Jin Akimoto

Jin Akimoto (born April 7, 1971; Japanese: 秋本 じん) is a retired Japanese[2] mixed martial artist.[3] He competed in the Bantamweight[4] and Flyweight divisions. He spent the entirety of his career, barring one fight, in Shooto. Between 2000 and 2004 he was ranked as one of the best bantamweights in the world.[5]

Jin Akimoto
Born (1971-04-07) April 7, 1971 (age 53)
Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
Native name秋本 じん
NationalityJapanese
Height5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Weight123 lb (56 kg; 8.8 st)
DivisionBantamweight
Flyweight
Fighting out ofSagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
TeamK'z Factory
Akimoto Dojo Jungle Junction[1]
Years active1995 - 2010
Mixed martial arts record
Total29
Wins12
By knockout1
By submission6
By decision5
Losses13
By submission1
By decision12
Draws4
Other information
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Personal life

Jin Akimoto was born in Sagamihara, in the Kanagawa Prefecture of Japan. He is the youngest of three siblings, with an older brother and sister. He graduated from Kanagawa Prefectural Yaei Higashi High School. He moved to Tokyo, where he graduated from Kyorin University. After retiring from martial arts, he pursued a career in politics, as well as opening his own gym.[6]

Martial arts career

Akimoto made his debut in 1995 during Shooto - Vale Tudo Access 4 against Kazuyoshi Kudo, whom he beat by rear naked choke. He would achieve two more submission wins over Masataka Kawakami and Yoshinori Haraigawa.[7]

He would then draw against Mitsuhiro Sakamoto. In a rematch he lost a majority decision. In his next fights he accumulated a 2-3-1 record, all decisions. His 5-3-2 record earned him a bantamweight title fight against Mamoru Yamaguchi. He lost a majority decision.[8]

Bouncing back, he fought Yoshinobu Ota and won a unanimous decision and an armbar win against Greg Piper. In a rematch against Mamoru Yamaguchi during Shooto: R.E.A.D. Final he lost a unanimous decision.[9]

Akimoto bounced back with unanimous decision wins over Hiroaki Yoshioka and Takeyasu Hirono, as well as a kneebar win over Alfonso Alcarez and a TKO win over Tomoyuki Tachi.

He subsequently lost his next six fights He then drew twice against Junji Ikoma, and lost against Ryuichi Miki and Ayumu Shioda. Akimoto failed to win a single fight during this five year period, with a record of 0-8-2. He would retire on a win, beating Kenji Hosoya with a guillotine choke during Shooto: Gig Tokyo 4.

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
29 matches12 wins13 losses
By knockout10
By submission61
By decision512
Draws4
Res.RecordOpponentMethodEventDateRoundTimeLocationNotes
Win12-13-4Kenji HosoyaSubmission (guillotine choke)Shooto: Gig Tokyo 4April 24, 201012:46Shinjuku FaceTokyo, Japan
Loss11-13-4Ayumu ShiodaDecision (unanimous)Shooto: Shooto Tradition 5January 18, 200925:00Differ Ariake ArenaTokyo, Japan
Loss11-12-4Ryuichi MikiDecision (majority)Shooto: Shooting Disco 6: Glory Shines In YouOctober 5, 200835:00Shinjuku FaceTokyo, Japan
Draw11-11-4Junji IkomaDrawShooto: Shooting Disco 5: Earth, Wind and FighterJune 21, 200835:00Shinjuku FaceTokyo, Japan
Draw11-11-3Junji IkomaDrawShooto: Back To Our Roots 7January 26, 200835:00Korakuen HallTokyo, Japan
Loss11-11-2Setsu IguchiDecision (majority)Shooto: Back To Our Roots 5September 22, 200735:00Korakuen HallTokyo, Japan
Loss11-10-2Tetsu SuzukiDecision (unanimous)Shooto: Rookie Tournament FinalDecember 2, 200625:00Shinjuku FaceTokyo, Japan
Loss11-9-2Masahiro OishiTechnical Submission (armbar)Shooto 2005: 7/30 in Korakuen HallJuly 30, 200513:14Korakuen HallTokyo, Japan
Loss11-8-2Kenji OsawaDecision (majority)Shooto: 5/4 in Korakuen HallMay 4, 200525:00Korakuen HallTokyo, Japan
Loss11-7-2Marcos GalvaoDecision (unanimous)Shooto: 9/26 in Kourakuen HallSeptember 26, 200435:00Korakuen HallTokyo, Japan
Loss11-6-2Kentaro ImaizumiDecision (unanimous)Shooto 2004: 5/3 in Korakuen HallMay 3, 200435:00Korakuen HallTokyo, Japan
Win11-5-2Tomoyuki TachiTKO (punches)Kingdom Ehrgeiz: Tokyo University FlightDecember 13, 200312:41Excitement Space Z-ZoneTokyo, Japan
Win10-5-2Alfonso AlcarezSubmission (kneebar)Shooto: Treasure Hunt 6May 5, 200210:22Korakuen HallTokyo, Japan
Win9-5-2Takeyasu HironoDecision (unanimous)Shooto: To The Top 8September 2, 200135:00Korakuen HallTokyo, Japan
Win8-5-2Hiroaki YoshiokaDecision (unanimous)Shooto: To The Top 3March 21, 200135:00Kitazawa Town HallSetagaya, Tokyo, Japan
Loss7-5-2Mamoru YamaguchiDecision (unanimous)Shooto: R.E.A.D. FinalDecember 17, 200035:00Tokyo Bay NK HallUrayasu, Chiba, Japan
Win7-4-2Greg PiperSubmission (armbar)Shooto: R.E.A.D. 4April 12, 200012:29Kitazawa Town HallSetagaya, Tokyo, Japan
Win6-4-2Yoshinobu OtaDecision (unanimous)Shooto: Gateway to the ExtremesNovember 4, 199925:00Kitazawa Town HallSetagaya, Tokyo, Japan
Loss5-4-2Mamoru YamaguchiDecision (majority)Shooto: Renaxis 4September 5, 199925:00Korakuen HallTokyo, Japan
Draw5-3-2Takeyasu HironoDrawShooto: Gig '99April 9, 199925:00Kitazawa Town HallTokyo, Japan
Win5-3-1Masaru GokitaDecision (majority)Shooto: Las Grandes Viajes 5August 29, 199825:00Korakuen HallTokyo, Japan
Loss4-3-1Hisao IkedaDecision (unanimous)Shooto: Las Grandes Viajes 1January 17, 199835:00Korakuen HallTokyo, Japan
Loss4-2-1Kimihito NonakaDecision (majority)Shooto: Reconquista 3August 27, 199725:00Korakuen HallTokyo, Japan
Win4-1-1Hisao IkedaDecision (majority)Shooto: Reconquista 1January 18, 199733:00Korakuen HallTokyo, Japan
Loss3-1-1Mitsuhiro SakamotoDecision (majority)Shooto: Let's Get LostOctober 4, 199633:00Korakuen HallTokyo, Japan
Draw3-0-1Mitsuhiro SakamotoDrawShooto: Vale Tudo Junction 3May 7, 199633:00Korakuen HallTokyo, Japan
Win3-0Yoshinori HaraigawaTechnical Submission (rear-naked choke)Shooto: Vale Tudo Junction 2March 5, 199611:42Korakuen HallTokyo, Japan
Win2-0Masataka KawakamiSubmission (rear naked choke)Shooto: Yokohama Free FightJune 4, 199512:32Japan
Win1-0Kazuyoshi KudoSubmission (rear naked choke)Shooto: Vale Tudo Access 4May 12, 199510:56Japan

See also

References