Megumi Fujii facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Megumi Fujii
Fujii in 2007
Born	(1974-04-26) April 26, 1974 (age 51) Ibara, Okayama, Japan
Other names	Mega Megu
Height	5 ft 3 in (160 cm)
Weight	115 lb (52 kg)
Division	Strawweight
Reach	61 in (155 cm)
Style	Catch wrestling, combat sambo
Stance	Southpaw
Fighting out of	Tokyo, Japan
Team	Abe Ani Combat Club
Rank	Black belt in judo Black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Years active	2004–2013 (MMA)
Mixed martial arts record
Total	29
Wins	26
By knockout	1
By submission	19
By decision	6
Losses	3
By decision	3
Medal record Representing  Japan Women's Submission Wrestling ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship Bronze 2007 Trenton -60kg Bronze 2005 Long Beach -55kg Women's Brazilian jiu-jitsu Pan-American Jiu-Jitsu Championship Gold 2006 California -53kg Gold 2004 California -53kg Bronze 2003 California -53kg Women's Sambo World Sambo Championships Silver 2003 St. Petersburg -52kg Silver 2002 Panama City -52kg Silver 1999 Gijón -52kg Silver 1998 Kaliningrad -52kg

Megumi Fujii (born April 26, 1974) is a Japanese former professional mixed martial artist and submission wrestler. She is known as a pioneer in women's mixed martial arts. Megumi was famous for her quick takedowns and special moves called submissions. Her most popular move was the Inazuma toe hold, also known as the Megulock.

Megumi's Early Life and Training

Fujii (left) vs. Cody Welchlin (right) in 2013.

Megumi Fujii started learning judo when she was only three years old. Her father encouraged her to begin this martial art. She continued to compete in judo through junior high school and university. After graduating from Kokushikan University with a degree in physical education, she stopped judo. Then, she became interested in combat sambo, another type of martial art.

Training in Mixed Martial Arts

Megumi was trained in mixed martial arts (MMA) and catch wrestling by famous fighters. These included Hiroyuki Abe and Josh Barnett. Barnett was even a former champion in the UFC. Megumi also helped train other female MMA fighters, like Hitomi Akano.

Achievements in Grappling

Megumi is a highly skilled grappler. She won many awards in different martial arts. She was a national champion in both sambo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu in Japan. She also won silver medals four times at the World Sambo Championships. In 2004 and 2006, she became the Pan-American jiu-jitsu champion.

In 2005, women first competed at the ADCC World Championships. Megumi won a bronze medal in her weight class. She won another bronze medal at the 2007 ADCC World Championships.

Megumi also appeared on the Japanese TV show Sasuke (Ninja Warrior) many times. However, she never completed the first stage of the obstacle course.

Megumi's Mixed Martial Arts Career

Megumi Fujii started her professional MMA career on August 5, 2004. In her first fight, she won by submission in just 40 seconds. She then defeated Erica Montoya, a former UFC commentator.

Rising to the Top

Megumi continued to win against other top fighters like Ana Michelle Tavares and Misaki Takimoto. These wins helped her become known as one of the best female fighters in the world. She often fought in popular events like Shooto and Smackgirl.

In November 2006, she fought Serin Murray from Australia. Murray had said she would knock out Megumi. But Megumi quickly attacked Murray's leg and won the fight by submission in only 20 seconds.

On August 24, 2007, Megumi defeated Lisa Ellis from America. She won by submission in the first round at a BodogFight event.

Megumi also reached the finals of the 2008 Smackgirl World ReMix Grand Prix. However, the event was canceled before the final fight due to money problems.

Fighting in Jewels and Bellator

In November 2008, Smackgirl changed its name to Jewels. Megumi fought at their first event and won by submission. She continued to win fights in Jewels and Shooto.

On May 6, 2010, it was announced that Megumi would fight in Bellator 21. She faced Sarah Schneider and won by TKO (technical knockout) in the third round. This was her first win by TKO in her career.

Megumi then joined the Bellator 115-pound women's tournament in 2010. She was supposed to fight Angela Magaña, but Magaña got injured. Instead, Megumi fought Carla Esparza, a skilled wrestler. Megumi won by armbar submission in the second round.

She faced Lisa Ellis again in the next round of the Bellator tournament. Megumi won the rematch by armbar submission in the first round. With this win, she became one of only two MMA fighters to start their career with 22 wins in a row.

Megumi then fought Zoila Gurgel in the tournament finals. She lost this fight by a close decision.

Later Career and Retirement

After the Bellator tournament, Megumi continued to fight. She defeated Emi Fujino and Mika Nagano by decision. In December 2011, she won against Karla Benitez by armbar submission.

Megumi returned to Bellator in May 2012 to fight Jessica Aguilar. She lost this fight by decision. In December 2012, she defeated Mei Yamaguchi by decision.

On June 22, 2013, Megumi announced she would retire from MMA after one last fight. Her final fight was a rematch against Jessica Aguilar in October 2013. Megumi lost the fight when the doctor stopped it due to an eye injury. The result was later changed to a technical decision win for Aguilar.

Personal Life

Megumi Fujii is married to Shinji Sasaki, who is also a mixed martial artist. They have a child together.

Mixed martial arts record

See also

• List of female mixed martial artists