1. Overview
Hiroko Yamanaka (山中 裕子Yamanaka HirokoJapanese), also known simply as Hiroko (stylized in capitals) and nicknamed 未完の女王Mikan no JoōJapanese (Incomplete Queen) or Cat's Eye, is a retired Japanese female mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter. Noted for her unusual background as a former "queen" (manager) of an SM club, Yamanaka's career leveraged her exceptionally tall physique for a Japanese fighter to compete effectively against international opponents. She held the final Smackgirl Open Weight Championship and competed in major promotions such as Jewels, Strikeforce, and Invicta FC. She officially announced her retirement from professional fighting on August 6, 2013.
2. Early Life
Hiroko Yamanaka was born on October 24, 1978, in Kisarazu, Chiba, Japan. Although she had no prior background in combat sports, Yamanaka initially became involved in mixed martial arts as a means of improving her health and fitness, acting on a suggestion from a personal friend. Over time, she discovered that the physical demands of MMA suited her well, leading her to deepen her involvement in the sport. She received tutelage from established fighters such as Megumi Yabushita and Yoko Takahashi. Her first official amateur match took place in May 2006, marking the beginning of her professional career.
3. Professional Career
Hiroko Yamanaka's professional career spanned across various combat sports disciplines, primarily mixed martial arts, but also including submission grappling and shoot boxing, where she showcased her versatility and competitive spirit.
3.1. Mixed Martial Arts
Her mixed martial arts career saw her rise to prominence in Japanese promotions before venturing into international organizations, accumulating a notable record.
3.1.1. Early Career and Smackgirl Championship
Yamanaka's amateur debut in MMA was a draw against Mariko Fujimoto on May 14, 2006, at the S-Keep: Eggs Fight 4 event under Smackgirl amateur rules. Her professional career officially began on November 29, 2006, at Smackgirl: Legend of Extreme Women, where she defeated Rie Murakami by unanimous decision in the first round of the Super Gals Mix Cup Open Weight Tournament.
She continued her dominant run in the tournament, securing a unanimous decision victory over Yuiga on March 11, 2007, and narrowly defeating Michiko Takeda by split decision in the tournament final on May 19, 2007. These victories earned her the right to challenge for the Smackgirl Open Weight Championship. On September 6, 2007, at Smackgirl: Queens' Hottest Summer, Yamanaka defeated her mentor and reigning champion Yoko Takahashi by unanimous decision, becoming the fourth and final Smackgirl Open Weight Champion, achieving this title with an undefeated professional record of four wins.
Following the dissolution of her initial team, Tomoe-gumi, in November 2007, and her subsequent separation from Yabushita Megumi's management, Yamanaka operated as a free agent. On February 20, 2008, she established her own team, "B CREW." Her first professional loss occurred on April 25, 2008, at Smackgirl: World ReMix 2008 Second Round, where she was submitted by Hitomi Akano via an armbar in the semi-finals of the World ReMix Tournament. This marked her last fight in Smackgirl before the promotion ceased operations.
3.1.2. Jewels and International Ventures
Yamanaka made her debut in the Jewels promotion on November 16, 2008, at Jewels 1st Ring, where she secured a unanimous decision victory over Mayumi Aoki, an opponent she would later face again in shoot boxing. She continued her success in Jewels, defeating Michiko Takeda for the second time on February 4, 2009, at Jewels 2nd Ring via TKO with a right straight in the second round. On May 16, 2009, she defeated Shannon Hooper by unanimous decision at Jewels 3rd Ring, effectively utilizing her long legs to land low kicks.
On March 19, 2010, at Jewels 7th Ring, Yamanaka avenged her earlier loss to Hitomi Akano with a split decision victory in their rematch. This fight, contracted at 143 lb (143 lb), required Yamanaka to undergo a significant weight cut of over 20 lb (20 lb) for the first time in her career. After this victory, she publicly declared her ambition to face then-Strikeforce Women's Featherweight Champion Cris Cyborg. She went on to defeat Atsuko Emoto by unanimous decision on May 23, 2010, at Jewels 8th Ring, after which Emoto announced her retirement.
On December 17, 2010, at Jewels 11th Ring, Yamanaka faced Molly Helsel, securing a TKO victory in the second round after delivering three knockdowns with punches. This bout was originally scheduled against Randi Miller, a freestyle wrestling Olympic bronze medalist, but Miller withdrew due to injury. Yamanaka then fought Bolormaa "Esui" Erdenebileg at Jewels 15th Ring on July 9, 2011, winning by armbar submission in the second round.
Yamanaka's international career began with her highly anticipated debut in Strikeforce on December 17, 2011, at Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal. She challenged Cris Cyborg for the Strikeforce Women's Featherweight Championship but lost by TKO just 16 seconds into the first round. However, the outcome of this bout was later overturned to a no contest on January 6, 2012, after Cyborg tested positive for anabolic steroids, highlighting concerns over fair competition at the time.
Following this controversial fight, Yamanaka returned to Strikeforce on August 18, 2012, at Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman in San Diego, California, where she faced Germaine de Randamie and was defeated by unanimous decision. She then made her debut in Invicta Fighting Championships against Ediane Gomes at Invicta FC 4: Esparza vs. Hyatt on January 5, 2013, suffering another unanimous decision loss.
3.2. Submission Grappling
Yamanaka also competed in submission grappling, making her debut in the discipline at the 2006 Smackgirl Grappling Queen Tournament on July 23, 2006, where she lost to American fighter Roxanne Modafferi by decision. She competed in two more grappling bouts on August 31, 2008, at Gi grappling 2008, first defeating Akiko Naito by armbar submission before losing to Sayaka Shioda by armbar in the semi-finals of the Queen Tournament expert open-weight division.
| Result | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1-2-0 | Sayaka Shioda | Submission (Armbar) | Gi grappling 2008 | August 31, 2008 | 1 | 1:24 | Tokyo, Japan | Queen Tournament expert open-weight semifinals |
| Win | 1-1-0 | Akiko Naito | Submission (Armbar) | Gi grappling 2008 | July 5, 2008 | 1 | 0:46 | Tokyo, Japan | Queen Tournament expert open-weight second round |
| Loss | 0-1-0 | Roxanne Modafferi | Decision (1-0) | Smackgirl Grappling Queen Tournament 2006 | July 23, 2006 | 1 | 7:00 | Tokyo, Japan | Open Weight Grappling Tournament first round |
3.3. Shoot Boxing
Yamanaka ventured into Shoot boxing on August 23, 2009, at the 2009 Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup. In her debut, she faced Mayumi "Super Benkei" Aoki, whom she had previously defeated in MMA, and secured a TKO victory in the first round due to referee stoppage following Aoki's shoulder dislocation. On August 19, 2011, at the 2011 Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup, Yamanaka defeated Megumi Yabushita by TKO after Yabushita suffered a knee injury in the third round, leading to a doctor stoppage.
4. Championships and Accomplishments
Throughout her fighting career, Hiroko Yamanaka achieved several significant accomplishments and championships:
- Smackgirl Open Weight Champion
- Super Gals Mix Cup Open Weight Tournament winner
5. Retirement
On August 6, 2013, Hiroko Yamanaka officially announced her retirement from professional fighting through a post on her official blog. She expressed her gratitude to her fans for their steadfast support throughout her career and indicated her intention to continue supporting her team, Master Japan, in the future.