Junji Ito (fighter)


Junji Ito is a Japanese mixed martial artist who competes in the flyweight division of Shooto, where he is the #1 ranked contender. He is a former four time Shooto World Flyweight Championship title challenger.
Junji Sarumaru is the ring name of Ito in Japan.

Mixed martial arts career

Junji Ito has spent his entire career fighting for the Shooto organization. He is known for his punching power, with the majority of his wins coming by knockout.
Junji Ito began his MMA career 2007, with Shooto, where he amassed an 7-2 record in three years of competing. His first serious challenge came against Junji Ikoma when he fought for the Shooto flyweight title. He lost a unanimous decision. During Shooto: Bout Sustain 3, he faced Yuki Shojo, winning the bout by majority decision. This win earned him a title shot against the strawweight champion Mikihito Yamagami. He would lose the fight in the second round, by way of a rear naked choke. Ito bounced back with a decision win against Tadaaki Yamamoto, and fought against Shinya Murofushi for the vacant flyweight title. He would against fail to secure the title, losing by way of a rear naked choke. He won the next three fights by TKO and again challenged for the flyweight title, held at the time by Yoshitaka Naito. He lost by a unanimous decision.
In his only fight outside Shooto, at WSOF Global Championship 2, he faced the undefeated Jarred Brooks, losing in the second round by TKO. Returning to Shooto he accrued a 4-1-2 record, with the most notable fights being a decision win against the undefeated Ryosuke Honda, and a draw against the future Shooto strawweight and ONE Championship flyweight champion Yosuke Saruta.

Mixed martial arts record