From elementary school, she was given a gifted wrestling education by her father, Ikuei Yamamoto, who was a representative for the Munich Olympics, along with her brother Tokufumi (KID Yamamoto Tokufumi) and sister Seiko. At the age of 13, she won the first All Japan Women's Championship, and went on to win the All Japan Championship five times in a row. In 1991, at the age of 17, she became the youngest ever winner of the World Championship. She then won the World Championship in 1994 and 1995. Her beauty also attracted many media outlets, and she was a pioneer of idol athletes, appearing in commercials and releasing photo books, making her immensely popular.
She retired from active competition in 1995, much to the regret of her fans. After giving birth to her eldest son, Arsene, she announced her return to active competition in 1999, and made a shocking comeback year by immediately reaching the Queen's Cup final, winning the Asian Championship, and winning the All Japan Women's Wrestling Championship, but she retired again in 2000.

She returned to wrestling when women's wrestling became an official event for the first time at the Athens Olympics in 2004. She aimed to compete in the Athens Olympics, but finished third in the Japan Queen's Cup (a qualifying tournament for the Athens Olympics) in February 2004, and retired in April of the same year (she later returned). She gave birth to her second son in December 2006 and her first daughter in November 2008, and moved to Toronto, Canada, where she continues to work. She obtained Canadian citizenship in December 2015. She aimed to represent Canada at the Rio Olympics, but was unable to do so. In 2016, she announced her switch to mixed martial arts.

She made her debut at the RIZIN Saitama Super Arena tournament in September of the same year. Since 2018, she has had an impressive record of 5 wins and 1 loss, including an impressive 4-game winning streak.

Major achievements: 1987 All Japan Women's Championship 44kg class winner 1995 World Women's Championship 47kg class winner 1988 All Japan Women's Championship 44kg class winner 1998 All Japan Women's Championship 46kg class 3rd place 1989 All Japan Women's Open 44kg class winner 1998 World Women's Championship 46kg class runner-up 1989 All Japan Women's Championship 47kg class winner 1999 Japan Queen's Cup 46kg class runner-up 1990 All Japan Women's Open 47kg class winner 1999 All Japan Women's Championship 46kg class winner 1990 All Japan Women's Championship 47kg class winner 1999 All Japan Women's Championship 46kg class winner 1990 All Japan Women's Championship 47kg class winner 1999 All Japan Women's Championship 46kg class winner 1990 All Japan Women's Championship 47kg class winner 1999 All Japan Women's Championship 46kg class winner 1990 All Japan Women's Open 47kg class winner 2003 Japan Queen's Cup 48kg class Runner-up
1991 All Japan Women's Championship 47kg class winner
2004 Japan Queen's Cup 48kg class 3rd place
1991 World Women's Championship 47kg class winner
2011 All Japan Women's Open Championship 44kg class winner
1993 All Japan Women's Open 50kg class runner-up
2011 NYAC Holiday Open International Tournament 48kg class 3rd place
1994 All Japan Women's Championship 50kg class winner
2012 Canada Cup 48kg class 3rd place
1994 World Women's Championship 50kg class winner
2013 Nordhagen Classic Tournament 51kg class winner
1995 All Japan Women's Championship 47kg class winner
2014 Canada Cup 48kg class 3rd place
2015 Canada Cup 53kg class 4th place

MMA
September 2016 RIZIN.2 (Saitama Super Arena)
vs RENA (1R 4:50 arm triangle choke)
December 2016 RIZIN.4 (Saitama Super Arena)
vs Andy Win (1R 4:42 armbar)
July 2017 RIZIN.6 (Saitama Super Arena)
vs Cathy Robb (3R decision)
October 2017 RIZIN.7 (Marine Messe Fukuoka)
vs Irene Rivera (2R 2:26 armbar)
July 2018 RIZIN.12 (Saitama Super Arena)
vs Saori Ishioka (3R decision)
September 2018 RIZIN.13 (Saitama Super Arena)
vs Andy Win (3R Dec. 2018 RIZIN.14 (Saitama Super Arena)
vs. Nagano Mika (3R, Decision)
June 2019 RIZIN.16 (Kobe World Memorial Hall)
vs. Asakura Kanna (3R, Decision)
October 2019 RIZIN.19 (Osaka EDION Arena)
vs. Ham So-hee (2R, TKO)
December 2019 RIZIN.20 (Saitama Super Arena)
vs. Am the Rocket (3R, Decision)
December 2020 RIZIN.26 (Saitama Super Arena)
vs. Hamasaki Shuka (1R, 1:42, Neck Scissors)
November 2021 RIZIN.32 (Okinawa Arena)
vs. RENA (2R, 3:35, TKO)
November 2021 RIZIN.32 (Okinawa Arena)
vs. Oshima Saori (3R decision)