Ren Hiramoto (born 27 June 1998; ) is a Japanese

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...

and former kickboxer, currently fighting in the featherweight division of Rizin FF. A professional competitor since 2015, he is the 2016 Krush and 2017

K-1 K-1 is a professional kickboxing promotion established in 1993 by karateka Kazuyoshi Ishii. Originally under the ownership of the Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG), K-1 was considered to be the largest Kickboxing organization in the worl ...

lightweight tournament runner-up.

Kickboxing career

Early career

Hiramoto made his professional debut against Yuki Ishikawa at K-1 World GP 2015 -60kg Championship Tournament on January 18, 2015. He won the fight by a first-round left hook knockout. Hiramoto faced Yuki Izuka at K-1 World GP 2015 -55kg Championship Tournament on April 19, 2015. He won the fight by a first-round knockout. Hiramoto faced Yohei Noguchi at K-1 World GP 2015 -70kg Championship Tournament on July 4, 2015. He won the fight by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the fight 30-25 in his favor. He scored two knockdowns in the first round: the first with a right straight, while the second was a standing knockdown due to a series of undefended strikes. Hiramoto faced the one-time Krush lightweight title challenger Minoru Kimura at K-1 World GP 2015 Survival Wars on September 22, 2015. Kimura won the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 30-27, 30-26 and 30-27. Hiramoto was knocked down with a left hook at the very end of the second round. After suffering his first professional loss, Hiramoto fought Massaro Glunder at K-1 World GP 2015 The Championship on November 21, 2015. Hiramoto lost the closely contested bout by majority decision, with scores of 29-29, 30-28 and 30-29.

Title fights

Krush lightweight tournament

Hiramoto participated in the 2016 Krush Lightweight tournament, held to fill the vacant title, following Hideaki Yamazaki's move up to super lightweight. Hiramoto was scheduled to face Yoshiki Harada at Krush 62 on January 17, 2016 in the tournament quarterfinals. Hiramoto won the fight by a second-round knockout. He knocked Harada down with a right straight early in the second round, and quickly followed it up with a left hook. The referee decided to wave the fight off after the second knockdown. Hiramoto faced Taito in the tournament semifinals, held at Krush 64 on March 20, 2016. Taito advanced to the semifinals with a third-round knockout of Taro Hayasaka. Hiramoto won the fight by a dominant unanimous decision, with scores of 30-26, 30-26 and 30-25. He scored the single knockdown of the fight in the second round, dropping Taito with a left hook. Hiramoto faced Daizo Sasaki in the tournament finals, held at Krush 66 on June 12, 2016. Sasaki earned his place in the finals with decision victories against Hisaki Higashimoto and Takayuki Minamino. Hiramoto lost the tournament final by majority decision, with scores of 29-28, 29-29 and 29-28.

K-1 lightweight tournament

Hiramoto took part in the 2017 K-1 Lightweight World Grand Prix, held on February 25, 2017. He was scheduled to face the experienced Nak Muay Brice Delval in the tournament quarterfinals. Hiramoto won the closely contested bout by majority decision, with scores of 30-28, 29-29 and 29-28. Hiramoto faced the WMPF World Super Lightweight champion Gonnapar Weerasakreck in the tournament semifinals. Hiramoto knocked Gonnapar with a right straight at the 2:15 minute mark. He knocked Gonnapar down with a left hook at the 1:44 minute mark, after which the referee stopped the fight. Hiramoto faced the

Wu Lin Feng Wu Lin Feng (), also known as WLF, is a martial arts competition televised by Henan Television. It is the longest running martial arts program in China. Since 2007 the competition has become more international in nature, bringing in more chall ...

lightweight champion Wei Rui in the tournament finals. Rui advanced to the finals with a stoppage victory against Daizo Sasaki in the quarterfinals and a decision victory against Cristian Spetcu in the semifinals. Rui won the bout by split decision, with scores of 30-28, 30-29 and 28-29.

Later K-1 career

Hiramoto was scheduled to face Umar Paskhaev at -1 World GP 2017 Super Welterweight Championship Tournament on June 18, 2017. He won the fight by unanimous decision. Hiramoto was scheduled to fight a rematch with Daizo Sasaki at K-1 World GP 2017 Heavyweight Championship Tournament on November 23, 2017. Sasaki won their first meeting, on June 12, 2016, by majority decision. Hiramoto won the rematch through by unanimous decision, with scores of 30-25, 30-26 and 30-26. Hiramoto knocked Sasaki down twice at the very end of the round, although he was unable to finish him. Hiramoto was scheduled to face the three-time K-1 lightweight Grand Prix winner Kaew Weerasakreck at K-1 World GP 2018: K'FESTA.1 on March 21, 2018. He won the fight by a second-round knockout. Combat Press would later name his win against Kaew as their 2018 "Upset of the Year". Hiramoto was scheduled to face Takahiro Ashida during the Bellator and Rizin cross-promotion event, Bellator & Rizin: Japan, on December 29, 2019. He won the fight by a first-round technical knockout. Subsequently, he retired from kickboxing in order to pursue a career in professional mixed martial arts. Hiramoto was ranked as a top ten featherweight according to Combat Press from April 2018 until July 2020, when he transitioned to

mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-s ...

, and signed with Rizin.

Mixed martial arts career

Hiramoto signed a contract with Rizin in June 2020, intending to compete in

. Hiramoto made his professional mixed martial arts debut against Kyohei Hagiwara at Rizin 26 on December 31, 2020. He lost the fight via ground and pound TKO in round 2. Hiramoto headlined Rizin Landmark 2 against Chihiro Suzuki on March 6, 2022. He lost the bout via unanimous decision. Hiramoto faced Hiroaki Suzuki in the co-main event of Rizin 36 on July 2, 2022. The bout was later promoted to main event status. Hiramoto won the fight by split decision. Hiramoto faced Satoshi Yamasu in the main event of Rizin Landmark Vol.4 on November 6, 2022. He won the fight by unanimous decision. Hiramoto faced the former Rizin FF Featherweight champion Yutaka Saito at Rizin Landmark 5 on April 29, 2023. He lost the fight by unanimous decision. Hiramoto faced YA-MAN at Rizin 45 on December 31, 2023, winning the fight by unanimous decision. Hiramoto faced

Mikuru Asakura is a Japanese mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist who competes in the featherweight (MMA), featherweight division of Rizin Fighting Federation. He also competed for Road Fighting Championship, Fighting Network Rings and Deep (mixed martia ...

at Super Rizin 3 on July 28, 2024, under "Last Man Standing" rules, with a symbolic belt on the line. He won the fight by a first-round knockout.

Titles and accomplishments

Kickboxing

Amateur * 2009 Windy Super Fight -40kg Champion * 2010 KAMINARIMON -40kg Champion * 2010 Windy Super Fight -45kg Champion * 2010 M-1 Junior -45kg Champion * 2011 M-1 Junior -55kg Champion * 2013 J-NETWORK A-League Welterweight Champion * 2014 K-1 Koshien Champion Professional *

** 2017 K-1 World GP Lightweight Tournament Runner- Up

Boxing

* 2010 JPBA All Japan U-15 Championship Winner

Awards

*2018 Combat Press "Upset of the Year" vs. Kaew Weerasakreck *eFight.jp Fighter of the Month (November 2022)

Mixed martial arts record

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, KO (punches) , Super Rizin 3 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:18 , Saitama, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 3–3 , YA-MAN , Decision (unanimous) , Rizin 45 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 , Saitama, Japan , , - , Loss , align=center, 2–3 , Yutaka Saito , Decision (split) , Rizin Landmark 5 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

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Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...

, Japan , , - , Loss , align=center, 0–2 , Chihiro Suzuki , Decision (unanimous) , Rizin Landmark 2 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 , Fukuroi, Japan , , - , , align=center, 0–1 , Kyohei Hagiwara , TKO (corner stoppage) , Rizin 26 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 1:29 , Saitama, Japan , , -

Kickboxing record

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Saitama, Japan is the capital and largest city of Saitama Prefecture, Japan. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance. , the city had an estimated population of 1,324,854 ...

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, , KO (Punches) , , 2 , , 2:18 , - , - style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" , 2017-11-23, , Win , , align=left, Daizo Sasaki , , K-1 World GP 2017 Heavyweight Championship Tournament, ,

, , Decision (Unanimous) , , 3 , , 3:00 , - , - style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" , 2017-06-18, , Win , , align=left, Umar Paskhaev , , K-1 World GP 2017 Super Welterweight Championship Tournament, ,

, , Decision (Unanimous) , , 3 , , 3:00 , - style="text-align:center; background:#Fbb;" , 2017-02-25, , Loss , , align=left, Wei Rui , , K-1 World GP 2017 Lightweight Championship Tournament, Final , ,

Tokyo, Japan Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

, , Decision (Split) , , 3 , , 3:00 , - ! style=background:white colspan=9 , For the inaugural K-1 Lightweight Championship and World Grand Prix title. , - style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" , 2017-02-25, , Win, , align=left, Kongnapa Weerasakreck , , K-1 World GP 2017 Lightweight Championship Tournament, Semi Finals , ,

, , KO (Left Cross) , , 1 , , 1:14 , - style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" , 2017-02-25, , Win, , align=left, Brice Delval , , K-1 World GP 2017 Lightweight Championship Tournament, Quarter Finals , ,

, , Decision (Majority) , , 3 , , 3:00 , - style="text-align:center; background:#Fbb;" , 2016-06-12, , Loss , , align=left, Daizo Sasaki , , Krush 66: -63kg Tournament, Final , ,

, , Decision (Majority) , , 3 , , 3:00 , - ! style=background:white colspan=9 , For the Krush Lightweight Title. , - style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" , 2016-03-20, , Win, , align=left, Taito , , Krush 64: -63kg Tournament, Semi Finals , ,

, , Decision (Unanimous), , 3 , , 3:00 , - style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" , 2016-01-17, , Win, , align=left, Yoshiki Harada , , Krush 62: -63kg Tournament, Quarter Finals , ,

, , KO (Left Hook) , , 2 , , 1:11 , - , - style="text-align:center; background:#Fbb;" , 2015-11-21, , Loss , , align=left, Massaro Glunder , , K-1 World GP 2015 The Championship , ,

, , Decision (Majority), , 3 , , 3:00 , - , - style="text-align:center; background:#Fbb;" , 2015-09-22, , Loss, , align=left, Minoru Kimura , , K-1 World GP 2015 Survival Wars , ,

, , Decision (unanimous) , , 3 , , 3:00 , - , - style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" , 2015-07-04, , Win , , align=left, Yohei Noguchi , , K-1 World GP 2015 -70kg Championship Tournament , ,

, , Decision (Unanimous) , , 3 , , 3:00 , - , - style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" , 2015-04-19, , Win , , align=left, Yuki Izuka , , K-1 World GP 2015 -55kg Championship Tournament , ,

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

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, , KO (Left Hook) , , 1 , , 1:25 , - , colspan=9 , ''Legend'':

Amateur record

Exhibition Boxing record

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Genji Umeno Genji Umeno (梅野源治) is a Japanese Muay Thai and Kickboxing practitioner. He is the current BoM Lightweight champion. He is the former Rajadamnern 135 lbs champion, WPMF World Super Featherweight champion, WBC Muaythai World and I ...

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Bellator MMA vs. Rizin ''Bellator MMA vs. Rizin FF'' and ''Rizin 40'' (also known as '' Bellator MMA x Rizin 1'') was a mixed martial arts event being co-promoted by Bellator MMA and the Rizin Fighting Federation that took place on December 31, 2022, at the Saitama Supe ...

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, Japan , Special standing bout. Boxing rules with spinning back fist allowed.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hiramoto, Ren Living people 1998 births People from Adachi, Tokyo Japanese male kickboxers Japanese male mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing boxing Mixed martial artists utilizing kickboxing Featherweight kickboxers Japanese male boxers Kickboxers from Tokyo Japanese YouTubers