At age 16, Mizuki Inoue is one of the youngest female champions in mixed martial arts history. The teen prodigy, who has been a professional MMA fighter for just three months, became the 2010 Jewels 56kg Rough Stone Grand Prix Champion in December and is just getting started in her career.

Inoue, who now competes under the ring name MIZUKI, first made headlines in July when she upset veteran MMA fighter Emi Fujino in a pro kickboxing match. She remains perfect as a professional in both kickboxing and MMA and speaks exclusively with MMARising.com about her career to date.

Representing the White Heart Karate Association and fighting out of Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Mizuki faces a unique challenge that most of her Jewels counterparts are not familiar with. While others have jobs in addition to their fighting careers, Mizuki is still in high school and trains for fights when not busy with homework and school responsibilities.

With technical striking skills and head movement that far surpass most other female fighters in mixed martial arts – as well as some men – Mizuki is already regarded as one of the very best prospects in the Jewels promotion.

Note: The following interview is posted in its entirety in both English and Japanese. Phrasings may be slightly altered or shortened for clarity. All translation work courtesy of Roxanne Modafferi.

MMARising.com: Mizuki, your victory in the Jewels Rough Stone GP final was very impressive and you have already gained fans and media attention in North America. How did it feel to win the Jewels tournament at just 16 years of age?

Mizuki: It doesn’t really make a difference to me that I’m the youngest. I’m so happy I won.

MMARising.com: ジュエルスの素晴らしい勝利おめでとうございます。もうアメリカにファンがたくさんいますよ。メディアの皆さんは魅津希さんのことが知っていますよ。　１６歳だけでジュエルストーナメントを勝った気持ち教えてもらいますか？

魅津希: 最年少とか関係なしで、優勝できて嬉しいです。

MMARising.com: Your kickboxing skills and head movement are already better than many female fighters who are twice your age. How long have you been training kickboxing?

Mizuki: I’m not doing [training] kickboxing, but rather karate. I’ve been doing it for going on six years. However, my technique still has a ways to go.

MMARising.com: キックボクシングの技術とヘッドムーブメントはもう歳の二倍ぐらいの選手よりいいですよ。どのぐらいキックをやっていますか？

魅津希: 私はキックではなくて、「空手」をやっています。空手は6年になります。
ですが、技術はまだまだです。

MMARising.com: With both of your MMA wins coming by submission, you are also very good when fighting on the ground. Have you been training jiu-jitsu and grappling for long or only for a short time?

Mizuki: I trained really hard to prepare for this tournament. I worked on both grappling and stand-up technique.

MMARising.com: 総合格闘技の勝利はサブミッションなので、寝技もうまいですね。寝技も結構長く練習していますか？

魅津希: このトーナメントで勝つために一生懸命練習してきました。
寝技も立ち技も沢山やりました。

MMARising.com: What made you first want to compete as a professional fighter? Besides kickboxing and jiu-jitsu, which other martial arts do you train in?

Mizuki: I wonder, whenever did I become a pro? Well, I’ve devoted myself to karate since Junior High School, so I guess it was back then that I got serious. I felt the happiness of winning, so I kept going. I haven’t done any other form of martial arts.

MMARising.com: プロになりたいきっかけはなんですか？　キックと柔術以外に、他の格闘技や武道などスポーツをやりますか？やったことがありますか？

魅津希: いつのまにかプロになっていました。
でも、中学生から空手に打ち込んでいたので、その頃からだと思います。
勝利した時の嬉しさが、良かったと思った頃からですね。
他の格闘技はないです。

MMARising.com: What do your friends and family think about your fighting career? Do they support you or would they like you to do something else when you are finished school?

Mizuki: I’m so happy that everyone supports me. It’s thanks to a lot of people that I’m able to apply myself, and I’m very grateful. After I graduate, I’ll continue karate while I go job hunting.

MMARising.com: ご家族とお友達はサポートと応援していますか？それとも別のことをやってほしいですか？学校を卒業したら何をやりたいと思いますか？

魅津希: みんな応援してくれるので、とっても嬉しいです。いろんな人のおかげで頑張れますし、感謝しています。
卒業したら・・・就職しながら空手を続けていきたいです。

MMARising.com: You have faced tough opponents in all of your kickboxing and MMA bouts this year and you’ve won all of your pro fights. How has your life changed as more people become interested in your career?

Mizuki: My life hasn’t really changed, but the feeling of “I have a long way to go” has gotten stronger. There are fighters out there much stronger than myself. In order not to lose to them, I have to put in a lot of hard work to step-by-step become stronger than I was yesterday.

MMARising.com: 今年のプロキック・総合相手はかなり強い選手ばっかりですけど、魅津希さんは全員に勝ちましたね。魅津希さんの人生は変わっていますか？

魅津希: 人生は変わってないですけど、気持ち的に「自分はまだまだなんだ」と、強く思いました。
私より強い選手は沢山いらっしゃるので、そういう方にも負けないようにこれからの練習は、昨日の自分より
一歩二歩上をいく努力をしていきたいと思います。

MMARising.com: At 16, you are the youngest female fighter to win a major tournament championship in MMA. At the start of this year, did you ever think that you would be fighting for Jewels and winning a Jewels Rough Stone GP this quickly?

Mizuki: I’m aware that I’m young, but I didn’t really think about it when I fought in the tournament. I’m so happy I can fight in the famous “Jewels” promotion.

MMARising.com: メージャートーナメントに勝って、たぶん魅津希さんは格闘技の歴史で一番若い選手だと思います。今年の初めに、こんなことをすると思いましたか？そういう目的がありましたか？

魅津希: 若いのは自分でも自覚していましたが、特に考えずにジュエルスに出場しました。
有名なジュエルスに出場できたことを嬉しく思います。

MMARising.com: Fans in North America who have read about your fights would like to know more about your plans for next year. What would you like to do in MMA and kickboxing in 2011? Which opponents would you like to face?

Mizuki: As of now, I plan to do both kickboxing and MMA. If I can’t win in kickboxing or MMA, I can’t really say that I’m strong. Therefore, I want to do both. I don’t want to lose. (laughs)

MMARising.com: アメリカにいるファン達はもっと魅津希さんの来年の予定が知りたいです。きっくと総合両方やるつもりですか？戦い相手がいますま？両方か、それともジュエルスで勝ったからもっと総合に集中したいですか？

魅津希: 今のところ、両方やるつもりでいます。
キックでも総合でも、勝てないと本当に強いと言えないと思うので、両方やっていきたいです。
負けたくないんで…(笑)

MMARising.com: When you finish school, would you like to continue fighting for many years or do you have other plans for your future?

Mizuki: Of course I plan to continue fighting after graduating. I’ll fight as long as I physically can. I’ll always do my best.

MMARising.com: 学校を卒業したら、長く試合し続けると思いますか？

魅津希: 卒業しても、もちろん続けます。体力が続く限りですかね・・？
頑張ります！！

MMARising.com: If you continue fighting for a long time, would you like to compete in North America or do you think that you will be happy fighting in Japan only?

Mizuki: For now, I have plenty to do in Japan. Technique-wise, I’m behind other people in some areas. Maybe after I fight a lot in Japan I’ll be able to go abroad. There are lots of strong fighters in Japan, so my goal is to rise above them. Then, when I have confidence in myself, I’d like to try fighting overseas.

MMARising.com: 海外やアメリカで試合したいですか？日本がいいですか？

魅津希: 今はまだ日本で精一杯です。自分はまだまだ技術的にも他の人より劣っている部分があります。
日本でもっと活躍してから、海外にも行けたらな、と思います。
日本にも強い人は沢山いるので、目標はその人達よりも上をいくことです。
自分に自信が持てた時に、海外でも試合してみたいと思います。

MMARising.com: Who are some other fighters that you respect and look up to in MMA? Who has helped your career the most so far?

Mizuki: I don’t really look up to anyone specifically, but I really admire strong fighters. Of course, it’s thanks to all of my teachers who’ve raised me that I’ve come this far. There’s so much I have to learn, so from here on out I’m going to continue to improve. I’m grateful to the other students whom I practise together with, my family who supports me and my friends.

MMARising.com: 尊敬している選手は誰ですか？そして誰が魅津希さんのキャリアーをサポートしていますか？

魅津希: 尊敬している選手はいないのですが、強い選手には憧れます。
私をここまで育ててくれたのは全て先生のお陰です。
そして、私はまだまだ教えてもらうことが沢山あるので、これからも成長し続けます。
私と一緒に練習している生徒達にも感謝して、応援してくれている家族、友達にも感謝しています。

MMARising.com: Many fighters have nicknames that they use when they fight. If you had one, what would it be and why?

Mizuki: A friend from school thought of a nickname for me [MIZUKI]. I tried to think of one myself, but couldn’t really come up with one. Actually, I’m really grateful to my friend. I like it a lot. Isn’t it cool?

MMARising.com: ニックネームかリングネームを考えましたか？

魅津希: 学校の友達がつけてくれました(“MIZUKI”)。自分でも考えたのですが、なかなか思いつかなくて・・・
本当に、その考えてくれた子には感謝しています。お気に入りです＾＾　カッコイイですよね？

MMARising.com: Do you have any messages for your fans around the world that are following your career?

Mizuki: This year I had my professional debut. I think it was pretty tough to be active as a pro fighter. I didn’t know that I have fans overseas, but I’m going to continue to train hard, and I’m really happy to have people cheering for me. This year, and even more so next year, I’ll put on even better fights. Thanks so much for the support.

MMARising.com: ファンにコメントかメッセージお願いします。

魅津希: 今年1年は、初めてのプロデビューでした。
プロとして活躍していくのは大変だと思った1年でした。
海外にファンがいるのかどうか分かりませんが、これからも頑張っていきたいと思うので、
応援してくれる方がいたらとても嬉しいです。
来年は今年より強くなって、もっといい試合ができるようにします。
なので、応援よろしくお願いします。

MMARising.com sincerely thanks Mizuki for her time for this interview and wishes her the best as she continues her career in 2011. An additional thank you to Roxanne Modafferi and Kinya Hashimoto for their assistance with this interview.

(Photo Credit: Jewels blog)

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