Shizuka Sugiyama - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

, occasionally nicknamed and , is a Japanese

Japanese people

The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...

female mixed martial artist

Mixed martial arts

Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...

. She currently fights in the MMA promotion Jewels

Jewels (mixed martial arts)

Jewels is a mixed martial arts organization owned by Marverous Japan Co., Ltd. focused on female fighters. It's the direct successor of Smackgirl...

Background

Sugiyama was born on February 11, 1987 in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

, New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

, United States

United States

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

. Sugiyama has an older brother. She graduated from the sports faculty of the Tokai University

Tokai University

is a private university in Tokyo, Japan. It was established in 1943 by Shigeyoshi Matsumae, who had formerly been the engineering president of the Ministry of Communications...

. While in the Tokai University, she was first introduced to the Karate-Do Zendokai association and began studying karate

Karate

is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...

at 18 years old. She got her black belt

Black belt (martial arts)

In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...

in Karate in three months.

Sugiyama participated in the Japan Open 2007 Vale Tudo Real Fighting Karate-do Championship Series, placing second in the general category for women, being defeated by Saori Ishioka

Saori Ishioka

is a Japanese female mixed martial artist, kickboxer and karateka. She has participated in MMA promotions Smackgirl and Jewels. Her nickname is Shooting Star.-Background:...

. In 2008, she was the winner of the Japan Open 2008 Vale Tudo Real Fighting Karate-do Championship Series 57 kg. She would repeat this feat in 2009.

Shortly before her professional debut in MMA, she had a grappling match and was defeated by Hitomi Sakamoto.

Mixed martial arts career

She debuted on at Jewels 1st Ring
Jewels 1st Ring
Jewels 1st Ring, originally was the inaugural mixed martial arts event of the then newly created women's MMA promotion Jewels. The event took place on at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan.-Background:...

, defeating Harumi with a rear naked choke

Rear naked choke

The Rear naked choke is a chokehold in martial arts applied from an opponent's back. Depending on the context, the term may refer to one of two variations of the technique, either arm can be used to apply the choke in both cases...

submission. She would win her next fight against Shiho by TKO on . At Jewels 3rd Ring
Jewels 3rd Ring
Jewels 3rd Ring, was a mixed martial arts event held by promotion Jewels. The event took place on at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan.-Background:...

on , Sugiyama defeated Norwegian

Norwegians

Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...

fighter Celine Haga by unanimous decision. In another dominant performance, Sugiyama defeated Mika Harigai by unanimous decision on .

Making her debut with the Shoot boxing

Shoot boxing

Shoot boxing is both a combat sport and a stand-up fighting promotion company based in Tokyo, Japan. The organization was founded by former kickboxer Caesar Takeshi in 1985....

promotion, Sugiyama once again faced Hitomi Sakamoto, who had defeated Sugiyama in a grappling match. This time, Sugiyama defeated Sakamoto by decision. Sugiyama's first loss came against German

Germans

The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....

fighter Alexandra Sanchez

Alexandra Sanchez

Alexandra Sanchez is a German female mixed martial arts fighter. She won Jewels' tournament Rough Stone Grand Prix 2009 at the -60 kg category.-Background:Sanchez was born on in Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Martial arts training:...

in the opening round of the 2009 Jewels Rough Stone Grand Prix 60 kg on .

Sugiyama rebounded back with a unanimous decision victory over Yukiko Ozeki at Jewels 6th Ring
Jewels 6th Ring
Jewels 6th Ring was a mixed martial arts event held by MMA promotion Jewels. It took place on at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan.-Background:...

on . At Jewels 7th Ring
Jewels 7th Ring
Jewels 7th Ring was a mixed martial arts event hosted by MMA promotion Jewels. It was held on at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan.-Background:...

on , Miki Morifuji defeated Sugiyama by unanimous decision.

Sugiyama was announced for Jewels 9th Ring
Jewels 9th Ring
Jewels 9th Ring was a mixed martial arts event held by MMA promotion Jewels. The event took place on at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan.-Background:...

in a shoot boxing match against Mongolia

Mongolia

Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...

n Esui

Esui

Bolormaa Erdenebileg , better known by her ring name is a Mongolian female pro-wrestler and mixed martial artist. She is considered as Mongolia's first female wrestler and also the first female mixed martial artist from Mongolia....

, but she suffered a broken collar bone and a dislocated shoulder during training, which forced her to withdraw from the event.

Returning after her injury, Sugiyama faced Esui in a MMA bout at Jewels 11th Ring
Jewels 11th Ring
Jewels 11th Ring was a mixed martial arts event held by MMA promotion Jewels. The event took place on at Korakuen Hall in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan....

on . Esui defeated Sugiyama by TKO (corner stoppage) early in the second round.

Sugiyama was scheduled to face Mayumi "Super Benkei" Aoki

Mayumi Aoki (fighter)

, better known in Japan by her ring name , is a Japanese female mixed martial artist and kickboxer. Aoki has fought in MMA promotions Smackgirl, Jewels and Valkyrie.-Background:Aoki was born on in Aichi Prefecture, Japan...

at Jewels 12th Ring

Jewels 12th Ring

Jewels 12th Ring was a planned mixed martial arts to be held by MMA promotion Jewels. The event was planned to be held on at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan but it was cancelled a few hours before the start due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.-Background:The first two bouts of...

on in Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo

, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

, and planned to travel to Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

for one year to study after the fight. However, the event was cancelled after the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...

earlier in the day.

Outside mixed martial arts

Sugiyama posed for a photobook

Photobook

A photo-book or photobook is a book in which photographs make a significant contribution to the overall content. The most critically acclaimed photo-books celebrate the creative work of an individual photographer, but can also result from the collaboration between a photographer and a writer, an...

published by Kamipro and has also appeared in an Internet TV show called Stickam TV.

Mixed martial arts record

|-
| Loss
|align=center| 6-3-0
|

Esui

| TKO (corner stoppage)
| Jewels 11th Ring

Jewels 11th Ring

Jewels 11th Ring was a mixed martial arts event held by MMA promotion Jewels. The event took place on at Korakuen Hall in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan....

Bunkyo, Tokyo

is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. Situated in the middle of the ward area, Bunkyō is a residential and educational center. Beginning in the Meiji period, literati like Natsume Sōseki, as well as scholars and politicians have lived there...

, Tokyo

Tokyo

, Japan

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...

|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 6-2-0
|

Miki Morifuji
| Decision (unanimous)
| Jewels 7th Ring

Jewels 7th Ring

Jewels 7th Ring was a mixed martial arts event hosted by MMA promotion Jewels. It was held on at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan.-Background:...

Tokyo

, Japan

Japan

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 6-1-0
|

Yukiko Ozeki
| Decision (unanimous)
| Jewels 6th Ring

Jewels 6th Ring

Jewels 6th Ring was a mixed martial arts event held by MMA promotion Jewels. It took place on at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan.-Background:...

Tokyo

, Japan

Japan

|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 5-1-0
|

Alexandra Sanchez

| Decision (unanimous)
| Jewels 5th Ring

Jewels 5th Ring

Jewels 5th Ring was a mixed martial arts event held by MMA promotion Jewels. The event took place on at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan.-Background:...

Tokyo

, Japan

Japan

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 5-0-0
|

Hitomi Sakamoto

Hitomi Sakamoto is a female wrestler from Japan.-External links:*...

| Decision (unanimous)
| Shoot Boxing

Shoot boxing

Shoot boxing is both a combat sport and a stand-up fighting promotion company based in Tokyo, Japan. The organization was founded by former kickboxer Caesar Takeshi in 1985....

Shinagawa, Tokyo

is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it is called Shinagawa City. The ward is home to nine embassies.As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 344,461 and a density of 15,740 persons per km². The total area is 22.72 km²....

, Tokyo

Tokyo

, Japan

Japan

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 4-0-0
|

Mika Harigai
| Decision (unanimous)
| Jewels 4th Ring

Jewels 4th Ring

Jewels 4th Ring was a mixed martial arts event hosted by promotion Jewels. The event took place on at Shin-Kiba 1st Ring in Koto, Tokyo, Japan.-Background:...

Koto, Tokyo

is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 442,271 and a population density of 11,070 persons per km². The total area is 39.48 km². The ward refers to itself as Kōtō City in English....

, Tokyo

Tokyo

, Japan

Japan

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 3-0-0
|

Celine Haga
| Decision (unanimous)
| Jewels 3rd Ring

Jewels 3rd Ring

Jewels 3rd Ring, was a mixed martial arts event held by promotion Jewels. The event took place on at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan.-Background:...

Tokyo

, Japan

Japan

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 2-0-0
|

Shiho
| TKO (knees to the body and punches)
| Jewels 2nd Ring

Jewels 2nd Ring

Jewels 2nd Ring, was a mixed martial arts event, the second of women's MMA promotion Jewels. The event was held on at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan.-Background:...

Tokyo

, Japan

Japan

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 1-0-0
|

Harumi
| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| Jewels 1st Ring

Jewels 1st Ring

Jewels 1st Ring, originally was the inaugural mixed martial arts event of the then newly created women's MMA promotion Jewels. The event took place on at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan.-Background:...

Tokyo

, Japan

Japan

Submission grappling

{| class="toccolours" width=100% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#A9A9A9" | Submission grappling record
|- valign="top"
|
Legend:

Championships and accomplishments

Japan Open 2007 Vale Tudo Real Fighting Karate-do Championship Series general category women runner-up
Japan Open 2008 Vale Tudo Real Fighting Karate-do Championship Series 57 kg winner
Japan Open 2009 Vale Tudo Real Fighting Karate-do Championship Series 57 kg winner

External links

Profile at Fightergirls.com
Profile at Jewels
Jewels (mixed martial arts)
Jewels is a mixed martial arts organization owned by Marverous Japan Co., Ltd. focused on female fighters. It's the direct successor of Smackgirl...
Profile at Zendokai Yokohama
Official blog
Official blog at kakutoh.com

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