Yasuko Tamada (玉田 育子, Tamada Yasuko; born June 30, 1967) is a Japanese female mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter. She was born in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan, and is also known by the ring names "Ikuko" and "Tama-chan." She stands 5 ft 0 in (1.52 m) tall and competes at approximately 100 lb (45 kg).
Career Overview
Tamada began her combat sports career in grappling tournaments, starting with the Girl Fight Challenge (GFC) on October 14, 2002. She competed in Smackgirl grappling tournaments, winning one on April 29, 2005, and finishing as runner-up in 2006 and 2007.
She made her professional MMA debut on July 12, 2005, with a split decision victory over Maho Muranami. Tamada fought primarily in Japanese promotions including Smackgirl, G-Shooto, Valkyrie, Jewels, and Deep Jewels. She was the only Valkyrie Flyweight Champion, winning the title on June 19, 2010, by defeating Naoko Omuro via unanimous decision at Valkyrie 06.
Tamada made her United States debut for Invicta Fighting Championships on September 6, 2014, challenging Michelle Waterson for the Invicta FC Atomweight Championship. She lost the bout via TKO (knee and punches) in the third round.
She was once ranked as the #6 female atomweight (96–106 lb) fighter in the world according to the Unified Women's Mixed Martial Arts Rankings.
Mixed Martial Arts Record
As of her most recent bout on May 21, 2023, Tamada's professional record stands at 18 wins, 13 losses, and 4 draws. Of her 18 wins, 2 came by submission and 16 by decision. Of her 13 losses, 1 came by knockout, 1 by submission, and 11 by decision. She has fought a total of 35 professional bouts spanning from 2005 to 2023.
Championships
- Valkyrie Flyweight Champion (2010)
Team and Training
Tamada fights out of Abe Ani Combat Club and was trained by Megumi Fujii, a prominent Japanese female MMA fighter.
