10 Questions with Jenny Huang

Name: Jenny Huang
Age: 25
Height: 5"1 (155cm)
Weight: 105 (48kg)
Gym: Wu-Jia
Record: 3-0

Earlier this summer, I was compiling lists of all the fights, featuring women, that promotions have put on in Asia, as part of an effort to analyze the women's divisions development in the region. As I was making the lists, several names stood out, one was 25 year old Jenny Huang. A promising prospect from Taiwan, actually their first female mixed martial artist, Jenny has built a 3-0 record with her most recent victory coming via submission earlier this year. Citing Ronda Rousey as an influence, Jenny is a good example of the young talent currently emerging in Asia. Having made her pro-debut in 2015, Jenny most recently fought for One FC and could become a star for the promotion as the promotion looks to break into the Taiwanese and other markets. Without further ado, below is our interview with Jenny.

------

CJ: Can you talk about how and why you got into martial arts? Can you then talk about why you decided to become a professional mma fighter?

JH: I have always loved fighting. In high school and Elementary School I practiced Judo for 7 years. But after I graduated from my University, I wanted to travel and see the world. I traveled to America for a few months and then I went to Singapore. I know Singapore is famous for fighting and having a lot of good Dojos. But Singapore is expensive and I had to work quite hard just to sustain a rather meager apartment. I was very fortunate to have gained a friendship of many nice people in my job. They encouraged me to train and practice fighting at many different Dojos. I learned about BJJ and MMA and I am very grateful for the time I spent at Evolve. I felt a great deal of pride, strength and encouragement whenever I could do all of these different and difficult moves. But I still wanted more. So I came back to Taiwan and I went to Wu-Jia to continue my training. It took time to convince people of my skills and determination, but my persistence paid off. I am really grateful for my persistence in this sport. Strength and athletic prowess doesn't come easily or quickly to anybody. It is only through constant daily routines that we can improve to incredible heights. It is my drive it is my passion it is my desire to be the greatest female fighter that Taiwan has ever seen. This thing keeps me going every day. Once I saw a little success and I wanted more. I still want more. And everyday I'm constantly working hard and getting closer to my goal.

CJ: You are a blue belt in jiu-jitsu and a black belt in judo. On your Instagram it looks like you compete actively in grappling, can you talk about that?

JH: The true champions of MMA are decided by those who master many fighting styles. I relish any chance I get to practice any and every kind of martial art because I am always looking for anything that can give me an edge over my opponent. When you become a professional fighter you need to constantly train. You're always competing against someone else who's trying to bring you down and if you aren't getting stronger, then you're getting weaker. I constantly worry about my skills. Did I get lucky in that fight or am I really improving? Fighting in the ring always reveals you to yourself. It shows me my strengths and it shows me my weaknesses. I don't win every fight I get into and sometimes it's the fights I lose that teach me the most that I need to learn. It can be hard to lose sometimes, but I still hold on to this one thing, this one belief of mine that keeps me going and keeps me fighting. That persistence I have is one of the best secrets I have for success in my life. Whenever I fall I know to get back up again. The strength of my spirit is one of the best secrets to my success.

CJ: Your grappling is your strong point, but I see you're also competing in kick boxing competition. In your fight with Amira you hurt her badly with your punches.  Can you talk about your striking and how it is improving?

JH: I am always learning new things from every competition I'm in. I also know that you always need to change things up when you're fighting or else your opponent will know what's coming and build a stronger defense as a result. Attending kickboxing matches revealed my striking weaknesses. I know that future fighters might mount a strong defense against my grappling skills in the future which is why I think it's prudent to constantly explore and improve upon new fighting styles.

Courtesy of Sherdog.com

CJ: You're the first pro wmma fighter from Taiwan. Can you talk about that and what it means to you?

JH: A lot of people make a big deal about me being the first female fighter. Honestly, I don't see myself as doing anything THAT special. Everything I did is something that another woman could do too. If anything I want to tell more women that you can do this. You can do what I can do. I know Taiwanese women are strong. I know they can defend themselves. I am constantly surprised by the skills and strength I see amongst the people I train. The only difference between me and other women is that I had courage to go after my biggest desire. I love to fight but what I really want to tell other women is to find their dream and go for it. Don't let other people discourage you from your dreams. If there is something amazing that you really want to do, then do it. Take that burning desire that you have, cultivate a good plan that will let you pursue it and don't let anyone or anything stop you from getting what you really want.

CJ: I read that you like Ronda Rousey. Can you talk about how she has influenced you?

JH: I have always admired the skills and talents of Ronda Rousey. We have a similar background in judo and she has always displayed exceptional skill in the MMA ring. I also admire her for her strong confidence in herself. She always believes that she can do anything and she never doubts her abilities. That strong fighting mentality she has is extremely important for any fighter and part of the reason why I think she is such a famous fighter.

CJ: One FC has put on some exciting women's fights. What fighters stand out to you? When can we see you back in the cage?

JH: I gained a lot of respect for Yamaguchi after her fight with Angela Lee. Yamaguchi embraced Lee after Lee defeated her in the ring. The amount of care, concern and respect she has for her opponent shows the best example of true sportsmanship that I can think of.

CJ: You and your coach, Sun Ming-yen, have talked about how important respect and honor are in fighting. Can you talk about that?

JH: I have always considered it a great honor to fight in the One FC ring. I know that I am not the normal fighter. I respect others by fighting fair and by displaying a high level of professionalism both inside and outside of the ring. Even after winning a fight I do not gloat or denounce the skills of the other fighter. Fighting isn't about beating the other person, it's about your own personal goal and journey in life. I view fighting as a test of my skills and my current level. When a fight is over,  I will still view my opponent with the highest level of respect. I will still wish to be friends with the person I beat or lost to. Hate has no place in the ring.

CJ:  I see you're training with some women in Taiwan, is it becoming more popular? Should we expect more women to start fighting?

JH: MMA has become more popular in Taiwan. Many girls saw my fight and wanted to join our classes. Even many girls who had no prior experience in martial arts are now very interested in learning how to improve themselves and become fighters. It's already very different than before.

CJ: When you aren't training, what are you doing, what are your hobbies?

JH: When I have have free time, sports are always on my mind. I think best when I'm on the move and improving my skills and getting stronger. Work out in the street, practice parkour because I like challenges difficult exercise,  If it keeps me moving and makes me stronger then I'm interested in it. Outside of exercise, I'm also interested in music. I really like the piano and the ukulele, play music make me feel relax.

CJ: Is there anything you would like to say?  Anyone you would like to thank?

JH: I wish to thank my coach who taught me much of what I know. I spent many hard years and hours with him. It was very hard and it wasn't always easy to keep practicing. But I wouldn't be the person I am without his training. I also want to thank the fine people at One FC for giving me this chance to show my skills to the world.

I would like to thank Jenny Hung for taking the time to answer these questions.

Please follow Jenny on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

Lee Ye-Ji Interview

Name: Lee Ye-Ji

Age: 16

Height: 5"1

Weight: 101

Record: 1-2

Lee Ye-Ji will be facing off against Hana Date this Saturday at Road FC 32. A young and active fighter, Lee picked up her first win recently, via submission. At 16 years old, Lee looks to be part of a new pool of young talent that is emerging. While her record is 1-2, it is worth noting that Lee's two losses are to Hisae Watanabe and Satoko Shinashi, a rough two fights for any fighter beginning their career. 

CJ: You're still quite young at 16, can you talk about how you got into martial arts? When and why did you start mma?

Lee: 2014, when I was in my third year of middle school, my elder cousin’s husband who is the head coach of Wonju Team J recommended me to begin learning MMA. So, I began to learn it.

I competed in an amateur tournament 1 month after beginning MMA. And I was fascinated and addicted to the charm of it. My parents objected at first because MMA is an intense sport. But now they’re supporting and cheering me affirmatively.

CJ: You're coming off of a submission victory, can you talk about that fight?

Lee: My initial strategy was to try to grasp and take in the situation until the after the half of the first round, just throwing punches. Then after the half, I planned to fight it out to the finish. That was my strategy.

But when the match just started, right out of the box, we were clinching and coming to a deadlock. So, I thought that trying out some skills or techniques at that time would not be helpful in managing the match, it would just make me exhausted. So I just throw some more punches and tried to find a chance. And then I found a chance to do armbar on her. I had practiced that armbar every day. So I was able to finish her with an armbar.

CJ: Your first two fights were Satoko Shinashi and Hisae Watanabe, what was it like facing two older legends right away?

Lee: I knew that I had less experiences and abilities than those opponents. I was a fighter of little experience. My goal was not concentrated on winning the match. I wanted to grow and get through the fights with those veteran fighters. I wanted to become much better fighter.

As a result, the matches taught me many points. I learned lot from them through the fights. Even if I could go back before those matches, I would still accept them again. Because I think they are what brought me up to the present. Those made me as a fighter. If I took matches with fighters who had similar careers and abilities as me, I don’t think that I could become the fighter who I’ve come to be now.

CJ: Your next fight is against Hana Date, who is closer to you in age and record. What do you think of her as an opponent? How do you think the fight will go?

Lee: I think that she's just an opponent I have to face and strike at during fighting. Just one Japanese fighter.

I will fight whomever I'm told to face and win no matter what happens. Of course I will win this match. Especially, I want a victory because the day after the match day is my birthday and I want to celebrate it that way.

CJ: At 16, I imagine you're still in school, how often are you at the gym? Can you talk about your training?

Lee: I go to the gym every day. Even when I have no upcoming match, I eat dinner and then go to the gym after regular school hours end. Nowadays, as you know, I have an upcoming match this time, so I leave the class before it is dismissed, earlier than usual. I train and practice. And take a rest for a while in the afternoon. And I practice and train again. Once I have completed the training and practice, it's usually 11:30 PM.

CJ: Can you describe how you like to fight? What areas of mma do you like or dislike?

Lee: Although it's a the women’s MMA match, I want to fight with no reservations and make the audience really enjoy the match.

I go through all the combat sports. Regardless, I really enjoy all the martial arts. However, I have relatively short striking range because I don't have that long of a reach, so I feel easier and more comfortable when I am doing grappling.

CJ: Are there any fighters you look up to or that inspire you?

Lee: Jeon Chan-Jun who is my coach and director of my team now, because I have learned so many things about MMA from him. I want to follow him and be like him. And sometimes when I feel tired and have a hard time mentally, he tightens control of me to make ma train and practice again. I am grateful to him. Thank you, coach, really.

CJ: You've been fighting a lot, how many times would you like to fight in a year?

Lee: This the 3rd match of this year for me. I think that it seems that it’s appropriate - 3 matches a year. My maximum could be 4 matches a year? I think I can fight up to 4 matches. OK! I've decided. 3 to 4 matches a year would be the best. If I fight more, I worry it might take its toll on my body. But I don’t want to avoid taking an opportunity when it comes to me. I appreciate all the times when opportunity comes.

CJ: What do you like to do when you aren't training? Any hobbies?

Lee: I train and practice all the time even though I have no upcoming match. Usually I am in the gym. I help the coach and teach a kids' MMA class. When I have time to rest, I meet my friends and I eat meals and have conversation together with them. And I really enjoy watching movies and shopping alone. When I am alone, it helps me to arrange my thoughts and ideas calmly. So, I enjoy being alone sometimes.

CJ: Is there anything you want to say? Anyone you would like to thank?

Lee: I am so happy and excited to take part in this large-scale event held in China, it's abroad for me. As I feel happy and excited, I want to fight well and perform nicely.

My coach always takes care of me, I want to tell him again that I thank him and I am sorry when I give him problems. I will certainly win this match, so I want to make my coach, parents, and fans happy.

I'd like to thank Lee Ye-Ji for taking the time to answer these questions. You can watch her fight Hana Date at Road FC 32 on July 2. Road FC 32 PPV. If my math is correct, it'll air at 8:00 A.M EST on Saturday.

Amber Brown - Pre-Fight Interview

Esther Lin / Invicta FC

CJ: The first time we spoke, you were getting ready to fight Emi Fujino in Japan on short notice. Interestingly, Fujino is a common opponent between you and Hamasaki. Can you talk that fight and how you have changed since then?
AB: My fight with Emi was my 3rd cage fight my whole life! I was brand new to the game and didn't know much at all. I know I put up a great fight, she had a ton of experience over me. I have grown and flourished into a well rounded mixed martial artist. I have learned so much since then.

Amber vs Emi on short notice

CJ: You looked incredibly dominant in your last two fights. Can you talk about them?
AB:I feel that I am a really big, strong 105er. Plus I work so hard everyday in the gym. I feel its all my hardwork paying off.

CJ:Can you also talk about how you got your nickname?
AB: My nickname comes from my amateur boxing days, I had to fight a few people that were younger, also its just my style..always in your face and super aggressive.

CJ: We haven’t gotten to see it in your last two fights, but you normally come into these fights with tremendous cardio, as was obvious in your fight with Liz. Have you changed anything for 5 rounds? Do you think cardio will play a role?
AB: I feel that if the fight does go into the championship rounds, even 2 and 3, I will get stronger as the fight progresses. Cardio won't be an issue at all.

CJ: When you first got to Invicta, they were going through some problems and you had to wait awhile. Now you are fighting for the title and are arguably one of their most exciting fighters. Can you talk about what it’s been like fighting for Invicta?
AB:At first it was rough, not getting fights like I wanted, but within the last year or so fighting for Invicta has been great. I am truly honored to be part of the world's greatest women. Fighting amongst the best.

CJ: Can you talk about the title fight? How do you think it is going to play out?
AB: I plan on Bullying Ayaka, just like I do every opponent. I am going to be aggressive and never back down, I know she is very tough and I have a ton of respect for her. But she has what's mine, and I'll do Whatever it takes to bring that gold back home with me. I feel I can be better than her no matter where the fight goes.

CJ: You seem very proud to be from New Mexico. Can you talk about what representing New Mexico means to you when you fight?
AB: I am very proud of where I come from and I have a great support system behind me from back home. This fight is not only for me, but all of them as well!

CJ: Can you describe an average day for yourself?
AB:My days are so crazy! I wake up, get my daughter ready for school, then head to training for a good portion of the morning/early afternoon. Once we finish with training, head back home (about 40 miles) from the gym then get my daughter from school and turn around to do it all again that evening. Sometimes I feel there is no down time at all, but its going to pay off!

CJ: You have a number of fans in Japan, one of which wanted me to ask you what your plans were after this fight. Do you see yourself moving to 115 and going for the UFC title at all?
AB: I am happy at 105 right now. I want to get this belt and dominate anyone that wants to try and challenge me.

CJ: Any sponsors or anyone you would like to thank?
AB: I want to thank all my family, coaches, and teammates at FITNHB. Trent Cotney, Hooter's Casino and Hotel, Damage Control Mouthguards, A Reel, Intestinal Fortitude, Dragon Do Fight Gear, Sadie's of NM, Anatolia Turkish and Mediterranean Grill.
All of my fans, friends and family! I love everyone and anyone who supports me!

Be sure to watch Amber fight for the title, live on UFC Fight Pass

Friday, March 11th

Ayaka Hamasaki on Judo, 2015 Interview

The following is a translation of an interview conducted in September of 2015.

Q: Your job, you work for a clinic. It is far away from the heart of the city.

Ayaka: Yes, that's right. It's a 20 minute walk from the station and it's two hours from here so its like a little excursion every time. (laughter)

Q: So a round trip is 4 hours...such a long trip, sounds rough.

Ayaka: In the beginning it was tough (laughter), but I've gotten used to it. Since it is far from the city, I can sit in the train, I'm also able to sit on my way back.

Q: How do you kill time on the train?

Ayaka: I'm usually pretty tired on the way back, so I sleep, I also play on my phone.

Q: The ring doctor for Pancrase also works at that clinic so they are familiar with martial arts.

Ayaka: I started working there last November, so a year has passed. I usually just think of training. When I have afternoon training, I'm able to take time off. Before I worked here, I worked a series of part-time jobs, if I wanted to fight abroad, it depended on whether or not I could take time off. Even if I could go, I wouldn't have money for the month. Now everything is a lot more stable.

Q: What kind of part time jobs?

Ayaka: I worked at a catering restaurant. I worked there for 5-6 years.

Q: You didn't know about women's mma before joining AACC?

Ayaka: An acquaintance of mine, Rina Tomita, introduced me to AACC, I didn't know anything about it.

Q: So you didn't know anything about Megumi Fujii at AACC?

Ayaka: I didn't know anything about Fujii-san. When I saw her body I was amazed that a woman could have a body like that.

Q: When you started going back and forth to the gym, was your goal to get involved in mma?

Ayaka: I went because I wasn't exercising enough and to reduce stress. (laughter) During that time, I was a sports instructor so I was weight training, but it didn't have mean anything. When I heard Tomita was doing mma, I got interested. I asked if there were women. I knew that men did it from TV.

Q: You weren't getting good exercise as a fitness instructor?

Ayaka: It wasn't enough. I would start to sweat and stuff, but I wasn't moving and using my body like I did in Judo.

Q: So you've been addicted to Judo since high school and its been a part of your life since, ever try any other sports?

Ayaka: No....Judo was heart-breaking. It was a lot of fun to win. But, it is extremely strict, Judo practice. If you don't have the right personality you won't be able to do it. I would get so angry while doing it, I can't really said that I had fun with Judo.

Q: Didn't you like Judo when you started?

Ayaka: One trigger was that my friends were doing it. I was pretty mischievous when I was in middle school. Like I stopped going to school for example, cute things like that.

Q: So you weren't acting out violently or anything? (laughter)

Ayaka: It wasn't like that (laughter). When I was in middle school, the teachers didn't want to look after me so they recommended that I start doing high school judo.

Q: I see. So it was Judo for rehabilitation?

Ayaka: That's right. I didn't really have a choice. When I was in high school, I lived in a dorm, so it wasn't like I could quit. It was an athletic school, so all the kids living in the dorms had to be involved with a school club, there were around 30-40 of us in the dorm.

Q: In the boys dorms, the 3 years are like gods and the 1st years are like slaves in the pecking order.

Ayaka: Ah, there wasn't anything like that. There wasn't really a pecking order, with the exception of Judo practice, it was enjoyable. With regards to Judo practice, all I can remember is how strict it was. There was morning training, then school, then evening practice....We weren't able to enjoy ourselves. We trained during summer vacation, we trained during Christmas break (laughter) I was depressed even during summer vacation.

Q: Since there were no classes in the summer, did you only train?

Ayaka: That's right, we trained two to three times a day.

Q: A lot of people in pro-wrestling and marital arts come from Judo, but a lot of them do seem to have a screw loose (laughter).

Ayaka; Ah, yes a lot of them are pretty amusing.

Q: There are a lot (laughter).

Ayaka: No, there aren't that many. There are a lot of normal people too. Just like me, I'm normal! (laughter) Since I started, I did Judo through high school with results, did it through college and even when I started working, until I was 23.

Q: Even though you didn't like it?

Ayaka: I didn't really like it a so much. But I didn't hate it, I think I wanted to do Judo on TV or something.

Q: So you had no interest? (laughter)

Ayaka: But, I am very thankful towards Judo. Judo transformed my life.

Rin Nakai Blog

This is a translation from Rin Nakai's Blog, the original language is Japanese

-----


Yesterday, they came to drug test me at Matsuyama's Muneta Judo Dojo, they disrupted the middle of practice, I must apologize.

The surprise test, anytime, anywhere, I cannot know when it is coming, so I apologize to Muneta Dojo. m(_ _)m

Since I have a lot of work I do, I don't study English, so this is extremely difficult.  (☝;Д;)☝

I got my White Day present early, thank you so much, you must have thought about me having to leave for Australia and got it for me early. I wasn't able to do anything this year for Valentine's Day, I'm sorry (> <) Everything I've been doing both mentally and physically has been geared towards the fight. I will use the money towards the cost of this expedition, thank you very much.

Deep Jewels 11 Results

Courtesy of LadyGo!

While UFC 196 was going on, in Japan Deep Jewels 11 went down. Veteran Emi Tomimatsu earned a big victory over fan favorite Saori Ishioka. DJ champion and Invicta FC fighter Mizuki Inoue destroyed her opponent as expected. Lower on the card, Kana Inamura, who was the series of a vice video series, won her debut.

Emi Tomimatsu defeated Saori Ishioka via RNC in Round 2.

Photo Courtesy of LadyGo!

Mizuki Inoue defeated via Nori Date Armbar in Round 1.

Photo Courtesy of LadyGo!

Mina Kurobe defeated Hana Date via UD.

Photo Courtesy of LadyGo!

Mei Umeo defeated Satomi Takano via SD.

Photo Courtesy of LadyGo!

Pan Hui defeated Real Date via UD.

Photo Courtesy of LadyGo!

Natsumi Muka defeated Tomo Maesawa via Kimura in RD 1.

Photo Courtesy of LadyGo!

Kana Inamura defeated Natsumi Sugie via Armbar in RD1.

Courtesy of LadyGo!

Ryuto Sawada wants Rizin

Photo Courtesy of eFight

It seems that after one event, Rizin is already having an effect on the local mma scene in Japan as top prospect Ryuto Sawata (6-2) addressed the crowd, following his 2nd round TKO victory;

"People call me elite, and it is because of their support that I can fight. Since I want to repay them by becoming champion, I will not give up until I become it. Also, I really want to fight for Rizin so I must do my best."

At the age of 20, Sawada, an AACC product, has the potential to become one of the top fighters in Japan. So far he has fought all of his fights for Shooto/VTJ and has addressed his intention to fight for the UFC.

Here is a piece covering Sawada and Fujii