Akira Kikuchi (Japanese: 菊地昭, Kikuchi Akira, born July 23, 1978) is a Japanese retired mixed martial artist and a former Shooto Welterweight (76 kg) Champion. He trained alongside Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto with the Killer Bee team.

Akira Kikuchi
菊地昭
Born(1978-07-23)July 23, 1978 (age 44)
Miyagi-ken, Japan
NationalityJapanese
Height5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight167 lb (76 kg; 11.9 st)
DivisionWelterweight
Fighting out ofTokyo, Japan
TeamKrazy Bee
Rank  3rd Dan Black Belt in Judo
Mixed martial arts record
Total20
Wins16
By knockout5
By submission7
By decision4
Losses4
By knockout1
By decision3
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Career

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After a background in judo, Kikuchi began his mixed martial arts career in the Shooto leagues. As an amateur, Kikuchi won the 2001 All-Japan Shooto Championship.[1] Turning professional, Kikuchi defeated his first five opponents in the organization and one additional opponent in Hawaii's SuperBrawl. He suffered his first loss in August 2003 to American Jake Shields in a bout that would determine a contender for the vacant Shooto Welterweight Championship; Shields went on to become the first Welterweight Champion in Shooto since 2001. Kikuchi met Shields in a rematch in December 2004 and was victorious in a unanimous judges' decision, becoming the Welterweight Champion.

Following the route of training partner Norifumi Yamamoto, Kikuchi debuted in the K-1 HERO'S promotion in July 2005, defeating Katsuya Inoue by first-round technical knockout. Kikuchi would secure another victory in HERO'S, overcoming a knockdown to take a decision over former Pancrase Welterweight Champion Kiuma Kunioku before returning to Shooto the next year.

Kikuchi was defeated in his first title defense against Shinya Aoki at Shooto: Victory of the Truth in February 2006, and controversy following the bout would result in the Killer Bee gym's suspension from Shooto. Norifumi Yamamoto, a key member of Killer Bee, allegedly struck and verbally assaulted a Shooto official. The official, who was examining a laceration on Kikuchi's face from the title bout immediately prior to the incident, appeared before the International Shooto Commission. In the hearings, Yamamoto apologized for the incident, and Killer Bee was relieved of the suspension six months later.[2] Due to the suspension length, Kikuchi fought only once more in 2006.[3]

On February 17, 2007, exactly one year after their first encounter, Kikuchi and Shinya Aoki met for a second time in the Professional Shooto league. Aoki, the champion, defeated Kikuchi and defended the Shooto Welterweight Championship by split judges' decision.

In January 2007, it was announced that Kikuchi was entered into a welterweight tournament to be held by the World Wide Cage Network. The WWCN anticipated that the tournament champion will be sent to compete among the Ultimate Fighting Championship's welterweight roster.[4] Kikuchi's first bout in the tournament, against Jared Rollins, was scheduled for March 17 in Tokyo.[5] Kikuchi was victorious in a second-round technical knockout, advancing him to the next round of the tournament.[6] In the semi-finals of the tournament, Kikuchi fought fellow Shooto veteran Yoshiyuki Yoshida. In what was seen as an upset, Yoshida was victorious in a first-round technical knockout due to strikes on the ground.[7]

In early 2008, Kikuchi announced his retirement from mixed martial arts.[8]

Mixed martial arts record

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Professional record breakdown
20 matches 16 wins 4 losses
By knockout 5 1
By submission 7 0
By decision 4 3
Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Loss 16-4 Yoshiyuki Yoshida TKO (elbows) Greatest Common Multiple: Cage Force 4 September 8, 2007 1 4:33 Tokyo, Japan
Win 16-3 Ju Pyo Hong TKO (punches) Greatest Common Multiple: Cage Force 3 June 9, 2007 1 3:06 Tokyo, Japan
Win 15-3 Jared Rollins TKO (punches) Greatest Common Multiple: Cage Force 2 March 17, 2007 2 1:34 Tokyo, Japan
Loss 14-3 Shinya Aoki Decision (split) Shooto: Back To Our Roots 1 February 17, 2007 3 5:00 Yokohama, Japan For Shooto Welterweight Championship
Win 14-2 Ronald Jhun Submission (armlock) Shooto: Champion Carnival October 14, 2006 1 1:58 Yokohama, Japan
Loss 13-2 Shinya Aoki Decision (unanimous) Shooto: The Victory of the Truth February 17, 2006 3 5:00 Tokyo, Japan Lost Shooto Welterweight Championship
Win 13-1 Kiuma Kunioku Decision (unanimous) K-1 Hero's 3 September 7, 2005 3 5:00 Tokyo, Japan
Win 12-1 Katsuya Inoue TKO (punches) K-1 Hero's 2 July 6, 2005 1 1:41 Tokyo, Japan
Win 11-1 Jason Brudvik TKO (punches) Shooto: 4/23 in Hakata Star Lanes April 23, 2005 1 2:32 Fukuoka, Japan
Win 10-1 Jake Shields Decision (unanimous) Shooto: Year End Show 2004 December 14, 2004 3 5:00 Tokyo, Japan Won Shooto Welterweight Championship
Win 9-1 Ramunas Komas Submission (armbar) Shooto: 9/26 in Kourakuen Hall September 26, 2004 2 2:21 Tokyo, Japan
Win 8-1 Jutaro Nakao Decision (majority) Shooto 2004: 5/3 in Korakuen Hall May 3, 2004 3 5:00 Tokyo, Japan
Win 7-1 Sammy Morgan Submission (armbar) Shooto: 3/4 in Kitazawa Town Hall March 4, 2004 1 2:51 Tokyo, Japan
Loss 6-1 Jake Shields Decision (unanimous) Shooto: 8/10 in Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium August 10, 2003 3 5:00 Yokohama, Japan
Win 6-0 Seichi Ikemoto Submission (armbar) Shooto 2003: 6/27 in Hiroshima Sun Plaza June 27, 2003 2 1:28 Hiroshima, Japan
Win 5-0 Toru Nakayama TKO (punches) Shooto: 2/23 in Korakuen Hall February 23, 2003 1 2:53 Tokyo, Japan
Win 4-0 Kolo Koka Submission (keylock) SuperBrawl 27 November 9, 2002 1 3:09 Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Win 3-0 Shigetoshi Iwase Decision (unanimous) Shooto: Treasure Hunt 9 July 27, 2002 2 5:00 Tokyo, Japan
Win 2-0 Jani Lax Submission (kimura) Shooto: Wanna Shooto 2002 April 14, 2002 1 2:51 Tokyo, Japan
Win 1-0 Yoichi Fukumoto Submission (armbar) Shooto: Treasure Hunt 2 January 25, 2002 1 3:18 Tokyo, Japan

See also

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References and footnotes

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  1. ^ Breen, Jordan (2006-09-21). "Koubousen Companion: News And Notes From Japan". Sherdog.com. Retrieved 2007-02-19.
  2. ^ Breen, Jordan (2006-07-31). "Shooto Commission Reinstates KILLER BEE, Not "Kid"". Sherdog.com. Retrieved 2007-02-19.
  3. ^ Breen, Jordan (2007-02-16). "Shooto Welterweight Title on the Line Saturday". Sherdog.com. Retrieved 2007-02-19.
  4. ^ Breen, Jordan (2007-01-18). "GCM Hopes Tournament Talent Will Be UFC-Bound". Sherdog.com. Retrieved 2007-02-19.
  5. ^ Breen, Jordan (2007-03-06). "Koubousen Companion: News And Notes From Japan". Sherdog.com. Retrieved 2007-03-06.
  6. ^ Nowe, Jason (2007-03-17). "Fighters Advance In Cageforce Tournaments". Sherdog.com. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
  7. ^ Loiseleur, Tony (2007-09-08). "Cage Force Tournaments Progress". Sherdog.com. Retrieved 2007-09-08.
  8. ^ Breen, Jordan (2007-01-25). "Shooto Sends Off Talented Kikuchi". Sherdog.com. Retrieved 2007-03-21.
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Preceded by Shooto Welterweight champion
December 14, 2004 – February 17, 2006
Succeeded by