Hiroko Yamanaka - TheSportsDB.com

Home / Sport / Fighting / _No League / _Retired Wrestling / Hiroko Yamanaka

Name
Hiroko Yamanaka

Thumb

Image Source: Unknown report

User Rating

(0 users)

Complete

50%

Born
1978 (45 years old)

Birth Place

Kisarazu, Japan

Position
Fighter

Status

Ethnicity
Asian

Team Number

Height

Outfitter

Kit

Side

Agent

Wage Year

Player Cutout

Player Action Render

Sport

Fighting

Team
_Retired Wrestling

2nd Team

League
_No League

Creative Commons Artwork
No

Latest Results

					Invicta FC 4 Esparza vs Hyatt	05 Jan 13

Description
Available in:

Hiroko Yamanaka (山中裕子, Yamanaka Hiroko), more commonly known simply as Hiroko (styled in capitals) and nicknamed Incomplete Queen (未完の女王, mikan no joō) or Cat's Eye, is a retired Japanese female mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter. She fought for Invicta FC, Strikeforce and Jewels, and was the final Smackgirl Open Weight Champion. Yamanaka announced her retirement on August 6, 2013.
Yamanaka was born on October 24, 1978 in Kisarazu, Chiba, Japan. Through a personal friend's suggestion, Yamanaka initially took on mixed martial arts for health and fitness purposes only. After time, she found the sport of MMA agreed with her physicality and became more involved, fighting her first official match in May 2006.
Her first MMA fight was a draw against Mariko Fujimoto in a match with Smackgirl amateur rules on May 14, 2006 at S-Keep: Eggs Fight 4.
Her next fight was in the Super Gals Mix Cup Open Weight Tournament 1st Round against Rie Murakami, whom Yamanaka defeated by unanimous decision on November 29, 2006 at Smackgirl: Legend of Extreme Women. This was her professional debut.
Yamanaka would go on to win the Super Gals Mix Cup Open Weight Tournament by defeating Yuiga by unanimous decision on March 11, 2007 and Michiko Takeda by split decision on May 19, 2007.
On September 6, 2007 at Smackgirl: Queens' Hottest Summer, Yamanaka defeated champion Yoko Takahashi by unanimous decision and won the Smackgirl Open Weight Championship, becoming the fourth and final title holder. Yamanaka was defeated for the first time in a non-title bout as part of the Open Weight World ReMix tournament by Hitomi Akano, who submitted Yamanaka with an armbar on April 25, 2008 at Smackgirl: World ReMix 2008 Second Round. This was Yamanaka's last fight in Smackgirl since the promotion folded in the following months.
Yamanaka made her debut in the Jewels promotion on November 16, 2008, defeating Mayumi Aoki by unanimous decision at Jewels 1st Ring.
At Jewels 2nd Ring on February 4, 2009, Yamanaka once again faced Michiko Takeda and defeated her for the second time; this time by TKO at 3:25 of the second round. On May 16, 2009, Yamanaka defeated Josh Barnett's student Shannon Hooper by unanimous decision during the event Jewels 3rd Ring.
Yamanaka would avenge her only loss at Jewels 7th Ring when she defeated Hitomi Akano by split decision on March 19, 2010. Unlike their first open-weight match, this match was contracted at 143 lb (65 kg) and, for the first time in her career, Yamanaka had to cut weight; cutting more than 20 lbs. On May 23, 2010, Yamanaka defeated Atsuko Emoto by unanimous decision at Jewels 8th Ring. Emoto announced her retirement after the fight.
Debuting with the Shoot boxing promotion, Yamanaka won by forearm choke submission against Australian Muay Thai kickboxing champion Sandy Furner on August 29, 2010 in an MMA bout at Shoot Boxing: Girls S-Cup 2010. Yamanaka was originally set to face Olympic freestyle wrestling Bronze medal winner Randi Miller, but Miller was forced to withdraw due to injury.
On December 3, 2010, Yamanaka was announced as facing Miller at Jewels 11th Ring on December 17. However, the fight was later cancelled. Yamanaka faced Molly Helsel instead and defeated Helsel by TKO in the second round.
Yamanaka faced Bolormaa "Esui" Erdenebileg at Jewels 15th Ring on July 9, 2011. She defeated Esui by armbar submission in the second round.
On September 23, 2011, Strikeforce announced that Yamanaka would debut for the promotion against featherweight champion Cris Cyborg. The fight took place at Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal on December 17, 2011. Yamanaka lost the bout via TKO 16 seconds into the first round. On January 6, 2012, the bout's result was changed to a no decision due to Cyborg having tested positive for anabolic steroids.
Yamanaka faced Germaine de Randamie at Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman on August 18, 2012 in San Diego, California. She was defeated by unanimous decision.
Yamanaka made her Invicta Fighting Championships debut against Ediane Gomes at Invicta FC 4: Esparza vs. Hyatt on January 5, 2013. She was defeated by unanimous decision.
On August 6, 2013, Yamanaka announced her retirement on her official blog, thanking her fans for their support and saying she would like to continue to support her team, Master Japan, in the future.