Mari Kaneko

is a Japanese female karateka and mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter. Kaneko has competed for MMA promotions Ax, Smackgirl, Deep and Jewels.

Background Kaneko was born on in Suwa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.

Martial arts training In 1999, Kaneko won the All-Japan Amateur Shooto Championships in the women's flyweight and also the bantamweight divisions of East Japan. In 2000, she conquered the Central Japan Amateur Shooto Championships in the featherweight division.

In 2009 and 2010 Kaneko was the runner up of the All-Japan Real Fighting Karate Championships -52 kg, being defeated in the final both times by Saori Ishioka.

Mixed martial arts career Kaneko made her MMA debut on at Club Fight Round 1 where she was defeated by Japanese women's MMA pioneer Yoko Takahashi via submission (achilles lock).

At Smackgirl: Episode 0 on , Kaneko defeated Miwako Ishihara in 36 seconds with an armbar submission.

Kaneko got her second submission loss against Ikuma Hoshino, who defeated Kaneko with a guillotine choke on at Smackgirl: Indeed.

At Smackgirl: Burning Night on Kaneko defeated Mika Harigai with an armbar submission in the first round.

On , Kaneko was knocked out with knees in the first round by at the time debutant Izumi Noguchi at Ax Vol. 2: we want to shine.

Kaneko rebounded with an armbar submission victory over Naoko Torashima at Smackgirl: God Bless You on .

Kaneko was defeated again by a MMA debutant when she faced Tomomi Sunaba, who won by split decision on at Smackgirl: Golden Gate 2002.

On at Smackgirl: Summer Gate 2002 Kaneko defeated kickboxer Hisae Watanabe by armbar submission in the second round.

Kaneko got another win on at Smackgirl: Japan Cup 2002 Opening Round, where she defeated Aya Koyama by unanimous decision during the first round of the middleweight tournament.

At Smackgirl: Japan Cup 2002 Episode 2 on during the semi-finals of the middleweight tournament, Kaneko was able to avenge her previous defeat at the hands of Tomomi Sunaba, defeating Sunaba this time by unanimous decision and advancing to the final.

On at Smackgirl: Japan Cup 2002 Grand Final, Kaneko faced MMA star Yuka Tsuji, who defeated Kaneko by unanimous decision in the final of the middleweight tournament.

At the event Arkadia held in Hakuba, Nagano, Kaneko defeated Keiko Matsukawa via armbar submission in the first round on .

In a rematch of their 2001, Kaneko and Izumi Noguchi fought at the event Smackgirl: Third Season V on , with Noguchi winning the bout by unanimous decision.

On , Kaneko participated in the event where she defeated Asami Kodera via submission (rear naked choke) in the first round of the tournament, actress, pro-wrestler and race queen Mizuho Ishikawa via submission (armbar) in the semi-finals before finally losing the final against Hisae Watanabe, whom Kaneko had defeated in 2002, via unanimous decision.

At Deep 18th Impact on , Kaneko tied with Satoko Shinashi, the second women at the time to get a draw against the then unbeaten Shinashi.

Kaneko and Satoko Shinashi had an immediate rematch at Deep 19th Impact on in which Shinashi defeated Kaneko by unanimous decision. This was also Kaneko retirement match from MMA.

After returning to karate competitions, Kaneko also returned to MMA on at Jewels 6th ring, defeating Abe Ani Combat Club member Rina Tomita by unanimous decision after dominating the fight despite her four-year absence.

MMA tag matches Kaneko participated in three MMA tag matches in a one-day tournament at Smackgirl: Strongest Tag Tournament 2002 on in which she was partnered with Miwako Ishihara and both defeated Yoko Takahashi and Hisae Watanebe in the first round, Aya Koyama and Hikaru Shinohara in the semi-finals, and Naoko Torashima and Kazue Terui in the final to win the tournament.

Mixed martial arts record Win

Rina Tomita Decision (3-0) Jewels 6th Ring

Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan Loss

Satoko Shinashi Decision (0-3) Deep: 19th Impact

Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan Draw

Satoko Shinashi Draw Deep: 18th Impact

Bunkyo, Tokyo|Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan Loss

Hisae Watanabe Decision (0-3) Golden Muscle Women's MMA: Strongest Queen Tournament

Koto, Tokyo, Japan Win

Mizuho Ishikawa Submission (armbar) Golden Muscle Women's MMA: Strongest Queen Tournament

Koto, Tokyo|Koto, Tokyo, Japan Win

Asami Kodera Submission (rear naked choke) Golden Muscle Women's MMA: Strongest Queen Tournament

Koto, Tokyo|Koto, Tokyo, Japan Loss

Izumi Noguchi Decision (0-3) Smackgirl: Third Season V

Minato, Tokyo, Japan Win

Keiko Matsukawa Submission (armbar) Arkadia

Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture, Japan Loss

Yuka Tsuji Decision (0-3) Smackgirl: Japan Cup 2002 Grand Final

Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan Win

Tomomi Sunaba Decision (3-0) Smackgirl: Japan Cup 2002 Episode 2

Koto, Tokyo|Koto, Tokyo, Japan Win

Aya Koyama Decision (3-0) Smackgirl: Japan Cup 2002 Opening Round

Koto, Tokyo|Koto, Tokyo, Japan Win

Hisae Watanabe Submission (armbar) Smackgirl: Summer Gate 2002

Koto, Tokyo|Koto, Tokyo, Japan Loss

Tomomi Sunaba Decision (1-2) Smackgirl: Golden Gate 2002

Koto, Tokyo|Koto, Tokyo, Japan Win

Naoko Torashima Submission (armbar) Smackgirl: God Bless You

Koto, Tokyo|Koto, Tokyo, Japan Loss

Izumi Noguchi KO (knees) Ax Vol. 2: we want to shine

Minato, Tokyo|Minato, Tokyo, Japan Win

Mika Harigai Submission (armbar) Smackgirl: Burning Night

Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan Loss

Ikuma Hoshino Submission (guillotine choke) Smackgirl: Indeed,

Shibuya, Tokyo|Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan Win

Miwako Ishihara Submission (armbar) Smackgirl: Episode 0

Bunkyo, Tokyo|Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan Loss

Yoko Takahashi Submission (achilles lock) Club Fight Round 1

Shibuya, Tokyo|Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan Championships and accomplishments

Karate All-Japan RF Karate Championships 1999 runner-up All-Japan RF Karate Championships 2000 runner-up All-Japan RF Karate Championships 2001 winner All-Japan RF Karate Championships 2002 winner All-Japan RF Karate Championships -50 kg 2003 winner All-Japan RF Karate Championships -50 kg 2004 runner-up All-Japan RF Karate Championships -52 kg 2009 runner-up All-Japan RF Karate Championships -52 kg 2010 runner-up

Mixed martial arts All-Japan Amateur Shooto Championships women's flyweight 1999 winner Smackgirl Japan Cup 2002 middleweight runner-up Strongest Queen Tournament 2004 runner-up