NAME - Hitomi Akano
NICKNAME - Girlfight Monster
FIGHTING OUT OF - Abe Ani Combat Club - Tokyo, Japan
AGE - 35
WEIGHT - 135 LBS
HEIGHT - 5 FT 4 IN
MMA RECORD - 15-7

FIGHTER INFO
Japanese Fighter Hitomi Akano a 35-year-old who fights out of Tokyo, Japan, is a former champion of the Japanese women's promotion Smackgirl and is an expert in submission holds. Fifteen of her 22 career victories have come by way of submission. On April 11, 2009, Akano made her STRIKEFORCE debut when she moved up in weight to challenge the No. 1 female fighter in the world, Cris Cyborg. Despite giving up size to the naturally bigger 5-foot-7, 145-pound Cyborg, Akano fought valiantly and took the hard-hitting Brazilian into the third and final round before being stopped via strikes. Three months after the loss to Cyborg, Akano rebounded and forced Miki Morifuji to tap out from an armbar in the second round (4:17) in Tokyo. A woman of many talents, Akano is known for using "Between the Sky," a song she wrote, as her entrance music.

She is slated to enter into the 4-women single elimination tournament this August 13th at Pheonix Challengers: Riggs v. Taylor. She will be up against fighters, Miesha “Takedown” Tate, Carina “Beauty by the Beast” Damm, and Maiju Kujala.