Akitoshi Tamura

Akitoshi Tamura (born May 31, 1980) is a Japanese mixed martial artist. He competed almost exclusively in the Shooto organization, before making his debut in 2008 at the WEC 37. In 2007, he was the lightweight champion of Shooto. He was once ranked as the #5 Bantamweight in the world by the MMAWeekly Worldwide Ranking System. Tamura is a freestyle fighter. In 2004, Tamura became the first foreigner to beat a Burmese Lethwei fighter in an official match.

Mixed martial arts career Tamura made his professional debut in the Shooto organization in a fight against Eiji Murayama, in August 2001, and lost on a technical decision (he later returned to face Murayama in 2004, only for the match to end in a draw). He has made MMA headlines when he defeated Takeshi Inoue in 2007, which won him the title of Shooto lightweight champion. He has also participated in GCM and MARS events, achieving a TKO over Masaomi Saito in the former, and a first round submission over Ian Loveland in the latter.

Akitoshi Tamura made his WEC debut at WEC 37. Although Akitoshi had a reputation of being one of the world's best in his weight class, he lost to former IFL featherweight champion Wagnney Fabiano, for whom it was also his WEC debut. For his next fight, Tamura made his 135 lb. debut in the bantamweight division at WEC 40 against former world title challenger Manny Tapia. Tamura defeated Tapia by unanimous decision.

On October 10, 2009, he was scheduled to fight Damacio Page at WEC 43, but pulled out with an undisclosed injury. He was replaced in the bout by WEC newcomer Will Campuzano.

On January 10, 2010, Tamura was defeated by WEC veteran Charlie Valencia via split decision at WEC 46.

Lethwei Tamura competed in a Lethwei tournament on July 10 & 11, 2004 at the Thuwunna National Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar against Aye Bo Sein. The event also showcased three other Japanese fighters, Tamura, Yoshitaro Niimi, Takaharu Yamamoto and Seiji Wakasugi against Burmese fighters. The other Burmese fighters competing in the tournament were Naing Wan Lay, Win Tun and Shwe Sai.

Tamura knocked out local fighter Aya Bo Sein in the fourth round becoming the first foreigner to beat a Lethwei practitioner in an official match

Lethwei record

Mixed martial arts record Win

Satoshi Inaba Decision (split) Pancrase: 267

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Guy Delumeau Decision (split) Pancrase: 264

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Andy Main TKO (punches) Pancrase: 262

Tokyo, Japan Win

Motoshi Miyaji Decision (unanimous) Pancrase: 258

Tokyo, Japan Win

Brian Choi Decision (majority) Shooto: 4th Round 2013

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Yoshifumi Nakamura Decision (unanimous) Shooto: Gig Tokyo 14

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Yusuke Yachi Decision (unanimous) Shooto: 8th Round

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Yuji Hoshino Decision (unanimous) Shooto: 3rd Round

Tokyo, Japan Win

Shigeki Osawa Decision (unanimous) Shooto: Shooto the Shoot 2011

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Tetsu Suzuki Submission (triangle kimura) Shooto: Shootor's Legacy 3

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Taiyo Nakahara DQ (low blows) World Victory Road Presents: Soul of Fight

Tokyo, Japan Win

Shoko Sato Decision (split) World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku Raiden Championships 15

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Masakatsu Ueda Decision (unanimous) Shooto: The Way of Shooto 3: Like a Tiger, Like a Dragon

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Charlie Valencia Decision (split) WEC 46

Sacramento, California, USA Win

Manny Tapia Decision (unanimous) WEC 40

Chicago, Illinois, USA Loss

Wagnney Fabiano Submission (arm-triangle choke) WEC 37: Torres vs. Tapia

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Win

Rumina Sato Submission (north-south choke) Shooto: Shooto Tradition 1

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Hideki Kadowaki Decision (majority) Shooto: Back To Our Roots 8

Tokyo, Japan Win

Takeshi Inoue Decision (unanimous) Shooto: Back To Our Roots 3

Tokyo, Japan Win

Tenkei Oda Decision (unanimous) Shooto: Back To Our Roots 1

Yokohama, Japan Win

Akiyo Nishiura Decision (unanimous) Shooto: Rookie Tournament Final

Tokyo, Japan Win

Sakae Kasuya Submission (armbar) Shooto 2006: 9/8 in Korakuen Hall

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Tenkei Oda KO (punch) Shooto: The Devilock

Tokyo, Japan Win

Masaomi Saito TKO (knees) GCM: D.O.G. 5

Tokyo, Japan Win

Ian Loveland Submission (triangle choke) Martial Arts Reality Superfighting

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Takeshi Inoue Decision (majority) Shooto 2005: 11/6 in Korakuen Hall

Tokyo, Japan Win

Hayate Usui Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) Shooto: 9/23 in Korakuen Hall

Tokyo, Japan Win

Fanjin Son Decision (majority) Shooto 2005: 7/30 in Korakuen Hall

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Hideki Kadowaki Decision (unanimous) Shooto: 3/11 in Korakuen Hall

Tokyo, Japan Win

Guseyn Aliev Submission (armbar) WAFC: Pankration Open Cup 2004

Khabarovsk, Russia Draw

Eiji Murayama Draw Shooto: 3/22 in Korakuen Hall

Tokyo, Japan Win

Yohei Nanbu Decision (unanimous) Shooto: Wanna Shooto 2003

Tokyo, Japan Win

Masatoshi Kobayashi Decision (unanimous) Shooto: 3/18 in Korakuen Hall

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Hiroshi Komatsu Technical Decision (unanimous) Shooto: Gig East 10

Tokyo, Japan Draw

Jin Kazeta Draw Shooto: Treasure Hunt 2

Tokyo, Japan Win

Koichi Tanaka Decision (unanimous) Shooto: GIG East 5

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Eiji Murayama Technical Decision (unanimous) Shooto: Wanna Shooto 2001

Tokyo, Japan