Mika Nagano (長野 美香 Nagano Mika, born December 29, 1983) is a Japanese female mixed martial artist and professional wrestler. Nagano has also wrestled in Ice Ribbon and World Wonder Ring Stardom.
Early life[]
Nagano was born on December 29, 1983 in Gifu, Japan. She started wrestling in the fourth grade of elementary school and continued wrestling in middle school and high school, becoming second place in all of Japan at the high school level.
While studying at Chukyo Women's University, she was an amateur wrestling champion and finished fourth in the 55 kg division of the 2002 Japan Queen's Cup; the same tournament where future Olympic medalist Saori Yoshida finished first.
In 2004, she was ranked fourth in the 51 kg class, but left the university after three years before graduating and stopping wrestling.
Nagano moved to Tokyo in 2005, where she joined a modeling agency of independent wrestling and started talent activities. She was eventually charmed by MMA when she visited S-KEEP.
Professional wrestling career[]
Nagano made her professional wrestling debut on August 23, 2009 with wrestling promotion Ice Ribbon. After competing in Ice Ribbon for a few months, it appeared that she was no longer with the promotion as of February 2010; apparently focusing more on her MMA career after being pushed as a top star in Jewels. In January 2011, Nagano returned to professional wrestling, competing for the new World Wonder Ring Stardom promotion. She worked the promotion's first ever show on January 23, 2011, during which she defeated Eri Susa. However, after only a handful of appearances, which included her losing to Yoko Bito in a World of Stardom Championship tournament semifinal match on July 24, 2011, Nagano once again went inactive to concentrate on her career with Jewels. On April 2, 2013, Stardom announced that Nagano would be returning to take part in the promotion's big Ryōgoku Kokugikan event on April 29. In her return match at Ryōgoku Cinderella, Nagano teamed with Nanae Takahashi and Tsukasa Fujimoto in a six-woman tag team match, where they defeated Hiroyo Matsumoto, Kaori Yoneyama and Syuri.
Personal life[]
Nagano was married in December 2013 and announced her pregnancy on February 6, 2014.