Vorlage:Infobox martial artist
Megumi Fujii (藤井 恵 Megumi Fujii, born April 26, 1974) is a female Japanese mixed martial artist. She is currently the #3-ranked pound-for-pound female MMA fighter in the world by MMARising.com[1] and the #2-ranked female flyweight according to the Unified Women's MMA Rankings.[2][3]
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 and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Fujii was trained in MMA by Shooto veteran Hiroyuki Abe and professional wrestler, PRIDE Fighting Championships alumni, former UFC Heavyweight Champion and King of Pancrase Josh Barnett. She has trained several other female MMA fighters herself, including current top fighter Hitomi Akano.
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 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 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 and Smackgirl events.
She faced Cody Welchin at NFF - The Breakout on March 10, 2007. She won the fight by armbar submission in the first round.[4]
On August 24, 2007, Fujii defeated highly-touted American Lisa Ward by first-round submission at a BodogFight event in Vancouver, British Columbia.[5]
Fujii defeated Cindy Hales and Korean star Seo Hee Ham to advance to the finals of the 2008 Smackgirl World ReMix Grand Prix, but the promotion folded amidst financial troubles before the final round.[6]
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: "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: "Revolutionary Exchanges 3" on November 23, 2009.[7]
On May 6, 2010, it was announced that Fujii would compete at Bellator 22 on June 10.[8] Bellator later changed the numbering of their events and the June 10 card was renamed Bellator 21. Fujii faced Sarah Schneider[9] and defeated Schneider by TKO in the third round. It marked Fujii's first victory by TKO in her 20-fight career.[10]
Fujii will also be a part of the Bellator 115-pound women's tournament in Season Three, which begins on August 12, 2010.[8][11] She was set to face Angela Magana in the first round of the tournament at Bellator 24,[12] but Magana withdrew from the tournament on August 8, 2010 after suffering a foot injury.[13]
Fujii instead faced two-time All-American wrestler Carla Esparza.[14] She defeated Esparza by armbar submission in the second round.[15]
Fujii once again faced Lisa Ward in the second round of the Bellator tournament at Bellator 31[16] and won the rematch by armbar submission in the first round.[17]
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 Frausto in the finals of the tournament at Bellator 34 on October 28, 2010.[17] She lost the fight via a contentious split decision.[18]
Fujii will face Emi Fujino at World Victory Road Presents: Soul of Fight on December 30, 2010.[19]
MMA record
See also
References
External links
- ID fehlt
- Megumi Fujii's official website
- Megumi Fujii's official blog Vorlage:Ja icon
- Megumi Fujii's myspace
- ↑ Women's MMA Pound-For-Pound Rankings. MMARising.com, abgerufen am 1. Dezember 2010.
- ↑ Unified Women's Mixed Martial Arts Rankings. MMARising.com, abgerufen am 1. Dezember 2010.
- ↑ Unified Women's Rankings. FighterGirls.com, abgerufen am 1. Dezember 2010.
- ↑ Mega Megu Takes Easy Win in the Cage. SHERDOG.com, 11. März 2007, abgerufen am 13. Februar 2010.
- ↑ Bodog Fight - Vancouver. SHERDOG.com, 24. August 2007, abgerufen am 15. August 2010.
- ↑ Smackgirl Postpones ReMix Final. MMARising.com, 10. Juli 2008, abgerufen am 16. November 2009.
- ↑ Shooto: "Revolutionary Exchanges 3" Results. MMARising.com, abgerufen am 23. November 2009.
- ↑ a b Megumi Fujii Announced For Bellator 22 In June. MMARising.com, abgerufen am 6. Mai 2010.
- ↑ Fujii vs Schneider Planned For June 10th. MMARising.com, abgerufen am 27. Mai 2010.
- ↑ Megumi Fujii Stops Sarah Schneider At Bellator 21. MMARising.com, abgerufen am 10. Juni 2010.
- ↑ Megumi Fujii returns to U.S. for Bellator 22, tapped for season three women's tourney. MMAjunkie.com, abgerufen am 8. Mai 2010.
- ↑ Fujii-Magana, Aguilar-Alvarez Set For Bellator 24. MMARising.com, abgerufen am 1. Juli 2010.
- ↑ Magana Out Of Bellator Women's Tournament. MMARising.com, abgerufen am 8. August 2010.
- ↑ Carla Esparza To Face Megumi Fujii At Bellator 24. MMARising.com, abgerufen am 9. August 2010.
- ↑ Fujii, Aguilar Both Victorious At Bellator 24. MMARising.com, abgerufen am 12. August 2010.
- ↑ Fujii vs Ward, Aguilar vs Frausto Set For Bellator 31. MMARising.com, abgerufen am 7. September 2010.
- ↑ a b Fujii, Frausto Advance To Bellator Women's Final. MMARising.com, abgerufen am 30. September 2010.
- ↑ Zoila Frausto Wins Bellator Women's Championship. MMARising.com, abgerufen am 28. Oktober 2010.
- ↑ Megumi Fujii vs Emi Fujino Added To SRC: "Soul Of Fight". MMARising.com, 19. Dezember 2010, abgerufen am 22. Dezember 2010.