Mei Yamaguchi, formerly known by her ring name V Hajime, is a Japanese female mixed martial artist and kickboxer.
36 Facts About Mei Yamaguchi
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Mei Yamaguchi has a notable victory over Yuka Tsuji and was the final Valkyrie Featherweight Champion.
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Mei Yamaguchi has competed in Deep Jewels and ONE Championship.
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Mei Yamaguchi was born in Tokyo, Japan on February 3,1983, and grew up with a sister and a little brother.
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Mei Yamaguchi began to learn karate during her residence in the United States around the age of 7, yearning to be like Jackie Chan.
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Mei Yamaguchi studied abroad in the United States during her university years: she first attended Japan Campus of Temple University before transferring to El Camino College, from where she graduated.
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Mei Yamaguchi currently serves as the leader of the Morishita branch.
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Mei Yamaguchi rebounded by winning her next two bouts in the inaugural Valkyrie women's featherweight tournament.
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At Valkyrie 04, in her second match against Tsuji, Mei Yamaguchi was the underdog, but she managed to defeat Tsuji with a rear naked choke in only 76 seconds.
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Mei Yamaguchi became Valkyrie's Featherweight Champion in what is considered one of the biggest upsets in the history of women's mixed martial arts.
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Mei Yamaguchi barely retained with a contentious majority draw in which the dissenting judge scored the fight in favor of Takabayashi at Valkyrie 08.
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Mei Yamaguchi defeated Naito by armbar submission in the first round.
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Mei Yamaguchi defeated Jung by submission due to an armbar in the first round.
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Mei Yamaguchi was then scheduled to face Ayaka Miura at Deep Jewels 7 on February 20,2015.
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In May 2015, Mei Yamaguchi entered into a single-day, four-woman featherweight grand prix which would crown the vacant Jewels Atomweight champion.
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Mei Yamaguchi claimed the title by first defeating Mina Kurobe and then Satomi Takano.
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Mei Yamaguchi was scheduled to face Tessa Simpson at PXC 52 on March 18,2016.
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However, Mei Yamaguchi withdrew from the bout citing an injury and was replaced by her latest opponent Satomi Takano.
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In late March 2016, it was announced that Mei Yamaguchi had signed with the ONE Championship, and would debut against Angela Lee for the inaugural ONE Women's Atomweight Championship at ONE Championship: Ascent to Power on May 6,2016.
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Mei Yamaguchi then faced Jenny Huang at ONE Championship: Light of a Nation on June 30,2017.
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Mei Yamaguchi was then scheduled to challenge Angela Lee in a rematch for the ONE Women's Atomweight Championship at ONE Championship: Immortal Pursuit on November 24,2017.
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However, Lee was involved in a car accident, the bout was scrapped and Mei Yamaguchi faced Gina Iniong instead.
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Mei Yamaguchi was then scheduled to face Bo Meng at ONE Championship: Call to Greatness on February 22,2019.
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Mei Yamaguchi then faced Kseniya Lachkova at ONE Championship: A New Era on March 31,2019.
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Mei Yamaguchi then faced Jenny Huang in a rematch at ONE Championship: Century on October 13,2019.
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Mei Yamaguchi faced Julie Mezabarba as part of an alternate bout for the Atomweight World Grand-Prix at ONE Championship: Empower on September 3,2021.
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Mei Yamaguchi faced Jihin Radzuan at ONE: Bad Blood on February 11,2022, as a late notice replacement for Jenelyn Olsim.
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Mei Yamaguchi dropped to super atomweight division and made her promotional debut against Kanna Asakura on April 29,2023, at Rizin Landmark 5.
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Mei Yamaguchi has had a more successful run in shoot boxing.
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Mei Yamaguchi participated in the shoot boxing Girls S-Cup 2010, defeating Samanta van Dole by technical submission and losing against Ai Takahashi by unanimous decision after an extra round.
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Mei Yamaguchi faced Mina in the opening round and was defeated by majority decision.
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Mei Yamaguchi defeated Namtarn Por Munagpetch and Lorena Klijn to advance to the final round, but lost to Rena Kubota via unanimous decision in the tournament final.
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Mei Yamaguchi faced Lorena Klijn in a rematch at Shoot Boxing 2013: Act.
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However, Peiling suffered an injury and Mei Yamaguchi instead faced Chihiro Kira.
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Mei Yamaguchi faced Danielle Kelly in a grappling match at ONE: X on March 26,2022.
36.
Mei Yamaguchi competed in a superfight against Hakuri Ishiguro at Quintet 4 on September 10,2023.