Hitomi Akano

is a retired Japanese female mixed martial artist. She announced her formal retirement from MMA on August 1, 2013.

Akano used a song she penned herself called "Between the Sky" as her entrance music. She is a former Smackgirl Middleweight Champion at 128 pounds.

She faced Molly Helsel at Smackgirl – Women Hold Their Ground on September 15, 2006. She won the fight by armbar submission in the second round and became the second Smackgirl Middleweight (128-Pound) Champion.

On April 14, 2007, Akano faced Amanda Buckner at BodogFight – Clash of the Nations. She was defeated by Unanimous Decision.

Akano battled Takayo Hashi for the second time at Smackgirl – Queen's Hottest Summer on September 6, 2007. She was defeated by Unanimous Decision and lost the Smackgirl Middleweight Championship.

Akano fought Vanessa Porto at FFF 3 – War of the Roses on November 3, 2007. She lost the fight by Split Decision.

Akano rematched Megumi Yabushita in the opening round of the 2008 Smackgirl World ReMix Grand Prix. She defeated Yabushita with a heel hook in the second round.

Akano advanced to the finals of the ReMix tournament by submitting Hiroko Yamanaka on April 25, 2008, but Smackgirl closed its doors soon after and was later renamed Jewels.

On November 16, 2008, Akano submitted Mika Harigai with an armbar in just 38 seconds at Jewels 1st Ring.

Akano faced Cris Cyborg at Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz on April 11, 2009. Cyborg came in six pounds overweight for the fight. Akano originally rejected the fight due to Cyborg failing to make weight but later accepted the fight. She lost the fight by TKO due to strikes in the third round.

Following the Strikeforce bout, Akano returned to Japan and faced Miki Morifuji at Jewels 4th Ring. She defeated Morifuji by armbar in the second round.

Akano faced Hiroko Yamanaka for the second time at Jewels 7th Ring on March 19, 2010. She lost the fight by Split Decision.

Akano was part of the one-night Strikeforce 135-pound women's tournament on August 13, 2010 at Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs. Taylor. A random drawing was held on the day of the weigh-ins to determine first-round matchups and Akano faced Carina Damm in the opening round of the tournament.

Akano submitted Damm with a triangle armbar in the second round to advance to the tournament final. She faced Miesha Tate and was defeated by Unanimous Decision.

Akano was scheduled to face Roxanne Modafferi at World Victory Road Presents: Soul of Fight on December 30, 2010, but the fight was cancelled after Modafferi suffered a stomach illness and was unable to compete.

Akano faced Chisa Yonezawa at Pancrase Impressive Tour 2 on March 13, 2011 in Osaka, Japan. She defeated Yonezawa by armbar submission in just 40 seconds.

Akano then faced Roxanne Modafferi in a bout rescheduled for Jewels 15th Ring on July 9, 2011. She defeated Modafferi by Unanimous Decision.

Akano faced Olympian Sara McMann at ProElite 3 on January 21, 2012. She was defeated by unanimous decision.

Akano faced Alexis Davis at Invicta Fighting Championships 2 on July 28, 2012. She was defeated by submission due to a rear-naked choke in the second round.

It was announced on August 2, that Akano has retired from the sport of MMA.

Mixed martial arts record Loss

Alexis Davis Submission (rear-naked choke) Invicta FC 2: Baszler vs. McMann

Kansas City, Kansas, U.S. Loss

Sara McMann Decision (unanimous) ProElite 3: Grove vs. Minowa

Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. Win

Roxanne Modafferi Decision (unanimous) Jewels 15th Ring

Tokyo, Japan Win

Chisa Yonezawa Submission (armbar) Pancrase: Impressive Tour 2

Osaka, Japan Loss

Miesha Tate Decision (unanimous) Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs. Taylor

Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. Final of Women's 135 lb tournament Win

Carina Damm Submission (triangle armbar) Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs. Taylor

Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. Semi-final of Women's 135 lb tournament Loss

Hiroko Yamanaka Decision (split) Jewels 7th Ring

Tokyo, Japan Win

Miki Morifuji Technical submission (straight armbar) Jewels 4th Ring

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Cris Cyborg TKO (punches) Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz

San Jose, California, U.S. Catchweight bout due to Cyborg missing weight Win

Mika Harigai Submission (armbar) Jewels 1st Ring

Tokyo, Japan Win

Hiroko Yamanaka Submission (armbar) Smackgirl: World Remix Tournament Semifinal

Tokyo, Japan Win

Megumi Yabushita Submission (heel hook) Smackgirl: World ReMix Tournament Opening

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Vanessa Porto Decision (split) FFF 3: War of the Roses

Ontario, California, U.S. Loss

Takayo Hashi Decision (unanimous) Smackgirl: Queen's Hottest Summer

Tokyo, Japan Lost Smackgirl Middleweight Championship Win

Liz Posener Submission (armbar) Smackgirl: The Queen Said The USA Is Strongest

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Amanda Buckner Decision (unanimous) BodogFight: Clash of the Nations

Saint Petersburg, Russia Win

Keiko Tamai Submission (armbar) MARS: BodogFight

Tokyo, Japan Win

Molly Helsel Submission (armbar) Smackgirl: Women Hold Their Ground

Tokyo, Japan Won Smackgirl Middleweight Championship Win

Emma Bush Decision (unanimous) Smackgirl: Top Girl Battle

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Tara LaRosa Decision (unanimous) M-1 Mixfight: USA vs Russia 3

Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. Win

Debi Purcell Decision (unanimous) Smackgirl: Advent of Goddess

Tokyo, Japan Win

Keiko Tamai Submission (armbar) G-Shooto: G-Shooto 03

Tokyo, Japan Win

Asako Saioka Decision (unanimous) Smackgirl: Shimokita Experiment League

Tokyo, Japan Win

Takayo Hashi Submission (armbar) Smackgirl: Dynamic !!

Tokyo, Japan Win

Kinuka Sasaki Submission (armbar) Smackgirl: The Next Cinderella 2005 Second Stage

Tokyo, Japan Win

Seri Saito Submission (armbar) Smackgirl: The Next Cinderella 2005 First Stage

Tokyo, Japan Win

Mika Harigai Submission (armbar) Smackgirl: Refresh 2005

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Megumi Yabushita Decision (unanimous) G-Shooto: G-Shooto 01

Tokyo, Japan Championships 2007 Smackgirl Middleweight Champion 2006 Smackgirl Middleweight Champion 1999 Grand Prix Città di Roma (U63) (Silver) 1999 ASKO World Tournament Leonding (U63) (Silver)