Kate Martinez wins in Japan, Kate Martinez mma

In 2010, Kate Martinez was selected to represent the United States at the 2010 Girls S-Cup World Tournament in Japan. The S-Cup Tournament showcases SHOOTBOXING, which is a kickboxing sport that incorporates judo throws and standing submissions. The official SHOOTBOXING organization headquarters is located in Tokyo, Japan. Kate was selected based on her strong kickboxing background and for the fact that she had won MMA fights with standing submissions.

In the first round of the tournament, Kate Martinez faced Thailands Champion, ZaZa Sor Aree, a  Muay Thai Champion with an extensive fight record. Kate had a dominating performance, and in the third round, she secured a head and arm choke that put Zaza to sleep. Kate Martinez became the first woman ever to win an S-Cup match via standing submission.

After advancing to the semi-finals, Kate Martinez faced the reining S-Cup Champion RENA, whom in 2010 was ranked as the #1 female kickboxer in Japan. Kate and RENA had a three-round war, but in the end Kate fell short on points and lost the decision. The fight was a loss on her record, but the experience was cherished. "Getting the opportunity to go toe-to-toe against the best kickboxer in Japan was the greatest experience of my fight career."