Akira Kikuchi

MMAstatsbox|name=Akira Kikuchi


nick=
height=5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
weight=167 lb (76 kg)
nationality= flagicon|JPN Japanese
birthdate=birth date|1978|7|23|mf=y
died=
fightingfrom=Tokyo, Japan
hometown=Miyagi-ken, Japan
fightteam= Krazy Bee
fightstyle=Judo, wrestling
wins=16
losses=4
draws=0
nocontest=
ko=5
submissions=7|nihongo|Akira Kikuchi|菊地昭|Kikuchi Akira|born July 23, 1978 is a retired Japanese mixed martial artist and a former Shooto World Middleweight Champion – commonly known as the welterweight division in the United States and Canada. [The welterweight division, as designated by the NSAC, suits competitors between 156 and 170 lb (71 and 77 kg).] He trains alongside Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto with the "Killer Bee" team.

Career

Kikuchi began his mixed martial arts career in the Shooto leagues. As an amateur, Kikuchi won the 2001 All-Japan Shooto Championship. [cite news
last = Breen
first = Jordan
url = http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles.asp?n_id=5637
date = 2006-09-21
accessdate = 2007-02-19
work = Sherdog.com
title = Koubousen Companion: News And Notes From Japan] Turning professional, Kikuchi defeated his first five opponents in the organization and one additional opponent in Hawaii's Superbrawl Icon Sport. He suffered his first loss in August 2003 to American Jake Shields in a bout that would determine a contender for the vacant Shooto Middleweight Championship; Shields went on to become the first Middleweight Champion in Shooto since 2001. Kikuchi met Shields in a rematch in December 2004 and was victorious in a unanimous judges' decision, becoming the Middleweight 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 one more knockout victory in HERO'S 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. [cite news
last = Breen
first = Jordan
url = http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles.asp?n_id=5174
date = 2006-07-31
accessdate = 2007-02-19
work = Sherdog.com
title = Shooto Commission Reinstates KILLER BEE, Not "Kid"] Due to the suspension length, Kikuchi fought only once more in 2006. [cite news
last = Breen
first = Jordan
url = http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles.asp?n_id=6777&my_page=2
date = 2007-02-16
accessdate = 2007-02-19
work = Sherdog.com
title = Shooto Middleweight Title on the Line Saturday]

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 Middleweight 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 anticipates that the tournament champion will be sent to compete among the Ultimate Fighting Championship's welterweight roster. [cite news
last = Breen
first = Jordan
url = http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles.asp?n_id=6557
date = 2007-01-18
accessdate = 2007-02-19
work = Sherdog.com
title = GCM Hopes Tournament Talent Will Be UFC-Bound] Kikuchi's first bout in the tournament, against Jared Rollins, was scheduled for March 17 in Tokyo. [cite news
last = Breen
first = Jordan
url = http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles.asp?n_id=6918&my_page=2
date = 2007-03-06
accessdate = 2007-03-06
work = Sherdog.com
title = Koubousen Companion: News And Notes From Japan] Kikuchi was victorious in a second-round technical knockout, advancing him to the next round of the tournament. [cite news
last = Nowe
first = Jason
coauthors =
title = Fighters Advance In Cageforce Tournaments
work = Sherdog.com
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 2007-03-17
url = http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles.asp?n_id=7005
accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] 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. [cite news
last = Loiseleur
first = Tony
coauthors =
title = Cage Force Tournaments Progress
work = Sherdog.com
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 2007-09-08
url = http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles.asp?n_id=8916
accessdate = 2007-09-08 ]

In early 2008, Kikuchi announced his retirement from mixed martial arts. [cite news
last = Breen
first = Jordan
coauthors =
title = Shooto Sends Off Talented Kikuchi
work = Sherdog.com
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 2007-01-25
url = http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles.asp?n_id=10973
accessdate = 2007-03-21 ]

Mixed martial arts record

References and footnotes

ee also

*List of male mixed martial artists

External links

*Sherdog|id=3483|name=Akira Kikuchi
* [http://killerbee.jp/en/about.html Killer Bee official website]