Roxanne Modafferi

{| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 750px; " Roxanne Modafferi (born September 24, 1982) is a top ranked mma fighter in the 135 pound division. She won the 2007 K-GRACE Women's Open-Weight Tournament Champion and the Fatal Femmes Fighting lightweight champion.
 * style="vertical-align: top; width: 500px; "|

Her current record is 15-6

Biography
Growing up in the northeast, Roxanne Modafferi started training in taekwondo as a teenager at Mark Lawler's Kemp karate in Kennett Square, PA. Modafferi's family moved to Massachusetts and she started training at the Daulton Judo club in Pittsfield. She trained there for three years, and another three months at the Royce Gracie Brazilian jiu-jitsu academy before heading to college at the University of Massachusetts.

Modafferi trained with the Amherst Athletic Club during her college years, also training at a Gracie academy in Hartford, CT two hours away. During the summer, she trained at Joao Amaral's New England BJJ club and Sityodtong Muay Thai Academy's North American branch in the Boston area.

Modafferi spent her junior year from Sept. 2003-June 2004 in Japan and started her mma career. She would graduate from the University of Massachusetts with a degree in Japanese Language and literature in May 2005.

Modafferi is currently working as a English teacher in Tokyo Japan.
 * style="vertical-align: top; width: 250px; "|

Statistics
Statistics

MMA Record

 * }

Japanese Start and First Major Upset
While in her junior year of college, Roxanne Modafferi started her mma career, competing for Smackgirl. Her first match was November 10, 2003 with a submission win over Hikaru Shinohara. She would rack up two more wins via decision before making her way back to the states.

Modafferi would upset one of the best fighters at the time, Jennifer Howe, at Hook'n'Shoot Evolution November 6, 2004 via decision.

She would face her first loss to Megumi Yabushita at Smackgirl Remix in November 2004.

Modafferi would get her first mma title by defeating Jen Howe once again at the IFC Eve of Destruction card in March of 2005. This time by triangle choke.

thumb|left|500px|Modafferi vs. Jennifer Howe Rounds 2 & 3

In 2006, Modafferi would eventually avenge her loss to Megumi Yabushita, but would acquire losses from top mma fighters Tara LaRosa and Shayna Baszler.

Success and Titles
In 2007, Modafferi would start an unbeaten streak, starting with her title win against Cassandra Rivers-Blasso via a split decision to become the first Fatal Femme Fighting lightweight champion.

She would also win the K-GRACE tournament in Japan, defeating Marloes Coenen in the finals via split decision.

thumb|500px|left|Modafferi vs. Marloes Coenen in the K-GRACE Finals

Strikeforce and Second Upset
After an impressive six match win streak, Modafferi would lose to Coenen in Modafferi's first Strikeforce match in November 2009 via armbar submission. Modafferi took the match on one week's notice and went up to 145 pounds for the fight.

Modafferi would rebound in 2010, defeating Molly Helsel at the King of the Cage - Toryumon event in Okinawa, Japan.

Modafferi would upset and avenge her loss to top ranked Tara LaRosa by winning a split decision at the Mossin: God of Martial Arts card in her home state of Massachusetts on May 21, 2010.

thumb|500px|left|Modafferi vs. Tara LaRosa II Round 3

With the win over LaRosa, Modafferi would face Strikeforce champion Sarah Kaufman for her 135 pound title at ShoMMA 9 in Everett, WA on July 23, 2010. Modafferi would lose due to a Kaufman slam in the third round.

Professional Fight Records
{| align="left" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 700px; "
 * (a) Won Fatal Femme Fighting lightweight title
 * (b) Won K-Grace Tournament
 * (c) Strikeforce 135 pound title match
 * (c) Strikeforce 135 pound title match

Websites
Official website

http://www.roxannemodafferi.net

Official twitter

http://twitter.com/RoxyFighter
 * }
 * }