respect as the guys so we should fight under the same rules.  The term 'WMMA' annoys the hell out of me. When I started fighting it was called MMA, and now since a year or two I'm doing WMMA? Nothing has changed on my side. I use the same techniques, the same round times and fight under the same rules. The added 'W' is only there to separate…but why? It has no function whatsoever.


- You are known for finishing fights with submissions from the bottom. This can sometimes be risky, though, depending on the rules and if fighters can strike to the face on the ground. Especially with elbows. Do you have particular strategies when trying for submissions from the bottom? Also, do you think that the Unified Rules make it so that you need to try to have top position more often?

It's quite simple…there are a lot of techniques that you can do from the bottom. Of course I prefer the top position, but you should be able to finish a fight from every position.


- You recently appeared on a sports variety show on Japanese TV and also attended a Shooto event as well. How was your latest trip to Japan? What else did you do besides the TV appearance and Shooto?

I LOOOOOOOOOOVE Japan! I missed it so much!! We went to DREAM & Shooto and ate at my Japanese brother Taro Obata’s. His wife Chica made Okonomiyaki for me and Kawasaki-san joined us for dinner, too. I was lucky to meet Takashima-san, who's my Japanese father, at the Shooto show. And Shinobu was there, too. She's my Japanese sister. Believe it or not!

Of course I did some shopping! Gifts…I was lucky to buy my Shu Uemura makeup at the airport. And I ate all my favourite Japanese food: sushi (I tried whale, too), tako yaki, Imagawayaki and Okonomiyaki. My trainer Martijn wants to eat Korean BBQ all the time so we eat that a lot, too! Then I had to fly back to Kansas, where I was staying.


- This summer, you announced that you would be fighting for BlackEye Promotions. Who are some fighters that you hope to face in the United States in 2012?

There are a lot of great female athletes in the States that I am interested in facing in 2012. Two rematches are on my list: Tate and Cyborg!


- Please leave a message for the fans, both the English-speaking and in Japan, about your fighting career and future.

I would like to thank the Japanese people for the life-changing experience that your country gave me. I look forward to training hard and getting into the cage soon! If you are interested in my journey, please follow me on Twitter @marloescoenen. And don't forget to vote for me in the Fighters Only Awards (I'm nominated 2x!)! The voting will end soon! Stay strong! :)

Marloes Coenen Official Facebook

Big thanks to Robert Sargent  (MMA Rising) for interview arrangement and English editing.

Jessica "Jag" Aguilar interview

I recently got the opportunity to interview Jessica "Jag" Aguilar, who will be fighting Carla Esparza at Bellator 46. Here are my questions for her regarding her upcoming fight, her earthquake experience in Japan last March, and get some details on her lucky teddy bear, Forest.

- With your loss to Zoila, do you feel more apprehensive to let fights go to a decision? Tell me what you think about the current hot topic that "judges obviously fail sometimes."

Jessica: Of course--I never want to experience that type of judging situation again. Something is amiss when two judges watching the same fight score it 30-27 in opposite directions. In my case, I know I had a far greater strike count, delivered an extreme greater amount of physical damage, and literally had to chase her for 3 straight rounds as her game plan after getting hit hard repeatedly was to just backpedal all night. So yes, the end results were a major disappointment in the scoring system.


- Also, how did you score Zoila vs Megumi Fujii?

Jessica: I obviously watched this fight with great interest, and personally scored it 29 to 28 in favor of Megumi.


- Marcos “Parrumpinha” DaMatta is your trainer and I think he's helped you develop a fight style that values strong positions. Do you see yourself as part of a Gracie style of Jiujitsu that values dominant positions? Are there any particular positions you aim to use in fights?

Jessica: My ground game style is a bit different as it is a combination of Grappling and BJJ. I really do not aim for particular positions as much as I come in [to fights] well-prepared and always have solid game plans, then by way of executing [them] and reacting to any mistakes or opportunities my opponent gives me, I try to explode on it. My sole goal is to take care of business as quickly and as efficiently as possible.


- How has your striking game improved under Howard Davis Jr? People tend to view you more as grappler, but you outstruck Zoila.

Jessica: Yes - earning 4 gold medals in international competition for Team USA has earned me a strong grappling reputation. But to truly excel in MMA you need a well-rounded skill set. Hence starting a few years back I took advantage of every training and coaching opportunity I could with Howard Davis Jr, and in return earned his respect. He has invested a lot of time with me and truly took my standup game to new, incredible heights. Knowing that Zoila would want to avoid having me take her to the ground given that her main strength is her standup game, we decided that this is where I would take the fight to her as I am sure she would underestimate my boxing skills. One of my goals going into the Zoila fight was to clearly demonstrate that I have a stronger standup skill set than Zoila, given that she is regarded as one of the best standup fighters in the game today. I have heard your same comment from many MMA experts that my stand up skills were clearly superior that night. The good news is that since then, I have continued to work very hard at both my submissions and standup skills and they are vastly improved from just 1 year ago.


- You come to Japan for Jewels 12th Ring, but it was canceled due to the Earthquake. You were expected to face Ayaka Hamasaki, who has had a short career but has become Jewels' champ in that time. Is she still an opponent you'd like to face if there's another opportunity in the future? What are your thoughts on her? (Hamasaki said "I can't lose to a Valkyrie fighter because I want to fight you.")

Jessica: While Ayaka does not have the vast experience of, let's say a Megumi (as no one has that much experience), she clearly earned her Jewels championship, so I was incredibly excited about facing her. It is so hard to get quality fights, so when you have an opportunity like this, you jump on it. I was asked to come to Japan to fight her as a last-minute replacement and accepted without hesitation as I was just coming off 2 scheduled fights where [both] scheduled opponents decided near fight time that they did not want to face me for various reasons. So, I was in fighting shape, on-weight (as I am always) and jumped at the opportunity.


- You've had the unique and unforgettable experience of being in Japan during its March 11 earthquake.Tell me about your experiences in Japan. (Also, thank you for asking for tsunami relief donations at your official website.)

Jessica: The earthquake experience was just unreal, as no one can image that level of tragedy, of human loss, personal pain and suffering short of witnessing what was happening. And I was just a visitor, I cannot come close to imagining the pain those who personally suffered family losses must have experienced. I was also very impressed with how I was treated after the earthquake stuck, as total strangers on the streets helped me. Locals I met went to extraordinary lengths to help me a visitor return home. I was just so moved, and so emotionally touched. My heart still goes out to everyone that experienced loss due to this tragedy.


- You met Dream champ Shinya Aoki in Japan. Did you roll with him or watch him roll? If so, what's your impression of him?

Jessica: No such opportunity to roll with him, but my impression is that he has earned tremendous respect in Japan, and not just because of his fighting success, but because of the professional way he carries himself.


- I heard you have a teddy bear named Forest and that you bring him (or her) everywhere. Tell me about Forest and why he (or she) is your constant companion.

Jessica: I do not want to admit or sound superstitious, but when you have been through a lot of extremely tragic and just very difficult periods, it is important to seek out positive energy sources, just because they are positive and as such represent good feelings. I am sure that I have invested a lot of positive attributes and feelings into Forest over the years and when I want some extra positive private energy, I look to Forest; as the bank account of positive energies I have invested into over the years, and now want some of that back from time to time. Sort of like a sentimental photo or feelings that we all have some place in our lives, mine just happens to be a teddy bear named Forest!


- You will meet Carla Esparza at Bellator 46. You're both known for your grappling abilities, but you have striking finishes.What should we expect from this fight?

Jessica: I have a tremendous amount of respect for Carla, as she always shows up very well prepared and is an incredible fighter. You may think she does not have striking skills as good as her wrestling, but I have paid closer attention, and clearly remember her opening round against Megumi. She delivered more than a few very impressive strikes. I think this is going to be a great fight as MMA fans will get to see two very skilled fighters at their best, and I am sure we will both be extremely well prepared for each other.


- Give me a message for the fans, both the English speaking and in Japan, about your next fight.

Jessica: I cannot wait to be part of something special, to show how much women's MMA has progressed, an opportunity to show how much I have progressed, and hopefully to fuel more positive feelings for all those in Japan that look forward to the day we can have more mixed international completion at the highest levels. I promise to do right for women's MMA!!!!

Bellator 46 Jessica "Jag" Aguilar vs Carla Esparza

Jessica Aguilar Official Web

Big thanks to Tony Loiseleur (Sherdog) for English editing.

Female MMA History

MMA has history. It’s not a very long history, and it’s constantly changing, so sometimes people don’t think it’s important, but I think examining the sport’s history is essential to understanding its present and future.


There hasn’t been much written on the history of female MMA. Here, I’ve attempted to construct a history, pieced together with all the information I could research. Most of the information comes from Japanese sources, so the history must be slightly Japanized. But, this was a piece that needed writing, so I’ve written it to the best of my abilities. If you have the will and knowledge to write something similar, please write it.

Japanese women’s MMA has its roots in female pro wrestling. In 2010, you can still find many current and ex-pro wrestlers competing in Japanese women’s promotions like Jewels and Valkyrie. The thin female scene has also acquired much of its talent from kickboxing. I don’t judge those fighters by their backgrounds, but I do think elite martial artists are a special breed. Martial artists who convert from other disciplines only truly shine against stiff competition, and the Japanese female MMA scene isn’t at that level yet, aside from a handful of top-tier fighters.

Female MMA in Japan began when the promotion Ladies Legend Pro Wrestling (LLPW) started its “shoot fighting” Ultimate L-1 Challenge tournament in 1995. The first L-1 tourney was ruled by Svetlana Goundarenko, a Russian Olympic judoka who tipped the scales at 150kg (330 lbs.).

After a few shows, LLPW discontinued its experiment, but in that era, female pro wrestling orgs couldn’t ignore MMA. Therefore, Neo Women’s Pro Wrestling started an event named ReMix in 2000.

The first ReMix World Cup offered a huge bonus of $100,000 to the tournament winner. That type of money had never before been offered in female MMA, so many foreign fighters came to participate in the events, including current stars like Marloes Coenen and Erin Toughill.

L-1 ruler Goundarenko also took part in the tournament since, like men’s MMA, there were no weight classes in the early stages. One would think that the heavier fighter would have an advantage, but Goundarenko lost in the tournament semifinals to 60kg (132 lbs.) fighter Megumi Yabushita. How? ReMix rules prohibited ground-and-pound, and featured a 20 second time limitation for ground fighting. Yabushita was able to avoid Goundarenko’s submission game with the turtle position, and Goundarenko’s stamina proved to be less than impressive, having competed in Olympic judo at 72kg (158 lbs.). So, Yabushita outstruck the Russian with low kicks, and then tried to take down the gassed Goundarenko. After this bout, female MMA began to favor small-but-athletic fighters over heavyweight fighters. Of course, there aren’t many heavyweight female competitors anyway, compared to the number in men’s MMA.

Neo recognized that it couldn’t continue to hand out the huge cash bonus which drew many competitors to the ReMix tournament, and therefore made a new brand for female MMA.

From 2001 to 2008, Japanese women’s MMA was ruled by one promotion: Smackgirl. Founded by Neo Women’s Pro Wrestling head Daiki Shinosaki, Smackgirl operated with a limited rule set, prohibiting ground-and-pound and setting a 30-second time limit for ground work. The ground limitation was eventually lifted in 2007, but it stunted the level of skill improvement in the early stages of women’s MMA. Still, Smackgirl was the only all-female MMA organization in the world to continuously hold events; therefore, almost all of the day’s well-known female fighters passed through the Smackgirl ring.

Koichiro Kimura is the man who developed the ground rules for women’s MMA in Japan. He started an event separate from Smackgirl, named AX. It would run for less than one year, but AX did host some crucial matches. Early on, Smackgirl’s Ikuma Hoshino was considered the Japanese female fighting ace. However, Hoshino lost to Yuka Tsuji via armbar at AX’s second event. It was Tsuji’s first fight, and Hoshino’s first loss.

Tsuji would prove to be Japan’s first elite female fighter, notching 22 wins between 2001 and 2009. Her only loss in that period came at the hands of Ana Michelle Tavares in July 2003, and that memory was erased when Tsuji won a rematch via first-round TKO in September 2009.


Yuka Tsuji

Tsuji’s loss to Tavares took place in Deep, and set a new standard for local Japanese MMA promotions, who began mixing female fights into previously male-only cards. Also during that period, a new rookie beat Tavares and assumed Tsuji’s position at Japan’s female ace. Her name was Megumi Fujii.

After dissolving AX, Koichiro Kimura continued trying to promote female MMA events. He worked with Shooto to start G-Shooto, which opened doors for female fighters to participate in the world’s longest-running and most sporting MMA promotion. Despite Shooto’s reputation for churning out top fighters, G-Shooto never reached its potential, running for just two years before folding.

It was in G-Shooto that Megumi Fujii became the first fighter to defeat Tavares. Fujii was known for her participation in sambo and BJJ competitions, and did not debut in MMA until the age of 30.


Megumi Fujii

If you’ve watched local female MMA in Japan, you’ve probably realized that the lower tier of female fighters is simply not well-trained. It’s no great secret. Male MMA fighters often point to this fact when asked why they refuse to treat female competitors as equals.

Fujii was the opposite of that stereotype. She told her students, “we need to be well-trained in order to not be looked down at by males.”

In December 2004, lightweight fighter Takumi Yano refused to participate in a Pancrase event. His reasoning? Yano had a philosophy about female fights, and therefore would not take part in a card which involved female fighters.

Pancrase, itself an offshoot of professional wrestling, began holding female fights in 2004 under the specially devised “Pancrase Athena” division. The rules consisted of three-minute rounds (as opposed to the standard mens’ five), but did allow for ground-and-pound.

Pancrase began cooperating with the All-Japan Kickboxing Federation (AJKF), bringing in kickboxing converts such as “Windy” Tomomi Sunaba. However, the Athena division had only one true prospect, and that was Hisae Watanabe.

Watanabe made her debut with Smackgirl in 2002. She lost to rival Satoko Shinashi in the 2002 Smackgirl tournament, but audiences were interested in Watanabe because of her “gal” style.

Watanabe’s weak area was on the ground, so she began working out at Gutsman Shooto Dojo and cross-training with male fighters to develop her submission game.

In 2006, at Deep’s 25 Impact, a rematch between Watanabe and Shinashi drew huge attention in the Japanese MMA scene. Four years after their initial meeting, Watanabe outgrappled Shinashi and scored a huge first-round knockout win. Until that point, elite Japanese female fighters had been mostly dependent on submission styles. This type of striking and grappling fusion at a high level was really a first for Japanese female fighters.

However, Watanabe would lose her next match to Seo Hee Ham, a South Korean kickboxing convert with a background in Sanshou. Watanabe showed confidence in her striking, but Ham still outstruck her. Watanabe tried to work her newly-developed ground game, but that wasn’t enough to finish Ham either, and the Korean debutante eventually took a two-round unanimous decision.


Seo Hee Ham

Ham made her name in the Watanabe fight, but her grappling game was not strong enough to hang with Japan’s elite female fighters. She would lose bouts to both Fujii and Tsuji after being outgrappled. Immediately after her win over Watanabe, Ham also lost to a young up-and-comer named Miku Matsumoto.

Hailing from Toyama, Matsumoto was not well-known in Tokyo, since half of her early fights were held in her hometown. She also didn’t participate in Smackgirl, which drew the most attention from women’s MMA fans at the time, being female-only.

Matsumoto became known following a controversial loss to Carina Damm wherein the Brazilian scored an armbar submission, secured in part by grabbing Matsumoto’s glove. Deep promoter Shigeru Saeki -- who sent Matsumoto to the fight in the now-defunct promotion MARS -- got angry and demanded a rematch from the organization’s head, Yuki Amano. One month later, Miku beat Damm by unanimous decision.

Matsumoto’s next fight would be a submission loss to Lisa Ward in Smackgirl. Afterward, Miku said Ward was on a “different level” from herself. This loss drove Matsumoto to become a more complete fighter.

Matsumoto went on to claim the Deep title by outstriking the striker Watanabe to a majority decision in August 2007. Matsumoto showed a technical prowess and brutal knockout power which is rarely seen in female MMA. In August 2008, having armbarred Misaki Takimoto in three previous meetings, Matsumoto knocked Takimoto out with vicious kicks to the body. Six months later, she destroyed Nicdali Calanoc in 21 seconds with similarly nasty knees from the Thai clinch. Matsumoto was not only showing a new level of striking in female MMA, but simultaneously building a viral video fanbase.

Putting her Deep belt on the line, Miku rematched Lisa Ward in front of a supportive hometown crowd in June 2009. This time, Matsumoto totally outgrappled Ward, eventually submitting her via armbar in the third round.

After this, many fans called for Matsumoto to fight Fujii, since they were now considered the top two pound-for-pound female fighters in Japan. Miku intended to fight Fujii, but Fujii changed weight classes and Matsumoto made a sudden decision to retire. Matsumoto didn’t explain to fans why she chose to retire, stating only that there was nothing left for her. However, she said, if there was enough money for top-tier female mixed martial artists, she might return someday.

On April 17, 2010, Fujii and Matsumoto took part in a special exhibition match at Deep’s 47 Impact, after which Miku relinquished her title and retired. Near the same time, Fujii took her act stateside and began participating in Bellator Fighting Championships’ 115-pound women’s tournament.

When Smackgirl folded in 2008 due to financial issues, it gave way to two separate all-female organizations: Jewels and Valkyrie. The result has been a diluted talent pool too shallow to support either organization.

The separate promotions created a horrible situation. A few years before, every female MMA fan thought of a dream match between Meguji Fujii and Yuka Tsuji; now, it was prevented from happening by organizational politics. (Fujii worked with Deep-affiliated Jewels early on, while Tsuji sided with the Greatest Common Multiple-ran Valkyrie.) It’s unacceptable for fights like this not to materialize because of political reasons. Female MMA doesn’t have an endless supply of fighters to help boost popularity. With such a small amount of quality fighters, organizations simply can’t afford to avoid these matchups.

Still, today’s local female MMA scene is the best ever. There are more prospects than ever before, with fighters like Rin Nakai, Hiroko Yamanaka, Ayaka Hamasaki and Sakura Nomura all steadily rising in the ranks. I can say that more real talent with all-around MMA knowledge will continue to rise up, both locally and in the world.



Ayaka Hamasaki


Hiroko Yamanaka


Rin Nakai

With the American MMA market expanding in the post-TUF era, the women’s MMA market in the U.S. has also grown. With Strikeforce creating major women’s titles, female fighters are receiving more attention than ever before.

At first, the stateside scene didn’t get much attention at all, since there was no stable organization holding all-female MMA events. Some investors tried to develop a female MMA scene after watching the success of “The Ultimate Fighter.”

Internet casino owner Calvin Ayre started bringing elite female competitors onto his BodogFight events, including Tara LaRosa, Amanda Buckner, Hitomi Akano and Shayna Baszler. While it made many dream matchups possible, the events were mostly held outside of the U.S. market and didn’t generate much attention.

After BodogFight, fans saw two fighters as sitting atop the women’s 60kg (132-pound) division: Tara LaRosa and Amanda Bucker. (No, I didn’t forget Laura D’Auguste, but she chose not to continue her career.) In April 2008, one Japanese fighter beat Buckner and shook up that situation. Her name was Takayo Hashi.

Hashi had won the Smackgirl title against Hitomi Akano, and although that was a sound accomplishment, Hashi was not considered among the super elite. Hashi went in underweight against Buckner, but outstruck the American with superior kickboxing technique.

I’m not sure if I need to explain Gina Carano to visitors of this website, so I’ll just talk about the basics. Carano was known for her charm and beauty, and gained great popularity on MMA forums. She fought for EliteXC and became something of an idol, maintaining an unbeaten record while beating mostly undersized opponents.

Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos was first known for being the wife of Pride veteran Evangelisa “Cyborg” Santos, but she became known as the first female fighter to combine a stunning physique with actual striking skills. Her impressive early performances against the likes of Baszler and Yoko Takahashi gave people the idea of “Cyborg” vs. Carano.

In 2009, Strikeforce purchased EliteXC’s assets and held a 145-pound female championship bout between Santos and Carano. It was the first female title fight to be held within a major MMA organization.

“Cyborg” used her physical strength to put Carano down and pound her out. Watching Santos’ power, people couldn’t help but think that a new generation of athlete had entered female MMA.

After the event’s success, Strikeforce started a second women’s title division at 135 pounds, where Sarah Kaufman became champion. “Cyborg” and Kaufman were seen as the new evolution of female fighters.

Because of the money and attention available there in the early days of MMA, most elite female fighters have fights in Japan on their records. Roxanne Modafferi, on the other hand, always had ambitions to live and fight in Japan.

Roxanne is known as an optimistic character, so she’s gained a lot of support from fans and those around her. She started in Japan teaching English at a private school, or eikawa.

Modafferi continued to evolve as a fighter with support from her Wajyutsu Keishukai teammate, Ryan Bow, and his Kaminari Dojo people. Despite always having a popular online presence, her first real fan attention came after the 2007 K-Grace tournament.

The eight-woman K-Grace tournament was held by Japanese sports newspaper (or tabloid) Naitai Sports on May 27, 2007, and carried a $10,000 bonus for the winner. It was there that Modafferi beat Megumi Yabushita in the semifinals, then went on to defeat Marloes Coenen by a close decision in the final round. Coenen knocked Modafferi down in the first round, but Modafferi took the Dutchwoman down in the second and worked her ground-and-pound, avoiding Coenen’s armbar attempts.

Coenen had a tough time at 66kg (145 lbs.), losing a unanimous decision to the debuting Cindy Dandois in January 2009. However, Coenen signed with Strikeforce and, in November of that year, took her revenge on Modafferi with a first-round armbar submission. She next stepped up to face the champion “Cyborg,” but couldn’t handle Santos’ striking and physical pressure and, like many others, was TKO’d.

In October 2010, 10 years after winning the first ReMix tourney, Coenen dropped to 135 pounds and armbarred Sarah Kaufman to take the Strikeforce title.

It was this nice coincidence and timing which made me think it was a good time to look back at female MMA history. In 10 years, we’ve confirmed that actual divisions can develop when elite fighters face one another often enough, such as in Strikeforce and Bellator. Having finally jumped that hurdle, female MMA can look forward to having even greater success.

Big thanks to Chris Nelson (write for Bloody Elbow and Sherdog) for English and editing.