Ayaka Hamasaki

is a Japanese female mixed martial artist, judoka and submission grappler. She is the former Rizin Super Atomweight Champion. She has fought in MMA promotions Shooto, Jewels and Rizin in Japan, and Invicta FC in the United States. Hamasaki won the first Jewels Queen tournament to become the first lightweight champion of the promotion. Hamasaki vacated her title due to injuries on . She is a former Invicta FC Atomweight Champion. Hamasaki is the first Asian to win a North American premier MMA promotion title.

Fight Matrix and MMARising.com list her as the number 2 atomweight fighter in the world, and one of the top 10 pound for pound female fighters in the world.

Personal life Hamasaki was born on in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan.

Outside of fighting, Hamasaki enjoys time with her dogs and going for walks.

Martial arts training Hamasaki practiced judo for 8 years, achieving 2nd dan.

Mixed martial arts career Hamasaki made her MMA debut on at Shooto Gig Central Vol. 19, defeating Kinuka Sasaki via submission (armbar) in the second round.

Deep Jewels Joining Jewels for the first Lightweight Queen tournament, Hamasaki submitted South Korean kickboxer Han Sol Lee with an Americana in just 48 seconds in the opening round of the tournament at Jewels 9th Ring on .

At Jewels 11th Ring on , Hamasaki defeated Sakura Nomura after three competitive rounds via unanimous decision in the Lightweight Queen tournament semi-finals. In the same event, Hamasaki defeated South Korean Seo Hee Ham by unanimous decision, surprising commentators by holding her own in the striking exchanges against the experienced Korean kickboxer. Hamasaki won the tournament in the process and became the first Jewels Lightweight (115 lbs) Queen Champion. However, Ellis suffered a calf injury and was forced to withdraw from the fight. Hamasaki was then set to face Jessica Aguilar at 12th Ring instead, but the event was cancelled after the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami earlier in the day.

Hamasaki faced Mizuki Inoue in a non-title bout at Jewels 16th Ring on in Tokyo. She defeated Inoue by unanimous decision.

Hamasaki defended her Jewels title in a rematch against Seo Hee Ham at Jewels 17th Ring on . She won the fight by TKO (corner stoppage) after the first round when Ham could not continue due to injury.

Hamasaki faced Yuka Tsuji in a Jewels title fight at Jewels 19th Ring on in Osaka, Japan. She won the fight by submission due to a kimura in the first round.

Invicta FC Hamasaki was scheduled to face Jasminka Cive at Invicta FC 2: Baszler vs. McMann on in Kansas City, Kansas. However, Cive was unable to secure a visa to compete and Hamasaki faced Lacey Schuckman instead. She defeated Schuckman by submission due to an armbar late in the third round.

Hamasaki was expected to face Carla Esparza at Invicta FC 4 in January 2013. However, Hamasaki withdrew from the fight in order to defend her Jewels title. She faced Emi Fujino at Jewels 22nd Ring on and defeated Fujino by unanimous decision.

Hamasaki agreed to face Carla Esparza for the Invicta FC Strawweight Championship at Invicta FC 6: Coenen vs. Cyborg on , but Esparza withdrew due to a knee injury. Hamasaki was then matched up against Cláudia Gadelha. She was defeated by TKO in the third round.

Invicta FC Atomweight Champion After suffering her first professional defeat, Hamasaki bounced back with two victories in Deep Jewels before challenging Hérica Tibúrcio at Invicta FC 13: Cyborg vs. Van Duin for the Invicta FC Atomweight Championship. Hamasaki won the fight and championship via split decision.

Hamasaki made her first title defense against Amber Brown at Invicta FC 16: Hamasaki vs. Brown on March 11, 2016. She successfully defended the title via third-round submission.

Her second title defense took place against Jinh Yu Frey at Invicta FC 19: Maia vs. Modafferi on September 23, 2016. She won the fight and retained the title via second-round doctor stoppage.

She then faced Lívia Renata Souza in a strawweight bout at Invicta FC 22: Evinger vs. Kunitskaya II on March 25, 2017. She lost the fight via first-round knockout.

Later in 2017 Hamasaki vacated her Invicta FC Atomweight title and subsequently signed with Rizin Fighting Federation.

Rizin FF First Super Atomweight title reign Ayaka faced Kanna Asakura on December 21, 2018 at Rizin 14 for the Rizin Super Atomweight Championship. She won the bout and the championship in the second rout via armbar.

Ayaka defended her title for the first time against Invicta FC Atomweight Champion Jinh Yu Frey at Rizin 16: Kobe on June 2, 2019. Ayaka won the fight via unanimous decision.

Ayaka faced Suwanan Boonsorn in a non-title bout on August 18, 2019 at RIZIN 18. She won the bout easily via first round armbar.

Ayaka faced former Road FC Women's Atomweight Champion Seo Hee Ham at Rizin 20 on December 31, 2019. She lost the trilogy fight via split decision, losing the Rizin Women's Super Atomweight Champion in the process.

On August 9, 2020, she faced Tomo Maesawa at Rizin 22 and won via second round kimura.

Second Super Atomweight title reign Hamasaki next faced three time freestyle wrestling World Champion Miyuu Yamamoto on December 31, 2020 for the vacant RIZIN Super Atomweight belt.

Hamasaki made her first title defense in a rematch against Kanna Asakura at Rizin 27 on March 21, 2021. She won a close bout via split decision.

Hamasaki was scheduled to face Emi Fujino in a non-title bout on September 19, 2021 at Rizin 30. She won the fight by unanimous decision.

Hamasaki faced the reigning Jewels Strawweight champion Seika Izawa in a non-title bout at Rizin 33 - Saitama on December 31, 2021. She suffered her first loss in two years, as Izawa won the bout by a second-round technical knockout.

Hamasaki made her second Super Atomweight title defense against Seika Izawa at Rizin 35 on April 16, 2022. She lost the fight by unanimous decision.

Super Atomweight Grand Prix On July 7, 2022, it was revealed that Hamasaki would be one of eight participants in the 2022 Rizin Super Atomweight Grand Prix. Hamasaki faced the inaugural WSOF Women's Strawweight champion Jessica Aguilar in the tournament quarterfinals which were held at Rizin 37 - Saitama on July 31, 2022. She won the fight by unanimous decision.

Hamasaki was booked to face Si Woo Park in the tournament semifinals at Rizin 38 on September 25, 2022. She lost the fight by unanimous decision.

Hamasaki is scheduled to face Claire Lopez at Rizin Landmark 8 on February 24, 2024.

Submission grappling Hamasaki participated in a submission grappling mini-tournament held at Jewels 10th Ring on , where she won the tournament by defeating Emi Tomimatsu via armbar submission in the second round and Yuko Oya, also by armbar in the first round.

Hamasaki faced Saori Ishioka in a grappling match at Jewels 14th Ring on . She won the match by split decision.

Championships and accomplishments Rizin Fighting Federation Rizin Super Atomweight Championship (Inaugural, 2 times) Two successful title defenses (Overall) One successful title defense (First reign) One successful title defense (Second reign) Most submissions in Rizin women's history (five) Invicta Fighting Championships Invicta FC Atomweight Champion (One time; former) Two successful title defenses Deep Jewels Jewels Lightweight Queen tournament winner Jewels Lightweight Queen Champion (one time; former) Three successful title defenses Women's MMA Awards 2014 Atomweight of the Year

Mixed martial arts record Loss

Natalia Kuziutina Submission (armbar) Rizin Landmark 13

Fukuoka, Japan Win

Lee Ye-ji Decision (unanimous) Deep Jewels 51

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Moeri Suda Submission (rear-naked choke) Deep Jewels 48

Tokyo, Japan Win

Shim Yu-ri Submission (kimura) Rizin Landmark 10

Nagoya, Japan Loss

Park Si-woo Decision (unanimous) Rizin 38

Saitama, Japan Win

Jessica Aguilar Decision (unanimous) Rizin 37

Saitama, Japan Loss

Seika Izawa Decision (unanimous) Rizin 35

Chōfu, Japan Loss

Seika Izawa TKO (elbows and punches) Rizin 33

Saitama, Japan Win

Emi Fujino Decision (unanimous) Rizin 30

Saitama, Japan Win

Kanna Asakura Decision (split) Rizin 27

Nagoya, Japan Win

Miyuu Yamamoto Submission (leg scissor choke) Rizin 26

Saitama, Japan Win

Tomo Maesawa Submission (kimura) Rizin 22

Yokohama, Japan Loss

Ham Seo-hee Decision (split) Rizin 20

Saitama, Japan Win

Suwanan Boonsorn Submission (armbar) Rizin 18

Nagoya, Japan Win

Jinh Yu Frey Decision (unanimous) Rizin 16

Kobe, Japan Win

Kanna Asakura Submission (armbar) Rizin 14

Saitama, Japan Win

Mina Kurobe Submission (kimura) Rizin 13

Saitama, Japan Win

Alyssa Garcia Decision (unanimous) Rizin 10

Fukuoka, Japan Loss

Lívia Renata Souza KO (punches) Invicta FC 22

Kansas City, Missouri, United States Win

Jinh Yu Frey TKO (doctor stoppage) Invicta FC 19

Kansas City, Missouri, United States Win

Amber Brown Submission (armbar) Invicta FC 16

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Hérica Tibúrcio Decision (split) Invicta FC 13

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Mei Yamaguchi Decision (unanimous) DEEP Dream Impact 2014: Omisoka Special

Saitama, Japan Win

Naho Sugiyama TKO (Punches) Deep Jewels 5

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Cláudia Gadelha TKO (punches) Invicta FC 6

Kansas City, Missouri, United States Win

Emi Fujino Decision (unanimous) Jewels 22nd Ring

Tokyo, Japan Win

Lacey Schuckman Submission (armbar) Invicta FC 2

Kansas City, Kansas, United States Win

Yuka Tsuji Submission (kimura) Jewels 19th Ring

Osaka, Japan Win

Ham Seo-hee TKO (corner stoppage) Jewels 17th Ring

Tokyo, Japan Win

Mizuki Inoue Decision (unanimous) Jewels 16th Ring

Tokyo, Japan Win

Ham Seo-hee Decision (unanimous) Jewels 11th Ring

Tokyo, Japan Win

Sakura Nomura Decision (unanimous) Jewels 11th Ring

Tokyo, Japan Win

Lee Han-sol Submission (Americana) Jewels 9th Ring

Tokyo, Japan Win

Kinuka Sasaki Submission (armbar) Shooto: Gig Central 19

Nagoya, Japan