is a

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

female

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...

and

kickboxer Kickboxing ( ) is a full-contact hybrid martial art and boxing type based on punching and kicking. Kickboxing originated in the 1950s to 1970s. The fight takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouth guards, shorts, and ...

Background

Nomura was born on in

Ishikawa Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu island. Ishikawa Prefecture has a population of 1,096,721 (1 January 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,186 Square kilometre, km2 (1,616 sq mi). Ishikawa Pr ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

Martial arts training

While attending the Takaoka University of Law, Nomura achieved third place in 1996 and second place in 1998 at the All Japan Student Judo Championships in the -56 kg and -57 kg categories, respectively. At a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Asia Open held on September 11 and 12, 2010 at the Tokyo Budokan, Nomura won first place in the blue belt category.

Mixed martial arts career

Nomura made her professional MMA debut with the

Jewels A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, semiprecious stone, or simply gem) is a piece of mineral crystal which, when cut or polished, is used to make jewellery, jewelry or other adornments. Certain Rock (geology), rocks (such ...

promotion on at ''

Jewels 7th Ring ''Jewels 7th Ring'' was a mixed martial arts (MMA) event hosted by MMA promotion Jewels. It was held on at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan. Background Jewels events for 2010 were announced in . On , Jewels announced the first four figh ...

''. She defeated Yuko Kagoshima by technical

submission Deference (also called submission or passivity) is the condition of submitting to the espoused, legitimate influence of one's superior or superiors. Deference implies a yielding or submitting to the judgment of a recognized superior, out of re ...

after the referee stopped the fight when Nomura caught Kagoshima with an

armbar An armlock in grappling is a single or double joint lock that hyperextends, hyperflexes or hyperrotates the elbow joint or shoulder joint. An armpit lock is very useful; it will immobilize an opponent and pin them on the ground. An armlock t ...

in the second round. In her second fight, Nomura participated in

Deep Deep or The Deep may refer to: Places United States * Deep Creek (Appomattox River tributary), Virginia * Deep Creek (Great Salt Lake), Idaho and Utah * Deep Creek (Mahantango Creek tributary), Pennsylvania * Deep Creek (Mojave River tributary ...

's event ''Club Deep Toyama: Barbarian Festival 8'' on , defeating

Abe Ani Combat Club The Abe Ani Combat Club is a mixed martial arts gym and training camp located in Japan. The gym is renowned mostly for its female stable of fighters who were regular competitors in the Smackgirl promotion. On its roster are prominent MMA stars s ...

member Rina Tomita by

unanimous decision A unanimous decision (UD) is a winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and other sports involving striking and submission in which all three judges agree on which fighte ...

. In an upset, Nomura defeated Jewels hotshot

Saori Ishioka is a Japanese female mixed martial artist, kickboxer and karateka. She has participated in MMA promotions Smackgirl and Jewels. Her nickname is Shooting Star. Background Ishioka was born on in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. She started judo duri ...

by unanimous decision during the first round of the Jewels Lightweight Queen tournament on at ''

Jewels 9th Ring ''Jewels 9th Ring'' was a mixed martial arts (MMA) event held by MMA promotion Jewels. The event took place on at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan. Background On , Jewels announced that the event would hold the first round of the Jewels ...

''. At ''

Jewels 11th Ring ''Jewels 11th Ring'' was a mixed martial arts (MMA) event held by MMA promotion Jewels. The event took place on at Korakuen Hall in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. The event hosted the Jewels Lightweight Queen tournament semi-finals and along with the Ro ...

'' on during the semi-finals of the Lightweight Queen tournament, Nomura suffered her first professional defeat via unanimous decision at the hands of eventual tournament champion

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. Hamasak ...

. Nomura was scheduled to face Ji Yun Kim at

Jewels 12th Ring ''Jewels 12th Ring'' was a planned mixed martial arts (MMA) to be held by MMA promotion Jewels. The event was planned to be held on at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan but it was cancelled a few hours before the start due to the 2011 Tō ...

on in

Tokyo, Japan Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

, but the event was cancelled after the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami earlier in the day.

Kickboxing career

Nomura had a

shoot boxing , commonly written as Shootboxing, is a combat sport. Shoot boxing is also a stand-up fighting promotion company based in Tokyo, Japan. The organization was founded by former kickboxer Caesar Takeshi in 1985. Shootboxing, the combat sport, ...

match at ''

Jewels 10th Ring ''Jewels 10th Ring'' was a mixed martial arts (MMA) event held by MMA promotion Jewels. The event took place on at Shin-Kiba 1st Ring in Koto, Tokyo, Japan. It hosted the opening round of the second Rough Stone Grand Prix. Background On , Jewel ...

'' on , where she defeated Yoshimi Ohama by unanimous decision.

Mixed martial arts record

, - , Loss , align=center, 3-1 ,

, Decision (0-3) ,

, , align=center, 2 , align=center, 5:00 , Bunkyo,

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 3-0 ,

, Decision (3-0) ,

, , align=center, 2 , align=center, 5:00 , Kabukicho,

, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 2-0 , Rina Tomita , Decision (3-0) , Deep: clubDeep Toyama: Barbarian Festival 8 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Toyama Toyama may refer to: Places * Toyama Prefecture, a prefecture of Japan located in the Hokuriku region on the main Honshu island * Toyama (city), the capital city of Toyama Prefecture * Toyama Station, the main station of Toyama, Toyama * Toyama Sta ...

Toyama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Toyama Prefecture has a population of 993,848 (1 January 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,247.61 km2 (1,640.01 sq mi). Toyama Prefecture borders Ishikawa Prefecture to the ...

, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 1-0 , Yuko Kagoshima , Technical Submission (armbar) ,

Jewels 7th ring ''Jewels 7th Ring'' was a mixed martial arts (MMA) event hosted by MMA promotion Jewels. It was held on at Shinjuku Face in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan. Background Jewels events for 2010 were announced in . On , Jewels announced the first four figh ...

, , align=center, 2 , align=center, 4:35 , Kabukicho,

, Japan ,

Kickboxing record

''Legend'':

References

External links

Sakura Nomura Awakening Profile
*
Profile
at Fightergirls.com
Official blog
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nomura, Sakura Japanese female mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing kickboxing Mixed martial artists utilizing judo Mixed martial artists utilizing Brazilian jiu-jitsu Japanese female kickboxers Japanese female Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners Japanese female judoka 1976 births Living people Martial artists from Ishikawa Prefecture